THE WORKING PARENT
RUNNY NOSES, BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND SCHOOL RUNS. HAVING KIDS CAN BE A MAJOR HURDLE FOR ANY TRIATHLETE TO OVERCOME. WE MEET THE OPTICIAN AND FATHER OF THREE, EUGENE GRANT, TO DISCOVER HIS OUTLAW-WINNING TIPS…
Eugene Grant. Husband to Joanne. Father of three. Optometrist director. And Mr. Outlaw. Since the long-distance 3.8km swim/180km bike/42.2km run Nottinghamshire event began life in 2010, Grant has completed every single edition. He’s also finished in the top 10 on four occasions and stormed to the overall Outlaw title in 2013 with an 9:27:09 finishing time.
So how does he find a happy equilibrium between family, work and top-end tri performance? Time to hand you over to Eugene for his proven tri advice…
TIME-CRUNCHED ADVICE
Consistency is key! The way to be consistent in training is to incorporate it within the routine of the week. So to fit in a full working week as the ophthalmic director of a very busy Specsavers store, being a supportive husband to a full time GP and a dad to three increasingly active kids can be a challenge: time efficiency and planning ahead is absolutely necessary.
I’m fortunate enough to live a beautiful 12km from my work, which takes in quiet lanes, footpaths and the Derbyshire hills. Running to and from work gives me a double session of running in a fasted state. It also means that I can’t skip the session – which is good for my mental toughness – particularly in the depths of winter with sideways rain. Once home, I can dedicate my time to family matters, as my training is complete for the day.
My workplace is a 5min walk to the local pool, which is where I spend my lunch hour. So, although it may only be a 30min session, I make it count and there’s no time for garbage lengths. Starting to undress as I wait to swipe my card at reception is a frequent occurrence!
Being time efficient with the training is absolutely essential but the long bike ride is the most timeconsuming. I usually start to introduce these weekly sessions in May. Getting everything ready the night before ensures I’m clipping in by 7am. This means that I can get back for family lunch and spend the afternoon being a dad.
Now that the children are older, they’re a lot more independent. Gone are the days of pulling toddlers around Carsington Water in a bike trailer as my ‘bike session’. Or depositing one of the kids at a birthday party in my running kit and devouring the contents of their party bag on the way home.
The crèche at the local pool was an absolute godsend when the children were tiny and, when I’d done my session, I’d scoop them up and take them in for a splash. Having followed this lifestyle for many years, it’s no surprise that the children have grown up with these idiosyncrasies and consider them normal! The boys are great footballers and Elsbeth is well on her way to triathlon glory.
ULTIMATE NUTRITION
A protein/carbohydrate recovery shake works well after arriving at work. And porridge with a handful of raisins is quick to make and great for mid-morning and even late-afternoon fuelling.
KEY RECOVERY
Sleep’s the most underrated recovery tool. As any parent of young children will acknowledge, an interrupted night’s sleep can play havoc with surviving the next day, never mind trying to fit in a training session. So it’s important to be flexible.
If you sleep badly, then change your session to one that’s manageable. Make it shorter and build the session with the main goal of a few intense efforts. I often use the kids’ trampoline for ‘active recovery’! It’s low impact, a super stress buster and great fun.
Meals with the children usually involve fresh pasta, tomato sauce with anchovies or tuna and spinach (Popeye wasn’t wrong!). The kids are fruit monsters, so keeping the fruit bowl well stocked with a delicious choice of crunchy apples, sweet satsumas, bananas, grapes and strawberries is a constant (and expensive) challenge, but it also reduces the chances of a biscuit binge for everyone.
The key to family meals is to keep them fresh, tasty and easy to prepare. Don’t let the children decide as a diet of smiley faces, chicken nuggets and spaghetti hoops isn’t conducive to optimum triathlon performance for anyone!