How to Train With No Time.
Make the Time to Take the Time
Finding the time to balance a career, cycling, and the rest of adulting responsibilities is no joke. While it’s no easy task, it can be done with a lot of discipline and commitment–You totally got this! First things first, if you have been considering investing in an indoor bike trainer let this be your sign to do so. If you want to train efficiently and effectively I’d highly suggest filling your living room with this glorious machine. While it’s not necessary, riding on the trainer allows you to get a ride regardless of the weather, daylight, or traffic.
Get Organized
You’ll find that since time is limited, training harder is smarter. Time management is your secret sauce. To get organized block out your time to do life activities and then your time to ride. Map out each week and write down in a calendar when and what the purpose is of each session. Planning ahead will save you from scrambling on the trainer at 9 pm to squeeze in a ride that you’re probably not feeling. Set goals that are specific, measurable, and achievable. Quite frankly when you get home from a long day of work the last thing you think of is hopping on the trainer so having your goals written down makes you far more likely to actually get it done. Stick to what you have written down and then reflect on what worked and what didn’t.
Example Training Plan
Monday: Recovery
Tuesday: 1 Hour ride - 3x3min Hill Reps
Wednesday: 1 Hour Ride- 10x150m Sprints
Thursday: 40min Turbo - Intervals/Threshold
Friday: Easy Ride - Easy Ride - Easy Temp/Rest Day
Saturday: Cafe Ride
Sunday: Long Ride 3-4 hours
Keep it fresh: Climbing, threshold and sprinting.
It's all about quality over quantity
With all this training there’s no doubt your body will need rest and recovery. You can’t begin to train if your body and mind are not rested and recovered. Certainly don’t be afraid to take a day off, swap a hard ride out for easy spin, or throw in a few easy days back to back. Squeeze in a coffee ride–I guarantee it will help your soul.
Morning Sunshine
If you’re not already a morning person, get ready to become one, because when your workload piles up, the evenings are full with social plans, or the holidays roll around and you’ve committed to helping make pancakes with your mother you’re going to discover the beauty of knowing rides early in the morning. Wake up early to ride before the rest of the household it up.
Actionable steps to help you make it happen:
Plan ahead
Identify your objectives
Write down goals
Rest and recovery
Commute by bike
Make every session count
Get up early
Take advantage of your lunch hour
Prepare everything you need the night before
Limit time on social media
Dial in your nutrition
