The holiday season is a wonderful time to celebrate, relax, and connect with family and friends, but it can also be challenging to stay consistent with triathlon training. Keeping up your fitness goals with social gatherings, travel plans, and tempting treats around every corner may be difficult. Fortunately, a few simple strategies can help you stay on track without missing out on the fun of the season.
Here’s how to stay focused and maintain your momentum, so you can start the new year feeling fit, strong, and ready to tackle your triathlon goals!
The holidays are not the time to set new personal records or try out a new, intense training schedule. Instead, focus on maintenance and consistency. Scale down to shorter workouts, or adjust to a lighter load, but aim to keep a steady rhythm. If you can maintain a baseline of fitness, you’ll be ready to ramp up again after the holidays.
Tip: Try setting weekly training goals instead of daily ones to give yourself more flexibility with busy schedules.
With a packed holiday schedule, shorter, high-intensity workouts can keep your fitness up while being time-efficient. Interval training, hill repeats, or brick workouts (combining bike and run in one session) allow you to get a solid workout in without spending hours training. Even a 30-minute, high-effort session can make a big difference.
Suggested Workouts:
20–30-minute high-intensity bike or run intervals
Swim sprints if you have pool access
Bodyweight strength workouts if you’re travelling without equipment
A flexible training plan can help you keep training around family gatherings and parties. Look at your schedule each week to find the best windows for training, and plan lighter sessions on days when you’re likely to have holiday events.
Tip: If mornings are your quietest time, consider training before the day starts, so you can fully enjoy the festivities later.
If you’re travelling, take advantage of new routes and scenery! Running in a new area can be invigorating, and you might even find a local pool, gym, or bike rental to keep your training routine going.
Tips for Staying Active on the Go:
Check for Local Pools: Many cities offer guest passes to community pools.
Explore New Trails: Running or hiking on unfamiliar trails can be a fun way to stay active.
Use a Resistance Band: For quick, on-the-go strength training.
Training with a friend or using a fitness app can add motivation and accountability when routines are disrupted. Sharing your goals with a friend, family member, or coach can keep you motivated, even if your sessions are shorter or simpler than usual. Consider checking in weekly or even joining a virtual training challenge to stay connected.
Helpful Apps: TrainingPeaks, Strava, or even just scheduling workout check-ins with a friend.
You don’t have to skip out on holiday treats, but try to stay mindful of nutrition. Balancing treats with healthy meals and prioritizing hydration can help you avoid energy crashes and stay in top shape.
Nutrition Tips:
Hydrate Regularly: Carry a water bottle to stay hydrated during holiday events.
Protein-Packed Snacks: Have some protein-rich snacks on hand to avoid overindulging in sweets.
Post-Workout Fuel: Keep a healthy post-workout snack nearby so you can quickly recover and avoid excess holiday temptations.
Holiday stress, travel, and packed schedules can make it easy to skimp on sleep, but rest is critical to performance and recovery. Prioritize quality sleep and schedule extra time for rest days, which can be just as important as hitting every workout.
Training during the holidays doesn’t have to be stressful! With some flexibility, efficiency, and mindful choices, you can keep your progress steady without sacrificing the joys of the season. The goal is to maintain your fitness level, enjoy the journey, and start the new year feeling ready to take on your training plan with enthusiasm.
Happy holidays, and here’s to a fit, healthy season!
Julia Aimers
CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist
CSEP High-Performance Specialist
Certified Triathlon, Cycling, Yoga and Swimming Coach
USA Cycling Level 2 Coach
Training Peaks Accredited Coach
A year ago I could only tread water and had not run since childhood. With the amazing Virtual Olympic course, support, guidance, and tips from of all the folks at Team Triumph I've ended the season with my first Olympic distance triathlon under my belt and am hooked! Really looking forward to the 2025 season and even to the hard work over the winter to prepare. Karen Houle
I wanted to let you know that the Perth triathlon was a great experience, I somehow placed third in my age group! What a supportive group of participants (including Team Triumph athletes), cheering bystanders and volunteers.
Thanks to your swim lessons, I learned the technical basics and gained confidence to get back in the pool after decades. And it was really special doing this with Ann Laidlaw, my bestie for many years. We did a couple of additional swims with Kevin and Team Triumph people, also a great way to continue learning and practicing good technical form.
I will continue with lane swimming and who knows, maybe there's another triathlon in my future!
I love the accountability and the structure of the Virtual 70.3 Half Ironman training program. I don't think I would have gotten this far without the program. The accountability is huge for me!
Deborah Jackman