Find Time to Get Fast

We all get into triathlon for different reasons and all have different goals in the sport. Those goals may change and evolve as we develop through the years.

Many start out wanting to just complete a race. Common next steps include setting goals for placing or qualifying for Worlds. After those, the goal might be to explore just how fast they can get.

The more time you have to train the faster you’ll get. There is no way around hard work and the number of hours it takes. Some want to hear that if they don’t have the time they can just replace hours with some magical session that will cut the corner to getting fast.

The truth is there are no short cuts. I was told at a very young age it will take 10 years from when you start to get good at something to the time you are at your best. This is a patience that needs to be accepted early.

There is always one athlete just a hair more obsessed than you. The key is figuring out what balance is going to work for your life and your body. The fundamentals are always the same; what changes is how much do you have to dedicate to this one thing called triathlon.

Nobody likes to hear that the person winning his or her age group only works 10 hours a week, takes a summer sabbatical to just train and race, and has no family commitments. But the truth is, more than not, this is the case. The people winning their age groups at Worlds have this option. They have situated their lives 100% around this one goal.

If you don’t have this option I can offer some guidelines:

1. Eliminate  extra noise: You know that one or two hours a day you spend on Facebook or the Internet? You could be training!
2. Plan ahead for the week: Precook meals, lay out clothes, have a schedule for each day that includes all areas of your life.
3. Hire out things you don’t have time for: Such as cutting the lawn or cleaning the gutters.
4. Include your family, friends and work in your goals: Show them your schedule and include them so you have there support and understanding.
5. Don’t rush the process: There is no special secret session that will get you there quicker or allow you to skip a step.

I’ve seen very busy people be extremely successful in reaching huge triathlon goals with very good time management. You need exceptional commitment to your goal and complete acceptance of how hard and tiring this journey will be. It’s a huge commitment to be good at something, but it’s worth it when you achieve something you never thought you could.