Training Time: Planned vs Actual vs Reality

While many others are busy with race strategy, race reports, race after-effects, I am still waiting for my first race of 2011 on May 7.  It feels like a near eternity since I last toed the line (Turkey Trot), but it has just been 8 weeks out of the cast and boot. Not racing apparently leaves me with plenty of time to ruminate on the finer points (read: unimportant) of training.

Today I was looking at my weekly training schedule on Training Peaks and for the first time, after a mere two years on there, noticed the "Planned" and "Actual" time at the end of the week. Those numbers aren't all that big. I mean, 7:35?  That's less time than it takes to go to dinner and a movie twice in a week. (Not that I would know, twice in one year is more like it for me.)

It turns out it doesn't capture the REAL Actual, which is much bigger than that.  Did you ever think about all the prep and followup goes into each workout, above and beyond the actual minutes running, biking, and swimming?  Here's some of that extra stuff for me.  I wonder what extras others contend with?

• Plan weekly schedule to figure out how to shoehorn workouts into real life. Negotiate with family.
• Download and print out schedule - copy on refrigerator, copy in car, copy for the pool.
• Program workouts and upload to Garmin.
• Download data from Garmin for bike/run.
• Recharge Garmins.
• Upload data to Training Peaks, make comments, reflect on workouts.
• Drive to/from pool, track, trail, etc.
• Put bike rack on car and/or take bike rack off car as needed.
• Move bike from bike rack to/from garage to/from trainer upstairs.
• Clean bike (esp if it's coming in the house). Maintain bike. Pump up tires.
• Plan routes for runs and bikes.  Plan company for runs and bikes.
• Load fresh podcasts for runs and workouts.
• Make bottles of water, fuel, pack gels, food.
• Plant fuel stops on long runs. Clean up from fuel stops after long runs.
• Stretch, roll, ice, compress, and self-medicate with vitamin I.
• Laundry!
• Shower
• Nap (yeah right, why aren't these scheduled in?)
• Blog (haha)

You pretty much have to be a type-A person to be a triathlete, you need the type-A organizational skills. I probably make it all too complicated. Yeah, I'm sure I do!