It's Been the Longest Winter Without You

I was listening to Leona Lewis last night on the spin bike, using the slower tempo song for a hell... I mean hill... climb. I'm out of the saddle - one, two, one, two, just keep to the beat of the music:

It's been the longest winter without you
I didn't know where to turn to
See somehow I can't forget you
After all that we've been through

Momentarily my approach to anaerobic threshold is interrupted by my interpretation of the song, and a subsequent giggle. Racing! It's been a long winter of workouts, without any race plans, and I am "all the sudden" ready to race again... I've actually missed it. So, while this may change, I've reached the conclusion that I want to race this year. I don't think it will be my best year, but it won't be my last, either.

With that in mind, my training plans have now taken on a new life. No more "I think I'll just run today" or, "I haven't been on the bike in a while... think I'll go to the gym." I have to actually put some thought into how I want to train. Or, let me rephrase that... how I can maximize my training in the time I have. One thing that I haven't done in quite a few months is utilize my lunch hours. For quite a while I managed to use my lunch hours rather effectively for a workout of some kind, usually a swim or a run. My overall goal for training is to get in two quality (q) workouts a week for each discipline, and make half of those a brick. So I might do bike intervals (q) followed by a two mile run, a thirty minute ride followed by a long run (q), and swim intervals (q) followed by a short ride. The other quality workouts might be a long ride, a speed work run, and a long swim. That leaves for one day off, which I always need for a makeup day. Now, how this pans out in real life is almost gauranteed to fall short, but the best I can do is make an attempt... and not feel enormous pressure or stress when it doesn't work (no if there).

One thing I am going to do differently this year is focus on bettering my times over last year's races, rather than competing in my age group. Really doing this is hard for people with a competitive mind set; it's a race, after all. But it is just a frame of mind, because regardless, I'm going to do the best I can do... I just don't want to be disappointed with that.

My plans could change, and I haven't gone so far as to plan a race schedule. Planning a schedule will be difficult until I have my daughter's soccer tournament schedule (which will likely include six out of town weekend tournaments), and my son's summer schedule with his dad. And scheduling a race is not as important to me as scheduling time with my mom; I'm really wanting to be with her as many weekends as I can. I don't want to look back and have regrets about misplaced priorities. So, already, just writing this, my bubble's starting to burst and it's not feeling like I will get to race that much... but I am going to tri! :)