Following on from what I wrote the other day, here’s a couple of examples of being flexible with a training plan.

On Monday, its half term and my the two youngest daughters are not well. They’ve been up all night so between them and my wife, they didn’t get much sleep. I was due at the gym that morning but to let them sleep in I cancelled my session. After lunch, they all went back to bed, so I knew I was going to have some time to kill so I got my kit on and went out for a run whilst they slept. It was quite worthwhile as I managed my first 10 mile session for a long time.

Today, I’ve not been able to get my swimming session in as I was needed at home to look after my youngest. No probs, she’s having her afternoon sleep so get an hour in on the Wattbike.

Both might not be planned sessions, but at least I was getting something done rather than nothing by being a bit flexible, and I’m sure something is better than nothing.

From what I read, this seems to be a common question and worry, “How do I fit training in”. Most people are going to have work, and probably a family to fit in with the training plan, so how can you please your boss and family, yet still fit a decent amount of training in?

I can only say how I manage, and I’m quite lucky in that work isn’t really an issue for me. Having said that, 5 kids is, so I try my best to work around family life, and Manchester City. 🙂

I have 3 sessions with a PT each week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9.30-10.30. These are set in stone and I’m generally doing core and weights to build up my strength. On a Wednesday and a Friday, my wife is also at the gym, and as we don’t pick our youngest up from Nursery until 12.30, we tend to stay there and pick her up straight from the gym, so that leaves me another 90 minutes after my sessions. I would prefer to do my swimming drills both days but there is now a swimming lesson going on that involves the whole pool for some reason, so that takes that session out. So I have two spare 90 minute sessions. One I use for my swimming, the other I usually do a gym based brick session, with the bike usually having some kind of interval session. On the day I don’t do my swimming, my daughter has a swimming lesson at the gym, so we pick her up from nursery, and she has her swimming lesson in the afternoon. This has now given me a 45 minute slot where I can fit another swimming session in.

At home, my wife always watches the soaps. These are pretty much on every night, but twice a week they’re on for 90 minutes an evening, so during this time, I’ll either go for a run or more likely, go on the turbo. I don’t have any interest in watching them, so I’m not missed.

Weekends are a little bit more difficult, but at least one morning, I’ll try and get up early and go for a run. Whilst its not too light early on, and the weather is like it is, then I’ll leave the bike but when the mornings start to get lighter, then I’ll try to introduce more and longer bike rides into my weekends. Ideally, I’m back for about 9.30 so I’ve not eaten into anyone else’s day and we have time to do something as a family if we choose.

Some of the training does have to be reactive. If you spot a gap and you can do something, then go for it. I’m sure even half an hour of something is better than nothing at all. I once had 20 minutes to kill so I just sat on the turbo practicing clipping in and out of the pedals. Might not be a huge benefit in the long run but I had the time and managed to do something constructive, every little helps I’m sure.

You also need an understanding family as you will be out at daft o’clock in the morning, you will come back covered in shit and you will be absent for some time, so make sure they buy into what you’re doing, it’ll make it so much easier, though I have been told if you’re not arguing about how much time you’ve spent training with your partner, then you’re not going enough training.

Not really mentioned my training much. Since Christmas, been concentrating on just getting my strength and stamina back and hopefully that’s worked. Feel a lot better and fitter so everything seems to be going in the right direction. Whilst I’ve not had a training plan as such, I’ve followed some different routines and sessions with the view to getting my fitness back up to what it should have been.

Swimming is the one that I don’t have a problem with. I’ve done the full 3.8 km distance this month without a problem, so I’ve just been doing some interval training to try and get my speed up. Depending on time, I’ll do 10 x 100m and try to keep them at the same time ish. Usually works, and I’ve been lucky in that I seem to have the pool to myself most days when I go in. My youngest daughter has a swimming lesson on a Friday afternoon, so while she is doing that, I can get a quick 45 minute swim in as well which keep things ticking over.

Running has been fine, although most of my runs have been on the treadmill in the gym as the weather has been shite. The most I have done is 10 km but that was fine and I’m gradually building that up.

The bike, not great!! My plan was to be hitting the turbo over the Winter a lot more than I have. I’ve had mechanical issues with the turbo in that I keep getting flats, so thought I’d be clever and go and get a wheel, cassette and turbo tyre so I would have a dedicated turbo back wheel. Great idea in theory but with my mechanical ability, it all turned to shit and I’m going to be phoning the local bike shop to give the bike a service as I’m not convinced I’ve put everything back together ok!! In the end, I’ve decided to dive in for a Wattbike. I’ve sold it on the fact that we all can use it, but I’m hoping that this will give me more use by having a dedicated exercise bike there. I need to put in some serious miles on the bike, but with the weather, I’ve only been out on the mountain bike, and even then, not too far. If I have my bike all serviced and ready to go, then I know I’ll be able to hop on it when the weather improves and get some proper road use, but in the meantime, its going to be indoor stuff.

I’ve also been doing some brick sessions in the gym after my PT sessions. Friday I did 30 km on the bike, followed up by a 6 km run, and it felt fine. Have to admit, the first time I ever went from a bike straight onto a run, it was a strange feeling, but now it doesn’t seem to bother me which hopefully is the training working.

And talking of training, in my inbox this morning was an email from thetrilife.com giving me my first day of IMUK training plan, so its starting to get real now!! Hope this isn’t an omen, but I feel like shit, got a really bad cold so thought that its day 1 and I’m already going to be behind!! Fortunately, day 1 is a rest day, preparing you for what will be happening over next 6 months so all being well, will be feeling better tomorrow and I’ll be able to start it properly.