unexpected results of triathlon training

Is it just me, or does anyone else wake up at 3 in the morning because they're so hungry?

I don't normally wake up for anything other than the alarm (or the sound of any of my dogs scratching to go out)... but twice this week I've had to force myself to go back to sleep after waking up hungry. I think it's the evening swimming... I have been snacking a little after evening workouts, but I don't want to eat a lot right before bed.

My schedule is all out of whack!

The problem is, I don't normally work out in the evenings when I am marathon training... and when I do, I typically run with one or more of the dogs. Effectively killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. I also used to have only two dogs, so running with one, and having a cool down walk with the other meant all three of us got the exercise we needed. And, when marathon training, I was running at best two evenings mid week, and two weekend mornings. That left plenty of evenings at home to maintain my home, etc.

Now, with three dogs to walk (two of whom don't like each other much, and anyway 200 pounds worth of dog is too much for me to handle at one time)... and with swimming or biking AND running in the evenings, I now find my entire evening is consumed with exercising either myself or my beasts!

I know lots of my teammates are scheduling their workouts in the mornings... I've thought about that. But, I already struggle to get up at 5:20 every day for work. Can't imagine getting up at 4:30 to workout... The gym and pool aren't even open at that time.

What do you think? Is it just a matter of giving it some time to get into a routine? Or do all triathletes find their training impinges upon the rest of their other daily activities?


Am I whinging a lot these last few days? I feel like I'm whinging... It's not that I'm not excited to be trying something new. I WILL rise to this challenge. It's just that it's very immediately more of a challenge than I had mentally prepared myself for.

I am up for the challenge. I am up for the challenge. I am up for the challenge. I am up......


UPDATE:  Thanks to Anonymous for the generous donation this afternoon!! Thank you for getting us one step closer to finding a cure for blood cancers.