Tips for Making Training Work with YOUR Schedule

TriDot Podcast Episode 259

Tips for Making Training Work with YOUR Schedule

Intro: This is the TriDot podcast. TriDot uses your training data and genetic profile, combined with predictive analytics and artificial intelligence to optimize your training, giving you better results in less time with fewer injuries. Our podcast is here to educate, inspire, and entertain. We’ll talk all things triathlon with expert coaches and special guests. Join the conversation and let’s improve together.

Vanessa Ronksley: Hey everyone, welcome to the TriDot Podcast. For a lot of our listeners, summer is winding down and the fall frenzy has begun with back to school, fall programming, it's all getting back underway. The summer schedule has come and gone and I'm not sure if it's just me, but this last quarter of the year is often one of my most productive times because the schedule is back on point. But scheduling can become overwhelming, especially if you have an atypical or unpredictable schedule. So how do we squeeze in quality training, rest, and recovery while living with an unconventional work schedule? Well, we have two rockstar coaches here with us today who both have unconventional work schedules, and I'm looking forward to learning some tips and tricks about how to fit everything in when your schedule is unpredictable on a day-to-day or even a weekly or monthly basis. Our first guest here today is April Spilde. She began her triathlon journey with sprints, Olympics, and 70.3 finishes. She rocked out Ironman Alaska for her first full, so we know that she is tough as nails. April is an Ironman U certified and TriDot coach, and she is currently on fire helping beginners and back-of-the-packers to discover their true potential through mindset and empowerment. April, welcome to the podcast!

April Spilde: Thank you, Vanessa. I am so honored to be here. It's my first time on the podcast with you, and I'm just very, very excited to be here to talk today.

Vanessa: Well, we are absolutely grateful to have you here with us. And our second guest, we're welcoming back Julie McPhilomy, who is a longtime TriDot athlete and rockstar ambassador. She has been coaching with TriDot for over two years now and also coaches on deck with TriDot Pool School. She has completed 12 marathons, three full-distance tries, with another one on the horizon. Julie specializes in working with the 40-plus ladies who want to juggle training and life. She currently lives in Chicago with her other half, Tony Washington. Now, Julie, we have done a couple of cool-downs, so it's nice to be on the full TriDot podcast show with you. And it looks like we're moving up in the world. We went from cool-downs to the full last podcast. And as we're moving up in the podcast world, we're actually quite literally going to be climbing up those mountains and knees together in a very short period of time. So welcome to the full-time podcast!

Julie McPhilomy: Yay! It's so nice to see you guys. And Vanessa, I cannot wait. It's only, what, three weeks away I think? So yeah, it's soon. It's soon.

Vanessa: It is coming sooner than we can imagine, actually. Well, I'm Vanessa, your average triathlete with elite-level enthusiasm. We're going to start off with the warm-up questions, move into the main set, and then we'll cool down with our coach-cool-down tip. It's going to be a great set today, everybody. Let's get to it.

Warm up theme: Time to warm up! Let’s get moving.

Vanessa: For our warm-up question, I want to know what your number one triathlon-related wish is right now. So, April, if I was here holding a magic lamp and a genie came out to grant you a triathlon wish, what would you ask for?

Julie: That is good, I love that question. So, thinking about this, I recently switched from road triathlon to off-road triathlon, and the last year I've been doing specifically Xterra. So my number one wish would be, and what I'm working toward, is earning a slot to the Xterra World Championship in 2025. And I think with TriDot, I'm absolutely going to get there. So yes, that would be my wish.

Vanessa: Yeah, you are. And Julie, I feel like there are a million different options about what people want for their triathlon wish. So which wish would you want to become a reality?

Julie: Well, I put some big thought into that because, you know, like 10 things immediately popped into my head. But one of the things I would love just once is that perfect race. You know the one you dream about, that when you're out training, it conjures up in your head that you daydream about, where the day is perfect, the weather's perfect, like no flaws. And that day, that's the day that I would love to experience because it happens so rare for amateur athletes, let alone professional athletes. But to have that absolute perfect day and to know what that feels like, that would be my wish. It would be my wish for everyone if they could have a perfect day. But now if it could show up in three weeks, that would be another, it would be a, it would be like a part two of my, of my wish. But just some point in my racing life, that would be mine.

Vanessa: I love that wish. I think that's a wonderful wish. And I will do everything in my power to make that wish come true when we cross that finish line together in Nice. That's the goal. And you know, when I came across this question, my first thought was, I think I need more than three because I only get one, but I think I need at least more than three because it's just too hard to pick. So I'm actually going to stick to the rules because I'm a rule follower. So I think at this very moment, I will go with, I would love to have a season with zero injuries, like zero. No illnesses, no injuries. I just want to have a training season that goes from start to finish so I can see what I'm really made of. So we'll be posting this question in our community hub and I am TriDot Facebook page. So make sure you head over there to let us know what your triathlon wish is. And I cannot wait to look forward to reading about and hopefully hearing that these wishes come true for everybody.

Main set theme: On to the main set. Going in 3…2…1…

DELTAG KETONES (Vanessa): Ketones are nature's super fuel and the deltaG ketone aster created by Professor Kieran Clark at Oxford University is the world's first drink that delivers the exact ketone produced naturally in the body. When I talk to TriDot athletes who are already using deltaG drinks in their training and racing, they all rave about the spark of energy and the mental clarity the ketones provide. Some athletes are taking deltaG performance on the side of their carbohydrate source. Others are mixing in deltaG tactical with their nutrition. Both ways are highly effective. So however you approach your nutrition, there is a deltaG drink that can mix seamlessly into your flow. The team at deltaG even offers free 15 minute one-on-one consultations where you can learn the best way to supercharge your nutrition routine with deltaG ketones. So head to their website, deltagketones.com to learn more about fueling with deltaG and to book your free 15 minute consultation. When you place your order, use code TRIDOT20 to get 20% off your fuel ketone drinks.

Vanessa: A skill that most triathletes might not think about before getting into our beloved sport is learning how to be a master scheduler. We train for three sports at the same time and fitting this into a typical work and life schedule is pretty much a circus act. Now this can become even more complicated when people don't necessarily have typical work hours. So after chatting with both Julie and April, I hope our amazing audience will have some tangible scheduling tips that they can use to be the best version of themselves in their lives and also in their triathlon. So Julie and April, both of you have careers that fall into the category of shift work. Now there's a lot of professions that fall into this work category like healthcare workers, fire, police, EMT, first responders. I think we could also go as far to say that we could fit retail, service industry, hospitality industry in there. And hopefully I haven't left out a massive category of workers out there who also identify as shift workers. Now, Julie, you're here representing the flight attendants of the world. So let's start with you. What does your work schedule look like?

Julie: Well, my schedule definitely varies month to month. So no two months will ever look alike. I have typically a few days on and then a few days off. And then sometimes I fly domestically, sometimes I fly internationally. So it really depends on how I build my schedule and what I want it to look like, what days off I want, things like that. But it's overall very busy and no two days are ever alike.

Vanessa: April, you're here with us today repping the military community. So please enlighten us. What is your role and describe for us what your work life is like in terms of your schedule?

April: Well, thank you, Vanessa. So I currently serve as the senior enlisted leader for the Equal Opportunity Office at the Air Force Academy. I have been honored to serve now over 16 and a half years and my work schedules have run the gambit. I served as a security forces defender the first seven years of my Air Force career. And that involves all kinds of schedules. It could have been Panama schedules. I don't know if people are familiar with that, but it's very inconsistent. I've worked 12-hour shifts, 14-hour shifts, 16-hour shifts. I've been deployed three times. And those schedules are usually six on, one off, 12-hour shifts. And it can be extremely brutal, yes. So I definitely have run the gambit as far as work schedules and figuring out how to be a savvy scheduler and fit all the most important things in my life into those blocks of time. And I would absolutely say that is something that takes time and practice. And having a skill set around that is something that I try to help with my athletes.

Vanessa: I really do think that your work with the military personnel is amazing. And thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your service. Can you tell us what it's like being a triathlete within the military community?

April: When you think about what it takes to be a triathlete, there's a lot of characteristics such as flexibility, resilience, determination, commitment, promise-keeping. Those are all things that are absolutely skill sets that we as military members have to have. So when I look at it from that point of view, it's pretty easy for me to see why I prioritize my workouts and why I prioritize my time off and my quality time to make sure that all of that is fitting together. And I use my triathlon experience in my job. So things that I feel like are important to me as a triathlete, I share that with my troops. And I use that as a form of motivation and inspiration for them to realize that you can have a life outside of the military. You can do things that enhance your quality of life outside of what your duty is. And I think that's so important for not only as someone who's living the life of a triathlete, but also as someone who is enjoying their life. And I think that in and of itself is what having those two together for me is the most rewarding.

Vanessa: Oh my goodness, April. I can see 100% why you are on fire as a coach and why you are such an amazing leader. And I can only imagine how many people you're inspiring. I've heard some stories about triathletes and even some TriDot athletes, actually, who train while on duty. And it's quite incredible how they make this work. Like they find these small little pockets of time and they get really creative with the equipment that they're using. So can you provide some insight for our military triathletes out there on how they can still train while on active duty?

April: Yes. I think that, well, one thing that's really worked for me is making my training sessions a non-negotiable. And what I mean by that is if I'm committing to something, I'm going to show up for it and I'm going to show up for myself. And just like anything that is important, we put it on a schedule, we time block it, we protect that time block and we execute. And I think that military members have a unique skill of being adaptable, like you said, and figuring out if you don't have a bike, you can use a stationary bike. I know that most deployed locations, it might be the cruddy crud, but we can access that. And I know that a lot of military athletes, especially on deployment will have bikes shipped. And yes, you might be doing laps around the perimeter, but oftentimes that can be enough. And then when I think about swimming, we might not always have access to a swimming pool, but we can absolutely do dry land exercises. We can bring a band with us when we're traveling or when the pool is closed. That's another one being on a military installation. You're not always guaranteed like quality facilities. And I just think ingenuity is absolutely one of those things that we need to rely on and be okay with that. Not everything has to be perfect. You don't have to have the perfect gear. You don't have to have everything be just right for you to execute and actually be appreciative of executing a workout. Like that's one thing that I feel like I've learned throughout my time really becoming a triathlete is I'm grateful for the opportunities that I have to put time into myself and invest in the things that I have now that are comfortable. When I go downstairs, I have my gym set up in my basement and you'll know a lot of military members do this too. They'll pack up their whole gym with them every time they move. And I just think about how grateful I am that have access to that because there's been absolutely times in my career where all I have is myself and learning how to be able to do running, how to run and how to lean into developing the discipline of running versus feeling poopy pants about not being able to swim and bike, right. Like there's, I just think there's a real beauty in being adaptable and understanding that there's seasons, just like in triathlon, there's seasons to military life. You might be in a season of not having the ability to do all three disciplines. And I just think if you can look at finding what you can develop, maybe there is a weakness in strength, or maybe there is a weakness in running, lean into that and be okay with that. And then when you get back to your comfort, pick it back up. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. So I know that's a long answer to that question, but it is all encompassing in that when you think about what you can control, you have to have that mindset of, okay, how can I adapt to this? And that's what success looks like.

Vanessa: You know, it's interesting because you're speaking in terms of how this would be appropriate for someone in the military. But I think that everything that you've just said completely applies to everybody. It doesn't matter yet. It doesn't matter what your career is or what your family life is like. We cannot perform perfection on a day-to-day basis in terms of what we're doing with our schedule and our lives. And so allowing for there to be a little bit of space for us to take a step back and just do the best that we can do in the moment that we have. I think that's a hundred percent amazing that you alluded to that. Now I'm thinking about the TriDot platform in particular. Does that help with formulating a training plan that's doable for military athletes?

April: Oh my gosh. TriDot is the reason why I'm a triathlete.

Vanessa: Me too!

April:It is. It's 100% why I've been able to make this work because it's optimized. And I love it because it indicates what sessions are priority. And for me, if I'm hitting my priority sessions, those other ones that can be missed, and if I'm having a stressful week and I cannot get it in, I'm not going to guilt myself out because I found that being feeling guilty about missing workouts just leads to that domino effect of not showing up. It's almost like again, that all or nothing. If I can't do it all, I'm not doing anything. And it's a very easy cognitive trap to fall into. And I just think TriDot makes it easy for me to fit in what’s priority, to cut out anything that is not, and execute at that highest level on those things that matter the most. And I think that is the absolute best thing you can do when it comes to performance and optimization.

Vanessa: I know that a lot of people that do have even typical work schedules, they may have to travel a lot for their particular job. And I know, Julie, this is like your entire life. Not only are you traveling for your work, but your work life is all encompassing about travel. And so you're constantly on the go, you're traveling across time zones, you have different altitudes, you have different climates. And I'm just wondering how you manage to train when you're doing all of this traveling.

Julie: Well, like April said, it is one of the reasons I joined TriDot because of the adaptability of the platform in general. I can move things around to work with my schedule. But having said that, I make training a priority on the road as much as I make it at home. I try to have fun with it on the road because it's new places to go run or new places to do this or do that, and look forward to that. I have my favorite running spots. I have my favorite places that I go because of X, Y, Z reasons. And so I look at it an opportunity to not only see a different city or to see a different route that I've never seen at that city. But I always make it a priority on the road, just like I would at home. It's non-negotiable.

Vanessa: And do you find the activity might help you to adjust better to the different situations that you're in or different time zones, just because you're moving your body and you're getting the oxygen flow. Do you find that it helps?

Julie: Absolutely. Absolutely. I'm stuck in a metal tube all day. So oftentimes I want fresh air and sunshine and things like that. You know, that clears my head. Working with the general public can be very difficult and it could be wonderful, but it can be just as difficult. And so having an escape to go outside and get some fresh air and have those however many minutes to myself or go to the gym and kind of have those minutes to myself is invaluable.

Vanessa: Yeah, I can imagine. The reality of people came to me quite quickly as soon as I entered the service industry. And up until that point, I had lived my life thinking that everyone was happy and joyful and so fun. And then I went into the service industry and I was like, what is this humanity? I do not understand. Like I was living in this bubble of happiness. I still think I live in that bubble of happiness most of the time. But yeah, I hear what you're saying about needing to take some time back for yourself and allow yourself to decompress from some people that you might have to deal with that might not be the most positive or wonderful experiences. I'm also wondering if you might have a few tips for people who travel for work. What are some things that people can do so that they are traveling, but they can also fit their activity into their schedule while traveling?

Julie: Yeah, I absolutely do. One of my first tips is do your homework before you go. Most of the time you are not surprised about where you're going or where you're staying. It is easy to look up on Strava to look for, hey is there a good safe route to go for your run or if you're able to bring your bike to go ride, see if there's a pool nearby. It's easy just to spend just a little bit of time to do your homework before you go. Another tip is, I know a lot of people may not be aware, but there is a Peloton finder at hotels. So you can Google that, pull it up, plug in your city of where you're going, and it will show you and give you a list of all hotels in which they have a Peloton. Which ensures having at least a bike that is similar to a spin bike or such that you may use instead of your own. Other hotels often will deliver it to your room and say you're going to be there for a week. You can ask to have it in your room for the week and therefore you have no excuses for doing that. Which is a kinda cool thing. So it goes into a little bit about doing your homework, but that's one option to look at. Last is I set my schedule like I do at home. I know what I'm going to have to do for the week when I'm at home, where I'm going to fit the workout in with life. Look at what you're going to be doing day to day, what kind of meetings you have, where do you have to be in the morning, do you have a dinner at night, or social engagement. Look at those times and start fitting in. Well, I have to go to bed early because I'm going to have to do my workout at 5am. Or can I do it after my meeting before my dinner engagement? Look at the times, look at where you can fit it in and start to plan that just to take the stress off and know that this is your time

Vanessa: Those are great tips that you shared there, Julie. And I'm just curious because both of you, your schedules are not regular from day to day or month to month. So I'm curious how far in advance you actually get your schedule. And then at what point you start to think about fitting in your training into it, and, as you said, doing your research prior to going. April, let's start with you on this one.

April: Yeah and I just wanted to add, it's not just about what you're doing, it's a part of who you're becoming. And there's a great quote from Aristotle. Excellence is what we repeatedly do, therefore. We are what we repeatedly do, therefore, excellence is not an act, but a habit. And I think that when you create that non-negotiable and you become who you are, saying you will be, it just comes to pass. And I think that is exactly what Julie is saying with, at this point in my life, I'm not going to sacrifice my quality time. And my quality time is my training time, my alone time, my thinking time, things like that. And I just love that we both are hitting on how important this is. When I think of, yes, when I think about my schedule, it's interesting because at the Air Force Academy, we go off of the academic schedule. So we are following in the cadence of the cadets. And, I will say, there are absolutely seasons with this as well. You think about summer, fall, winter into spring, and there are all these semester portions of the year. So I do look at it from a quarterly basis. And then I go from the quarter to the month, to the month to the week, to the week to the day. And I feel like I have to look that far ahead because there are things that are coming. And I also know that I have a pretty consistent deployment cadence as well. So it's one of those things, like for Ironman Alaska. I knew that I was more than likely going to deploy within the same year as Ironman Alaska. And I had an idea that I was probably going to get tasked the month following. So with that being said, I knew that, okay Peter and I, my husband, are both here in Alaska. We might not be here when I get back, for this to even be a thing. I'm going to put all my chips in this basket and we're going to go for it. So it was enough for me to realize this is kind of a one shot deal. And it actually became a one shot deal because it never went back to Alaska. So I felt very lucky. Very lucky that we made that call. But literally a month later, I was in Saudi Arabia for six months. So it was just like, okay I'm so glad I had the future planning to put this and line this up. And it was such a great high note for me to have that done and then go on a deployment where I was away from my family. So it was just something that was a good reminder that, man, I have a lot to be grateful for.

Vanessa: Julie, how about you? How do you start to organize your schedule and plan everything out?

Julie: I learn about the 18th or so of the month prior, what my following month is going to be. So I really take the trips that I was granted cause I get to pick them. I try to pick wisely and I take those and I start kind of playing chess with my schedule. As far as my training schedule goes, I don't necessarily do the week by week, like for the whole month, but I prioritize the long sessions at home, the quality longer sessions. Like if I have to do, you know, currently now training for Nice, I have very long bike sessions. Those are something that becomes my first priority. And then what is my next priority? And then if I have to move a trip around or do different things to base on that. So I start that, once I find out, about the 18th of the month and then, kind of like April, go to like a sort of a week by week or day by day. Cause sometimes I come home and I know, hey, that threshold session isn't going to happen today. Like I am pooped, but I can do an easy ride. Like I can get on the bike, spin my legs, do an easy ride and still feel good that I got the workout in, but throw that threshold session on a day that I know that's going to be better quality.

Vanessa: I'm just thinking here that if either of you ever want to switch careers, I think you would be fabulous project managers, event planners, because it's like you're taking all these little puzzle pieces and you're trying to fit them in. And I like how you both have said that you start with a long range plan and then you get shorter and shorter and closer to the current present time that you need to make those sessions happen. And that's exactly how we do things in the management world. So if you ever need another job, just look into project management. In line with that planning, how do you involve your family in this planning? At what point do you look at your schedule first and then present it to your family? Or do you talk to your family first and then go through? What process do you have to make sure that your family's on board with your work schedule in addition to your training schedule?

April: I've made the mistake, Vanessa, of not including my husband on my planning. And I will tell you that that causes a lot of strife. It absolutely doesn't value that other person's perspective. The person that is your significant other, who is a teammate in this whole adventure. So I would say that this is critical. So for me, what we do now, we have a weekly family planning session, or dream building session, as I like to call it, where we talk about not only our schedules, but what are some of the things that we're looking forward to in the week and how are we incorporating our quality time together? My husband is not a triathlete. He is the exact opposite. He loves to tinker in the garage. He's very much in the garden. He's a wonderful, wonderful creative person, but he just is not big on triathlon. So understanding that, okay, I have a very supportive spouse, but this is not their interest. I need to be mindful too of how much time I am giving to this as well as how much time I am investing in our relationship. So, I would say, for the sake of your marriage, yes, you should absolutely be including your family in your planning. Also, I think there’s been, in the past few years that I've really jumped into triathlon, we've had so many fun adventures together, and it's been this really cool side effect of this lifestyle because Peter and I have gone to a whole host of different places that we probably never would have ventured or visited had I not decided to do a race there. I do think it can be a lot of fun too. If you are very actively engaged in that conversation about where do you want to go or what do you want to do or what do you want to see? And I think that it can really enhance your relationship. So I highly, highly, highly recommend bringing your partner, your family along when you're doing these big goals and going after this triathlon sport or this lifestyle.

Vanessa: I fully agree with you. And I think many of us have made that mistake in our first few seasons of being a triathlete where you kind of neglect to inform your partner as to what you're doing, because you might be thinking about it in your head all the time, but maybe not communicating that with the partner. So I think it's really important to make sure that they're on board and they understand. So Julie, I'm curious what your strategy is in this area involving your other half.

Julie: Well, I'm pretty fortunate that Tony is actually a triathlete himself. He's a coach with TriDot. So we do a lot together, yet separate. It's funny because that's the glory we both have, oftentimes we do the same race just because it's easier for travel, but it's amazing on doing the same race and having the same, essentially, schedule leading up to a race, how different our days can be, or be structured. Tony's also a pilot, so he travels as well. So we both sometimes are literally crossing each other in the air. So we don't see each other sometimes for a week on end. So when we have conversations about, hey, we're off a couple of days together, where do we want to do certain things? Where can we fit, say, that long ride or how do we, he's helping me train for Nice. And so we have a conversation almost daily about where we're going to put things. But respecting his time and knowing if he's racing and if I'm not. It's respecting his time and his schedule just as much as he respects mine. Listening to your other half or your spouse or your kids and their needs is incredibly important. And so if it's like, hey, I have a very long day, I don't want to do this tomorrow. Can we do it on Sunday? Be adaptable and be flexible with your plans. Or say, do you mind if I go out without you? And having those open conversations and communication is the best way, no matter if your husband or your spouse is a triathlete or not.

Vanessa: I agree with you fully on that one. And I'm just thinking as we're talking here, okay, both of you have these crazy wonky schedules. You have these partners who also may travel or not travel. And I'm thinking how on earth do you fit a social life in there as well? So I know I'm constantly myself saying no to my friends all the time, especially during race prep season. But is there a way to do it all? Do you have any good news for us on how to squeeze your social life into this whole mix? What do you think, April?

April: Sorry to say Vanessa, that's just not… I’m kidding, I’m kidding. So I will be just very blunt and frank here. I'm an introvert. I definitely desire to be at home when I'm at home or when I am off from work. And I will say the military has provided me with a social life, whether I wanted one or not. And that being said, I think that I am very discerning of who is in my circle and I'm going to throw another quote at you. Cause I love this one. I use this a lot. It is very true, that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with, and Jim Rohn said that. I just really think about, okay, who am I allowing, in my sphere of influence, who am I allowing to have a say in what I say yes to and what I say no to. And I am not trying to go too deep in this, but what I will say is I find I do prioritize quality time with the people that matter the most to me. And I feel like that fills that social bucket for me. And then my military coworkers, my battle buddies, I feel like that also has filled that social bucket for me too, because we've gone through some crazy things together. We've spent more time together than I've spent with my significant other at times. And it's like it, that to me has been the thing that has filled that social need for me. So I would say for military members who are trying to figure out how to prioritize social aspects, look at your circle. Look at the people that you've allowed in, what kind of influence do they have on the things that matter to you. And ask yourself that question, be very honest with yourself. Are they bringing you up or are they holding you back from that potential that you're seeking, especially if you're trying to live a triathlete lifestyle?

Vanessa: I love everything that you're saying and keep those quotes coming. So Julie, how do you squeeze social life into your busy lifestyle?

Julie: I just did this recently. I had a long run that I needed to do. And I went down to the city and there's a great running path in Chicago. They have, on the weekends, thousands of people in the morning because they have running groups for the Chicago marathon. They have the Chicago Tri was last weekend, so they have all the folks out there training for that. So I wanted a new stimulus. So it used to be my stomping ground. So I went down there and I called up a couple of girlfriends and said, I'm going to start at this time. I'll be finished at this time. Anyone who would meet for breakfast? And I know I'd been saying no to these guys for a little bit. And I said, if anybody's interested, why don't you join me the last 30 minutes? Or if you want to start in the middle with me, I'll plan my time out in my run and we can meet up and run a little bit and then let's go have breakfast and catch up. I do little things like that. Then I feel like I'm making the effort versus them always making the effort and me having to say yes or no. Friendships are reciprocal. So occasionally, yes, it serves my purpose a little bit, but also I do get the reward of, one, breakfast afterwards, but, two, having girlfriends to sit and chat and not necessarily have to talk about what I just did, but to talk about real life things and then go about the rest of my day. And it always seems to work out and tell them a little bit about what's going on with me and my training world, if I want to. If not, I become a normal person all over again and triathlon gets put aside for a little bit, and just get to be with my girlfriends.

Vanessa: We're going to totally switch gears to a completely different topic, but I think it's one that's really important. Especially for people with crazy schedules and for anyone who has any form of a schedule at all, like being a triathlete. It's no secret at all that sleep is a crucial aspect for recovery and performance. And I think if we're not getting appropriate sleep, we're not going to benefit from our training. Our hormone levels can be completely disrupted. We may predispose ourselves to a greater risk of injury. And with shift work, what are some of the tips that you can give to your athletes to make sure that they get the sleep in to sustain all of the things that I just mentioned. Julie, what are your thoughts on this?

Julie: Depending on what their shift is or what it kind of looks like, I say sometimes work backwards from sleep. Tell me what is your normal sleep schedule? And if it needs to be tweaked or saying, hey, we need to make it a little longer and let's prioritize that. And then move backwards from it. Where you get out of work, where your sleep is going to fall. Do you workout before you go to work? Do you work out after you go to work? But having that somewhat be the central spot of saying, hey, these are your hours of sleep and what you're going to do with it. Work backwards from there. You know what your shift schedule is going to be or where you're going to be at work. And you know, hey, this is where I need to prioritize that and figure out where to slip the other stuff in. It's a lot easier than I am making it sound, but when you make it a priority in which, even if you're a nine to fiver, make it a priority in your life. Bedtime is non-negotiable as well. Lights out at a certain time. You'll feel better, you'll perform better, you'll be better at work.

Vanessa: I love what you're saying, but I hate what you're saying because I hate going to sleep. I love being awake and I don't want my bedtime to be non-negotiable because there's just too many exciting things happening in the world and I want to be a part of all of it. So I really struggled with going to sleep. I think that this is a really smart thing to do, is to start with that time block of sleep and then work backwards. Just like how you long range plan for your training program. It's like your long range planning for your day. What do you need to do with your sleep first and then fit everything else in there? I think that I should probably implement that tip. Thank you so much. April, do you have a tip for me to implement here and sleep? Cause I need some help, I think.

April: I just want to give kudos to Julie, cause I think that is one of the best things that you can do is reverse engineer. And I love that you started, Julie, with sleep. Cause, to me, sleep is the most important factor, when it comes to our wellbeing, when it comes to injury prevention, and our mental health. And I think, some people might disagree with me here, but I will often prioritize sleep over training because it is that detrimental. And like you said, there's a hormonal response. You are more likely to be injured. You're more likely to make bad judgment calls. And if you're out on the road riding and you fall asleep, that, I mean, literally, is putting your life in risk. And I just think about from the military aspect. We need people to be alert, awake and ready to go for whenever something happens. And I do think that getting into the habit of cutting your sleep, especially when you can prioritize it, I think that is something that needs to be encouraged. That people need to get enough sleep and look for ways to find that. And the tip that I would give as well is I'm a savant at power naps and I can sleep anywhere. I can sleep on the floor of an airplane. I've slept on the floor of an airport. I have slept on duffel bags on dirt. It's a skill that I cherish now because I can literally sleep anywhere. So I feel like having the ability to get in a power nap can really help too. You can't bank sleep, but you can recharge. You can get, just like a battery, you can be able to recharge a little bit through power naps. And I found that to be a very helpful skill or a tip for prioritizing sleep as well.

Vanessa: So we talked about sleep, and now I think we need to talk about nutrition because I think this has a huge impact on our ability to maintain focus and to complete our training sessions and everything. And I know for myself, my day is relatively easy to manage in terms of working from home and having the kitchen a few feet away from me. I can tell you, I still struggle to make sure that I'm eating enough and, more importantly, eating the correct things. I can't even comprehend what people do when working really long shifts away from home or even through the night. So I'm wondering what you suggest to make sure that people are getting all of the nutrients that they require to sustain their training. And as we were just talking about sleep, I know that for me, when I get tired, the first thing that my body wants is sugar. So I can only imagine how much my sweet tooth would actually rage if I wasn't getting enough sleep. And this is the case most of the time. But if you had a really long shift or you've come off a long flight or something like that, Julie, how is it that you make sure that you get the appropriate nutrition and fit that into your day?

Julie: Like everything else, plan it out. I typically, when I go to work, the longest I usually go is about three days or so. I pack three days worth of food. Cause I know where it's coming from, I know I made it or I purchased it to be on the go. I know where I'm going to be, what kind of snacks I have. I bring things along that I know I'm going to be working out when I get there. This is the snack I'm going to have prior to it because at work, you may not be eating at the right times. You might not be eating, but you know you have to get something in before a session. So I plan all that stuff out. I travel with a little travel hot plate that I can plug in anywhere. And so in my room I plug in and I'll bring say leftovers from dinner the night before I plugged that in. I put my leftovers on it. I go to the gym or go for my run. I come back, dinner's done. Things like that. It's just a little bit of planning ahead, like everything else, but it becomes pretty routine. But I can do it for three days without having to negotiate on my health at all.

Vanessa: That’s incredible. You have a hot plate that you bring with you in your tiny little flight attendant suitcase?

Julie: Oh no, I have a whole, little lunch pail type of thing that I bring. Oh yeah, it's got it, I have a cold section, I keep things cold. I have a dry section that I can put other stuff in like oatmeal or whatever. I pack that thing full and I bring stuff like that with me.

Vanessa: That is next level. My mind is just blown. April, can you pull my mind as a nutrition tip?

Julie: Amazon, Amazon, man.

April: I will wholeheartedly admit I am not as cool as Julie.

Vanessa: I don't think anyone's as cool as Julie.

April: I just learned some things from you, Julie. Thank you for that. I love that. I am a big believer in portable snacks. I agree that proper planning prevents poor performance. So being able to have an idea of some of those handy dandy snacks that you can bring with you that are portable, that are easy to prep, that might not require any prep, I think is very helpful. For me, I pack my lunch every day, like a school kid. So I find that to be most helpful is that I kind of eat the same types of things. So that makes it easy too, if I have a list of things that I know that I enjoy, I will plan it out and then, it  more than likely will be portable. So yes, I use a lot of containers and a lunchbox that I can put some ice or something, an ice pack, into it that will keep it cool. And then, usually it just takes me a couple of minutes to throw it together and I bring it with me. Cause when I get to work, I'm at work the entire time. I'm not getting a lunch break. I'm not getting the time to really go get something, right. So I plan to have everything with me from start to finish. And now that I'm 38 years old, I know what I like, I know what I need. I feel like that has been an incredible advantage too. So I think that proper planning can really help. I think that trial and error can really help, like giving yourself the opportunity to figure out what works and then planning ahead and executing that through your routine is really going to make that accessible. So I think all of those things can really come together if you are, one, adaptable and flexible with trying new things, and then, two, planning ahead.

Vanessa: I think that's like the theme of this entire podcast, is planning ahead. It really just seems that we're always coming back to that, making a schedule, making sure you're planning ahead, making sure you're communicating with everyone around you. Like it just seems that this is something that has to be a part of not only a shift worker's life, but of a triathlete's life. You know, like we need to make sure that we're planning ahead so that we can be successful and have the joy that we want to have and the results that we want to have, as a result of all the work we're putting in. I know that every shift worker situation might be a little different, but I'm wondering how we can create a stable fitness routine, like have a little bit of stability and have a little bit of rhythm with a work schedule like both of yours that is constantly changing and in flux. April, what do you do to make sure that you have a little bit of stability?

April: So I think that I have to be an active participant in my planning. Like I really believe in owning the time that you do have, that you can control, and prioritizing what is important. So I anchor my workouts to my non-negotiable, non-negotiable habits. One thing that I know that I'm going to consistently do is the night before, I look and make sure that I understand what the workout is. I pack my nutrition and I also get my clothes ready because when that alarm hits, if it's 4am or sometimes it's 3am depending upon when my work day starts. Yes, if it's going to be early, I don't want to be fumbling around trying to find my workout gear while trying not to wake up my husband. These are things that can really make or break whether or not you commit to what you say you're going to do. And it comes down to those little bitty actions that make the biggest difference. So that's one thing I do. I do use TriDot. TriDot is fantastic for setting up my week. And, just like Julie said earlier, if there are days where I know I'm not going to be able to get in that hard interval session. Or I literally am so tapped that I can't focus, I have the ability to switch it around. And I also have the ability to say, nope, not today. And then Tridot adjusts. I love that, because it takes away. And I'm one of those people that can get into the perfectionist mindset and I work against that by allowing myself grace in those moments. I think that TriDot is fantastic with that, because if you are consistent, if you are showing up, it's going to follow along and it’s going to adjust where you're at, not where some other training plan thinks you are, right. I think that is a really powerful tool too. I look to prioritize my time off too, and listen to my body. If I'm not able to show up, I allow myself the opportunity to take a recovery day too.

Vanessa: You know what I absolutely love about what you just said, is that I've requested about stability.

April: Nothing is stable.

Vanessa: But you are talking about flexibility.

April: Yes, and fluidity.

Vanessa: In order to have this stability, we have to have this flexibility. Can you top that Julie?

Julie: I kind of look at it as going, hey, my unconventional schedule is conventional to me. So if you do have an unconventional schedule, eventually it becomes your rhythm. The biggest thing I like, like April said, is prioritizing certain things. Just be as consistent as you can, because even if I'm tired, or I don't feel like it, or I got to fit this in here, I have never regretted a workout I've done, but I've always regretted the ones that I haven't. If I know ahead of time, like April said, of scheduling a rest day because I know I'm going to need it or I can feel it, that's a scheduled thing. That's something that you give yourself, but knowing that your unconventional day, as long as you make something for you a priority to you in your head, your body will follow. I've never regretted a workout I've gone out to do. I’ve never said, man, I shouldn't have done that. I always come back saying, I'm so glad I just did that. And knowing that's the way it's going to always be. But giving yourself, like April said, a little grace, if you need to have that day off.

Vanessa: Now, Julie, we've had these quotes, we've had all this excitement, I've had shivers, we've been laughing. It's been absolutely fabulous. And now I want to feel like I want to be totally inspired. So I'm wondering, Julie, if you can give me an example of how an athlete that you have met, or worked with, or talked with that is also a shift worker. Can you give us a rundown of who they are, what their profession is, and then what we can learn about their training routine?

Julie: Yeah, I actually had an athlete that, she worked at a hospital, and oftentimes would have a 24-hour shifts. And it broke down to a lot of communication between us of, Hey, how are you going to feel here? How is this week going to look to you? What's the best way to put it? Cause oftentimes I would put maybe a swim the day after, or after a 24-hour shift, she would sleep. I would throw a swim there, or I'd put a strength and mobility session there, something that was a little bit lighter on her body, cause she was pretty fatigued, or the easy bike ride. I would put those there, but really kind of have a conversation. Open communication between coach and athlete is huge about how you're going to create somebody’s week for them and to make them not get sick, not get hurt. Or start to neglect things because of just being tired. You want to give something that when they come up from long shifts, or a 24-hour one in her case, hey, I know that that swim is going to feel amazing or that easy ride is going to get the blood flowing. And that's not too stressful, because what comes along with lack of sleep and all of those other things that come along with shift work is a lot of stress. Your body goes through stress. So having that open communication between each other is really helpful. And it allows me to build the best schedule for that person.

Vanessa: One of the things that I hear from a lot of people, and it's like this excuse that people give, and I want to know your opinion on this. So I hear this a lot. I could never do that sport, and they're referring to triathlon. And then they continue to say, because I do shift work, and there’s no time to fit it in. And you know what, it doesn’t even always have to be about shift work. A lot of people say that. I don’t have time, where would you fit that in? So, I'm wondering what both of you, what your one liner would be in response to a comment like that. April, let's start with you.

April: So I get it, shift work is tough, but you can absolutely find creative ways to make it work. Even if that means starting small. Even if that means just going for a walk or figuring out where the local pool is at. Or something that just gets you moving forward. I think that oftentimes people look at this entire, macro level, I have to do all of this to be considered a triathlete. No, it's really just getting started and looking at what is the smallest thing I can do, such that by doing it, creates the life I'm trying to lead.

Vanessa: Amazing. Love it. Julie, let's hear from you. What's your one liner for people?

Julie: My one liner would be, if you can give me an hour a day, I can make you a triathlete. Simple as that.

April: Mic drop.

Vanessa: Done. Peace out, everybody.

Cool down theme: Great set everyone! Let’s cool down.

Vanessa: Welcome to the cool down, everybody. It is still Vanessa here, your average traveling with elite level enthusiasm. I have decided to keep April on with me. She is just one of the most phenomenal coaches that I've had the pleasure of meeting. I thought it was really important that she was able to share a little bit about her journey and her story about triathlon. What has the sport of triathlon done for you and how has it changed your life?

April: So this one, triathlon has transformed my life inside and out. Being in the military, it's not always been easy. I feel like a lot of people can relate to this, it can be very difficult on not only your personal life, but on your key relationships, your health. Those things that are the most important, it can really drain that. I think triathlon has been the thing that has kept me engaged with not only what's important, but who I want to be as a person. Triathlon has given me the skills to develop my character in a way that has preceded the military. It has helped me with dealing with some of the greatest adversities I've faced. I used triathlon when I was going through one of the most dark periods of my life. I had a really public humiliation that occurred in the military, and I used triathlon as a way to show myself that I have grit, that I have the ability to recover and grow from trauma. And for me, that is the thing that I feel like I can give to other people. And it's why I've wanted to become a coach, because I do meet people often who have experienced trauma, who don't have belief in themselves anymore on how they can get through a day, let alone through more adversity. So for me, triathlon has been the antidote, in a lot of ways, for the things that I used to think were holding me back. And I think that when we look at it from not only from the lens of a coach helping someone achieve a goal, but when we look at it from the lens of building someone, building their resilience, building their ability to see themselves as a victor instead of a victim. I think that is one of the most powerful, and potentially underrated, aspects of what this sport can do for people.

Outro: Thanks for joining us. Make sure to subscribe and share the TriDot podcast with your triathlon crew. For more great tri content and community, connect with us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Ready to optimize your training? Head to tridot.com and start your free trial today! TriDot – the obvious and automatic choice for triathlon training.

‍