Monday, January 9, 2012

The Journey To 140.6 Begins This Week!

2012 is shaping up to be a revolutionary year for me. As I enter my third triathlon season, I realize I have learned a lot, yet still have so much to learn. Perhaps that old adage "The more I think I know the less I really know" applies here.

While I've been lucky enough to receive lots of valuable advice for triathlon from coaches and fellow athletes, I have just been winging it. Last year I finished my first 70.3 at Rev3 Cedar Point and realized a couple of things. First, that I love long-distance triathlon. The sheer challenge of it is exciting! Second, that I need to get a lot more technical at this sport to be faster. I could always wing it when I was just running. With the goal of completing a full 140.6 iron-distance race this summer I do not think it is ideal to wing it anymore. Sure I can probably finish the race on my own. I think I am driven enough or stubborn enough to accomplish that. But I would like to finish in a reasonable time and know that I've given it my all. I want to know that my swim stroke was efficient. I want to know that my bike cadence was good. And I want to know confidently that I can run the marathon at the end without feeling like I am dying a slow death.

So, as of Thursday this week I will  have a new triathlon coach. Yay! He is local, so will be present at many of my local races. He has worked with other athletes that I know and he seems to have a good personality fit for me. I am looking forward to having a training plan for next week that is not created by me! Time to get busy on the workouts and not stressing on what workouts I need to do.

I've also decided to work with a personal trainer and nutritionist at least for a little while so that I can look, feel and perform the way I want and need to so that I can be a confident triathlete. I hope they don't make me entirely give up IPAs!

Being part of Team Rev3 is going to be a blast and was in part the catalyst for me going to this next level. I want to be able to hang with all my amazing teammates. I want to make my team proud.

I will be writing blog posts throughout 2012 to share my new knowledge of the triathlon sport. I'll describe what I am eating, how I am training, feeling and of course performing. I hope you'll come along with me on this journey. It's going to be a long and winding road and I am ready to take on the challenge of becoming an ironwoman! Off I go!

8 comments:

  1. Holy crap you are getting serious haha! Best of luck w/ all these huge steps and hopefully all are a great fit for you!

    Remember to have fun :) Heather and I had a lot more fun during all of the training than the actual race day (nothing against race day... just went by too fast and instantly it was over). My only advice is to enjoy the journey :)

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  2. A bit serious I guess but I am not getting any younger. haha. This is the year to see what I can do. But I will definitely still make sure to have fun along the way! You'll see us at the Blue Balls race because stuff like that is fun! Ironman I am guessing will be painful but a hell of an experience. As you said it is the journey!

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  3. awesome Pam!!! Have fun and GOOD LUCK!! :) Hopefully I'll meet you at the races!

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  4. Woot!! Here's to a great year!!

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  5. Thanks Laura! Which races are on your schedule?

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  6. What will be your typical training schedule for your "base" period, leading up to a 20 week training period?

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  7. Beal, coach will have training schedule next week. will be heavier in peak months of course but not sure yet what kind of mileage for each sport yet.

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