Ah, life in the corporate world. It’s a love-hate relationship.
We spend the majority of our lives in a professional capacity, and the vast majority of people do so in a corporate environment. So what’s a guy or gal to do when it comes to making time to train for a race? We are all faced with the ever present stresses of work, family, and our friends and their happy hour invites, so often enough, the idea of being able to PR turns into a pipe dream instead of a goal.
So, how do you keep your eyes on the prize and see progress? Let the following tips be your guide.
Keep your goal realistic.
Honestly. If you have consistently ran marathons between 4-5 hours, trying to qualify for Boston right off the bat with your next training plan isn’t realistic. Notice I didn’t say impossible. I said realistic. If you know that your free time has a high probability of being poached by after hours business calls or events, or holiday breaks and other set obligations, setting your immediate goals super high just sets you up for failure, and adds stress and potential injury to your routine. Better yet, set a training plan that allows room for movement, and start off with a 15 minute or 30 minute PR from your last PR. Slow and steady wins the race every time. PS- what’s better than PR-ing after every single race?
Calendar it in.
When life gets busy, having that time carved out officially is everything. Treat your workouts like a business engagement. You are more likely to stick to your regimen when you plan it out and see it set in stone. Plus, the 15 minute reminder always shames me if I am on the fence about dragging myself off the couch and over to the gym or trail.
A short workout is better than no workout.
Quality over quantity wins every time. If you are getting consistent time on your feet on a regular schedule, you will be far more prepared to crush it come race day, than if you have a bunch of sporadic killer runs peppered across your calendar. If your schedule is hectic, drop a mile or so off your run schedule each day. Quality builds strength, and keeps you healthy as a bonus.
Moral support!
Enlist the help and motivation of friends by having a running buddy or workout partner. Everything is more enjoyable when you have someone to push you and encourage you along the way!
