Kaitlin Carew is standing in her trisuit next to her Liv bike on a road surrounded by tall trees on a sunny day

Training for a triathlon while working a full time job

Training for any race is a challenging and time consuming process within itself. Now, mix in work and other life responsibilities as well, and the whole process becomes more complicated.


My name is Kaitlin and I work full time as a physical therapist, while training to compete in full distance triathlons. My goal is to qualify for Ironman Age Group World Championships in Kona in 2025.


Chasing my goals while working full time is challenging but a rewarding process. There are some days that I have found the perfect balance, but other days, not so much.


Training for a triathlon while working has taught me a lot about myself.

I'm sharing the top tips I have learned that have helped my sanity, improve work/life balance, and excel as an triathlete.

Kaitlin is wearing her ZONE3 Team USA kit, pointing at the zone3 logo and smiling at the camera

Top Tips for how to train for a triathlon while working

  1. One day at a time.

    At the beginning of training, I used to look ahead to the next week. I attempted to plan every day for the full week.

    I felt overwhelmed and the urge to complete everything as soon as possible. I felt stressed at social gatherings, other appointments, and even work. I wasn't enjoying training.

    Everything felt like a chore. One night when I was feeling overwhelmed and my husband said “slow down, take it one