When you run across that finish line at a triathlon, it is the most relieving feeling. You proved to yourself that all of those extra hours training and that calorie increase really did pay off. But between working, spending time with friends and family, and regular workouts, how are we supposed to fit in a few extra hours into the day to train? Well, we have the answers for you!

(Not running a triathlon? These tips can be useful for any runner!)

1.  Who says you need to drive to work everyday? If you live in a reasonable running distance from work (whatever that distance may be for you) pack your work and belongings in a backpack and start running. Take advantages of the nicer days to run to work.

2. Furnish your living room with a stationary bike. DVR your favorite tv shows and save your Netflix series to watch during your training. We all know that binge watching our favorite shows on the couch makes time fly by, so why not binge watch to make your training fly by. By the time you know it you are two episodes into your show, which is already 2 hours of training done.

3. Integrate socializing into your workouts. Plan weekend trips with your friends to go running together, whether it be a run in the streets of your favorite city, or a quiet secluded run along a lake. Use this time to motivate and push each other a little further out of your running comfort zone.

4. Choose one aspect of a triathlon to focus on. Some of us might not have the time to train for each event of the triathlon, so if needed, focus on that one aspect that we can all do, run. Running helps build up our endurance for biking and swimming.

5. Multitask while running. Ever had a great idea for a project at work that you thought of while running? Thanks to the amazing technology we are surrounded with today, we can now voice record any thoughts straight to a memo on our phones and watches.

6. Outsource all of your busy work. Cleaning the house and even doing laundry can eat up at least an hour of your day. Have household members help with the chores to give yourself extra hours to train every week.

7. Exercise in the margins of your day. Dropping your children off at baseball practice? Why drive back home to only have to pick them up an hour later? While your children are at practice, park the car and do some laps around the local park, track or streets. Or for those of us who don't need our full hour to eat lunch at work, use the extra time to go on a short run. Remember a short run is better than no run at all!

8. Cook meals in advance. Slow cookers are a great way to not waste time on cooking. Simply throw your ingredients into the slow cooker and come back a few hours later to a delicious meal waiting for you. For those days when you are spending a bit of time on cooking, cook insuring you will have leftovers you can freeze and eat during the week.

Share your thoughts and secrets tips on how you find extra hours in a day with us!

The Wall Street Journal