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2017-01-23 8:46 AM


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Subject: HIM training-working parent- HELP
As a mother of 2 very young kids/babies and working as a full time law enforcement officer, with a Husband that works shift work as a fire captain. The struggle to balance the working mom's guilt, happy marriage and my physical health is a constant! Anywho-boo hoo.
Question- HOW minimal can my training be to complete a HIM in May? (Goal: not to walk the run part, finish 'strong') The training plans I've found online are generally geared towards full IM and it is difficult to tailor their training days to fit my schedule AND where to even start on the plan...
*I feel like I'm in ok/decent physical shape. By fluke I had a 3 day weekend and did the following- Fri- swam (for the first time in a decade)1.2 miles about 50 min. Sat-Ran 10 miles at a 8:48 avg. Sun- bike 30 miles..
I try and do crossfit style 30 min sessions a day or two a week but feel like because of LIFE committing to particular days is almost impossible. Except for my weekly totals could count for something....??
SUPER long winded, I appreciate any suggestions, resources, training plan examples, personal experiences or is one of these online coaches worth it?!
Thank you....!!


2017-01-23 10:12 AM
in reply to: Kebaxley

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Subject: RE: HIM training-working parent- HELP
I share your pain. It really depends on your base fitness level going into this, how minimal you can be.
For the average Jill, you're going to be out there in the sun for between six and eight hours finishing the race, so if your body doesn't learn how to keep going for a long time and still take in a little nutrition and some hydration, you will likely have trouble.

We have several good half-iron plans here on the site, and you can get an idea of the weekly workout totals without committing to one of them.

I'm training for a HIM in early September. I'm divorced with two kids and I run my own business, which is good (flexible) and bad (clients always need something and if it's a choice between a workout and keeping clients happy, I usually choose #2 because that's what keeps a roof over our heads.)

Last year I attempted to train for a HIM and dropped my entry back to an Olympic about a month before when I realized I wasn't going to be able to do it without hurting myself.

The previous year I did a sprint or Oly.

The year before that I did a HIM (I was recently divorced and determined to prove I could still do it) but I truly didn't put in adequate training time and I really suffered on the run and could not maintain decent running form. I didn't walk, but I looked terrible in the photos and had a slow finish. HOWEVER, I completed a full Iron distance in 2010, which I was fully trained for at a peak training volume of 17 hours per week, and then in May of 2011 I did American Triple-T, which is an iron distance spread over a weekend (sort of), ending with a HIM on Sunday. And I did a marathon in 2011 and 2012. And I think 2013, too. So I wasn't coming at it as a beginner or needing to teach my body at a cellular level how to go long.

Does this help? It's really hard. Does your husband work 24-hour shifts? If you can get in long bike rides when he is home and you are off, you can probably fit the other things in. If your gym has child care, you can do the swimming when you have the kids. The running doesn't take as much time or logistics, so you can probably get that done. It's the cycling that is a challenge when time and logistics are hard. And that's the longest leg of the race, so you can't skimp.
2017-01-23 2:24 PM
in reply to: alicefoeller

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Subject: RE: HIM training-working parent- HELP

I did a HIM in my first year back to work after having a baby - I am in Canada so i have one year parental leave, I also did one just after my baby turned 1 just as i was returning to work.

The second one was harder to train for, for sure. One thing that I did do that helped (even though, my bike volume was definitely lower than I wanted it to be) was to pick a training plan early and look ahead at the long bikes - those are the hardest to fit in - and on the peak weeks I took PTO during the week to get it done.  Not everyone can do that but it seemed like a good way to keep my bike hours from interfering with my family time. I mean, work is important but I have been at it for long enough that a friday off every 3rd week or so wasn't a big impact to my work load which was nice and I didn't feel badly for missing family time.

Now it sounds like you have shift work to contend with but that's was one of my strategies. The other was long runs during nap time. I prioritized it over cleaning and all that but I went out as soon as DD went down. I don't love afternoon runs but, again, it was using time available to me and making it work. 

Oh, and I also took advantage of my commute - i am about 10k from work and would run home from work if that made sense with my schedule (my DH would do daycare pickup) - which is otherwise dead time. I also cycled but i don't always treat that as training specific. It's hard in the middle of the city. 

Best of luck! 

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