balance
1.
a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight,amount,
etc.
etc.
2.
something used to produce equilibrium; counterpoise.
3.
mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behavior,
judgment, etc.
judgment, etc.
4.
a state of bodily equilibrium
When taking on a new project, commitment or challenge, one of the first things I do is sit down with my trusty notebook and pencil to develop a plan. I am a list-maker, a scheduler, and a planner. I don't like the unexpected and unscheduled. I like to know exactly what to do and when to do it. Maybe that is why I enjoy training for races--choose a race, choose a plan, plug it into the calendar and go.
After I recovered from the initial shock of registering for a Full Ironman triathlon, I realized that I needed a plan.
"Of course," you are thinking, "You need a training plan to tell you when and how far to swim, bike, and run, and when to take rest."
While this is correct, I soon realized that this was not the only plan I needed. I need a plan for my life for the next thirteen weeks. A plan that would ensure that I could keep all facets of my life in balance while still devoting enough time to training to get me to the starting line on September 20.
One complaint of many triathletes during the training period is that they feel that they lose touch with their families because of the long hours required for workouts. With both hubby and myself training for the same race, we had to figure out a way to reach the starting line healthy, happy and with our marriage and family intact!
If you remember this post from several years ago, I went on and on about how the hubby and I share a love of running and triathlon and but over time, we have learned that training together is not always the best choice for our own personal goals, not to mention our marriage. He is becoming rather speedy and most days I am stuck in one gear--"semi-slow". Even so, we like to try to schedule some of our workouts together, especially trips to the lake or the pool for a long swim.
With all of these things in mind, I had to develop a plan that would allow me to achieve balance in all areas: spending time with the hubby (training or otherwise), spending time with my children, maintaining a sense of peace in my household by keeping it organized, clean and cozy, preparing healthy meals for two hungry triathletes and two crazy kiddos, getting adequate rest, and of course, getting in the training on the plan. I had done it before while training for other (shorter distance) races, and with a little creativity and some compromise, I was determined to do it again.
Here is a quick list of seven survival strategies I have utilized for staying sane and maintaining my balance during training:
1. Be flexible. Seriously. It seems so easy, but often it is the hardest part. Triathlon isn't paying my bills, and probably never will, so I can't let it rule my life. If the plan says "run 5 miles" on Monday, but that is the only day the pool is open for laps at a time that you have a sitter, make it work and move on. The hubby and I quickly discovered that we couldn't get caught up in details that wouldn't matter in the long run. As long as we got the workouts done as close to the plan as possible, it was a win-win.
2. Involve the kids! I can't even count the number of people that ask me how we train with two young kids. My answer? We train WITH two young kids. The reporter loves to ride her bike while I run (3 miles or 16, she is there with a smile) or join me for laps in the pool. Lake swim? No problem! We added a Stand-up Paddleboard and a mini-kayak to our collection this summer so the kids can paddle or ride along while one of us plays "lifeguard" and the other swims. Sure, it takes longer, but our kids are enjoying the fun of weekend trips to the lake and the Reporter has even started joining us in some Open Water Swimming!
3. Change your wake-up. 75% of my runs take place before my kids even open their eyes in the morning. I meet my faithful and loving running partner twice a week before sunrise for our morning miles. While we solve the world's problems by the glow of headlamps and streetlights, my kiddos are still snoozing at home with the hubby. The same can be said for early morning swims and bike trainer rides, as well.
4. Schedule your housecleaning. I don't have the luxury of a maid or chef, so those responsibilities are left to us to deal with. At our house, Friday night is cleaning night. While everyone else is at "Happy Hour", I already have clothes swishing away in the washer and my vacuum is getting warmed up. While we dine on pizza and watch the latest Disney feature, I fold and sort laundry. By getting these chores out of the way on Friday evening, I have the whole weekend ahead of me when I wake up Saturday morning.
5. Menu Plan and Meal Prep. I started weekly menu planning when we got married. Although my method and eating habits have changed, the basic idea stays the same: Plan a menu for the week--breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, shop on Sunday after church and prep as much as possible on Sunday afternoon/evening. The time saved during the week is a huge pay-off for a few hours of prep on Sunday.
6. Ask for help. For Christmas, we asked my husband's parents to gift us with babysitting for the year instead of gifts, and the results have been fabulous. Not only have we been able to utilize this for training time (and much-needed date-time), our kids have enjoyed spending time with their grandparents and going on adventures while we are away.
7. Honor the REST day. It is so easy to get caught up in training and think that MORE is better. But, I have learned that "more" eventually leads to less because of burn-out, injury and fatigue. During both 70.3 and Ironman training, I have been diligent about following my "rest day" plan. That means, NO swimming, biking or running and lots of cuddles, reading and relaxing with family. Your body and your mind will thank you for it.
With all of these things in mind, I had to develop a plan that would allow me to achieve balance in all areas: spending time with the hubby (training or otherwise), spending time with my children, maintaining a sense of peace in my household by keeping it organized, clean and cozy, preparing healthy meals for two hungry triathletes and two crazy kiddos, getting adequate rest, and of course, getting in the training on the plan. I had done it before while training for other (shorter distance) races, and with a little creativity and some compromise, I was determined to do it again.
Here is a quick list of seven survival strategies I have utilized for staying sane and maintaining my balance during training:
1. Be flexible. Seriously. It seems so easy, but often it is the hardest part. Triathlon isn't paying my bills, and probably never will, so I can't let it rule my life. If the plan says "run 5 miles" on Monday, but that is the only day the pool is open for laps at a time that you have a sitter, make it work and move on. The hubby and I quickly discovered that we couldn't get caught up in details that wouldn't matter in the long run. As long as we got the workouts done as close to the plan as possible, it was a win-win.
2. Involve the kids! I can't even count the number of people that ask me how we train with two young kids. My answer? We train WITH two young kids. The reporter loves to ride her bike while I run (3 miles or 16, she is there with a smile) or join me for laps in the pool. Lake swim? No problem! We added a Stand-up Paddleboard and a mini-kayak to our collection this summer so the kids can paddle or ride along while one of us plays "lifeguard" and the other swims. Sure, it takes longer, but our kids are enjoying the fun of weekend trips to the lake and the Reporter has even started joining us in some Open Water Swimming!
3. Change your wake-up. 75% of my runs take place before my kids even open their eyes in the morning. I meet my faithful and loving running partner twice a week before sunrise for our morning miles. While we solve the world's problems by the glow of headlamps and streetlights, my kiddos are still snoozing at home with the hubby. The same can be said for early morning swims and bike trainer rides, as well.
4. Schedule your housecleaning. I don't have the luxury of a maid or chef, so those responsibilities are left to us to deal with. At our house, Friday night is cleaning night. While everyone else is at "Happy Hour", I already have clothes swishing away in the washer and my vacuum is getting warmed up. While we dine on pizza and watch the latest Disney feature, I fold and sort laundry. By getting these chores out of the way on Friday evening, I have the whole weekend ahead of me when I wake up Saturday morning.
5. Menu Plan and Meal Prep. I started weekly menu planning when we got married. Although my method and eating habits have changed, the basic idea stays the same: Plan a menu for the week--breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, shop on Sunday after church and prep as much as possible on Sunday afternoon/evening. The time saved during the week is a huge pay-off for a few hours of prep on Sunday.
6. Ask for help. For Christmas, we asked my husband's parents to gift us with babysitting for the year instead of gifts, and the results have been fabulous. Not only have we been able to utilize this for training time (and much-needed date-time), our kids have enjoyed spending time with their grandparents and going on adventures while we are away.
7. Honor the REST day. It is so easy to get caught up in training and think that MORE is better. But, I have learned that "more" eventually leads to less because of burn-out, injury and fatigue. During both 70.3 and Ironman training, I have been diligent about following my "rest day" plan. That means, NO swimming, biking or running and lots of cuddles, reading and relaxing with family. Your body and your mind will thank you for it.
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