2015 Race Schedule and a Training Update

There's a good reason why I haven't talked about training all that much lately: since Ironman I haven't done a whole lot of training. Yes, I have exercised. But very little of what I have done since November 1, 2014 could be considered training.

And to be completely honest it has been a great thing. Getting ready for an Ironman is a huge task, taking up not just massive amounts of time, but also major amounts of mental capacity. I have done enough long distance racing to understand the need to give it a break. As someone with a long-term perspective on sport, I always pick and choose what I do with the big picture in mind.

Source

I raced my first race in 1995 and have been around the Lehigh Valley scene ever since. I have witnessed many fine athletes come and go for a variety of reasons. Most leave the scene because they either physically beat their bodies up to the point where they can no longer do it, or they burned out so bad they just flat out quit. And here I am 20 years later, just like the Energizer Bunny, still going and going and going. Not the best athlete you will ever meet, but consistent.

The difference has been my ability to kick it back and embrace not always being "in shape." My off-season has never included a race schedule. Yes, I have done races - specifically xMas City 5 Miler - during my down time, but always as a fun run, never pushing the envelope.

Right now, I am not "in shape" for much of anything. I am weighing in 7-8 pounds heavier than my race weight with my longest workout this year being an 11 mile run with The Mayor two Saturday's ago. Hard to believe I ran a marathon off the bike just 3 1/2 months ago.

January had two goals: 1. Start the process of getting strong again and 2. Train consistent.

Win! Win! The first four weeks of the year I stuck to an unaggressive training schedule with what I consider to be low volume. Monday's were no-cardio days and I was lifting weights 2-3 days per week. Some of the strength training has been done in a traditional sense with functional strength workouts thrown in on a regular basis. Long workouts have been limited to 1 hour.

The first two weeks of February have been a continuation of January with a slight increase in what a long workout looks like. In the pool I have not done more than 3000 yards in any one session, no run longer than the one 11 miler, and there is no way in hell I'm spending much more than an hour sitting on my trainer.

Six weeks into the year I can honestly say I am in nowhere near competitive race shape ... which is perfect. If you are in race shape in February, come June you could be in trouble. And by October ... maybe you are more hardcore than I am, but I would be physically and/or mentally wrecked.

Been there. Done that. Not going back.

Anywho ... I have always felt that racing is a personal thing. When I choose to do an event or a distance I choose to do it because I want to do it. Yes, I will race with friends, sometimes even to just help them reach their own goals. But even when doing that, I am there by choice.

Which brings us to 2015. After so many years of racing long I am taking a much different year for myself. One thing with racing long is you can only do so much of it. When I was running marathons I would do 2 or maybe 3 each year. Ironman years are dedicated to one or two races at the most. For a few years I have been talking about changing things up and racing bike and racing shorter events. This is the year.

For triathlon my goal race is the TriRock Philly Triathlon in June and the NJ State Tri in July. In Philadelphia I am looking to grab a PR at the Olympic distance and (finally) win my age group. I know you can't control who shows up, but I still want to win my age group at this race. It is one of my favorites and I have come so close in the past. In NJ I want to put together a great race. The bike is long (25.5 miles) so it is not a true Olympic distance. I always love racing in my native New Jersey as the competition is always high quality and it feels like being home.

There is also the possibility of a September Ironman 70.3. I haven't made a commitment to it yet. Honestly have to see how things go and if I want to commit to the work necessary to be in shape. Right now I'm leaning yes. Getting ready would be committing to long runs of 1:45 and long rides in the 3 hour range, not 3 hour runs and 5 hour rides.

On the bike there is a Thursday night crit series in Trexlertown. My plan is to start riding these races on a regular basis and try my luck at one or two of the local time trials that are held in the Summer months. It is time I test my bike and see what I can do without the need to run to the finish line.

Current 2015 Tentative Race Schedule:

March, 22 - Warm Hearts 5k (paid)

April 12 - Emmaus 4 Mile Classic (paid)

April 26 - St. Lukes Half Marathon (paid)

May 16 - Jerseyman Sprint Triathlon (paid)

May 31 - Black Bear Triathlon (OLY) (tentative)

June 28 - TriRock Philadelphia (OLY) (paid)

July 19 - New Jersey State Triathlon (OLY) (paid)

August 9 - Steelman Triathlon (OLY)

October 16-18 - Runners World 10k or Half Marathon (tentative)


And there you have it. For the first time in years I plan on racing more and racing short.


Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon