You're committed! You love the idea of completing the race! It's going to be fun! Now when do you fit in the training?

We're all busy, so first, let's drop that line from the excuse pool.

Training for a race - no matter your goals - takes some rearranging, flexibility mixed with stringent scheduling, and a lil' bit of sleep sacrifice.

Below are four general activity groups and tips to get the workouts in without rearranging your life:

• Parent
• Worker Bee
• Social Butterfly
• Already Active Athlete

Parents

• Join a training group or gym that offers childcare. It's a guiltless way to get in strong training time, assured that your children are well cared for during your time on the road or in the pool.
• Work out while your children are at school, a function or sports. Nothing like a track workout during that soccer game.
• Wake up before the kids. These are the stolen hours. Use them!

Worker Bees

• Balance: Take your lunch break to get in a quick run, stretch/strength session or 60 min. yoga class. And leave on time! The more productive you are at work, the more "okay" it is to leave on time. Use those hours to get training in. Maybe it's a sunset run - so much better than missing it while holed up behind the proverbial computer screen.
• Wake up earlier. Yeah, you may have to trade your reading the morning paper ritual for an NPR podcast on the road.
• Schedule it in. You're going to make that meeting, the call in to the conference call and the deadline. Put your training in your calendar and you'll be accountable to yourself to follow through. This tip goes for everyone.
• Get to know the city. This is a special one for those who travel. If you're too jam-packed during daylight to get in a run or ride around town, get to know the hotel gym.

Social Butterflies

• Train with friends. You still get the gab time in without the effects of the cocktail (or reward yourself with one at the end of the training session).
• Join a run group or tri club. Expand your social circle while sweating it out.

Already Active Athletes

• Replace workouts. You're a soccer player on two teams? Let one of the teams know that the alternate is off the bench, because you're hitting the deck that day. Yogi? You may be replacing three of your four weekly practices with swim/bike/runs.
• Add on. You're already in great shape. Your endurance - the foundation - is strong. Don't give up your fave workout. Just add an additional one in.

I'd love to hear other ways you fit your workouts in, particularly when training for races!