It’s now the second week into the new decade and I’m sure there have been some loose plans for shaking the excess baggage of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Most New Year resolutions are based around healthy eating and adding a regular exercise regime to one’s life, but how many of these promises will be kept? I myself find it hard to commit to lifestyle changes when there are so many other “social and fun” occasions going on around me. So for me it’s trying to get a balance of the two so I can have the best of both worlds. The key to this is planning the week ahead. Decide on how many training sessions you would like to complete in that week and base these sessions around other events that are taking place including work, family time, and social occasions. It is important to be realistic with your goals for training, if you try to squeeze too much in you are doomed to miss some sessions which (if you’re anything like me) will result in feeling guilty. Start small and then build on these goals, that way you are winning from the get-go!
To help you out, here are some steps to make sure you stay on track with your commitment to staying fit and healthy in 2010…
- Search for an event to participate in. This will not only provide you with a goal, but will also keep you motivated to get out of bed or go that extra km while training. No matter your fitness, weight, age, gender – anyone can compete in most events (Ironman excluded!). Growing up I always thought you had to be a great swimmer, cyclist AND runner to compete in a triathlon, and only realised 4 years ago that this is very far from the truth, and that all shapes, sizes, abilities and ages are competing in this sport. If you’ve ever seen the Noosa Triathlon you will know that this sport is for everyone and anyone who is willing to commit to even the minimalist of training.
- Register for the event now! Don’t delay your entry as this won’t commit you to participating in the event. It’s too easy to just say “I wasn’t ready, I’ll do the next one” – so make the commitment today and this will provide you with a bit of (good) pressure of knowing that you need to get your butt into gear straight away.
- Now you will need to organise some training sessions. Depending on your self-motivation, you might enjoy training alone, but many first timers need a little helping hand to get motivated. If you find it easy to put off training because it’s too cold or you’re too tired to get out of bed – the best thing to do is find a friend of similar ability to train with – this way you know someone is relying on you to be there (and you can’t disappoint a friend by not turning up can you?).
- Keep costs low to start with. It’s easy to get a little excited about your new outlook, and most people want the best toys to go along with their vision of becoming a regular in the sporting scene. Bikes, sports apparel, and the latest in techno gadgets can be very expensive, and if your dreams of becoming a full-time participant fall short these things could end up at the back of the storage shed collecting dust. It’s best to go minimal to start with during the “trial period” in your new sport, and if you get to the 6-12 month mark start to look at upgrading to that lighter, faster, and excessively more expensive bike or gadget then.
- What should you be consuming? Everyone has their own preference to brands of supplements and hydration means before, during and after an event. It is important to find out what works for you as this might not necessarily be the same for somebody else. Trial some options during your training period to test that your body reacts well to the product. It is not necessary to use much in the way of energy gels and bars over the shorter distance races; however you will need to ensure that you have plenty of water and electrolyte pre-race, during and post racing to keep hydrated, prevent muscle cramping, and have enough energy to finish the race with enough stamina.
- Test your fitness. Prior to your race debut, set yourself a similar course in distance and type to the one you will be racing on event day. A week or two prior to the event, train over the route to get an indication of where you are at fitness wise. This will give you the confidence that you can go the distance, will gage how quickly you are capable of moving without depleting all energy resources, and whether you have any muscle niggles to get sorted before race day. If you are practicing for a triathlon, you will also gain confidence of how to do your transition change over’s which can be a little daunting come race day if you haven’t practiced this beforehand.
- Race Day preparations. Don’t wait until the morning of the event to get your gear together. In your sleepy state you will be sure to forget your left shoe or water bottle. Set your equipment and race wear out the night before to make sure you have everything covered. If you are doing your first triathlon, you could even lay out your gear in the same way you’d lay out your gear in transition to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. Some races offer a transition tour and/or a beginner clinic on the day before the race is to take place. This is a really good option for first time triathletes to gain some handy tri tips as well as see the course and entry/exit points for each of the swim/cycle/run legs.
All the best with your 2010 WORK.LIFE.HEALTH.FUN balance and enjoy the week ahead!
