The Schedule™!

OK, there is something you have to know about me… I can be a little “Type A”. From what I've encountered, a lot of triathletes are pretty “Type A”.

Heart Disease?! WTH?! I thought I was doing all of this to be healthy?!

Oddly enough, there seem to be only two camps, the “Type A” and the “Type Z” (is that really a “Type”?). Type A will naturally have everything planned and extremely organized. Type Z just kind of flies by the seat of their pants, but somehow manages to get it all done. Type Z people make me anxious. I make Type Z people very anxious. Let’s talk about how this Type A plans his triathlon season!

I usually start planning the next year’s schedule in September/October. This planning consists of a very detailed, shared document, hereafter known as The Schedule™, that I make available to my wife that she doesn’t seem to mostly ignore. As long as everything is planned and registered for, she’s good. I just tell her when to pack and throw her bike on the truck and she’s fine. Well, there’s the bitching about race fees, hotel, travel, etc, but we’ll save that for another time. I’m pretty sure she’s Type Z. Meanwhile, you’re asking, why start so early? Well, there are multiple reasons: 

• Schedule.
• Cost.
• Accomodations.
• Time Off.

I have a hard time figuring out what should come first, “schedule” or “cost”. I only put schedule first because it contains several parts. So, about schedule… the first consideration is when the desired event actually happens. Events can’t be too close together. We also need to ensure that the events ramp up appropriately for our training and major goals or “A” races. You wouldn’t want to plan a 100 mile bike ride the weekend before your “A” race, right?! Events also can’t interfere with work or family obligations… wouldn’t want to miss Nana’s big 75th birthday blowout!

Then, there is cost. For me, I need to save money where I can. When you’re often paying for two registrations (mine and my wife’s), it can add up quickly. So, I need to take advantage of the “early bird” signup discounts for races I know I’m going to do. A lot of races ramp up the prices pretty quickly. The Schedule™ will usually have the last date possible for me to sign up and beat the price hike deadline. Sometimes the event is popular enough to quickly sell out, so I don’t have the luxury of worrying about price hikes. In those cases, I need to know the date that registration opens so I can hurry up and get registered before it closes!

Next is accommodations. Event hotels and those nearby will often fill up fast. When you are doing 10+ events a year (Runs, Tris, Rides, etc.), it can be difficult to remember if you really made that reservation or not. I like to use The Schedule™ to denote whether or not I’ve made a reservation, the name of the hotel, and what the reservation number is. I was a little surprised at how many friends were days away from events, thinking they had reservations, only to find out they had forgotten to actually make the reservations. It happened… a lot!

Finally, there is time off from work. Having my race schedule for the year planned out in advance goes a long way towards helping me schedule projects at work. Time off can be a lot like accommodations. There’s nothing worse than being a week away from your event, thinking you have Friday off for a travel day to the event only to realize that you forgot to actually ask your supervisor for the day off! I use The Schedule™ to let me know whether or not I’ve actually asked for time off and if it has been approved! No surprises that way. 

OK, as you can see, I probably make this harder than it has to be?! Right, Type Z people??? I do know that I always get the time off to show up on time, registered, and with a place to stay! Tell me in the Comments if there is an easier way or any tips you might have?