Time
I’m often asked how I have the time to train and race like I do. The answer is easy on the surface – I have a great job with an amazing boss who supports what I do and a wife who loves and supports me. My boss values a job well done more than the continuous 8 hour day worked and therefore doesn’t mind when I take off for a long-ish lunch or bail early to head up into the mountains. And my wife is the best ever, personally sacrificing her own work-outs, time with friends, and at times, even her job so that I can get in a run at night or race on the weekend. But if I were to get right down to it one would find that it is much more complex and difficult than that.
To put it into perspective let me break down my current family and social situation. I’m married and have four children (6 months, 3, 4, and 14). My wife is a full-time nurse at Primary Children’s Medical Center and works every Monday, Friday, and every other Saturday/Sunday. My 14 year old is with us every Tuesday and Thursday evening and every other weekend (the weekend my wife works), so we tend to try and do family things when he is with us. I also work an 8 – 5 job Monday through Friday, with the occasional Saturday thrown in. I don’t race as much as most ultra runners, but I try and race every few months and will do at least three 100 milers this year (which basically requires a full weekend away). I also run for Altra Zero Drop shoes and they frequently have me participating in smaller events and/or trade shows. There is more, but if I get that detailed I might start hyperventilating.
So I’ll ask the question again? “How do I do it”? In a climbing movie made back in the early 90s one of the elite climbers was asked how he knew what to eat and how to train to be such a good climber. His response was interesting, “when being your best becomes important enough to you you’ll know what to eat and how to train, no one will have to tell you”. It’s a very interesting concept, no? What it really boils down to is, ‘if you want it bad enough you’ll find a way to make it happen’. As it pertains to my own training and success in ultra running I can confirm that this is true.
Early on in my running career I had more 4:30am wake-ups to my alarm than I can count. Often those runs were on the road or trails in the Salt Lake Valley. I’ve gotten away from those super early starts, but I still find myself wiping the gook from my eyes at 4am at least once a week as I roll out of bed to go tag a Wasatch peak. Now-a-days I tend to sacrifice eating out or going home for lunch so that I can get miles in running in the Dimple Dell recreation area (the Gully). I also try and do one night run each week (starting at 9pm after my kids go to bed). These runs allow me to go farther or for a longer period of time because the only sacrifice I’m really making is my own sleep. Even with all that I probably don’t run as many miles as most other ultra runners and definitely not as many as I’d like. I run 40 – 60 miles each week with about 7,000 ft of vert.
My long term goal is to be able to compete on a national and international level. I’m not sure if I can do that running so few miles as I do. However, I have a feeling that it might be enough if I can increase the intensity of my workouts, at least 3 – 4 times a week so that I’m getting the added benefit of pushing myself harder (which will be discussed in detail in Part 2). One final thing I do is to try and run an 50k+ distance (more than 31 miles) run each month. This allows my body to stay in touch with how it feels to push into higher numbers. Muscle memory is a great asset, but I’ll save that for Part 2.
I’m not writing all of this to brag about how much I’m willing to sacrifice to achieve my goals. I’m writing this in hopes that it might inspire some of you who think “I just don’t have time”. It doesn’t matter what you want to achieve, you can do it if you’re willing to make the time sacrifice to accomplish it. Maybe your dream is to write a book, but you’ve never been able to find the time to sit down in a quiet room and do so because of family and job obligations. Perhaps you want to be a musician and play the piano, but you can only practice after the kids go to bed and then you face the challenge of the noise waking them up. After reading this post I would hope you will see that there is time, but it requires sacrifice. There is a way around the noise, but it might require investing in an electric piano with headphones. It boils down to this, there is always a way. Always. You just have to decide that you want it bad enough to do what it takes to achieve it.
And before you try and stymie my sleep sacrifice with the argument “I MUST HAVE’ 8 – 10 hours of sleep”. Sorry, but I don’t believe that. There is plenty of research to prove that the body can function at a normal level with as little as 5 – 6 hours of sleep each night (and a few that will say as little as 4). Again, it’s an excuse.
What was that excuse again?
Stay tuned for Part 2 – Effort
And before you try and throw out an excuse that you can’t run because of injury, let me tell you that there is a way around nearly every injury out there.
I consistently get asked this same question, and I also have many of the same “advantages” you mentioned above. I will often quote those advantages, but I also follow it up with this… everyone has time “in the margins”. I have yet to meet someone who has virtually NO discretionary time. As you mentioned, if you want it bad enough, you’ll find the time. Lunch is not mandatory (but making time for a Lunch run, could be). TV time is not mandatory (but an evening run could be). Getting 8 hrs of sleep 7 nights a week is not mandatory (but only getting 5 one night a week so you can nail down a 6 hr run could be). It’s doing something to enhance your running wherever, and whenever it’s possible. Looking forward to reading “part 2”!
I know zero people who get 8 hours of sleep a night, training or not.
This was a great post. I loved what you said about all of our excuses being “valid” but excuses, nonetheless. I’m not a runner but I’ve always been intrigued with the sport. Like you said, though, it’s all about sacrifice and being willing to sacr
Thanks for the feedback and comments readers. It’s really appreciated.
First off, love this post. I run into this problem a lot, I’m currently in the military and getting ready to go through some elite training. Its hard at the beginning, especially making time for everything, but it boils down to wanting it. People tell me I’m insane, and how do I do it, and that I must be a cyborg. In reality, its all about staying focused, having the heart and desire for it. Thank you again.
It’s amazing how many people go with the not enough time excuse. It comes down to if you love it enough you will sharpie marker it in.
Inspiring post, keep up the propelling writing.
Just read this for the first time. Love it. I firmly believe that you do what’s most important to you. If watching TV, shopping, or sleeping is more important than running, reading books, or studying maps… Guess which one you’ll be doing more of? Thanks for this.