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Tips on Time Management
Manycyclists don't work 8 to 5 Monday to Friday, but have heavy schedules requiring lots of travel or filling many evenings. Here are some examples of strategies UMCAers use to fit in training:
Blocks of time
Many busy professionals build their training around camps and tours. A rider planning the PAC Tour Eastern Mountain Tour in July might sign up for Hell Week in March and Red Rocks in May, to get two concentrated weeks of training. At home, he or she will be motivated to do the minimum training - who wants to show up completely out of shape? But he or she won't have to worry about riding lots of miles every week, knowing that the camps will help to build fitness.
Random hard/easy days
For many riders a regular pattern is key: M-W-F lift weights; T-Th intensity workouts; Sat long ride. Some people's schedules are too fluid to allow this structured approach. If that's the case, then commit to a certain number of exercise days each month. For example: 12 days of outdoor, aerobic exercise, 9 days of strength and 9 days of stretching. Seize the opportunities to fit these in, without worrying about the optimum of overload in recovery. Log the workouts on your calendar and at the end of the month see if you made your quota.
Traveling salesman
What if you are gone three or four days every week? The strength, abs, back and stretching exercises can be done in motel rooms. Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier and do your exercises while sipping the first cup of tea or coffee. Then you can feel good the rest of the day that you've done something for yourself!
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What if you are on the road two weeks a month? Start by analyzing your time. Do you have more disposable time when you are on the road or at home with your family? If you have more time on the road, then invest in a Bike Friday and make traveling weeks hard training weeks.. You probably aren't much fun to be around after an intense workout anyhow, so do these while you are away from the family. When you are home, continue to train, but decrease the volume and spend time with your family.
What if you have more disposable time when you are at home? On the road, do the minimum necessary for maintenance. Do the strength, abs, back and stretching exercises at least four days a week. Figure out ways to get three 45 minute aerobic workouts each week: ride the motel's LifeCycle, take a Bike Friday, go running, etc. When you are home, increase the training time, but don't neglect your family.
Workout together
Intense, dedicated athletes often build training schedules around activities they can share with their significant others, e.g., riding to the gym, working out, and then riding home for breakfast.