Thinking About 2013 Racing Season Already!

 


I have finally decided that racing for 2012 is officially over. The change in weather and cooler mornings take away from ideal triathlon weather. As cool as some of my recent morning rides have been, I could not imagine completing them after a swim. Now my focus will be on planning my 2013 season, improving my swim and securing some sponsorship!

Knowing in the back of my mind that 2012 was pretty much done, my training remains focused. Knowing how long I have been out of triathlons, I still have some work to do before next year mostly on my swim and run. My bike training seems to continue to improve as I just completed my fastest month on the bike. For the month of September, I was able to average 22.1 mph over 708 miles! For the 3rd straight week, my track workouts continue to improve to the point where I believe I might be able to run a 17:00-15/5K next spring. Over the next few months, I will work on dropping my 1.2 mile swim by 3-4 minutes from this year's time. I know with my bike and run ability, I do not need to be the fastest  swimmer. I just need to be a little closer.

Training Totals

Week
Bike - 5 bikes/ 155 miles/ 6.91 hours/ 22.4 mph
Run - 4 runs/ 23.25 miles/ 2.72 hours/ 7:01 per mile
Swim - 3 swims/ 3.0 miles/ 1.50 hours
Total - 12 workouts/ 181.25 miles/ 11.13 hours

2012
Bike - 210 bikes/ 6638 miles/ 310.57 hours/ 21.4 mph
Run - 137 runs/ 848.50 miles/ 101.94 hours/ 7:12per mile
Swim - 90 swims/ 77.25 miles/ 37.94 hours
Total - 437 workouts/ 7563.75 miles/ 450.45 hours

Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/150-170 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 23-27 miles
Swim - 3-4 swims/ 2.75-3.0 miles

Potential Ironman 70.3 Races
Eagleman (70.3 and Kona Slots!)-  http://www.tricolumbia.org/events/?eid=2
Syracuse - http://ironmansyracuse.com/

My goal for 2013 will be a minimum of 6-8 races! Do I have it in me yet to take crack at a return trip to Kona?!

TdO '13

70.3 Or Kona In 2013?

   

Starting to believe that the season may be over. As much as I want to race one more time, the weather is starting to have a final say in my decision. I am not a fan of cold water and the temperatures are dropping overnight to a point where the water temperatures are getting to close to the point of unbearable. If I should call it a season, I am very pleased with how the season went and my results. I think the season went better than expected especially given the eye surgeries and missed swim training through April.

In the chance I may get another race, training continues to go well. The bike still continues to improve and I have never felt better on the bike. With the addition of track workouts, my running has become a lot stronger over the past 3-4 weeks. The swim remains my weakness but I hope to improve that a bit before the 2013 season.

New Training Totals

Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 160 miles/ 7.30 hours/ 21.9 mph
Run - 4 runs/ 22.25 miles/ 2.61 hours/ 7:02 per mile
Swim - 3 swims/ 2.5 miles/ 1.02 hours
Total - 12 workouts/ 184.25 miles/ 10.93 hours

2012
Bike - 205 rides/ 6483 miles/ 303.66 hours/ 21.3 mph
Run - 133 runs/ 825.25 miles/ 99.22 hours/ 7:12 per mile
Swim - 87 swims/ 74.25 miles/ 36.44 hours
Total - 425 workouts/ 7382.5 miles/ 439.32

Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 150-170 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 23-27 miles
Swim - 3-4 swims/ 2-3 miles

I will most likely know by the end of the week if the season is over. Either way I have started looking at potential races for 2013. I know there will be a 70.3 on there but debating if I am ready to take a crack at qualifying for Kona. Is one year of a comeback enough or do I wait till 2014?

TdO ' 13 - pushed back one more year!

And There Will Be One More (That's The Plan)

   

"So if you please take this moment; Try if you can to make it last
Don't think about no future; And just forget about the past
And make it last"

Social Distortion - "Reach For The Sky"

Decided to take this week off from racing, even though it was tempting to enter this sprint triathlon in New Jersey tomorrow. This sprint would have been more suitable for my strengths as it was only a 1/4 mile swim followed by a 17 mile bike then a 5K run.  But in doing some research , it definitely looks feasible for me to get 1 more race in this season. There is a sprint triathlon in New Jersey next Sunday and a sprint triathlon in Maryland on October 14th. I really want to race one more time because my training is still improving and everything seems to be clicking on the bike but also now on the run. 

This past week I probably had my best track workout since returning to running. I completed a workout of 7 x 1000 tempo with each one run in 3:45 (6:00 pace) with just 45 seconds rest. For the week, I averaged 6:52 per mile which is my fastest in a long time. On the bike, I continue to drop some good speeds on every ride. For the 2nd week in a row, I averaged well over 22mph per ride even on the hilly rides. I know my swim needs a good amount of improvement by I am currently doing enough to have decent swims. I will put a bigger emphasis of improving the swim as soon as the last race happens.

New Training Totals
Week
Bike - 6 rides/ 163 miles/ 7.37 hours/ 22.1 mph
Run - 4 runs/ 23 miles/ 2.63 hours/ 6:52 per mile
Swim - 3 swims/ 2.25 miles/ 1.07 hours
Total - 13 workouts/ 188.25 miles/ 11.07 hours

2012
Bike - 200 rides/ 6323 miles/ 296.36 hours/ 21.3 mph
Run - 129 runs/ 803 miles/ 96.61 hours/ 7:13 per mile
Swim - 84 swims/ 71.75 hours/ 35.38 hours
Total - 413 workouts/ 7197.75 miles/ 428.35 hours

Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 150-175 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 23-26 miles
Swim - 3 runs/ 2-2.5 miles

Two potential races:
http://www.hightstowntriathlon.org/   - September 23rd
http://www.setupevents.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=event_detail&eventID=2084  - October 14th

I have also started my search for a triathlon/time trial specific bike for the 2013 season! I will definitely be rocking the courses in 2013!

TdO ' 13!

320 Miles Driving, 1 WAWA Stop, 1 Hour & 20 Minutes Of Racing

  

4:45 Cup of coffee in hand and time to hit the road! Today started with a 160 mile drive the race site in Clinton, NJ. Today's adventure was the Skylands Triathlon, a 1/2 mile swim, 14 mile bike, 3.1 mile run.

Swim - 15:50 - 73rd fastest swim
I can only wonder how dangerous I could bee if I could swim. Maybe it was the long drive but I did seem to loosen up until the turnaround on the swim. The swim was just your basic out and back swim. The water temp was in the lower 70's so I opted out of a wetsuit not that it would have helped me today. The water was not unbearable but definitely cooler than what I have experienced thus far this year. I also opted out of the wetsuit as it was close to a 200 yard run to transition which is always fun barefoot.

T1 - 2:12 including the long run to bike and 75 yard run out of transition

Bike - 40:54 for 14.3 miles/21.0 mph - 6th fastest bike
Now my race has started! Once out of the state park, I just ate up a lot of the competition throughout the early hills of the bike course. The 14.3 mile course has a net elevation gain of 943 feet with one Cat 4 hill. I felt strong throughout the bike but still was cautious not to put too much into the bike and save some for the run. Once we reach the top of "the Hill", I was flying back to transition, covering the last 4,3 miles at 24 mph. My top speed during the ride was 43 mph. Spinning in over the last mile I felt the legs loosen up a bit for the run.

T2 - 1:01 - 2nd race with good transitions

Run - 19:47 for 3.1 miles - 5th fastest run split
Off the bike the legs felt ok but not fresh like they did for the triathlon 2 weeks ago. Regardless, I was able to reel in a couple of runners early in the run. Noticing that there were not many bikes racked when I headed, I knew there would not be that many people to real in on the run. After passing that last runner within the first mile, I did not catch another runner. Getting close to the run turnaround, I was able to see how many runners were ahead of me but you had to guess who was in the triathlon and who was in the duathlon. 

Total time - 1:20:09

Originally, I figured today would end my season but I am tempted to race again if I can find another race. If I  can't then it is time to start planning 2013 which includes getting better in the swim!

I will be rocking it 2013 regardless!

Ready For Final Race Of 2012

  

While I may not done as many races as I would have liked to have done for this season, I am happy with the results thus far. I am feeling very good going into tomorrow's race, Skylands Triathlon, in Clinton, NJ. Training continues to go well even with the craziness of the start of another semester at Susquehanna University. With the start of the school year and coaching, I have to take advantage of the time I have in the morning to train and focus on the quality. Following tomorrow's race, I will begin to focus on the 2013 season and determine if it is push for Kona or the 70.3 World Championships. Either way, I know I will need to increase the volume of training especially in the run and swim.

This past week was a very solid week of training. I was able to get the number of workouts I was scheduled and was a bit on the low side of goals. I  have been real happy with my run training the past weeks. I may not have high mileage but my pace per mile has been getting quicker even on easy runs. The swim continues to be a work in progress but I feel it getting quicker slowly.

New Training Totals

Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 154 miles/ 7.12 hours/ 21.6 mph
Run - 4 runs/ 22 miles/ 2.61 hours/ 7:07 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 3.5 miles/ 1.77 hours
Total - 13 workouts/ 179.5 miles/ 11.50 hours

2012 Totals
Bike - 194 rides/ 6159 miles/ 288.97 hours/ 21.3 mph
Run - 125 runs/ 779.25 miles/ 93.98 hours/ 714 per mile
Swim - 81 swims/ 69.5 miles/ 34.30 hours
Total - 400 workouts/ 7007.75 miles/ 417.25 hours

Goals For This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 150-175 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 20-25 miles
Swim - 4 swims/ 2.5-3 miles

Race report tomorrow when I get home. Tomorrow's race is a .5 mile swim/ 14 mile bike/ 3.1 mile run - a nice way to start a day!

2013 is going to be BIG!  Kona? 70.3 WC's? Seems so far away but never to soon to start planning.

One To Go - 2013 Is Going To Rock!

  

I can't believe that for me next week's race will end the season. But I will admit that it has been a much better season than I expected. I also know that 2013 will be a killer season of races! Even as competitive as I can get, this year has been more fun than any other year I competed seriously. The results I have achieved thus far in my three races, has me already thinking about next year's races and goals. Whether it is returning to Kona or a first trip the 70.3 World Championships, I am going big in 2013! Many see it as cocky, but I know in another year it will be hard to touch me at races.

This week's training went extremely well as I focused a lot on a bit higher intensity with a little lower volume. This by far was my fastest week on the bike. My motivation for running is rising as I finally feel a little fast on my runs. Swimming is still in a maintenance phase but after this next week I will lay out a plan to get somewhat "fast" for 2013.

New Training Totals
Bike - 6 rides/ 178 miles/ 7.93 hours/ 22.4 mph
Run - 4 runs/ 17.5 miles/ 2.0 hours/ 6:51 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 3 miles/ 1.48 hours
Total - 14 workouts/ 198.5 miles/ 11.41 hours

2012 Totals
Bike - 189 rides/ 6005 miles/ 281.85 hours/ 21.3 mph
Run - 121 runs/ 757.25 miles/ 91.37 hours/ 7:14 per mile
Swim - 77 swims/ 66 miles/ 32.53 hours
Total - 387 workouts/ 6828.25 miles/ 405.75 hours

Goals For Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 150-160 miles
Run - 4 runs/ 20-25 miles
Swim - 4 swims/ 3 miles

Potential 70.3 Races:(more to be added)
Ironman 70.3 Raleigh - June 2, 2013
Ironman 70.3 Syracuse - June 23, 2013

No stopping now!

TdO '13! Maybe one day!