Finding time to train for endurance sports despite the chaos!
Written by Brian Vogelsinger, a Triathlon, Swim and Run Coach at Grit Endurance. Learn more about Brian’s background here!
Whether you’ve just started training for your first race or you’ve been at it for several seasons, chances are you’ve gotten the question “Where do you find the time to train?”. Crafting the perfect response to this inquiry is an art, and one you will continue to hone as your experience grows. The inquirer has a valid point in wondering about this scheduling conundrum though, as it is not the least bit easy to fulfill all of one’s commitments required by daily life itself, not to mention adding in an endurance training regimen.
No matter what phase of life you are in, each has its unique demands and challenges. Early in your career you may be expected to put in more hours to establish yourself. Once you’re established, you may find yourself with a family; and these younger family members may have many activities and training regimens of their own. These things often require your transportation service, on top of everything else. The latter is the phase of life that I am in, and I am here to tell you it takes creativity and some teamwork to ensure that everyone gets where they need to go and with all required materials!
I have been participating in triathlons and marathons for the entirety of my children’s lives, so they thankfully know no other norm. I believe this has increased their motivation to join the running clubs at their respective schools and stick with swim team practices even through the coldest months that the Midwest has to offer. I have been as committed as I possibly can to getting my workouts in, as I know firsthand that this is the single best way for me to reach my goals (and keep my sanity). I have struggled to learn how to give myself grace when a workout just can’t happen or receive the focus I would have preferred to give it, but this is an area that I am working on! I try to be as disciplined as possible with the time I have available outside of my full-time job, as I do not have a remote option in my line of work. Sometimes I feel like a scheduling genius, other times I show up to a track only to find that the local middle school has an hours-long track meet, and I now need an alternate location.
I will say I have yet to find the perfect response about where one finds the time to train, and I am not getting it right all the time when it comes to my own schedule. But I am here to say the struggle is well worth it. Crossing the finish line of whatever race you have committed your time, effort, and money to is extremely rewarding. Setting goals and achieving them makes the world go round for those of us wired this way. If you’re reading this, you’re part of this group too! Finding the time is possible, it requires some planning, compromise, and often times, help from whatever village you find yourself in. So don’t let your chaotic life get in the way and go after your goals and dreams. You can do this!