Yesterday, I briefly recapped the 2009 racing season, which seems long past since I haven’t raced in over 2 months and have only ridden a bike outside a handful of times since then. Today, my attention turns to 2010 as I publish my first cut at a race schedule as well as my goals…
2010 Racing Schedule:
• 4/24 – KY Derby Festival MiniMarathon (Louisville, KY 1/2 Mary), B race
• 6/6 – Deer Creek Olympic Triathlon (Mt Sterling, OH), C race
• 6/20 – St Peters RecPlex Sprint Tri (St Peters, MO), C race
• 7/10 – Muncie Endurathon (Muncie, IN ½ Iron), B race
• 8/29 – Ironman Louisville (Louisville, KY), A race
Additional 2010 Possibilities:
• May/June – Cycling Road Races and local TT series
• 7/18 – Ride Across Indiana (160 mile west to east cross state ride)
• 10/9-10 – KY Bourbon Chase (200 mile, 6 or 12 person team relay running race)
• Oct/Nov – Fall Marathon in OH/IN (possibly BQ attempt)
Obviously, there is a lot on the plate. My structured racing schedule (top list) is a straightforward build to the IM in late August. Most of the races I’m familiar with and are easy to travel to. With the high cost of IM entry, the goal was to get enough races in earlier in the season to keep motivation high, while minimizing entry fees and travel expenses (see: non-IM branded half).
The additional races focus on giving bike racing a go early on, something I wanted to do after racing a crit last June. Preparing for these bike races should also help develop a solid cycling base for the IM. Post-IM, the training will shift back to a run focus and if I’m recovering well, I am going to attempt to BQ in the fall, probably either in Columbus, OH or Indianapolis, IN. The Bourbon Chase is a nearby event that sounds like a blast, so would be more of a just for the experience activity.
Once the race schedule started coming together, goals inherently followed. With my successes in accomplishing my goals the past 2 years, I decided to be aggressive this year with my goal-setting. I figure if I don’t make it, I’ll still be faster than I am now as long as I get close. Also, by breaking some of the goals down, they seem achievable, albeit a stretch.
So, without further ado, the 2010 season goals:
• Complete the KY Derby MiniMarathon in sub 1:27 (~6:38/mile pace)
• Complete the Muncie Endurathon in 4:40
• Complete Ironman Louisville in 10:30
• Get weight below 180 lbs (currently 191) and keep it under 180 for entire racing season (April 1 – November 1)
A little about each goal:
• MiniMarathon: I am currently working on improving my 5k speed to faster than my high school PR (18:48), this should give me an edge over last year going into mini training. Also, the weight I’m hoping to lose starting January 1 should help get/keep the speed up with the 2sec/lb/mile convention that’s usually thrown around. If things don’t go well, I’d still be pleased to break 1:30.
• Sub 4:40 at Muncie is a stretch goal, my current HIM PR is 4:48:xx, but that was with a current aided swim…I’ll really have to improve my swimming to get here, since I estimate my actual HIM speed from last year is closer to 4:55 on a still course. Biking and running will have to improve some as well, but are close to where they need to be
• Sub 10:30 at Louisville is a big stretch, but stems from achieving the previous goal at the HIM ~8 weeks earlier. I’ve heard that you shouldn’t have time goals for your first IM, but I need somewhere to focus. If I don’t achieve this goal, I’ll have a variety of sub-goals for IM, mostly centered on the experience and learning lessons along the way. So as long as I don’t DNF, I’m sure I’ll be satisfied, but for now I’m going to train to attempt a 10:30.
• The weight loss goal stems from the speed gains losing weight last year, and my disappointment with adding pounds back on late in the season. Achieving this goal will be a key to gaining the speed needed to hit the time goals, so the first focus of the season (starting 1/05/10) will be nutrition. I have made it a long way in the past couple years, but there is still plenty of excess weight to shed.
There they are, the schedule and goals are out there…now all that’s left to do is get to work…after enjoying the rest of the holidays of course!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
2009 Season Goals revisited
Before looking forward to next season, I’d like to recap the 2009 season and see how I did compared to my goals. This past season was focused on the half-iron distance, and was step 2 (of 3) for my three year plan to get to my first Ironman.
First, the goals for 2009 (as set in November, 2008):
Complete KY Derby Mini-Marathon in sub 1:35
Complete IM 70.3 Steelhead in sub 5:30
Complete IM 70.3 Augusta in sub 5:15
Race 2009 season at sub 190lbs (from 207 at that time)…reach goal weight by April 1, 2009
How I fared…
KY Derby Mini-Marathon complete in 1:32:11 (goal: Achieved)
IM 70.3 Steelhead complete in 5:05:23 (goal: Achieved)
IM 70.3 Augusta complete in 4:48:23 (goal: Achieved)
Season weight average: ~190 lbs…was below from April-July, then 190-195 most of the remainder of the year (goal: tentatively achieved)
Overall, the year was a definite success. I comfortably beat my time goals with performances I hadn’t even thought were imaginable. I still have more weight to lose, so that goal will be carried forward, but during the holidays it is not my number one concern.
What was most exciting to me, though, was seeing room for further improvement at every race despite the significant PRs. This means I’ll just have to be more aggressive with my goals for next year, which I’m finalizing now…hopefully I will get them posted in the next few days along with my 2010 racing schedule.
First, the goals for 2009 (as set in November, 2008):
Complete KY Derby Mini-Marathon in sub 1:35
Complete IM 70.3 Steelhead in sub 5:30
Complete IM 70.3 Augusta in sub 5:15
Race 2009 season at sub 190lbs (from 207 at that time)…reach goal weight by April 1, 2009
How I fared…
KY Derby Mini-Marathon complete in 1:32:11 (goal: Achieved)
IM 70.3 Steelhead complete in 5:05:23 (goal: Achieved)
IM 70.3 Augusta complete in 4:48:23 (goal: Achieved)
Season weight average: ~190 lbs…was below from April-July, then 190-195 most of the remainder of the year (goal: tentatively achieved)
Overall, the year was a definite success. I comfortably beat my time goals with performances I hadn’t even thought were imaginable. I still have more weight to lose, so that goal will be carried forward, but during the holidays it is not my number one concern.
What was most exciting to me, though, was seeing room for further improvement at every race despite the significant PRs. This means I’ll just have to be more aggressive with my goals for next year, which I’m finalizing now…hopefully I will get them posted in the next few days along with my 2010 racing schedule.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Still here
My recent lack of posting means it must be the off-season. I have been lacking the motivation to write much of anything, but the training and preparation for next season continue. A quick update…
I’ve been trying to work on my top end run speed. Although there’s plenty of room for improvement here, it’s certainly not my limiter (see: swim slowness). However, I wanted to try a running streak, so started running at least 20 minutes every day. Some days I’m running with my wife, so it’s basically a short recovery jog, but it all counts. My streak is currently at 73 days (attempting to make 100). At the same time, I’m building to try and PR on my open 5k sometime in the next few weeks. While the workouts themselves are going well and I have missed very few key workouts, my speed isn’t increasing noticeably at this point. One reason for this is I’ve put on a couple winter pounds while executing this plan and extra weight + running = less speed (usually). I’ll be interested to see what I hit when I find a 5k that fits my schedule. Either way, I feel like I’m building a great running base for when I start officially hitting the IM training after the first of the year, and I feel like the extra weight will go away, so speed should follow.
I have had a pretty erratic work schedule with the holidays, so my swimming hasn’t been as consistent as I’d like. I am still hoping to emphasize swim training for at least a month or 2 after the first of the year. I am planning on attending my first master’s swim practices then as well. Hopefully I can gain some valuable form tips, I certainly need them.
As far as biking goes…it’s been whatever I can squeeze in, which isn’t much at this point, basically an hour on the trainer here or there. But hey, it’s the off-season and I’m forcing myself to be less structured (other than the run training).
Winter also means the reintroduction of lifting, just 2x per week this year with 30 minute circuits, so I’m not likely to get “chiseled” before next season.
In other related news, I retooled my road bike for a project I’m working on. I’ll try and have a separate post for it with some pictures. It’s ready to rock for next season though, and I can’t wait to take it out at the first sign of warmth. Also, I’ve been putting together my 2010 race schedule and setting my goals and objectives. Like last year, I’ll try and do some end of year summarizing and future planning. I liked it last year, and it keeps me accountable.
Anyways, just wanted to toss up a quick update and say that more posts are in the works, soon…hopefully.
I’ve been trying to work on my top end run speed. Although there’s plenty of room for improvement here, it’s certainly not my limiter (see: swim slowness). However, I wanted to try a running streak, so started running at least 20 minutes every day. Some days I’m running with my wife, so it’s basically a short recovery jog, but it all counts. My streak is currently at 73 days (attempting to make 100). At the same time, I’m building to try and PR on my open 5k sometime in the next few weeks. While the workouts themselves are going well and I have missed very few key workouts, my speed isn’t increasing noticeably at this point. One reason for this is I’ve put on a couple winter pounds while executing this plan and extra weight + running = less speed (usually). I’ll be interested to see what I hit when I find a 5k that fits my schedule. Either way, I feel like I’m building a great running base for when I start officially hitting the IM training after the first of the year, and I feel like the extra weight will go away, so speed should follow.
I have had a pretty erratic work schedule with the holidays, so my swimming hasn’t been as consistent as I’d like. I am still hoping to emphasize swim training for at least a month or 2 after the first of the year. I am planning on attending my first master’s swim practices then as well. Hopefully I can gain some valuable form tips, I certainly need them.
As far as biking goes…it’s been whatever I can squeeze in, which isn’t much at this point, basically an hour on the trainer here or there. But hey, it’s the off-season and I’m forcing myself to be less structured (other than the run training).
Winter also means the reintroduction of lifting, just 2x per week this year with 30 minute circuits, so I’m not likely to get “chiseled” before next season.
In other related news, I retooled my road bike for a project I’m working on. I’ll try and have a separate post for it with some pictures. It’s ready to rock for next season though, and I can’t wait to take it out at the first sign of warmth. Also, I’ve been putting together my 2010 race schedule and setting my goals and objectives. Like last year, I’ll try and do some end of year summarizing and future planning. I liked it last year, and it keeps me accountable.
Anyways, just wanted to toss up a quick update and say that more posts are in the works, soon…hopefully.
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