Staying on Track While Traveling: What Athletes Can Control

One of the reasons athletes hire me as their coach is that I will plan their training around their busy work schedules.  Many times I see athletes think they are losing out of training when they have to travel due to work obligations when training becomes minimized or omitted - because that is what I plan for them during travel time...less training!

Let's face it, traveling for work is stressful, and the last we want to do is stress more with adding in a regular training schedule on a limited travel schedule, or stress about workouts the coach has eliminated or minimized due to travel.

Are you this person? If so, this is my message to YOU - "DON'T STRESS!"  You cannot control work travel obligations and the stress it causes. What you can control is how well you can manage work travel stress and get yourself ready to roll with training when you return home.  

Here are a few of my tips of how to minimize traveling stress during a training cycle and maximize recovery so we can get training rolling upon return.

1. Make a Mind Shift Change! See the travel as a chance to be laser-focused with work and maximize self care and recovery for YOU. Make it a mind shift. Instead of saying , "I will miss all my training", say instead, "I get to travel for work and reduce training load and rest more in the comfortable hotel bed!"  Or "there is only crap food to eat on the road" say instead, "I get to explore the grocery stores or restaurants close to my hotel to find a unique healthy restaurant that will serve my body good!"

2.  Prioritize Nutrition on the Road. Pack healthy snacks like protein bars, nuts, and fruit to avoid relying on airport or gas station food.Choose protein and fiber-rich meals at restaurants to keep energy stable.Stay mindful of hydration—bring a reusable water bottle and sip consistently.

3. Maintain Mobility & Soft Tissue Work.  Use a travel-sized foam roller or massage ball to release tight muscles after long flights or drives. Incorporate dynamic stretching or light yoga in the morning and evening to keep the body loose.

4. Optimize Sleep for Recovery. Keep a consistent bedtime routine, even in a different time zone. Use an eye mask, white noise, or blackout curtains to improve sleep quality.

5. Hydration & Electrolyte Balance.  Flying and long travel days can dehydrate you—aim for half your body weight in ounces of water per day. Add electrolytes if you’re in a warm climate or feeling fatigued.

6. Move if You Must But With Caution. Set perimeters with your coach ahead of time about what kind of movement and time limits is an acceptable kind and amount during the work hours. Be honest with your coach. If you find yourself coming home from work trips exhausted, then revisit eliminating or reducing what you "thought" you could do. Be honest and realistic with your coach on your movement limitations and accept them.

By focusing on these controllable factors, athletes can return from short work trips feeling refreshed and ready to jump back into training without playing catch-up. Remember, training is our lifestyle but not the only thing in our life! You will always come back to it, as long as we recognize how to set ourselves up to want to come back to our training lifestyle.

Coach Amy Javens is the owner and coach of FLYT Performance. She started out as a busy mother and wife and professional in the sport. She became fully committed to the sport as a professional triathlete with personal bests of the 9:25 and 4:26 in the full and half IM. She has been a coach for 35 years and is a  leader in the endurance coaching industry. She enjoys helping busy triahletes excel at endurance sports.