Yes, I am a redneck. I am a cowboy triathlete. When my family goes to the sales barn, I often ride my bike the 30 miles and meet them there in order to get my training in along with the family farm business. When I show up, the ranchers and folk…well they think I look strange in my spandex and bike jersey. But, like you, it feeds my soul.
However, next year I plan to expand my “side business” of raising all organic Angus beef in order to do something more for my family’s future financial security. I’m in process of creating a business plan and initial market research shows good numbers for humanely raised organic beef. I work full-time 40 hours at a desk job during the week and live on my little rancho where my “side business” is intended to bloom.
I don’t anticipate racing next year and maybe for the next two years to save money and have more time for the businesss. Some of my training partners and mentors have expressed that without racing I’ll lose the motivation to train and slowly dissapear from multi-sport altogether. I don’t necessarily believe that this is so, however I’ve always had a goal race to train for to keep me rolling out of bed every morning.
Any of you have experience where you’ve stopped racing but continued to train just for the sake of riding and running? Did you lose fitness, get fat and are now making the big comeback? I don’t want to do that!. Thank you in advance for your advice and insight.
woah…weird. I was actually JUST about to post a very similar situation. For reasons that I won’t divulge, I will not be able to race for at least another 8 months, maybe more.
I am trying to figure out how I will structure my training. Been thinking about entering a loooong base period, with long easy training to build a nice foundation. As this is my second year in Triathlon (I just turned 22) and I am still young, I figure the base training couldn’t hurt.
What does everyone think about how to structure training when there is no race in the near future??
I used to run and ride all the time before I started swimming, and thus entering tris. And it was great, because there was no structure. I did whatever the heck I felt like doing. Kind of liberating, actually. When something in your life keeps you from racing…there is no pressure…just go out and have fun. Let the circumstances dictate what you do…can’t bring your bike on a trip? Hey, its time for a run focus week! Just don’t let the lack of racing become the excuse to stop training…
Tman- you are right on the money. I haven’t raced this season. A nasty sinus infection knocked me out for a month and after that, it just wasn’t worth it.
But I have kept training. Training is what keeps me in this- along with other things, but essentially, I love the training. The racing is wonderful and I love racing, but it is the training we do that defines the lifestyle.
Training to train is essential to our develop and continuation as athletes. It is what we do.
I totally agree with you. I love to train and I’ve trained hard this year. The only race I did was a local club time trial. But the training has been great.
I haven’t raced in 2 years. I train when I can without a real structure to it, although I still have specific workouts in mind for each day of the week. I only get in about 4 to 6 hours a week, but I do what I can and I try not to stress about it. There are millions of people who workout just for the heck of it. You can do it too. Not sure what kind of level you’re at, but you’ll probably find that the hours scale back quite a bit. You have to make it a habit just like eating healthy and brushing your teeth.
I’ll provide some insight coming from the other end of the spectrum. Up to this year I always used big races as a motivation to train. Every November I’d set up my calendar for the next season, then back schedule my Build 1/2, Base 1/2/3/4 phases and off I’d go with my little training plan like a happy clam. Well, after a great winter, the wheels just fell off the wagon training-wise this spring. I started playing games with myself like “if I put in x hours for the next 6 weeks, I can still make that big race”. Another week would go by, and my schedule wouldn’t be any better, and I’d have missed more key workouts. Around May I realized that all the fun had come out of training and racing, and I was dreading not only the upcoming races, but the training that I used to enjoy so much- so I dropped out of all the races and just took a month off and did nothing. When I did start up I set some goals that I’d have to meet before I could schedule another big race or even consider myself “training”.
working out had to be fun
I needed to figure out how to solve my scheduling problems that had been preventing me from training regularly
I needed to demonstrate #1 and #2 for 3 months before I would sign up for another tri.
Since I’ve started working out again with no training plan in sight and no races on the calendar, I’ve had an absolute blast. I’ve managed between 4-7 hours per week of training, but every workout is a joy. Why? Because I can do what I want whenever I want. No concerns about “I can’t do this TT because I’m in base mode and I don’t want to ride in zone 5” sort of BS. I’ve been working out steadily for 5 weeks now, and I’ve done one 5 mi trail run and one 10 mi TT in the last two weekends. I signed up for both one day in advance for the fun of it, and they’re probably the two funnest races I’ve done in ages. My times were also surprisingly fast for the amount of training I’m doing, which provides an added measure of joy that I haven’t lost that much. I haven’t solved #2 yet, but I’m working on it.
What’s my point? Check yourself on what having a big race on the calendar does for you. If it’s a positive energy, great. But if you know that you’re headed into a period where you can’t realistically train regularly, it may just become the monkey on your back and you’ll drop out and fade away for sure.
I haven’t “raced” since Ironman 1986. At that time I decided I had gone about as fast and as hard as I would ever go and now I train to train and have fun. Either that or I am laying down a twenty year base for a major break thru. I still do a few hard efforts now and then like a Death Ride, Marathon, ot 1/2 Ironman to remind me how good hurting feels/ or dosn’t, but I pretty much tossed all my awards out with the old news and haven’t worried about it since.
I think some people need to be motivated by having a race on the horizon, or need the palmares to “justify” their expense of equipment and time committed to sport. Others train to manage stress, maintain fitness, or to have someone to hang out with. I personally like to “train”. That is why I run a little, swim very little, and ride the bike a lot and surf. I have been in love with bicycles and riding them since I was 5 years old. So now I am going on cycling for half a century and owning almost that many bikes during that period.
Since 99% of us don’t make a living racing or training what difference in the big scheme of things is it if you don’t do the xyz Marathon or the qrs Ironman. It is all about the bike and the time you spend enjoying it. What the hell, maybe you will enjoy Triathlon more without racing. If you set your goals low enough you never get too disappointed. Aloha G
Haven’t raced at all this year. I am probably training more consistently than in recent years. My basic week is structured but what I do (distances, speed etc…) is totally unstructured. When I run, I just go with what my legs give me that day. Sometimes I feel like 440s at the track, sometimes a long slow run. Whatever hits me. I am running 4 X week, biking 3 X week and swimming 3 X week (plus weights twice). I am really enjoying my training and may not return to racing next year either. Instead I might try something like a 40 mile run or a 400 mile cycling week, maybe a 150 mile cycling day, 500 miles in 5 days or whatever motivates me. Right now racing is not motivating me. I think I like training more than racing. Especially if the training is somewhat unstructured. Probably not the best way to get fast but I am not going to make any money from triathlon anyway. In the end, it is about enjoying what I do. What good is being fast if you are not enjoying it and not making any money at it? Rich Strauss over at cruciblefitness.com had some interesting posts about training enough to do cool stuff like 800 mile bike tours and stuff like that. Seems like more fun than Ironman to me. At least for now. I will probably do an IM in two years when I turn 40 though! Good luck and have fun!
Due to unforseen circumstances I was out from racing this year until October (God help me). Almost 10 months. I had kept with the training, just a different level, last few weeks of ramp up have been considerably easier than expected. Once the base is there getting back on is VERY easy.
What I would suggest doing–continue doing your training, and test yourself at various intervals. Set up your own races on your own calendar (ie Jan 10k benchmark test on the 10th, Feb swimmingx in x, March Cycling that mother of a hill in x, April go back and re-test something ect ect) you don’t need a paid race to dictate whether you are an athlete or not, just you keeping you healthy is more than enough. If you are trying to build your business, I would also consider doing a fund raising cycling event and wearing your business on your jersey. You will be doing your sport AND spreading news about your business.
I’ve done the year without racing, well several actually and just trained. The best thing to do is run, it can be fi in quickly, even if only 5k per day. Then on the weekends tos in a bike ride or two. The bottom line s to stay consistent doing some training. If you take a year off, it will take a fair bit of time, especially running, to gain back that fitness.
Slightly off topic, but do the numbers for your business include current levels of ag subsidies? I’d make sure the math still works with Zero subsidy and completely open markets, 'cause that’s where were headed.
But, if anything ag related will continue to work in America its organic foods.
If you can compete with China and Argentia, great.
Oh, actually on topic: Racing is fun, but not necessary. If someone’s only motivation to swim, bike, and run is racing then they aren’t a triathlete.
If going to a triathlon makes you a triathlete, then having sex makes you a porn star. Since all people who have sex are clearly not porn stars, then going to an event really doesn’t have squat to do with being a triathlete.
If you stop racing and subsequently loose your desire to train, all you’ve found out is that you were never really a triathlete after all.
My story may be of some relevance. I was heavily into tris long ago. mid 80’s to early 90’s… Okay, maybe not so long ago. Anyway, I kind of migrated from multisport to bike racing within a couple years after coming to the decision to not go pro. Went with that for several years, doing even MORE racing, and then about 6 years ago hung up the bike to put the time into a business venture. Without the competition, I really didn’t have the motivation to push myself. I got into weight training and went from a svelte 145 to 200… Yes, a lot of muscle, but some fat too. A year ago I started running more consistently. Added the biking… Just 5 weeks ago I started the swimming again and raced my first tri in some 12+ years (a sprint). So I guess you could say I’m in the midst of a comeback. Probably won’t ever regain the level I had then, but I’m not really interested in mixing it up at the front of the whole race anymore. But the fat is sure slow to come off… If you do take the time away, don’t make it more than 2 years.
I haven’t raced this season partly due to lack of motivation. I did a road race (bike) just for fun because my gf was doing it but that was about it. I enjoy training to stay healthy. I get a lot of beef from some people about “are you EVER going to race?” but don’t bother with them. As I see it, I race when I feel like it. Why dump a chunk of change to do something you’re not 100% committed to. I think I’m still improving; I think as long as the workouts are well structured, you’ll be fine.
wouldn’t “training” without actually racing just be called “working out”?? I mean, you’re not actually training for peak performance at a race, you’re just working out. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…I just have an issue with saying “I’m training”, if there isn’t a goal, other than to stay fit. But…maybe that’s just me.
Running 9 minute miles, or 8, 7, or even 6? Maybe running 6 minute miles is “working out” for you, but I am “training” my butt off to be able to hold that pace for an hour. I am training every day to get to my time goals and reach a certain “pace”. You don’t need an organized race to PB a certain course.
I have to agree with another poster above: If one doesn’t see a difference then one does not get the lifestyle aspect of our sport.
B.T.W.: If you want my interpretation of the term “working out”: That’s what I use for people who plan to “do” a road race/triathlon for the sake of … (insert your temporal motivation here).
and I’d agree with you that if you’re planning on “doing” a race, as opposed to actually racing a race, then maybe you’re just working out. Of course, that depends on the race, athlete, etc… If you’re planning on “doing” an ironman, or some other extremely hard task, then you’re probably doing a bit more than “just working out”. (in my mind)
It’s all personal…I’m just saying for me, I wouldn’t consider myself to be “training” unless I had a definitive goal that I would deem worthy of calling a high performance for myself. To me…workouts are generally fun…training is much more difficult and goal/task oriented. My last race for this year is this weekend. After that, i’ll just be working out until the begining of next year (mostly for aesthetic and health purposes)…and then I’ll start training again in January.
I train from Oct.-March, and train to “race” from April-Sept. Training for nothing in particular makes me real ancy, kinda like not having sex for a week. Hell, I don’t even like to take more than 2 days a week off w/o training or I go stir crazy!