An Example of Time Suction

Here is a perfect example of how all the preparation stuff can be a black hole of time.

Training Plan	I Did
Swim: Warm-Up: 2 x 150 Main Set:  3 x 500,  1 is RPE 3,  2 is RPE4,  3 is RPE 5 Cool Down:  150 easy	Weight Lifting: 30 Minutes Swim: Warm-Up:  2 x 150 Main Set:  3 x 500,  1 is RPE 3,  2 is RPE4,  3 is RPE 5 Cool Down:  150 easy
Planned Time:  40 Minutes	Training Time:  70 minutes Prep Time: 30 minutes

Steve broke a spoke on the wheel of his hill climbing bike. Since he needs that bike for this weekend, I took the wheel to the bike shop for him. It should have taken 5 minutes to drop off the wheel and ask them to rebuild it. Except it's a special wheel that they need to send out for rebuild and that would take a few weeks.

Okay, I asked if they could just replace the spoke. Unfortunately, this special wheel has very special spokes.  The guys at the bike shop sorted through boxes and boxes of spokes and couldn't find one to match.  Oh, and to order the special, special spoke for the special wheel?  There's only one vendor and he's super slow.  That order will take a few weeks too.  After an hour, I left the bike shop with a broken wheel and no clear path to get it fixed.

If you include driving to bike shops and phone calls,  it probably took us 4 hours to get that spoke replaced. 

Training Notes: Yesterday was my second long swim of the week.  I'm completely stoked about swimming a mile without fatigue, especially considering the 8 months I took off from swimming.  The the weight training I did in the off season really pays off when I swim.  I could have easily swam a second mile without fatigue in my back and shoulders.

Despite Watching Dr. Who, I'm Not A Time Lord

Training Plan	I Did
Bike: 1 Hour - Easy Pace  Run: 30 Minutes Haulin' butt	Bike: 45 Minutes - Easy Pace  Run: 20 Minutes Haulin' butt
Planned Time:  90 minutes	Actual Time:  120 minutes

I'm using a training plan that says I'll be ready for a half Ironman with just 12 hours per week.

That, my friends, is a big lie.

It might only take 12 hours of actual training, but it takes time to pack your gym bag, drive to the gym, shower, get redressed.  That doesn't even start to count all the time spent on bike maintenance and shopping for cute triathlon suits.  It's not the training; it's all the stuff you need to do to prepare and recover from training that's a giant time suck.

Plus, sometimes you hit a time chomping snag.  Today, my gym bag was all packed, but when I got the gym I realized I forgot my running shoes.  I need those.  That meant a 30 minute round trip to fetch something that I'd put right next to my gym bag.

Time for me is very limited.  Whenever I screw up my preparation, that means time I need to chop that time out of my training.  I'm going to keep a tight watch on how much time this is taking.  It's time I take from my family, my work, volunteering (remember when I did that!).  That's not a reason to give up on this goal, but I want to be conscious about the decision.