Season Is Just Around The Corner!

My 2012 season ended in September and I took two weeks off. The problem with me taking two weeks off from triathlon is I think of all the things I would like to try to do but have never done - from running away to India, to surfing, to playing ice hockey or soccer. These distractions were quickly halted: surfing is NOT going to happen in the mountains, the women’s soccer team was too full or it was just too late to register, and the ice hockey team is all men and they only have one woman and apparently they don’t want any more. So, for two weeks I didn’t do much and was so happy when training started again. After my two weeks off I have pretty much gone on a long bike ride every weekend except for this one. Sigh. I have been sick since last Sunday. I did bike last Sunday but I was quite miserable. I even swam last Monday trying to get through the sets our swim coach had given us, but then I had to face the reality: I am sick. It’s Monday again and I’m not feeling that much better. I did drag myself off to the pool this morning for a short swim. So, I’m sure it isn’t the end of the world to have a week off from training but really the 2013 season is just around the corner! 

Location of the Smithfield Sprint in the Virginia Triathlon Series

My first race will be the Smithfield Sprint in the Virginia Triathlon Series on April 6th. I am a worrier. I began to realize that this off season that I initially saw as being long, really isn’t long at all! It is only 16 weeks away!! I was expecting some type of off season miracles. I know improvement is happening but 16 weeks is NOT much more time to train before the season starts again! I didn’t work on just one discipline, I worked on EVERYTHING. I swim three days a week with a swim coach, I bike 2-3 times a week with a long bike ride on Sundays, and I run 3-4 days a week with a long run on Saturdays. My goal like many is to be faster and I will say over this winter I’ve become a great climber on the bike and am running and swimming faster. But I only have 16 more weeks to get that flip turn down (which my swim coach told me this morning probably isn’t likely)! So, while I was busy wrapped up in the holidays and trying to figure out how to “work it all in”, I had to step back this week sick and realize the season is just around the corner! If you have the winter blues and are daydreaming about next year, realize it is almost HERE! Get out there and get training because before you know it, you will be racing again!