Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Needed: Direction and Purpose (a/k/a A PLAN)

It's that time of year - time for a shift in focus. I went straight from training for the 2009 Houston 1/2 and Zooma Austin to training for sprint distance triathlons to training for the 2010 Houston 1/2. (I swore I'd take a week long break in between each, but never did...I don't do well with breaks.) Now that Houston is almost here, it's time to shift the focus to triathlons again.

The problem?

Last year, I was just about covering the distance. I swam, I rode, I ran...but, I didn't really come up with a PLAN. I am a complete and total Type A personality, so how I just jumped in and "winged it" this year is beyond me. All I know is that I want to be stronger, faster and better in the upcoming season and for that, I need a PLAN. Guess I will start by checking out what beginnertriathlete.com has to offer and go from there. I know I really, really need to focus on my swimming again this year. I definitely improved last year, but I still pretty much suck....so, I imagine I will be spending lots of quality time in the pool. I'd love to join a training group, but with DH's work schedule and hobbies, it can be hard to work out with a group. But a group might help me get to that "next level". Plus, I have this thing about minimizing time away from the family....I did a lot of workouts during lunch or after the kids were in bed. Sucks, but it's worth it to have more family time (and to avoid the dreaded "mommy guilt").

That being said, does anyone know a woman who works full-time outside the home, has young children at home, and a hubby who doesn't do triathlons and has successfully trained for triathlons...maybe even a 70.3 or (gasp) an IM? If you do know this person, I'd love to meet her. I would love to pick her brain for tips on how she juggles it all!

2 comments:

saroy said...

I've found it much harder to fit in the time to train with just full-time job plus husband who doesn't do races -- and I don't even have kids!!

The husband-who-doesn't-race is the real problem. He doesn't keep me from training, but he doesn't really understand why I do it -- plus he is a worrier, and worries constantly when I'm out on my own running or biking. I basically can't run after dark anymore because it worries him so much, and I hate making him worry. On top of that, I've developed this weird guilt complex about "abandoning" him to go train. Which is DUMB. But there you have it. I'm hoping to get past that this year.

TX Runner Mom said...

Sarah, not dumb at all. I felt that way before kids about "abandoning" my hubby. It's even worse when you feel like you're abandoning him AND the kids, lol! Honestly, I know he needs the time to bond with the kids because they are soooo attached to me, but it still bothers me!