Find More Time To Train

Back when I was still training, it always seems like some days are not long enough. While I always managed to make time to train, I never ever seem to find enough time to rest. I used to attend swim training sessions that start at 5.30am. Yes you read it correctly, that's 5.30am.

I'll wake before 4.30am, try to eat a little and try to leave my place by 4.50am. I'll ride my bike to the pool and then swim from 5.30 am til 7.15am or thereabouts. Sometimes I'll even find time to do some treatment for my fellow swimmers. After which I'll ride to the clinic where I used to work and if early, run some laps on the track (to practice running off the bike) before showering and getting ready to see patients. Yup, I would have swam up to 5km, bike and ran a little on days like this before 8.30am. My patients used to asked me "what time do you go to bed?" I'll always tell them "not early enough", before telling them I have to catch up on sleep on the weekend. They always ask me how I do it.

Well, here's how you plan the work and work the plan. I always look at all the other things I have to do and then plan how to fit it in. Remember this, there is no written rule that long runs must happen on Sunday mornings and track interval sessions must be on a Tuesday or Wednesday. What is most important is that once you decide when your running or training time is, you have to make it happen. That may mean you need to see your training as a priority. Of course you will have to be realistic about the other demands in your life. Read wife, kids, jobs, family significant other etc. Sometimes a narrow window of of opportunity may open itself, and you can squeeze a workout in (lunch time?). You'll feel good about yourself and even re energized. Trust me on this one.

There are some of us that have schedules that makes running in the morning difficult. I personally used to find training in the mornings difficult, I was always more fond of training in the afternoon or evenings until I started work. I found it tough to train at the end of a long work day, I was always tired. Worse still for those of us who don't get out of the office before 9pm. That's why I decided to build training into my work day. That's when I started training in the mornings. Gradually I got used to it and was even able to start swim sessions at 5.30am. A major plus point for me since most races at held in the mornings. Get up early on race day, no problemo, since I'm used to it already.

Don't expect to be able to do it straight away. Be patient and you will be able to find more time to train.