The fear of planning...

As you may have guessed from my last post, I am trying to start planning my race schedule for next season.  In a perfect world, this would be my schedule next year:

March 11 Global Dolphin Beach

April Two Oceans Half Marathon

January 2009- South Africa 70.3

(regardless of my physical living location, I am going to try to plan work trips around any or all of the three above):

HOWEVER, being more realistic as to where things stand right now (and where I currently live:) , here is what I am leaning towards:

Early Season Half Iron- Tupper Lake (late June) or Black Bear (late May)

Gold Coast Sprint- Early June, already registered, love this race

Mid Season OLY- Philly(late June) or NYC* (late July)

Philadelphia Women's Sprint- Early July (did this year- flat, fast course, nicely organized)

Late Season OLY- Mighty Hamptons/Westchester/The Nation's Triathlon in DC

(Also NYRR races all year, and possibly a fall marathon) 

The snags:

1. Philly OLY is the same date as Tupper Lake HIM

2. NYC is overpriced in my opinion (however, Philly would cost more once you factor in hotel and travel to the race)

*I also still have a bone to pick with the NYC course, as in, I want to kick it's ass like it kicked mine in 2007.

3. I really wanted to go up and watch Lake Placid this year 

4. Early HIM = Finally need to invest in a bike trainer (which I am OK with)

Most of the registrations for these races are currently open or open Nov 1.  ie, I need to decide.  

Oh, and I also need to find some extra cash laying around to pay for the registration 

AND the new bike I want.

Sweet.

Honestly, I think the thing that scares me most about this planning, more than breaking out the credit card to pay for it, is that I had a great season planned out last year too.   Two Oceans, St. Anthony's, Eagleman...and it all came crashing down.  I know I have done all I can (OK, well not ALL I can, but a lot) to prevent another injury, but the fear is still there that when I try to ramp up the intensity again to train for a 10k run, or add in the biking mileage on top of the running miles, old or new injuries will set me back again.  I think/HOPE that completing the marathon takes some of these fears away, proves that I am OK and not broken and can move forward, but the fear still lingers....

Ugh, I just need to go out and run.

A half iron weekend....

...that confirms I will be doing the Annapolis OLY for my last tri of the season (if I can work out the logistics).

On Friday morning, I did an easy 30 minute continuous long-course swim (roughly 2000 yards, just short of the HIM distance). I then hopped right on my bike and rode out to Piermont and back, for a total of three hours in the saddle (the time I would hope to finish a HIM bike). Didn't quite hit the HIM distance as I had hoped, but when you add in the time it takes to ride through the Manhattan streets, 3 hours was fine.

Then this morning, I ran 14 miles. Best long run yet, longest run I have ever done.

And now I realize I have ABSOLUTELY no desire to put these three things together at once, and to have to do them in a row. And the more important thing is, I think I am finally OK with that. I know I am physically capable of doing it- next weekend if I had to. Which is reassuring. However, I do have some time goals in my mind, (how could I not?) and I think based on where my fitness stands now, it would do me (and my confidence) better in the long run to keep working on the base and focus on the HIM distance next season.

Decision finally made.

Updated 2008 Schedule!

Maybe I am jumping the gun in revising and adding to my racing this summer, but it's been hard to commit to getting back in shape with not much looming on the horizon in terms of racing/goals. There will be NO time goals for these races, as I don't have any clue when I can get back to speed work, but finishing pain free and having fun will be the main goals for all the races.

I still have Gold Coast on June 15 on my schedule, but will judge my ability to complete this race as it gets closer.

I registered for the Philadelphia Women's Sprint Tri this morning. Before today, I did not have anything on my schedule between June and September (Pumpkinman), as I was remiss in registering for NYC this year (and when I say remiss, I mean: out celebrating Halloween at 12am rather than sitting at my computer waiting to spend $150 for a triathlon).

Anyhow! The race looks fun, all women, and there are mimosas at the finish festival...what could be better?

I also added a OLY distance to the schedule in mid-August. I think if I have any real shot at finishing my first Half Ironman this season, I should complete an OLY tune up race. This race happens to fall perfectly in line with my family's annual vacation to the Maryland Eastern Shore, so I may even have a cheering section!

Having these races to aim for is really going to help my motivation over the next few weeks trying to get back into some semblance of 'shape'.

2008 Race Schedule

Here is the ever-evolving 2008 Race Schedule:

Jan- Manhattan Half Marathon (Central Park, NYC)

Feb- Bronx Half Marathon (Bronx, NY)

Mar- Two Oceans Half Marathon (Cape Town, RSA)

Apr- St. Anthony's OLY Triathlon (Tampa, FL)

Jun- Eagleman 70.3 Half-Ironman (Cambridge, MD)

Jun- Gold Coast Sprint Triathlon (Port Washington, NY)

Jul- NYC Triathlon (NY,NY)*

Sept- Pumpkinman Half-Ironman (Maine)*

Oct- Queens and Staten Island Half Marathons (exact dates TBA)*

Nov- NYC Marathon (NY,NY)*

*Races I have not yet signed up for. Yes, yes, I know NYC is sold out, but I know of a couple ways I can get in...just trying to avoid the entry free :) I am also still VERY undecided about taking the plunge into marathon training. I have entry into the race b/c I ran 9 NYRR races in 2007, so I think no matter what I will enter, and then perhaps defer until 2009.