How to fit Ironman triathlon training into your busy schedule

When I started competing in triathlons about eight years ago, I set out to finish an Ironman, the ultimate triathlon. 2.4 mile swim; 112 mile bike; 26.2 mile run. It sounded incredibly crazy. At the time, I was in law school and studying for most of the day. Consequently, or so I thought, I couldn’t find the time to properly train for a full Ironman. In fact, the most training I could do was enough to complete a half Ironman, not bad, but not my goal either. At the time, I didn’t realize the problem was how I set up my training schedule, not how much time I had. The following four tips helped me on my path to becoming an Ironman:

1) Be realistic

When I started my triathlon training, I had this grand plan of training thirty hours a week, biking 100 miles every weekend, and training in each discipline (swimming, biking, running) at least four times a week. With that plan in mind, you would need to double up on most days and go big on the weekends. However, I soon realized that this type of schedule was simply not realistic. It didn’t fit into my life schedule. I was never going to be a professional triathlete, so why would I have to train like one? This is a crucial achievement for your triathlon training. Instead of trying to achieve unrealistic goals of winning the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, find out how many hours per week you can devote to training. Consider your work, family and social life. Then shape your triathlon training schedule around the number of hours you’ve identified. Anything over fifteen or eighteen hours, in the busiest weeks, is too much for those of us who work full time. Train smarter, not harder, is the mantra.

2) Be specific

Because you have limited time, the key is to plan your workouts, each and every week. Be specific about what you want to achieve. Start by identifying the training goal (ie recovery, speed, tempo, resistance, etc.). Next, determine the composition of the workout (ie, bike 45 slow miles or run 2 miles warm up, 4 x 800 at 10K pace, 1 mile cool down). Finally, determine the logistics (ie, where you are going to do this training). We are much more apt to progress when we follow a detailed plan.

3) Be consistent

Consistent triathlon training is the key to continuing on the path to the goals you’re trying to achieve. If you can’t do the workouts you’ve specifically scheduled consistently, then revise your plan. Consistently get your long runs and long bikes each week. Everyone misses a workout once in a while, of course. But if you make it a habit, then you won’t reach your goals because you will always be stuck in your physical capacity or worse, you will always be catching up where you want to be. Inconsistency leads to overtraining, which leads to injury.

4) Do not forget what really matters

Your family, your work, your happiness. These are the things that really matter in the overall scheme of things. You’re never going to look back at a day in the future and say, “God, I wish I had run three more miles that day ten years ago.” There’s no question that training for an Ironman triathlon takes a lot of time away from the people and things you love. it’s a sacrifice. So take some time for your family and loved ones. Remember, you are not competing against anyone except yourself. Instead of running those extra three miles you don’t really need, do the best you can with the time you have and be happy.

These days I am an Ironman. I am also a practicing lawyer and have a law firm. I have a lot less time now than I did in law school. But I make my triathlon training work by following the four principles outlined above when I put together my training program. The next question is what should be included in that training program. But that is the subject of another Ironman training article.