Time management

Think of alternative training times. I work a desk job (8:30 to whenever the day ends... usually 18:30 ~ 19:30) and I found that, once the time changes here, the best thing for me is to ride about 1.5 ~ 2 hours very early in the morning, before work.

That means I get to work in a great mood and 'pumped', don't have to make time to work out, and get to spend dinner/evenings with the family (wife and the two little monsters :p ).

It is the only way for me to be able to train during the week on a consistent basis. No where near enough to be competitive, but that is the way it is!

And for the winter months without daylight, it is only weekends and a LOT of time on the trainer at about 22:30, when the family goes to sleep.

Such is the life of the cycling-crazed family man! 😉

thaag said:

Hi,

After I got myself a wife and now two little boys (and one more on the way), I discovered how difficult it is to find the time to train. I could really use some good advices on how to get in the training during a hectic day.

I have managed to cut back work by 10% to get a little more time there. And also just work every other week. I am a Security Officer, and have 10 hour nights and sometimes 8 hour days.

I just turned 27 years, and want to turn pro (VERY SOON). I'. beginning to think that I'm running out of time here. 🙂

If there are anyone experienced riders in the same sosical situation as I am, please throw your tips concerning time management and motivation at me. I really need it!

Thanks
Thomas

Tom - Time management for me is the real crux about cycling.
I am very busy - hours are long and work demands are high but I clear time to cycle, regardless.

It's a sacrifice because outside of work, marriage/family life/leisure all require time too.

I make it my business to get out cycling every week day for two hours.
hail/rain/sleet/snow : if this is in the morning or evening, it is dependent upon
my workload.
I avoid in the indoor trainer if at all possible.

At the weekend, i get a minimum 3hours in per day.
So my total minimum cycling time each week is 16hours per week.
As daylight hours extend - I do increase the hours at weekends.

But it's a struggle and a compromise to clear cycling time - of that there's no doubt.

thaag said:

Hi,
If there are anyone experienced riders in the same sosical situation as I am, please throw your tips concerning time management and motivation at me. I really need it!

Thanks
Thomas

Get an indoor trainer (if you don't already have one). I find working out on the indoor trainer to be time very time efficient because you

1) don't have to put on your full clothing
2) don't have to drag your bike out of the garage
3) don't have to wash the bike afterward
4) don't have to stop for red lights
5) don't have to go downhill
6) don't have to stop for various other reaons
7) don't consider dropping the workout because of the weather
8) can watch the news on TV
9) can make a phone call
10) still answer questions and communicate with your family if they need you (although this is not always a good thing... 😄 )

_________
CycleFast

CycleFast said:

Get an indoor trainer (if you don't already have one). I find working out on the indoor trainer to be time very time efficient because you

1) don't have to put on your full clothing
2) don't have to drag your bike out of the garage
3) don't have to wash the bike afterward
4) don't have to stop for red lights
5) don't have to go downhill
6) don't have to stop for various other reaons
7) don't consider dropping the workout because of the weather
8) can watch the news on TV
9) can make a phone call
10) still answer questions and communicate with your family if they need you (although this is not always a good thing... 😄 )

_________
CycleFast

Another great time management tool is to commute to work via bicycle. Time that used to be wasted is now training, leaving more time for things like family.

[quote="CycleFast"]Get an indoor trainer (if you don't already have one). I find working out on the indoor trainer to be time very time efficient because you

1) don't have to put on your full clothing
2) don't have to drag your bike out of the garage
3) don't have to wash the bike afterward
4) don't have to stop for red lights
5) don't have to go downhill
6) don't have to stop for various other reaons
7) don't consider dropping the workout because of the weather
8) can watch the news on TV
9) can make a phone call
10) still answer questions and communicate with your family if they need you (although this is not always a good thing... 😄 )

This is actually a very good point. Although the weather has significantly started to improve lately, strangely all my riding has been done indoors over the last week due to time commitments. An indoor trainer can perhaps save 30 minutes compared to the 'routine' of cycling outdoors for all the above reasons.

[quote="sergen"]

CycleFast said:

Get an indoor trainer (if you don't already have one). I find working out on the indoor trainer to be time very time efficient because you

1) don't have to put on your full clothing
2) don't have to drag your bike out of the garage
3) don't have to wash the bike afterward
4) don't have to stop for red lights
5) don't have to go downhill
6) don't have to stop for various other reaons
7) don't consider dropping the workout because of the weather
8) can watch the news on TV
9) can make a phone call
10) still answer questions and communicate with your family if they need you (although this is not always a good thing... 😄 )

This is actually a very good point. Although the weather has significantly started to improve lately, strangely all my riding has been done indoors over the last week due to time commitments. An indoor trainer can perhaps save 30 minutes compared to the 'routine' of cycling outdoors for all the above reasons.

Most of my weekday rides are indoors on the trainer. The kids go to bed at 7:00pm and that is when I start my workout. On the weekends I go out on the road early in the morning so my workout is finished by the time the little ones finish breakfast.

One thing that really helped me was purchasing a computrainer. I know it is a financial committment, but prior to getting a CT, I couldn't stand to do more than one hour on any type of trainer. The CT allows me to load various courses, and I can even ride against one of my previous performances. I can also use the Delorme software to create all of my upcoming races. The variety keeps me motivated and ready to accomplish training up to 3hrs indoors without pulling my hair out. I still prefer to ride outside, but it isn't always possible with work and family. The CT has filled the void for me.

ric_stern/RST said:

Generally, having looked at literally thousands of power meter files, most people (myself included) spend up to about 30% of most outdoor rides coasting or doing very little work. (sometime it can't be helped -- for e.g., on some descents).

One way to cut down time is to make a training plan based on your goals (or get a coach to make you a plan). this saves you time when you get on your bike, and think: "what should i do today? Oh i'll do some sprints. Oh hang on i'll do some endurance, umm i'll just ride and see what happens..."

From a different perspective (looking at my own power meter files), I agree with this 100%. I think many of us have a lousy ratio of "quality" training time as a percentage of total time on the bike. I count quality time as L4-L7 minutes (Andy Coggan's schema, but there are comparable levels in Ric's schema), and I was staggered when I figured out how many of these minutes I was getting per ride and per week. I redesigned all my rides to increase this percentage and began to see benefits almost immediately. In fact, when I made each ride a higher quality ride, I had to put in recovery days because each ride was that much more intense. If I had less time, I would further tighten the screws on my rides and further increase the percentage of quality minutes to total minutes.

From a time management perspective, is it possible for you to commute by bike ?

I used to spend 45 min each way by car. I now spend an hour each way by bike. So for giving up 30 min time I get 2 hours exercise.

Best part is, when i get home from work, ive already done my 2 hours exercise, and do not have to give up any evening time that would be better spent with family.

Once or twice a week i can take the long way home and double the milage/intervals, hill sprints, etc

I work always at night as security guard. I commute to work at round 19:50 h and return at round 7:10 h. Now I'm training for road racing (first time) following Joe Friel's method (got the book). I don't know to what extent (if at all) does night shift affect my fitness. However, I've improved my fitness a lot since I started cycling (2 years ago). I do my Sunday rides right after work and my only difficulty is when I have to work that same Sunday (less sleep), but I recover the next day.

thaag said:

Hi,

After I got myself a wife and now two little boys (and one more on the way), I discovered how difficult it is to find the time to train. I could really use some good advices on how to get in the training during a hectic day.

I have managed to cut back work by 10% to get a little more time there. And also just work every other week. I am a Security Officer, and have 10 hour nights and sometimes 8 hour days.

I just turned 27 years, and want to turn pro (VERY SOON). I'. beginning to think that I'm running out of time here. 🙂

If there are anyone experienced riders in the same sosical situation as I am, please throw your tips concerning time management and motivation at me. I really need it!

Thanks
Thomas

You are in Norway right? So it is light there 20 hrs a day in summer? So you should have time to train even with irregular hours.

To become a pro you need to train like a pro, which means 20+hrs a week. This is tough, especially with a family and alternate weeks at work. you should also be racing as often as possible.

What level do you ride at already? Are you on an amateur team? what success have you had?

BullGod said:

You are in Norway right? So it is light there 20 hrs a day in summer? So you should have time to train even with irregular hours.

To become a pro you need to train like a pro, which means 20+hrs a week. This is tough, especially with a family and alternate weeks at work. you should also be racing as often as possible.

What level do you ride at already? Are you on an amateur team? what success have you had?

Hi BullGod,

Yeah, the prodream.... Well, I think any serious athlete in the twenties at heart dreams of becoming a pro (even maybe the categori 4 and 5 levels athletes).. 🙂 But dreams and goals are two diffrent things, and at one point that was also my goal. I did ride the 20 hours weeks building up to the season, and two national elite level teams was prepared to take me in. But circumstances made it difficult. I injured myself, with a real bad tendon, and spent the next two years dealing with that. Now at the age of 29, I still dream, but also study to become a mechanical engineer, (maybe developing a new powermeter). The cycling nowadays is pure fun and health activities for me.

Ride well
Thomas

I count quality time as L4-L7 minutes (Andy Coggan's schema, but there are comparable levels in Ric's schema), and I was staggered when I figured out how many of these minutes I was getting per ride and per week. I redesigned all my rides to increase this percentage and began to see benefits almost immediately.

ditto. i discovered the same thing. No wasted miles.

-Mike

CycleFast said:

Get an indoor trainer

1) don't have to put on your full clothing
2) don't have to drag your bike out of the garage
3) don't have to wash the bike afterward
4) don't have to stop for red lights
5) don't have to go downhill
6) don't have to stop for various other reaons
7) don't consider dropping the workout because of the weather
8) can watch the news on TV
9) can make a phone call
10) still answer questions and communicate with your family if they need you (although this is not always a good thing... 😄 )

If you can take it one step further and set up a dedicated stationary bike...
11) don't need to mount/dismount and adjust the trainer for every training session.
12) don't need to worry about that slow leak that started on your last outdoor ride.

I trained only about 5 hrs/week indoors during the winter, and started this season as strong as my last year's peak. Almost all my workouts were at 4:00 am before there was any chance of interuptions by my wife and kids.

-- Bryan