2010 Race Schedule has been set....almost!

Well here we go again....after taking a week and a bit off from the boot camps (due to utter exhaustion!) I weighed in yesterday and I was even....no gain no loss! (phew!)

In my break from the boot camps I have upped my run volume and have been bike commuting to work almost daily. It's time to buckle down over the next 5 weeks and focus on healthy eating, exercise and weight loss. Here is what I have in store for this spring, summer and fall:


April 11, 18, 25 - PUMA Series (5k, 10k, 15k)
This is a road race series held at Assiniboine Park. There are some fairly serious runners in this series. I want to try and personal best in each distance category. I have never run this series, I'm looking forward to the races.

May 2 - Winnipeg Police 1/2 Mary
I have done this race the past 3 years.  It's a great run, usually pretty fast. The course is flat....go figure and the weather is usually cool in the morning when you start allowing you to start at a very high pace. Last year I ran it in 2:01:17....my hope this year is sub 2 hours. The previous year I ran this one a week after gall bladder surgery!

May 2,11,18,25 - Birds Hill Duathlon Series (4)
For those of you who do not know what a DUATHLON is here you go: It is an event where you RUN/BIKE/RUN....essentially it's a TRIATHLON minus the swim at the start. THis is how I started my triathlon obsession. I participated in the duathlon series a few years back (before I would swim!) and I really like the atmosphere. It was mucho intimidating my first time out with all the extremely fit people walking around....I finished DFL (Dead F***ing Last) in my first few races! Eventually I started to not finish last....close but not last! I would start beating quite a few people! Last year I was unable to participate in any of these races due to scheduling conflicts. This year will be no problem!
 
May 22 - Theif River Falls Triathlon
This was my first ever official triathlon! I ran it 2 years ago and did very well. It starts with a pool swim (500 yards) then a 20 km bike ride followed by a 5 km run. It is a great event. It's very well organized and the after race food is very nice! This is a perfect event for someone new to the sport, mainly because of the pool swim. Having to do an open water swim (OWS) in your first event can be nerve racking. We have a similar event here in Winnipeg with a pool swim, it's at the UofM...but it's for women only...so fellas you're S.O.L. unless you make the trip south on Hwy 59!

June 13 - Triple Threat Sprint Tri
My first OWS triathlon....although you can stop swimming and touch the bottom almost anywhere on the course....you still have to sight while swimming. This means that instead of watching that nice big thick black line on the bottom of the pool to tell you where to go...you need to lift you head and look around for markers! This is very challenging until you get the hang of it. This is a perfect event to have your first open water swim, again it's easy to touch the bottom almost anywhere and the shore is always close! 
 
June 20 - Manitoba Marathon (Full) 
I was thinking about this while I was running today....do I really want to do another full??? I have already done 2. I think that given my future goals in triathlon...I should do another full. I will be targeting the 2011 Wisconsin full Ironman...so another full under my belt will only raise the confidence level a few notches. I find this run long, boring and very uninspiring! There is not much out there to take your mind off how sore you are. Sure there are small areas that have a lot of people cheering but the tail end of the race once you get past all the people along St.Vital Road and St. Vital Park is REALLY lonely! Those last 4-5 km are absolute torture. Just reading this over....I think it's clear somebody needs to work on their mental stamina....more so than their physical stamina!
 
June 27 - St. Malo Tri (Olympic Dist.)
Never done the triathlon here....just the duathlon. (they have a duathlon for those who don't swim!) The past few years this race has fallen on our son's birthday. I have opted to miss the race....a smart decision I think!
I will be doing the Olympic Distance (Swim 1500 meters, Cycle 40km, Run 10km) This should be a good race for me. Easy open water, flat bike course and very flat run course with a small portion being on gravel paths. (gravel = less impact!)

July 18 - Lac du Bonnet Tri (Olympic Dist.)
Never done this one....my parents live out there so I think I'll show then what this triathlon thing is all about! Triathlon is by far the worst spectator sport ever. Watch people swim see them run into the transition area, watch them strip out of a wet suit and put on a bike helmet then run out of the transition area and jump on their bikes (this all takes about 1 - 2 minutes!) Now wait for 30 - 60 minutes depending upon what distance your favorite athlete is in....watch them come back into the transition area....rack their bike, put on running shoes and take off like a bat out of hell. (again 1-2 minutes!) Then wait for 30 - 60 minutes to see them cross the finish line. I always love the little kids standing at the transition area with the signs "Love you dad!" or "You rock Mom!" Kind of makes everyone's day!
 
August 14 - Riding Mountain Tri (Olympic Dist.)
A definite maybe this year...lot and lots of logistical issues involved with doing this one. If I don't do it it will mean a long rest between Lac Du Bonnet and Square Lake....we'll see!

Sept 12 - Square Lake, MN 1/2 IM

OK this is my "A" race of the year. This is what all my training will lead up to....so anything other than first place will not do! YEAH RIGHT! I have done one other 1/2 Ironman before (Morden '08) and did very well considering the brutal conditions....very, very windy. We had to swim in a lake with white caps (I'd never done that before) on the bike course the wind was gusting to 70km and was a head wind for the first 20km. (my average speed was about 11km/h....usually I'm around 25km/h for this distance!) The Square Lake bike course is very hilly from what I hear so I will need to work on my riding a lot over the summer. I'm not worried about the swim or run. Distances: Swim - 1900 meters, Bike - 90km, Run - 21km. Like I say I have done one 1/2 IM and carry a lot of confidence in my ability to finish the race. My goal is to finish in under 7 hours.

A large part of me going to do the Square Lake Triathlon is so that I can drive the 4 hours east to Wisconsin and sign up for the 2011 Wisconsin Ironman. That's the crazy thing with Ironman races....you have to sign up on-site the day after the big race if you expect to get a spot.

Sept 27 - Niverville Rock & Roll 1/2 Mary
We'll see if I have any gas in the tank for this one! Elaine P....if you read this I want you to know that if I run the half mary out there this year you're doing it with me! (at the very least the 10k!!)


And so ends another few fun filled weeks in Chudville, See ya!