Ever wonder how elite atheltes balance training, work, and play? Take a peek inside “A day in the life” of our Athlete Ambassador and Ultra-cyclist, Miron Golfman.
Balancing work and training
Achieving a full time training schedule as an athlete while working over 40 hours a week, does not lend itself to an easeful life. While I aspire to maintain a strict training regimen, I am often forced to alter my training objectives solely based on the fact that there are only so many hours in a day.
I often dream that I would possess the super power of not needing sleep in order to recover, let alone just function as a person. But given the reality that I don’t posses this super power, I am constantly navigating making decisions as too wether I can adequately complete my workout on any given day, or instead need to make modifications in order to prioritize self care and recovery.
Daily training outline
On a typical weekday, my alarm goes off at 3:45am. I start my day with a glass of water and 20 minutes of yoga. After a shower and a quick early morning snack, I have a 30-minute bike ride to work where I clock in at 5am.
During my 8-hour work shift, I am mindful to maintain hydration and eat frequently. Once clocked out I commute home, or elsewhere, have lunch, and often have a couple of hours of meetings, work related to racing, training, and athletic charity projects.
Then I typically begin my daily training.
- This can include anywhere from 1-3 hours of riding.
- The majority of my rides are around the greater Anchorage area with 1-2 indoor intensity trainer rides split up within the week.
- Biking is followed by 20-30 minutes of strength training.
I then eat a meal and hopefully am in bed by 7:45.
I am diligent in scheduling Physical Therapy and Rolfing sessions throughout my week for maintenance to make sure my body can keep up with training demands.
My weekends are when I am able to do endurance training.
- I will ride anywhere from 8-20 hours over the course of the weekend.
Give and take
Some weeks I am incredibly driven and focused. Other weeks it’s hard to maintain this schedule do to exhaustion, both physical and mental.
I often have to accept I cannot always complete strength training after rides or choose to prioritize sleeping in over doing yoga in the morning. It is a gift when I can successfully get a full 8 hours of sleep (which rarely happens).
If you’re thinking, “what about having time to spend with friends or even being able to relax and watch the occasional movie?” Unfortunately, those are special treats that I enjoy every once in a while.
The sacrifice is worth it!
As with most passion projects it can seem quite unsustainable from the outside. I won’t make any claims that I have come anywhere close to discovering what a healthy and balanced life as an athlete is.
All I know is that the love of the sport and the pure ecstasy I experience each time I am hundreds of miles into a race looking out onto a breathtaking view somewhere in the world, makes the sacrifice and hardships of daily life worth every minute!
Written by Runners’ Edge Athlete Ambassador: Miron Golfman
