This article is not about part-timers or those who work seasonally. It's not about those who used to work full-time but now only work a few days each week or enjoy “van-life”. It's also not about those who telework or work on the road while chasing their racing dreams. Don’t misunderstand – there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of these scenarios, and I have nothing but respect (maybe also a little jealousy) for those who are able to make it work. You guys make this industry tick, produce inspiring videos and adventure stories to keep everyone motivated, earn podium spots, and generally kickass.
However, we’re not talking about you guys this time. Right now, we’re talking about the rest of us: sitting at a desk, working in a lab, standing behind a counter, or caring for a family. Those of us who put “work” first and “play” last. We’re talking about those of us who put in 40+ hours each week at a full-time, non-athletic position and are therefore willing to ride/race/adventure at the expense of other essentials (e.g., breathing, eating, and sleeping). Those of us who attend events on vacation time or get up before race practice starts to get some work done. This time, it’s all about us.
My name is Anne Galyean, PhD and Enduro racer. I work full-time and play full-time - let's talk about balance.
I recently completed a PhD in aquatic nanochemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, though all my dissertation research was performed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD. I'm now working full-time as a postdoctoral researcher at the Colorado School of Mines where I design fluorescent nanosensors for improved imaging in disease-causing biofilms.
I started riding and racing downhill in 2009 and eventually progressed to win the 2013 ProGRT series, securing a spot on the US National team for Worlds - though school at the time prevented me from attending. Last year, I made the switch to Enduro, and now race for the Marin/SR Suntour Factory team. Since switching I've placed 4th in Senior Women at the 2015 Megavalanche Alpe d'Huez, 1st in Pro Women at the 2015 Winter Park Big Mountain Enduro, 1st in Pro Women at the 2015 Scott Enduro Cup Canyons, and 1st in Pro Women at the 2016 Santa Fe Big Mountain Enduro.
Full-time work and full-time play, it's all about balance.
Weekend warrior, semi-pro, casual racer - we’re known by many names. Pre-dawn alarm clocks or late night trainer sessions define us, and we’re usually tweaking our training plans to fit our hectic and ever-changing schedules. The central theme of our lives is balance. How can we best balance our full-time work with full-time play without losing our full-time minds?
Personally, the biggest aspect of this dual-life that I struggle with is the mental game, the challenge of keeping my head on straight. I sit at a desk or stand in a laboratory almost all day, occasionally scrolling through my social media feeds looking at everyone else riding bikes and training hard. I can’t help but ask myself if I can be competitive enough with limited training? Can I race at 110% when I have to be back at work Monday morning? Will I be able to survive the transitions if I don’t get in enough base miles? Can I really focus at work when all I seem to think about is riding my bike in the mountains?
Unfortunately, the answer doesn’t appear to be easy or even obvious, and it’s heavily dependent on the individual. I’ve seen firsthand those who execute their balanced daily routines with a finesse and skill that hardly seems natural. I’ve also seen those who spectacularly crash and burn in a vain attempt at finding their balance. In reality, I think we all experience a little bit of both some days.
In the interest of generating a helpful discussion, I reached out to a couple friends of mine who seem to have this full-time work, full-time play thing dialed and asked,
“What’s your balance?
I am a family nurse practitioner in a community health center in Frisco, Colorado. I'm also active in the US Army Reserves in the summer. Balance is something that I am constantly struggling with. I think it's important to have a training program, and I find value in paying a coach or buying a program in order for me to have some accountability. Otherwise, it's just too easy to get home after a 12-hour day of work and say, 'No thanks.' It's also key for me that my best friend/husband is super supportive and willing to help with way more than his share of household duties. - Leigh Bowe
I am currently working as a Sustainability Consultant in Oakland, California. For me, balance has come fairly naturally through a shared passion for both conservation of our natural resources and enjoying those same resources. At this point, I don't think I would be able to do one without the other, as they both seem to feed into each other so well. When I get to travel and ride my bike in amazing places, it's a strong reminder of why I sit at my desk all week trying to change the status quo and ensure that those amazing places continue to exist. I am also lucky enough to work for a company that allows me to take time off to continue racing. I have found there is plenty of time to race, work, and train if you set your priorities and weed out inefficiencies. In all honesty, having more than one thing to work on allows me to deal with the ups and downs of both work and racing way better, and my racing has improved from it. - Ryan Gardner
I'm Marketing Manager/IT/Sales for MKDA, a commercial architecture/interior design firm; sales rep for HT, Onza, Novatec/Factor, Smanie, and RedMonkey; and owner of MAdkats Productions//adkats racing. In order for me to balance everyday work/life with racing and owning a team, I need to be organized, prepared, and balanced. My days at work consist of putting proposals together, fixing computer issues, monitoring a network of architects and designers, and photographing completed offices space for our marketing purposes. My breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are spent meeting commercial real estate brokers, clients, and vendors. This is how I make a living. Fun? Maybe not. But, is it worth it? Absolutely. Without balance, you have nothing. To have the ability to manage your time, to be able to be with family, to get out for a ride, to eat, sleep, to slam back a few beers with friends... It's all important to be a well-balanced person. I do what I do because I love it, and I work hard for it. I am able to run a team not because I need to, but because I want to. I work hard during the week, so that my weekends can be spent doing what I truly love to do. Whenever I hear about people not being able to balance riding, training, racing, and work I ask, "Why?" What is the reason that you can't? Being organized is the key to being balanced. Having a routine, putting a schedule together, and using a calendar are all things to try. Take the time to take a step back and look at your life to see how well-balanced you are. You might be surprised. - Jarad Kleinberg
For me, I’ve had both successes and catastrophic failures. I’ve managed to win races while spending hours before and after practice each day writing research papers or grant applications. I also get out for amazing weekend adventures and still have a wonderful time racing bikes. On the other hand, I’ve also abandoned races and turned down team offers because I just had far too much on my plate to ride competitively and safely. I sacrifice riding and training when my workload gets overwhelming. Some days I feel like I’m trapped in Zeno’s Dichotomy Paradox - constantly moving forward but finding it impossible to reach the goal.
After seven years of full-time grad school/research and racing, I’m starting to realize that perfect balance isn’t real. There will be days when you’re highlining above the Grand Canyon and days when you’re tripping over cracks in the sidewalk - and that’s OK. You don’t have to have it all figured out.
Balance is relative; it’s dependent solely on your time and what you make of it. Be confident in your approach and proud of what you accomplish. We’re not here to complain about this life; in fact, I love my job and enjoy going to work every day. However, unless we are willing to give up one for the other, we’ll still be riding a desk more than our bikes. It's just our passion for riding and racing bikes that keeps us going.
The answer, then, is just a simple: “Yes.” Yes, you’re competitive enough given your lifestyle. Yes, you’ll survive. Yes, your training is sufficient as long as you maximize your available time. Yes, it’s OK to get frustrated and overwhelmed.
Does it mean that we might not be as fit, competitive, or able to travel like those who don’t have to juggle these two behemoths? The answer to this is, similarly, “Yes.” Ultimately, though, it also means that “Yes,” we can have just as much fun.
What’s your balance?Take our poll, and leave your thoughts in the comments below.
MENTIONS:
@mdelorme
I've mentally divided my life into 3rds - Family, Work, and Riding. I don't have much else going on.
I work hard to provide for my family, but if it gets too much I get all stressed out and I'm a bad Dad and Husband,
I ride because it cures the work stress and make me a better Dad and Husband and better at what I do in work.
I devote time every week to ride, one evening after work (in summer at least when it's light enough) and a few hours each weekend. Occasionally more when I can, but only work-time, not family-time, My family has seen me when I've not been on my bike for too long, they don't like it.
I've mentally divided my life into 3rds - Family, Work, and Riding. I don't have much else going on.
I work hard to provide for my family, but if it gets too much I get all stressed out and I'm a bad Dad and Husband,
I ride because it cures the work stress and make me a better Dad and Husband and better at what I do in work.
I devote time every week to ride, one evening after work (in summer at least when it's light enough) and a few hours each weekend. Occasionally more when I can, but only work-time, not family-time, My family has seen me when I've not been on my bike for too long, they don't like it.
Balance... All I do is I am looking ahead and letting this wobbly bike of a life go through that wet lime
Stone infested track, with next to no error margin. I can only relax and hope that there's some smooth bit of single track coming. I should be more organized, yes... show must go on. It's never simple for anyone and nobody gives a fk about sad fks, not even your family.
"From the beginning of times, Life has never favored weakness, only the strong will survive". If you want a lap to sit on and shoulder to cry on, then kill yourself right away. See the world before the life gets you kids. You'll know it got you when the toilet will be the most peaceful place on Earth, to which you'll be running and closing the lock will be like a junkie taking a shot of morphine.
Balance. I so wish. The morality of a slave is strong in me. To hell with you Neitzsche...
1. Self-medicate
2. Don't worry about relatives dying - my last one just did that last month. When you are done grieving, you will be liberated. They want that for you. They say "you are never Truly free until your parents die".
3.Your kids will be nearly self sufficient in 10 years. You'll make it. They'll make it.
4. If you don't already, become obsessed with amateur age-category DH racing (less time practicing/racing). Leave the family behind and camp out for a long race weekend burning meat over fire and further self medicate. The family will understand - racing is noble. Riding beyond your limits because people are watching (they don't really care about you so don't care about what they think) and scaring the shit out of yourself will be liberating and refreshing. If you bring home a medal, all the better.
5. Self medicate afterwards - you've earned it.
6. Fall asleep in a folding camp chair in front of the campfire.
7. This should all be done alone, 3 times a year if possible. The home and work life will be better.
Even a crap ride is better than no ride at all. Spending time with mate(s) taking bikes and shit is half of what its about.
Until kids are thrown into the equation, you really have no concept of how hard it is to find balance, regardless of job demands or a top-level racing career. Finishing up your 40+hr paid workweek, only to come home to the unfinished demands of your other, unpaid, 50hr/wk job leaves very little time for anything else (including relationship maintenance). Many of us just try to survive with sanity intact.
Kids are the ultimate reality check.
I'm not sure the author and contributors understand the majority of people who sit at a desk, work in a lab, or stand behind a counter are *also* caring for a family. Working and racing competitively, especially with a family to care for is a pipe dream for most folks. Don't get me wrong, I understand having a spouse/SO and kids is personal choice. But it's a little silly to read advice from a recent grad (who sounds like she isn't tied down in most respects) about balance. Work your hours, own a house, take care of kids/pets, be accountable to your SO, make dinner, do dishes and laundry, get the kids bathed and in bed, get your personal time in....then we can talk about attaining balance.
I know this may be taken as bashing the article, and it's honestly not meant to be that. It's rad to see a woman killing it in science and racing her bike. The perspectives presented here are just a bit narrow IMO.
It's always sleeping that gets sacrificed for me... 9-5 job and then:
-After work bike rides + late night bike maintenance sessions.
-After work bike rides + late night laundry / grocery shopping / chores.
-After work bike rides + late night beer drinking sessions.
-Weekends are no better. We just get up earlier so we can drive to further away mountain bike locations.
-etc.
Never. ever. Enough sleep...
But then I get on my bike & forget all about that.
Great article! (although I did miss the parental input). I struggled to find a work/life/team/race balance before kid and it's just that much harder to juggle now. But badass shredders like Nikki give me hope that eventually I'll find the right balance and get my mojo back.
I love the testimonials, but it would be good to hear from more with kids, because that is certainly a life changer.
I work full time and have a part time job, and I volunteer for local trail maintenance efforts (will log at least 100 hours this year), and I have 2 kids and a wife, and a dog. You get the picture.
One of the life changing moments for us was moving to a place where we could ride out of the door. That changed everything (Efficiency). Instead of maybe 1-2 rides per week, I am now able to ride 3-4 days per week on dirt. My quality of life is much better.
My favourite tracks but an hour away. Riding to work is the best.
There really can be only one focus target though, and its probably good to think about the long term outcome and where today's work either on training or the 'other job' will get you where you want to be in the future.
Anyone can find the time to do what they want to do, just cut out the crap from your life like two hours of Internet or TV a day (10 minutes of Pinkbike is ok, right?) and there you have two hours available every day for training or riding.
Easy :-)
In short my Career is Emergency Services, it always will be , but my passion is riding bikes and I keep getting faster and older every year , so I guess its working . So looking at your situation ..... I'd say you are crushing it ! Good luck in ASSSpen ! - Matt Hightower
I fought hard through years of school studying Mechanical Engineering while working part time and racing part time to find a balance. Techniques and mindsets I developed during that time have made me a lean and effective individual. Even more importantly: so many of those who I consider the closest of friendships were forged during this time. Eventually I was forced to focus solely on studies and work experience while really taking a step back from racing. It was hard and still is. I long for those trips to the Whistler; those long drives in the team van. But the sacrifice paid off.
Since graduating I have been working as a Mechanical Design Engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A real dream come true for a huge nerd like me. I am just starting to get into the swing of riding regularly again. I am finding a new balance.
For those of you who face the struggle of 40+ hour/week - read these words and have faith that you are not alone!
Thanks for the awesome read Anne.
I ride basically 3 times a week: 2 during the week and one time on the week end.
To be able to squeeze my 2h riding session during the week, the only easy solution I found is to ride in the morning before work. It means that I have to get up at 6am to start riding around 6.20am, be back at 8.20am to be at my desk at 9am. Luckily the trail start directly in my garden so I don't have to waste time before my house and the trails.
The hard part is riding at night for at least 5 or 6 months a year when you start early. The good part of riding in the morning is all you ride always finish with natural light. When you ride after work at 5pm, in the winter you start and you finish your ride with the artificials lights.
Won't happen for me, we have just adopted my daughter one year ago and we won't go through the whole painfully long process again (close to 5 years).
But the good part of having a kid is too see them progress on the bike when you ride with them on the local trails or in the bikepark. What a progression in just a year.
But I still envy the lifestyle no doubt, of being at every race, and living the van life, Whistler trips, etc. Maybe all those guys were just more passionate about it than me...
And I LOVE the line in this article "We're the ones training late at night". My worst start/finish was somewhere after nine, finishing somewhere before eleven.
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Keep in mind, don't make your wife mad by going on large group rides. These tend to take forever which could threaten your next weekday ride and/or weekend ride and beyond.
Thanks for sharing, good luck with the Enduro scene
Balance is incredibly important, to be sure, but balance is also easier to attain if the goals at which you are striving are less dependent on deducting more energy and resources from your life.
I'm a teacher and found that, even with summer breaks, it was very challenging for me to meet my goals racing on the road. Once I got to a certain point, my body needed more time for training in order to keep up with my competitors, and I couldn't find that time without deducting from the work life. I was single, independent, and I wasn't even aiming to be a "pro" (that term gets used loosely all too often).
Since switching to more of a mountain bike focus, I find that an hour after work here and there generally gives me more bang for my buck, as you can work on fitness and skills together. My friends who are still on the roadie bender are spending 10-12+ hours a week outside of their day jobs busting their asses with all sorts of intervals, hill repeats, power testing etc to fulfill their goals of upgrading to category 1/2. My DH friends are full-time as well, and they have a blast racing, still competitively, and are surely living a more balanced life as well. All of us are amateurs.
But, as soon we change our goals and strive for greater achievements, the equation needs to be re-balanced.
I ride 1-2x / week. Take long lunches. Some people hit the gym for an hr 2-3x / week during lunch...I prefer singletrack and a bitchen mtn bike...I don't race but am grateful to be able to ride and not get fat. Even if that means grinding up some hot ass asphalt to get to some 18" singletrack in the peak 100* heat of the day.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKwwi8Bb_KQ
I think we just have to wait for our young ones to get a little older to share in the fun.