OK, by this point, if you’ve actually been reading my blogs, you’ll have learned that I’m a planner. I cannot help it. I’m always on time (10 minutes early). I have to think ahead. If I have no plan, I sleep for 15 hours, get up, read and take in breakfast, and then take an immediate 3 hour nap. I’m not lazy. I just need a reason to get up!
However, with the looming economic crisis, J’s obsession with saving (not complaining at all, but I do feel like I need to be responsible with my discretionary spending), the fact that I feel like I’m pushing Lilac’s very frugal luck every time I say we should do a race, and the fact that race fees have gone up substantially this year (maybe because they assume less people will participate?) I’ve decided to focus on training, and a couple of important races, rather than the *cough*15 races that I completed last year (11 road races, and 4 sprint triathlons). Overkill.
So, without further ado… my plans for 2009. It will be interesting to see how this all looks at the end of the year.
Goal 1: Stay Healthy
This supersedes all other goals listed here. If I do nothing but Goal #1, it will be a successful year. Stay Healthy means no injuries. It means no oreo/ruffle binges, and it means never doing anything today that will keep me from running tomorrow.
Goal 2: Complete a ½ Marathon – January 18th
I’m getting pretty excited about this! We’re less than 2 weeks away, I have one long run left (the 10 miler tomorrow), and after a short test run with Tiara (she is so sparkly, fun, and gosh, she runs Team Tiara) I’m sure we’re well matched, and that the race is going to be a great time!
My reason that my MAIN goal for this is to “complete” the ½, is because, as Tiara knows, race day can surely throw you a curve ball.
Sub goals:
- Ideal: complete race in 3:30
- Super: complete race in 3:20
- Amazing super secret it’s not really even here you haven’t seen this – complete race in anything under 3:20
Goal 3: Push hard at Tri for the Cure – April 19th
I’ve been here before, and I know what this race is about. Of the 30ish races I’ve done, this one was my favorite, so it definitely made the cut. Besides the fact that I practically cried through the whole run portion last year – not because I was exhausted, but because I couldn’t believe I was actually FINISHING A TRIATHLON – I’m ready to make the most of this race. It happens before the temperatures get out of control, the swim is ideal in a 50 meter pool, one at a time. It’s super positive, and the women cheer each other on. I want to feel great when I finish this race and have it be well within my abilities. So beginning on January 24th, this will be my main training focus.
Sub goals:
- Swim in under 10 mins – and finish smooth and strong
- Bike in under 35 mins – riding my mtn bike
- Run in under 25 mins – and feel strong doing it!
- Amazing super secret it’s not really even here you haven’t seen this – finish in under 60 minutes
Goal 4: Take One for the Team – May 17th
This one is interesting because it’s scheduled for the day after Lilac’s wedding in Sedona. I’ll be wearing flats, thank you. Take One for the Team has many meanings for me. I want to race FOR Landis. I’m a member of the club, but have never raced for them. Tempe International is the Club Championships, and we’re going to need every point.
If I race, I get ONE point (I’m not deluding myself into thinking that I could earn more than a point here) that counts towards the team total. So my “one” is for the team, get it?
TAKE ONE… now that’s getting into Tempe Town Lake. The reality is if I want to complete Goal #6 I need some more experience with mass swim starts, and I need to get into that damn lake.
Sub goals:
- Survive the swim
- Enjoy the bike
- Finish the run
- Amazing super secret it’s not really even here you haven’t seen this – To not be the last finisher for the club
Goal 5: Complete all 5 Summer Series Races – May through August, 2009
These races made the cut because there’s a lot of bang for your buck. Five races for $25 is a steal. Plus you get five summer weekends planned out, and Lilac and I promised each other we’d do the 4th of July race forever, so why not go the whole hog? Plus I have unfinished business here. I want to make top 10 in my age group overall. All it’s going to take is a little bit better planning. The things I learned from last year were necessary. I didn’t know the courses, so I didn’t know how to prepare. Now I do. Most important? Don’t be a sissy, and get out and train outside at least once a week in the summer. I think this is necessary for Summer Series success. Number 2, hill work, hill work, hill work. Part C, pick up the speed work. I plan on focusing on these items after Tri for the Cure. Put those together, and I think this summer, it will be what I dreamed for last year.
Sub goals:
- Run under 45 minutes for all races
- Make top 10 in my age group for the overall series
- Amazing super secret it’s not really even here you haven’t seen this – PR at one race. I don’t care which one. Sub - 39:36.
Goal 6: Complete an Olympic Distance Triathlon – September 27th
Yup, you heard it here first. This is on my to-do list for my long term goal (Port Macquarie Australia, 2012), so training for the Olympic distance is going to be my main goal over the course of the summer. The summer series stuff will help, but really this what is going to get me out of bed. Olympic means 1500 meters of swimming (in the dreaded Tempe Town Lake), 24.2 miles of biking, which seems reasonable, and tack on a 10K at the end for giggles.
Initially I wanted to do SOMA, but they aren’t supporting the Quarterman this year – totally upsetting. So the only other option is Nathan’s on September 27th. For some reason Nathan’s doesn’t seem as cool as SOMA… but I guess it will work.
Sub goals:
- Train strong, and be prepared
- Amazing super secret it’s not really even here you haven’t seen this – 40 min swim, 110 min bike, 90 min run.
We’ll see how it goes!
Quote of the week - Don’t pursue happiness – create it!
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