One thing I have learned about Ironman training so far is that consistency is key.  It’s about “backing it up” not only on a daily basis, but backing up those big efforts week-to-week as well.  Our weekends have entailed long rides and long runs consistently since last October.  Some say you can’t train big when you have kids.  Some might even think it’s selfish to try to do so.  So what’s my secret to balancing Ironman training with the demanding schedules of three little boys? How do I finagle enough time to get my training in?  That’s easy!  I simply focus on creating time for my husband to train. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m not kidding!  First of all, I know that MC and I are the minority.  Of the many married triathletes we know, in most situations only one spouse is involved in the sport, or at least only one races long.  The fact that we both are involved and we are both training for a full Ironman means that we both understand the time commitment, and we both “get it”.  Luckily, we truly care about the other person getting their training in.  When I have a big ride to get in on Saturday, I know that volunteering to get the kids to their games in the morning and helping MC get out the door early, helps me to get on my ride at a reasonable time.  We both realize that the more we focus on improving each other’s schedule, the more it comes back around.  This takes faith and trust in each other; a true partnership.  So this past April we decided to take this “partnership” to a new level.  We went on our first (of hopefully many!) Spring Break “Train-cation”. Continue reading →