So we moved to a new country last fall and I found myself training solo all season. I just completed a half ironman and I am comtemplating what I races I should do next year.
Sure I could join a club and try to meet some people to train with but due to family, job and travel - I do all I can to fit training around my schedule let alone someone else’s as well.
I am wondering how many of you do all your training solo? If so how do you keep it interesting?
I just let the voices in my head entertain me…
Seriously though, I’m not a long-course guy, so I don’t spend long hours on the road. But I do pretty much all my training solo. Being out on woodsy trails helps (running). Otherwise I will either let my mind wander a LITTLE, but mostly keep a close monitor on everything physical going on… Keeps me occupied enough.
I do most of my training solo, the only time I get bored is on long rides over 3hrs, sometimes I’ll roll with my ipod and only put one earbud in so i can hear cars etc.
Picking different courses seems to help me get by, I do have some good conversations with myself and try to really enjoy some of the sights along the way.
Happy training,
Andrew
I do all of my training solo, marathons and 1/2 IMs. For me, it is really the only quiet time of my day. Given my schedule (work, family), it also the only way I can fit my work outs in. Because I have to make the work outs count, I find that by training alone I can focus on the pace I need to concentrate on for that day. I find that when I run with others, I am tending to adjust pace…works fine if you have a group that is right where you are, but I have not found that to be the case.
been riding alone the past month - started with 3 hrs now up to 5hrs ride time. i normally ride with my better half but she opted to take a breather. no worries at all for me and total breaktime for me is around 5mins wherein if i rode with the normal group, it would be around 20-30mins and i get to go home by lunchtime. i like riding alone but does get mental when doing a climb that takes 2 hrs to finish–around 20-25miles in lenght. long runs i do alone because chance for me to run is at 4am…
I’ll do an occasional early season workout or a fall group ride or something with other people. Mostly working around other people’s schedule is just too hard. Pretty much every minute of my day is scheduled already. Adding in one more person seems like too much. I also feel like I’m faster for being out there alone. As long as I can stay focused on what my goals for the session are.
I train solo. My training partner moved during the winter so as of this season I’m on my own. Bike training doesn’t bother me solo (although it’s more fun with others I have no trouble pushing myself solo), I do several 75k - 125k solo rides a week. Running solo is actually preferable to me, I use my ipod w/ nike+ and do my own thing. Making myself put in swim time solo has been a huge challenge for me though. I’m not the most dedicated swimmer to start with and with nobody telling me to move my arse it’s easy to skip swim workouts. I definitely gotta work on that one.
I do all my training solo including IM training- 5, 6, 7 hour bike rides and runs of upto 4 hours while training for ultra last year. Never crossed my mind to train with others. I focus my thoughts on how i feel, nutrition, pace, output etc. For me personally I feel that training with others puts thing out of my control regarding pace, rest stops, waiting if someone gets a flat tire or has to go to bathroom, etc.
I do the majority of my training solo and prefer it that way.
Usually, the only time I “train” with others is when we go Mtn. Biking.
I got used to it and now love being on my own. I only have to worry about me and my schedule. I also learnt that I am just not a group workout kinda person.
I do sprints to Half IM’s and 21K - 30K running races.
I do run some long runs w/ gal friends of mine, which is a nice push but also gets frustrating when one of them has to p every freaking 4K. And can’t p in a bush!
Anyway, it builds some mental toughness I find.
I do use an Ipod the odd run for a break.
And I have nice run/bike routes, where I can run/bike along the St. Lawrence and daydream about living in some of the swanky homes along the way.
Swimming is my favorite sport and getting to the pool and doing a workout is just never an issue for me, I’m lucky in that aspect.
Good luck.
I mostly train solo. Its hard not to with an inflexible schedule. I dont mind it as long as Im outdoors. If I have a long ride I’ll try to ride with others. If I have to train indoors I will usually do a spinning class or group cycling to get some interaction.
My wife and friend rely on each other to train, so they never do! You cant rely on others to train, but if it works out that you can train together, thats great!
I do all my riding and sort of do my running solo. It allows me to go on my own schedule and be more time efficient. It also allows me to go at my own pace. I do run with my dogs–so technically I don’t run solo, but I am not running with people, which is what I think you were referring to. They keep the running interesting and really push the pace. I also find that running and cycling alone is a good time to think.
I’ve found that running on trails and changing up the running route keeps the running interesting.
I bike in an area with good scenery, so that keeps it interesting.
I’ve been training solo for the past 25 years. First 5 years running followed by 20 years of tris. Includes 18 IMs plus too many HIMs to count. I like that time to myself. A chance to get away from all the crazy idiotic people in this world.
I’ve been in this sport for 3 seasons now and always train alone, and don’t use an iPod. I do Olympic, 1/2 IM and IM. The only part that’s tough are the long IM bike training rides. Gets a bit boring, but makes an IM race seem easier than the training rides since there’s over 2,000 others out there to keep me company.
Like many of the others above I train solo too…exclusively. I prefer it that way. Like someone said it’s my quiet time to myself.
How to keep it interesting? New routes. Concentrating on form (swim in particular…every stroke). Lots of visualization stuff. During the long sessions I find myself drifting off constantly, thinking of achieving targets, planning new goals…all facets too - athletic, career, life, etc. Yes, I’m a daydreamer 
That said, I’ll join a swim squad this spring…only cos I need the speed.
what do you mean keep it “interesting?”! that solo training is my break from the rest of the world 
I also train exclusively on my own and very much enjoy that time by myself. I basically got into triathlons and the training because of the seclusion it offered. It is one of the few sports that one can truely do completely on their own, and train for year round. However, as it seems like you are only getting one side of the arguement here, I will try to explain the other side…it depends on your personality. How independent are you, and how dedicated to the sport are you? One of my friends is what I would term as a sudo-triathlete. He likes the idea of participating and telling people that he has completed triathlons “only” at the sprint distance. He hardly ever trains by himself…not that there is anything wrong with that. It is just a difference in personalities. So whether you can train for triathlons by only training on your own depends largely on that.
Personally, I would strive for a combination of the two methods if you can. It might do you and your training well if you could workout with a group every once in a while.
I find it better to train solo because I can always do exactly what I need. No getting sucked into something that I really shouldn’t be doing. Sure “just doing” stuff is fun in the off season but I have found that the most motivating thing for me, more so then groups or a race far off in the future is a plan that I can look at and watch progress. When I have and know what I should be doing it makes the day to day a lot easier.
Just training is tough. Completely winging it on your own is crazy tough.
Hope this is helpful.
I do all of my training solo or with my wife. I’ve gone on group rides and a few group runs before, but I didn’t like it. I don’t know if it’s a primal thing or what, but I really despise the smell of other sweaty men. If I could find a group of hot young girls to train with, I’d probably enjoy group training.
pretty much all solo…indoors I listen to alot of music, outdoors if I can but I can’t keep my freakin headphones on when I run…eeeerrrrrrrr
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I trained solo most of the time so I can fit training into my schedule. Once in a while I will feet folks here and there but not that frequently. I like running, I like biking, I am not a fish but I do not mind swiming so it does help. Plus it helps me clear my mind, or even work, but mostly it is alone time!!!
Cheers,
Fred.