Tips For The Time Strapped Triathlete

Now that I’m retired, I look back on the time I was working, expecially before 2011, when I was working close to full time, and wonder how I ever was able to train for Ironman triathlon. I was at a very high performance level, excelling for years at racing, yet I don;t remember ever being pressed for time or skipping workouts because I had too much to do. It all seemed to flow easily.

Today, our Coach at Endurance Nation asked for suggestion to improve time management. I had to scratch my head and dust of the old memory tapes, but I did manage to pull a few nuggets out. Here’s what I cam up with…

I don’t need to save time anymore, but back (pre-2011) when I did, here’s how I managed to work full time as an obstetrician and full time as a triathlete:

  • Bike commute to work 2-3 times a week, in all weather. Didn’t replace any workouts, really, but it sure did give me a good “base”
  • Swam or lifted weights on the way to work the other two days a week
  • Ran at least once a week at lunch time in the park near my office
  • Laid out breakfast the night before, and made next day’s lunch at that same time
  • Kept a little IKEA closet in my office, with both work clothes and workout clothes, so I could ride the ten miles to/from in regular biking kit – much better at handling sweat than standard clothes. I never took a shower before work, didn’t need to as al the stink was in the clothes, not on me.
  • Did interval workouts at the track while my daughter had soccer practice
  • On weekend days when I had to work, I would run into work, having left my bike or car there the night before (having driven one or the other home.) EG, Drive to work on Friday witch bike in car. Ride bike home Fri PM, run to work Sat AM, drive home. On rare occasions, I would run home, having left bike or car in hospital garage overnight.
  • I’ve been doing my workout washing once a week Sunday evening for several decades, ever since the cleaning lady shrank my shirts! I’ve had a hamper by my gear closet for at least 16 years, even got a new one for Christmas from my wife when it started to disintegrate. Pro tip: don’t just throw stuff in there if it’s sweaty wet – drap it over the edge to let it dry overnight before stuffing in. Greatly reduces the smell you need to wash out.
  • I still swim 1-2 times a week with my wife, getting both SAUs and a workout all at once
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