Triathlon Training: Just Get Started - This Will Help!

I love how I feel when I'm training most days:

• I love the feeling of freedom when I'm riding my bike on an open road on a gorgeous sunny day.
• I love the fresh air and connection with nature and the when running trails through the trees or by the river, along a beach, anywhere beautiful.
• I love the peace and quiet of swimming in cool open water on a hot, sunny day.
• I love how I feel when it all comes together in any session. I love the feeling of energy buzzing through me those day.

But, guess what?  Some days, it doesn't all come together in the sunshine and rainbows.  Some days, it's just plain hard work.  Either the workout is one that is meant to push and challenge you which will put you in a bit into the hurt locker.  Or, you're just not firing on all cylinders that day.  Here's what our experience has taught us and here's why we still put ourselves through it:

• Even on those tougher days, if you stick it out to the end, you'll feel better than had you not done the work. 
• Any purposeful workout will push you towards your goal. 
• Sometimes race day rolls around and you feel awesome and have the time of your life. But sometimes, it doesn't feel awesome - it just feels like tough slogging. Experience training on those hard days will give us the experience to fall back on: I've been here before and gotten through it, I can do it again today.
• Sometimes, you start a workout or a race and it feels like you just don't have the energy you want.  After a while, things can turn around and you'll hit your stride and start to feel everything come together. You need to give it enough time for the turnaround. 

Here are my top 5 rules for my own training and how to get the most out of the myself for every workout and how to get the most out of the time that I am able to get

1. Have a goal.
2. Make a plan that will allow you to achieve your goal.
3. Find or create a workout that will follows the plan and moves you towards your goal.
4. Make or find the time to do the work.
5. Your time is valuable so make the best of it:  train with purpose.

So, go out and get it done already!

Here's my last list for you for today:  if you find it hard to get out the door and get started, find a way to trick your body into moving, here are some of the tricks that I've found work for me:

• Run home from work.  I work with my husband so, if I plan to run home from work, once he's gone and driven home, I have only one way to get there and that's by putting one foot in front of the other.
• Make a date. Arrange to meet a friend or a group at a set time and place to do a swim, bike or run.
• Join a group.  A Masters Swim Group, a Track Run Group, a weekly bike ride, anything that meets your needs and fits your schedule.
• Just start:  if you're not feeling up to a 60 minute interval run, allow yourself to accept that a little something is better than nothing and commit to just 15 to 20 minutes of easy running and see how you feel after you get going and finish that first 15 to 20 minutes.
• Hire a coach. Your coach will likely know that you'll be tired and struggling sometimes and working through that might be part of the plan. Trust the coach but listen to your body - don't risk injury.
• Self-talk.  Sometimes, I tell myself "Suck it up, princess!"   You can find your own mantra but that one sometimes works for me. My other one is "What would Peter Reid do?" but you might need a more current athlete reference for your motivation.

Some things are easy, some are hard, just like life. One way to find out what you're capable of is to try something you haven't done before and explore your potential.

Sometimes, it's just nice to ride.