You all know how I sometimes get free schwagg to talk about on my blog, right? This time OutsidePR has sent me some sweet schwagg to share with you. Read on for details of how you can enter a contest to win some of this cool stuff…
What will you win?
Three winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries. Each winner will receive
- one pair of Ryders Eyewear cool sunglasses valued at $39.99-$44.99
- a coupon code for a free RoadID of your choice valued at up to $31.50
- 2 packages each of Gu Chomps and Gu Brew Recovery valued at $9.80.’
- That’s a grand total of up to $86.29 of free schwagg!
What do you have to do to enter?
Since starting working full time last November, I am having a very hard time balancing life, work, and training. So, I want to pick your brain! Please post your tips and ideas for balancing life/work/training as a comment on this blog article. Your comment must be at least 40 words! I don’t just want “get up earlier in the morning”. Tell me HOW you motivate yourself to get up earlier? How do you squeeze a decent lunchtime workouts in just an hour? How do you organize your gear to save time? How do you find energy and motivation after working all day to go home, feed your family dinner, and then do a workout? Oh, and how do you get more value out of less training…I’d love to know that secret. Please tell me! If you have a photo to go along with your idea, email them to ncskibum@gmail.com and I will add it to your comment. I can’t wait to read all of your ideas!
Legal Mumbo Jumbo:
– Contest only open to US and Canadian residents.
– You may enter now through Thursday April 1st, at noon (Eastern time).
– All entries will be placed into a random drawing.
– The 3 winners will be announced on April 1st at 8pm, and will be asked to contact me so I can get them their winnings!
A big THANKS to the people at Ryders Eyewear, RoadID, Gu Energy Labs, and Outside PR for being so generous! Thanks guys!
So enter NOW! You only have through Thursday April 1st at noon! Be sure to check out my review of RoadID…and stay tuned for my thoughts on the Ryders Eyewear!
Thanks to all who submitted fantastic comments. I love them all and very much appreciate your tips. I will draw a winner later tonight!
I don’t want to close comments on this article, in case someone later comes along with a great tip to add. But anyone posting after this one, won’t be entered into the contest. Thanks again!
While I’m not following my own advice right this minute, I was using a very successful system earlier this year. Investing in the Mountainsmith Hauler Cube system was a very smart move. I have the four cube system plus my gym bag; the cubes are labeled Tuesday – Friday. Every Sunday night I pack my gym bag for Monday and the cubes for the rest of the week. Week nights I pull the dirty stuff out of my gym bag and load it with the cube for the next day. Not thinking about gear during the week saves a ton of time and eliminates an excuse to skip workouts. The other tip that worked really well was staying on a consistent sleep schedule. If I sleep in on Saturday and Sunday there’s zero chance I’m getting up at 5:00am on Monday. I’ll set my alarm for 5am on the weekend, get up, walk the dog, and then take a nap if I’m still tired.
Wow, This is a potentially more difficult question than it may seem because it depends on where you are. You obviously have had plenty of advice and there is also plenty around the internet. Therefore, my best advice is what has made the biggest difference for me. I have just this past 6 weeks gained much more energy to work out by changing my diet. I eat less meat, only (well mostly) meat or eggs that are grass fed, pasture or free range as it applies. I have also increased dramatically my vegetable and fruit intake. Anytime I want a snack, it’s a fruit or vegetable instead of a sweet. I’ve only had 1 pepsi before a 7k and absolutely no high fructose corn syrup and no sugar from outside the house. (If my wife made cupcakes or cookies, I’d have some of that.
The difference is that I have decreased my need for sleep by over an hour a night, maybe even 90 minutes.
I’ll let you know if this trend continues.
PS: Read Omnivores Dilemma if you haven’t had a chance.
My mini tip is involving those that support me in my training schedule as much as possible. It is all about being proactive. I keep my girlfriend updated on when I’m working out. Then we plan the timing of my workouts so we can still spend time together and with our friends.
If I know that I have to be social tomorrow night, it is that much more motivation to get up early in the morning for a swim/bike/run so that I can still live a relatively normal life in the afternoon.
first of all, I lately discovered that to have a balance life, you have to discuss what inner balance satisfies you with your husband/partner, especially if you live under the same roof and don’t share the same passion. Mine are running and lately swimming + biking for my first triathlon. The best way for me it to get up early and join my running group for 3 or 5 miles. How do I stay focus and get up to go for my runs? I am the one organizing the running meeting. People are counting on me and if they RSVP, there is no way for me to let them down and not show up. At first (and still sometimes) I wish I would stay in bed. However, these runs always put a smile on my face for the whle morning at work. Priceless!!
…sometimes I don’t stay motivated. But I do take these actions, which seem to help: 1) I make sure that I sign up for a bunch of races in December, plunking down a lot of cash, and keep those dates in mind as I go throughout the year. 2) I try to train “opportunistically” – meaning that I have a general training outline, based upon where I am in the season and what my goals are, then fit it in to life as it best makes sense and don’t stress too much if I miss a few days. 3) I surround myself with motivated people for whom fitness is a critical part of their lifestyle. 4) I figured out that I race to have an excuse to train, not the other way around.
My motivation to get up early is the way I feel after I do train as opposed to after I don’t. Just as I am deciding whether to hit the snooze button on my alarm clock, I think about how the little extra sleep will affect my attitude for the rest of the day compared to how doing a solid workout will make me feel. The workout always wins.
As far as how to get more out of short lunchtime workouts, let it go. When your training calls for long swims, runs and rides, the lunchtime workouts aren’t going to do it for you. On the other hand, I believe in positive thinking. If you are positive about what you are getting out of the short workout, e.g., a little extra work on your form, a short weight routine (really all it takes to help avoid injury), added flexibility from a yoga class, then, obviously, you won’t have to worry about needing to get more out of those short workouts. I love your blog. Good luck.
Balancing training and family is easy: family comes first, but remember that training is what makes you a better person to be around, healthier, and a good example to your children. I get up at 4:00 to get my runs and cycling in (mostly treadmill and trainer this past winter) and on the weekends I also try to fit in extra workouts by joining my son and daughter for a run (or, they run on the treadmill while I ride the trainer) – great family time! I don’t try to exercise at work, though I do research into training and nutrition when I can. Work time is recovery time!
Ahh the secret to balancing life & training! Well, I haven’t discovered the secret quite yet, but here’s some tips that I’ve picked up along the way to manage a full time job, full time grad school, 3 side jobs, starting a business, training..and oh, life! I plan my workouts for my week based on that week’s schedule- I can’t say every Monday is tempo day, b/c it may not work every Monday. I have several gym bags put together, so I can easily grab one based on the workout I’m doing- running, pilates, swimming. I think the MOST important thing is to learn that adjusting your training schedule is necessary- and missing a workout is not the end of the world. Also- have someone who will honestly tell you when you’re taking on too much or going crazy 😉
As a deputy sheriff and student I have to find time to train between shiftwork (12.5 hrs/alternating days and nights every month) and it is often difficult to get long training sessions in. Luckily I only work 15 days per month but on days I work my training time is severely limited. I have to make sure every second I have training is used to the max so here is how I do it.
First, I know exactly what I am going to work out depending on whether it is my long week (Working 5 days) or my short weeks (Two days). I work out six days a week so on days I work I have my “short days” and my days off I consider them “long days.” My short days are usually spend doing strength training such as weights since I think that is imperative to year round training. On those days when I’m not doing strength training I’ll focus on technique or interval training. Again, these days I will be putting in over 15 hour days to include work and training so I have to ensure that the shorter training span is still beneficial.
On my days off, which are my long workout days I can do either my brick workouts or my long run or bike ride. Usually with these days I have my leeway in scheduling when I am going to get these workouts in without work getting in the way.
Lastly, I know it’s important that you MUST train even when you don’t feel like it I also believe that if you are so drained from a long day that going out and trying to train will actually do more damage that good. I believe that you need to train how you are going to perform and if my technique in the run or swim is going to be poor then I won’t be getting the most from my training time and in the worst case begin to form bad habits. Of course those days are few and far between but it is an important part.
In a nutshell, planning is key! If I have a game plan it’s one less thing I have to worry about and can focus specifically on the training ahead!
for me I always look forward to the feel of after workout and push myself to just get started. Once I start everything is much easier. lunch breaks are great because I can go for a run and then eat during work or snacks. I have a family so whenever possible I incorporate the family into my evening workout routine. this is either by going to a park and doing laps or pushing the kids on the running stroller until they are ready to go back to the play ground. my wife enjoys runnning as well so ofthen time we take turns playing with kids in the playground and doing our own drills. for bike rides I try to get a friend so it can be more pleasant and ofthen time we have a final bakery destination for a reward. swimming is probably the hardest, specially in the winter and fall where you are limited to a swimming pool, I just push myself out of bed early in the monring at least twice a week and join one of the local groups or clubs, I always get more motivation and better workout swimming with a group than on my own.
Morning has never been my thing so I avoid those early morning workouts. NO sense fighting with myself. I use schedulers extensively to plan my training days. I even have a door in the house painted with chalkboard paint with my schedule on it, that way everybody in the house knows my schedule too. I try to maintain flexibility with my scheduling to accomodate those days that just go remarkably off side, by switching training days with others if its required. Motivation comes from many different places, new gear is always exciting and you have to keep training to “earn” it. I post sayings and pictures that inspire me in our house gym. I always feel better after training it is its own reward, hokey but true. I have difficulty honoring the “off day” I always want to do something on that day. I am learning to do it by scheduling friend time where we go for a leisurely stroll for a catch up. My family is starting to join in on my workouts so it has become beneficial to them too, and the training time pays double ’cause I am still with them. And lastly treat yourself to a massage every once in awhile, your muscles deserve it!