How to train whilst managing…well, everything!
Whilst this is a subject I am well versed in speaking about, if you've come here looking for a secret sauce then I'm sorry to disappoint you as the secret to mastering your mornings is getting up early, and very early at that. Well that's my opinion anyway.
Having been training for triathlons ranging from sprint to full distance for over 3 years now I'm always tweaking my routine ever so slightly, but this is what works for me and I appreciate it won't work for everyone, whilst I don't suggest going full David Goggins and getting up at 04:30 straight off the bat, if you were to adjust to this, then do it gradually starting with 15-20 minutes and slightly increasing this as you get comfortable then it makes it much more achievable. If you make a drastic change your body will reject this and make it very uncomfortable.
A bit of background about myself, I am a husband, father, self employed telecommunications engineer, managing a property portfolio and whatever time I have left is committed to ultra endurance sports.
04:30 is usually when my day starts, firstly by taking on hydration, quick walk outside with Alfie the doggo to get fresh air and to get my body moving, then normally start a session just after 05:15 if this is a turbo session or run then finish this, get ready for work, breakfast, caffeine and more hydration. If I have a swim it's normally around 06:30 when the pool opens or group sessions are 07:00 so straight to work from there.
Normally work timings can differ being self-employed, I can start super early or a bit later but normally around 08:00 is the latest I would get to site then proceed with work for the day. Depending on my work load I normally stay till around 16:00-16:30 but I have been known to stay on until the late hours in many cases. Get back and get another session in before my wife and son get home so when they're back we can all sit down and eat our evening meal together. Then we spend some family time together before jack gets ready for bed, we clean the kitchen and have a catch up. Then I will do some property admin for 60-90 mins or a zoom call. I occasionally do have to train in the evenings if I've had a long day at work or not managed to fit a session in somewhere but I try to limit that as much as possible to prioritise the family.
Saturday’s long ride, normally around 07:00/08:00 and at the height of a training block this could be 6 hours with a run off the bike up to 90 minutes, then family time scheduled for the remainder of the day…however limited that may be!
Sunday’s long run, I try to keep this as consistent as possible with the timings so normally get out around 06:00/07:00 and then when I get back I have the rest of the day to recover and spend time with my family.
Some of the benefits to training early mornings
Improved energy levels (again initially you may find you slump towards the mid afternoon, but you will get used to this, and in the interim - just have an espresso!
Better sleep quality (when you’ve worked for your sleep, it tends to reward you by being deep and restorative)
Enhanced focus and cognitive function (paired with the better sleep quality and more productive hours in the day)
Mental and emotional benefits
Increased productivity
Greater consistency
These are just some of the benefits I've chosen to highlight but there are plenty more.
In summary for me this morning routine has changed my actions towards everyday life. It has given me more time to train and not compromise any family time. You’ll hear it all the time but you have to prioritise supporting those who support you. It’s a selfish sport, but we can take action to stop it from being ultimately selfish.
Oliver Panaro
Endurance athlete
Peak Performance Endurance Coaching
