Balancing Training time and Family - Challenges and Rewards

Blog readers!  Would love for you to check out a article I just wrote for www.traithlontraining.net .  I hope it inspires you to go do something active together with your family.  There is MUCH JOY to be found when everyone gets involved.  

Click the link in the tweet below to check out the article!

Joe White @joeandheidi discusses the challenges/rewards of balancing training and family http://t.co/th5EcQVM54 #trichat
— Triathlon Training (@triathlonnet) August 7, 2013

Follow @joeandheidi

Our fitness is coming....

It's all about Ironman training right now.  A thousand of you blog readers are gonna probably hit the snooze button on this post but a few of you enjoy the Ironman training update.....so this is for you.

Training in one word: discipline

Training in two words: time consuming

Training in three words: Are we screwed?

Training in four words: Only 10 weeks left?

Training in five words: We are scared but happy

A typical week of training right now is looking like this:

Sunday - Rest 

Monday - Swim 3500meters + Run 1 hour or go skiing

Tuesday - Bike 1.5 hours + Run 45 minutes

Wednesday - Bike 1.5 hours

Thursday - Swim 3500 meters + Run 1.15

Friday - Swim 3500 meters + Run 2 hours

Saturday - Bike 4 hours + Run 45 minutes

Recently we did a really nice ride with our buddy Jay which was around a 100km and 10,000 feet of climbing.  We felt pretty good.  Our fitness is coming.  

We are a funny pair.  Joe's 6'4 - 200lbs and Heidi is 5'3 and 108lbs.  From the back it looks like Joe's cycling with a kid! 

As much as we talk about the commitment and discipline and time it takes to train for an Ironman....we do have to say....we are having fun.  And lot's of it.  So far, this has been a great journey to see a long-standing dream come true.

These are good days!

Thanks for following our journey!

Follow @joeandheidi

What we're learning about Ironman training

In 14 weeks we will be doing our first Ironman Triathlon

2.4 mile (3.86km) swim, a 112 mile (180km) bike, and a marathon 26.2 mile (42.2km) run, raced in that order and without a break. 

We'll have 17 hours to finish

Between us and the finish line still stands about 200+ hours of training.

A little bit, each day, whittles down that big number....until June 23rd.

Then we'll cash in all this training...

and complete a life-long dream.

We are excited

People often ask us how it's possible

with full-time jobs

parenting

and making sure we don't neglect our friends

Here are three truths we live by:

1.  We're doing Ironman together.  

This value has made us structure our training in a way that invites the family to have fun too. Swim workouts involve the kiddy pool, bike workouts mostly happen inside, and run workouts happen together and end up at the park.

2.  We're doing Ironman to enhance our life not take it over

We've learned this the hard way.  Ironman training has a peculiar way to take over your life.  For example, it can affect how you spend your free time (i.e. don't go skiing because tomorrows workout will suffer or don't watch that movie because it ends to late and you'll be tired for your workout tomorrow or don't eat that cookie because it will make you fat and you'll have to carry that cookie fat next time you run).  Get the picture?  Yes....triathletes are that anal retentive. 

3.  Excellence is doing the best you can with the time you've got.

We don't have unlimited time.  We have demanding jobs....THAT WE LOVE....kids that don't want to just watch mommy and daddy sweat, friends that we love spending time with, and frankly, our personal devos every day are way more important and life giving than any training session.  Excellence is just trying to do the best with the time you have.  And if you don't have time to train that day...skip it and don't stress out about it.  

"Ok Joe and Heidi....I get that.  But seriously.  Level with me...how does it really work?  I can't imagine really fitting this into my busy life.  How do you do it?

We get that question, a lot.

One day...we'll do a really practical post about tips that we've learned that anyone can use to train 2 hours a day, every day with an already busy week. 

But for starters....here's what it takes in 5 points:

1.  Early morning workouts are KEY. We're up at 5:30am

2.  Accept that once you're up...you will be active (with work, family, and friends) for the next 20 hours

3.  Accept that you can't do everything you want to do, if you train for an ironman 

4.  Accept that you're workouts will be compromised

5.  Schedule your workouts with friends or family (it'll keep you goin' when you're lazy).

Follow @joeandheidi

Ironman Vlog #11 - Crazy early mornings, Sweat, Kids...the juggle

We are looking forward to doing an Ironman together on June 23, 2013.  This is our journey....

We hope you enjoy a sneak peak into our thoughts about training and fitting it all in.  Click the video below!



Follow @joeandheidi

Family run-in-the-rain time

Connect with us on....

 facebook

twitter @joeandheidi

instagram @ jhwhite05

 or youtube www.youtube.com/joeandheidiwhite and

www.youtube.com/gcstudentministry

Follow @joeandheidi

Half Ironman....and I'M SICK AS A DOG!

Life is funny.  I trained 10 months for a 5 hour 30 minute race. I worked hard....early mornings, ran and cycled when it was raining/snowing/sleeting....and trained in pretty much every type of precipitation that can come out of the Vancouver sky.

....and 2 weeks before the big day:  A nasty bout of bronchitis.

Cruel.

But here are 5 Reasons why I am NOT upset about being sick before my Half Ironman triathlon this Sunday:

1. I put in a lot of hard hours in the pool/ocean swim, on the bike, and on the runs.  I feel good about that.  I am prepared.
2. My goal  was to use this half ironman as a test run for our full ironman, scheduled for June 2013 (Ironman Coeur D' Alene).
3. If I can complete 70.3 miles swimming/biking/running with compromised lungs, headaches, coughing fits, and plugged sinuses.....I can do anything.  
4. If I have to take a DNF (Did Not Finish) because my body just wont cooperate, at least I'll DNF having tried (good life lesson there, eh?)
5. Heidi still thinks sick triathletes are hot...and I'm pretty sure I am going to be the sickest one there....making me, undeniably, the hottest. 

These are still, good days....

Follow @joeandheidi

Triathlon Training - First race, this Sunday!

Did you know I'm training for an Ironman triathlon?
It's a...Swim 2.4 mi / 3.8 km | Bike 112 mi / 180 km | run 26.2 mi | 42.2 km race

It's been a goal of mine since I was a kid.  So, in 2011 I decided that 2012 would be triathlon specific training (swim/bike/run) with about 4 triathlons of shorter distance (olympic and half iron) as training prep for a 2013 full ironman.  So that's the journey I'm on...and will be on for a while.

Since October of 2011, I've done various variations of this to get my base level tri-fitness up:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 45-minute aerobic run and 30 minute (H.I.T - High Intensity Training) cycling session
Wednesday: 45-minute swim (2000-2500 meters) and 20 minutes of strength training
Thursday: 45-minute aerobic bike
Friday: 45-minute swim (2000 meters), 20 minutes of strength training, and a 30 minute HIT cycling session.
Saturday: 90-minute aerobic bike
Sunday: 60-minute aerobic run

In 5 months I lost 31 pounds and watched my body perform better and better.

Before @ 231lbs  &  After at 200lbs

Now, I've ran road races (marathon, etc.), cycled seriously for 6 years, but swam very inconsistently over the course of 4 years or so.  So I've been really pleased to have increased in speed due to better technique.

So, this Saturday is my first triathlon. It's the UBC REC Triathlon.  This week will be my taper week where I'll eat really clean and cut my training down and focus more on maintaining fitness, rather than building it.  To prep, I've bought some tri-specific clothing and washed my bike with E.  

Here are some things I have learned about myself through this process:

1.  The bigger the goal(s), the better I do

2.  The longer the distance, the better I preform 

3.  Family support is ESSENTIAL to training (we mostly run together, and bike on the trainer together)

4.  Using a very thought out training plan (from a book or expert) is very helpful for many reasons (keeps you on track, keeps you motivated, can help keep you injury free). 

5.  Doing my workouts in the morning (especially before people get up) give me the best chance of not missing a workout.  The longer the day goes on...the more likely I'll skip a training session

6.  Most people don't give a "flyin'-hoot" about triathlons or triathlon training.  Which I'm sure will make this blog post...a snoozer.

7.  I really miss training for rock-snow-ice climbing but I am confident this season of tri-training is a good distraction.

8.  I have had many disappointments in training (I've quit training sessions, felt sluggish, sabotaged my eating plan, and had very disappointing runs/swims/and bike sessions)....but the MOST IMPORTANT thing I have done in EVERY ONE OF THOSE CASES...has been to try again the next day.  This...I think, must be, a secret of success. 

Since I really have no idea how this Saturday will go....I'm simply planning to:

Use it as an opportunity to learn about triathlon 

Use it as an opportunity to stay positive under pressure

Use it as an opportunity to trust the work I've put into training

Thanks for the support, friends

good days now and ahead...

Follow @joeandheidi

Staying fit in the winter