I wrote a piece about how seemingly simple tasks can actually be quite a challenge – the golf ball balancing challenge. Here’s a solution to balancing golf balls on a table. Balance them individually on the table.
Granted this doesn’t meet the criteria of the record, where the balls need to be balanced one on top of the other, however it’s very straightforward. The crucial difficulty in the golf ball challenge is that the interaction of the prior balls impacts the future balancing. The more balls you add, the exponentially more difficult it becomes.
So how can you relate this to training and triathlon. Consider how you can remove complexity to make the process of training easy? This is especially true of pre-tasks required before your main priority. How can you remove the need to be impossibly perfect – what is the easy option for training?
There are lots of examples.
Kit prep: Have a couple of swim suits. When you come back from a swim rotate in your fresh, dry kit into your swim bag so it’s immediately ready to go for next time. Then it’s easy to grab and go. The same principal works for other kit. Run shoes or kit at work and in the back of the car.
Time: Only have 45 minutes left for a 60 minutes run? Just head out. 45 minutes will give you likely 80% of the stimulus your body needs to adapt. Don’t over think it, just go. Don’t be tempted to adjust the intensity and run 60 minutes worth of distance though. It’s likely we would be able to add the 15 minutes elsewhere in the week and still hit weekly totals.
I’m sure there are lots of other examples you can share to make things easy!
So next time training feels tough, difficult to get organised for or you are missing sessions, have a quite think about what you can do to make life easy or to pick the easy route. It’s likely your consistency will thank you.
PS Here is another solution for balancing balls – but not only doesn’t meet the original requirements and it’s actually not easy either!