I guess that is a problem for a lot of people and definitely a problem of prioritizing but I was wondering if some of you can give me some insights of their time management.
With a toddler new to our family, work and some other obligations my workout time is very limited. I definitely try to get 2 indoor workouts in during the work week (usually tuesday and thursday evening) but my third workout falls on the weekend (low volume training plan). As the weather gets nicer I really wanna go on some outside rides but cannot do the planned workout on the other day due to family stuff…
Would love to read of your experiences about this.
I am not training for any races or PBs just wanna get fitter and stronger on the bike
thanks!!
BTW - great forum, great community !!
Early morning workouts are where it’s at. Work out when your wife wants to be up to start the day. Subtract 15 min. Subtract workout duration. Subtract another 15 min. That’s when you get up. There aren’t enough hours in the day. Make more.
If you want to do the outdoor weekend rides, make them your priority. 2 weekday TR workouts and a weekend out door ride is not going to get you that World Tour contract. But if you cycling joy comes from getting some fresh air and having some fun on the weekends, by all means, get some fresh air and have some fun on the weekends!
You are in the unenviable situation of having your goal in easy reach. Don’t screw it up by trying to live someone else’s cycling life.
Best thing I have done while my kids were very young was always having the bike on the trainer ready to go with the shoes, bib and heart band just next to it.
Then it is all about accepting that you might need to cut things short. On the other end, if opportunity comes, I would extend the workouts and feel really happy and blessed just to be able to do so
Structuring my training was hard but I soon found out that having a fitness program is much more important than having a workout plan. Both physically and mentally because the former is just about applying flexibility without losing direction. The later if more about ticking the specific boxes consistently or feeling miserable for not doing so.
TR calendar as it works today is a great tool to operate this concept
At the end of 2017 we had our first son, and a couple of months later I decided to go for my first half triathlon in September. Besides that I’m working full time as well.
So get together with your wife and discuss which moments are an absulote no-go for training.
Find moments in a comfortable timeslot that you are allowed to train and your wife can entertain your toddler.
If the toddler still sleeps during the day: there is your weekend day ride time!
For all other training sessions get out of bed early enough to be easily finished by the time the rest of the family does.
Helped me to put in about 8-10 hours of training each week last year and will continue to do so. Even with our next son coming up
Oh yes, make a tight planning with your family if you can. And than be flexible as f*ck to completely change it on the go due to circumstances.
My schedule is as follows (LV plans):
Monday - gym
Tuesday - work from home + 1 hr workouts
Wednesday - off
Thursday - work from home + 1.5 hr workout (my son and his mommy are going to baby gym)
Friday - gym
Saturday or Sunday = outside
I am fortunate that I can start working from home early mornings (0600), my workouts starts at 09:30 - 10:00, after I head to work (in case of NOT working from the whole day).
If you can’t do the weekend outdoor ride and the planned workout also (I also have young family and can’t either) then why not try and incorporate the trainer workout into your outdoor ride the best you can?
This is easier if you have a power meter on your bike and can work power targets into a portion of your ride, but even without you could try and work in the right kind of zones and durations of effort and get some of the best of both worlds.
I’ve changed up my schedule three times since our first was born 9 months ago. All about being flexible & communicating with your significant other.
Initially when my daughter was sleeping all the time and nursing for extended periods, I’d simply get on the bike when I got home for an hour because that coincided with her time to eat & sleep.
Then as she became more active & awake I pushed to working out at night and get on immediately when my wife would go to nurse her before bed.
And then once she ended up sleeping through the night and not needing to nurse to go down, I’ll wake up between 5 - 530 to get my workout in on the weekdays or weekends.
For the most part, I save getting outside on my MTB for races at the moment. It’s a lot easier to personally justify doing a three day MTB race or doing three races in five weekends when all my other rides are inside. Once race season is over though I’ll still just be trying to get outside but as early as possible and maybe only once or twice a month.
I hope I’m not reading this correctly. Maybe mommy is the issue because she’s watching the little dude while you’re on the bike instead of helping around the house. In that case, mommy isn’t really the issue, is she? Lot’s of assumptions here, so forgive me if I’m off-base with my Gillette-commercial fueled tirade.
We also have a 4 month old at home and I’ve found the best advice is what others have suggested: be flexible and work WITH your spouse, not against them. Most of us don’t rely on cycling for income, so training should be something appreciated, not something required. Personally, I’ve gone from 10 hr/wk to around 4 hr/wk and couldn’t be happier for the time I’ve got.
edit: Forgot to add that I’ve also moved my trainer to my office at work and get time on the bike during lunch break.
Our youngest were heading for be about 6:30pm then so I would train at night. These days I’m too tired as bedtime is 8:30/9. Now it’s early morning before they get up, or whenever they’re out.
mid 30s with 3 kids under 7. On training days, up at 530ish, train 6-7, shower and help with kids before heading to work. I’ve never been a morning person but this was the only way I could fit in the training. Finishing up 12 weeks of SSB1+2 with this pattern and finally making it a habit. Good luck!
I’m in almost the exact same situation (mine turns a year old this week) and agree with all of this. One thing I’d add is to plan ahead for outside rides/races and then write them down somewhere. Pre-baby I’d be hemming and hawing over whether to go to a race until the night before, now my race schedule is set out for the year and I even try to nail down social rides at least a week in advance (and if I say I’ll be home by lunch… actually be home by lunch and not 3 o’clock).
And of course, make time for your spouse to pursue their own interests!
If it fits your budget, a babysitter from time to time works wonders for the schedule. Whether you use that time to fit in a long ride, or to take care of other responsibilities to free up time to ride later, those hours make a big difference. And of course, then your spouse gets a break as well.
+1 If possible, try to do them as a family. Not necessarily racing together, but most of my races, the family goes with me. We do things for my wife and son outside of my race.
I sit here at 4pm knowing I have been up since 4:30 and need to get energized to be in full dad mode.
Agree with others: Early morning or it usually doesn’t happen for me. Anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30a is go time. Kids and wife are usually up between 7:30 and 8.
In prep for last season’s 70.3s with a 2 year old, I was out the door on Saturday mornings at 6:30 for 60mi, usually right around 3 hours, and then 15 min run right off the bike. I was completely done by 10 on Saturday and took Sundays off. Wife and kid got me for most of the weekend that way. That meant early morning swims and rides during the week, sometimes afternoon runs with the jogging stroller.
Now with 2.5y/o and 8 week old and a full time job, it’s just the bike for me, and early morning workouts are where its at. I can shake loose sometimes for an outdoor ride still. It’s negotiation. We try to work time where I watch the kids and she does her thing; she watches the kids and I do mine. But for the most part, I’m 100% trainer right now, even with nice weather. It’s just more time efficient, easier to make happen, and effective.
Weve got a 5 year old, 3 year old twins, my wifes a nurse who works most weekends and im self employed.
I barely see the road at all currently but thats fine with me as im getting more hours on my bikes with it permanently on the trainer in my basement.
Was trying to do MV plans last year but when I had to miss a ride or two due to other ‘life stuff’ it really knocked me off my stride mentally.
Ive started doing LV plans this year but chosing the highest TSS alternative when I can and throwing in the off bonus endurance ride when I get some extra time. Working out so much better for me, seeing better gains, not so worried if I have to skip a ride one day as I habe more give in my week to pick it up another day.
My lot sometimes wake earlyish so I prefer to do my rides in the evening.
If you are really struggling and time is super crunched I would just aim to set yourself the target of doing 2 high quality sessions per week, hopefully you can get 90 minutes on both. Then what I’d do is just make sure that if / when more time presents itself you are ready to go. Getting kitted up, pairing devices, finding bottles, etc all takes time. I’d almost go as far as having a kit bag, keep everything in there, sort of like a superman phone box.
In my opinion, it’s better to complete a 4 hour per week plan than to fail a 7 hour one. Whilst it’s not about brownie points, just make sure that off the bike and on the bike don’t overlap, do one or the other.
