Friday, April 16, 2010

On the Road Again

So I mentioned that in this blog I was going to try and discuss what its like trying to get training in with all the travel I do for work.  I'm away close to 20 weeks a year.  Which is a lot.  Sometimes its a few weeks back to back, and sometimes its a week or two a month.  Its rare I have an entire month off.  Last year was the first time I had tried to do anything beyond just getting some good gym workouts in.  I managed to train for two marathons while travelling.  It wasn't easy, and I had to be creative with my schedule.  At times I had to do 15 mile runs on treadmills.  I even did a 17 miler on a hotel outdoor 1/4 mile track at 4 in the morning.  Sometimes thats the only way to do it.

Now however I'm going to be faced with the unique challenge of trying to train for traithlons while on the road.  Its not going to be easy considering I don't always have access to a pool.  When I do its not always the most suitable thing for lap swimming and its often not open early or late enough to work with my schedule.  So that leaves running and biking.  Biking is sort of out as the best I'll find is an upright stationary bike.  Not the best simulation, but doable.  So for the most part I'll be running and strength training while I travel other than the few work events I drive to where I'll take my bike along as well.  But I'm determined, and I'm not going to be on the road forever as eventually (hopefully soon!) I'll be getting off the road and finding something fulltime and local.  Currently the only work I do at home is in my home office.  Everything else I get on a plane to go to work. 

Currently I'm in Orlando...   at a hotel with no gym.  And I can't run until May 1st according to the podiatrist.  So yeah...   what to do?  I spent the first two days "loading in" which is intense physical labor for a couple of days as we setup all the lighting equipment.  Its a good workout in itself and the days are long so training has to wait on those days.  But this morning I woke up and did an hour of a fast paced yoga routine in my hotel room between the beds with a towel as the yoga matt.  Not ideal...  and not quite enough space, but a good workout none the less.  So at least I got something in.  The way my schedule looks this week and with the lack of gym for the most part its going to be a mix of yoga, lunges, pushups, and things like that this week.  Really thats not so awful as it just gives my foot more time to heal which is coming along well.  But starting May 1 I want to hit the ground running in all three disciplines and really go for it.  I'm really looking forward to it.  In fact I'm dying to get started. 

But on the front of progress some good things have happened in the last week...

I ordered a bunch more fun stuff online so I now have what I think is a complete set of kit to do my first tri.  Including a wetsuit which will show up soon.  More importantly however is that I setup two out of four training sessions with a swim coach so I can get my swimming started off with proper technique.  My first session is next wednesday and I'm really looking forward to it!

So thats all from Orlando for now...    I can't wait to get home and get back on the bike.  As it is when I get home I'll be out on the bike path within two hours of when I land in order to get a ride in as soon as I get back.  I can't wait!

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