When the going gets tough… the tough get exercising!
It’s the middle of the winter and your July sprint distance triathlon seems far away. Resigned to too many indoor workouts and indoor training rides, how does one stay focused and motivated in January for an event in the summer? Here’s my TOP TEN mid-Winter plan for “sticking to it”.
1) Set goals. Setting goals and telling people about your goals helps to keep your head in the game and stay focused. You may even get more support than you once thought from family and friends if they know how much your particular race or event means to you.
2) Set realistic goals. Be realistic about where you’ve come from, where you want to be and how quickly you can get there. Usually, we want too much too fast and we certainly don’t want injuries to sideline our big event of the season.
3) Sign up early for your races or events and do it with friends if you need extra motivation. Keep photos of the event or last year’s race on the refrigerator door.
4) Workout with friends or family. A workout with a spouse or significant other CAN bring you closer together but beware—no competitions! Just enjoy each others’ company for a friendly jog or bike ride on the indoor trainers. It makes the time go by quickly as well.
5) Think of all the great benefits of exercise (and there are many--that is another blog altogether) and do the activities you enjoy doing. Exercise and playtime should be one of the same. Racing is just icing on the cake if you chose to enter a race or special event.
6) Sign up for clinics and informational seminars in your area. They are chock full of good information and help keep you motivated, give you confidence and inspiration. Check with your local area athletic shops for clinics near you.
7) Journal your workouts! It’s a great way to track your fitness and see how you are improving. Include items such as average pace per mile, average speeds and heart rates if you are using a HR monitor. Also include how you “felt” and what your fatigue levels were on each day. 1-full of pep, 3-medium, and 5-very tired. Don’t attempt “junk miles” as I refer to them. If you are too tired, take a day off from training, get rested and resume with more energy the next day.
8) Exercise with movies and music when safe to do so. For those longer indoor cycling trainer rides, it’s a great time to catch up on a movie you’ve wanted to see. Take the new IPOD that you got over the holidays out for a run! Just remember most races or events don’t allow MP3’s or IPODS from a safety standpoint. Leave the IPOD at home on race day and enjoy the good vibes at the race.
9) Hire help when you need it. A friend can be a good training partner but not necessarily a good coach. For professional guidance and appropriate workouts, hire a certified coach when you aren’t sure where to start. Make sure they are sport specific for your goals!
10) Schedule in your workouts first in to your calendar! Plan the day, time, type of workout and duration at the first of every week and stick to it!
I wish you luck with your season goals and I hope this helps you in your quest for fitness and good health. Stick to it and good luck in 2008!
In Good Health,
Marla Emde
USAT, USAC Coach and ACE C.P.T
Emde Sports LLC
Race Organizer - Valley Girl Triathlon and WunderWoman Triathlon
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