Help Me Plan 2014
Now that RnP have announced the EN IMs for 2014, and pointed out that, yes, we still have to sign up 365 days in advance for many WTC events, I got to thinking about planning for 2014, when I age up (again). I'd like to crowd source my thinking, to make the best choices I can.
First, background. The last time I aged up, I did 4 IMs in a year, starting with IM AZ when I was 59.5 Results that "year":
- Nov - AZ, 2nd place (1st was 25 minutes ahead, 2nd was 8 seconds behind), KQ; this ended up being my IM PR
- Dec - OS
- Jan 10/Feb12 - 3 weeks skiing, 2 weeks OS
- April - Oceanside 70.3, 4th pl, I blew on on the last two miles of the run.
- May - Tacoma HM - 1st (A shock to me to see "60" on the plaque)
- June - CDA, 1st pl, AG course record
- July - Local Sprint (I'd done multiple times before, did this in a PR)
- Aug - Oly in Central WA, Swim, run PRs for that distance
- Sept - Grand Columbian HIM - Not a good race
- Oct - Kona - DNF after mi 10 of run
- Nov - AZ again, 1st pl, AG course record, an IM run PR (and, not counting my 4 min penalty, an overall PR)
That level of performance is now what I'm expecting of myself, possibly without the low points, maybe better planning could have avoided them?. Maybe I ought to be a little less greedy, meaning plan my season with more care, knowing that my Big Goal is a top performance in Arizona Nov, 2014. This is what I have marked for myself since Feb, 2011, when I started to "come back" after my killer bike accident five months earlier. This year (64), I'll be doing IM Tahoe in Sept, and AZ again in Nov. Although my goal for those is (see below) Race to Win, I also see this year as a chance to cycle up for a final training push leading to 2014.
My thoughts for 2014 so far.
- Dec - OS
- Jan/Feb - Ski from MLK day to Pres Day
- Mar - Tucson Epic Camp
- May - I had originally thought of doing Lanzarote, thinking I want to try the hardest courses I can, and my wife would like to see Morocco afterwards. But after meeting and training with Juan in Tucson, I'm thinking Brazil instead - less time change, local support, and I'm sure a visit there would provide equal SAUs.
- Aug/Sept - Problem here is I won't know what Tahoe is like until after sign up is needed for other Aug/Sept IMs like MT and Wisconsin. One and done there, and join EN mob in Mont Tremblant, gaining more training time prior to IM AZ?
- Sept/Oct - Train in CO
- Nov - go to AZ several weeks early, to avoid start of Pac NW rainy season.
And what about adding other, local shorter races. At this stage of my life, a couple of things are true: I don't know how long a career I have in triathlon, it could end at any time. And I'm lucky in that I don't really need to work, still doing it for social engagement and pin money, but it can be scheduled fairly loosely.
So I'm looking for both strategic and tactical advice on how to think about my 2014 season.
Comments
- Go to Kona and win your new AG?
- Set course records for your AG?
- Set a world record finishing time for your AG?
- Do some races you've never done before, for the experience?
- Set some other records, in pursuit of a triathlon grand-master's legacy-building???
I know that you will want to perform at a high level and kick a lot of ass no matter what. You are a fierce competitor. But it's hard to help plan a massive year of age-up successes without a better understanding of what you're trying to optimize.
I'm going to put a pin in my response and put more time and thought into it while I'm at the office tomorrow (!), but my immediate reaction is to hold you to your comment in the Swissman (?) thread: take a bit of time off from the IM grind, and do something (endurance related) that's going to scare you, inspire you, or transform you in the kind of way that, say, your first IM, or your raam, or your first Kona had. Sir ... you are in the rarefied world of having wisdom and pointy-end skills, and if I were you, I would ask yourself what's a suitable way to *fully* celebrate these gifts. In my opinion, whatever it might be, it will probably transcend IM.
Matt reminds me to be very clear on what my over-arching goals are. At this point they are three:
1. enjoy my expanding friendships with the world wide community I find in triathlon, especially EN; 2. Continue to demonstrate, through the endurance sports of swimming, biking, running in their varied forms, what fitness and competitive success is possible as I get older; 3. Follow through on the committment to myself I made in Jan 2011 to make IM AZ 2014 my "Olympics", channeling all my training and racing towards that race.
As to Kona, I look on that as a fun reward if it happens, not a race towards which or in which to compete.
-don't fall prey to the 'annual plan.' Look at something that's, say, a three-year operation, or a long-term campaign (although the AZ item probably speaks to this).
-do the hardest races. Or something where there is a risk of failure.
-I like Matt's idea of WRs. Certainly a definitive way to demonstrate what is possible!
-Even though you are far from retiring as an athlete, I would ask Scott Tinley for a consult and try to get into his time and mind. I have always enjoyed his thinking about the life-cycle of the HP athlete, and have come to appreciate it dfiferently when I've re-read his writing at different times and stages.
OR
keep on keeping on, update your Merlin to a Shiv or p5 with 808FCs, and subtract 8 minutes from your current times~!
Why don't you keep it simple. If IMAZ is your AAA race, then do a couple of destiiation HIMs leading up to Nov. Philippines 70.3 might get you some SAUs. The race hotel in the Shangri La ($$$$) with butlers in the tower suites.
So, assimilating the thoughtful comments and discussing with my wife ... here's my plan, at least for IM racing, in 2014: Brasil the last weekend in May, and Arizona the weekend before Thanksgiving. Leaving Jan-Mid Feb for skiing, and retaining an option on HIM in July/Vegas in Sept vs just fun fitness stuff in the summer. I think racing with Juan (and partying AFTERwards) would be a blast, and I found last go around (when I planned out an attack @ CDA 3-4 years in advance for age 60) that sticking with a long-term plan carries its own set of unique risks and rewards, the personal Olympics thing I mentioned. So I remain committed to Arizona as an ultimate test of my ability to both retain a long-term focus and follow through on high level race execution on a course I know well. It's hard to get something absolutely right the first few times you try it.
Response to Matt, Dave, and Paul: As far as risky challenges go, I'd rather defer that to after my age-up year. That probably means Swissman (which I thought Paul was projecting for 2015, but if it's '16, that's fine too), and actually trying to race Kona in '15 if I qualify @ AZ in '14.
What I'm not ready to do, if I ever will be, is to start looking for opportunities to be "the oldest guy to do (whatever)". That seems kind of meaningless to me.
GREAT NEWS!!!!!
Post IM-Brazil 2014 partying planning has began this minute!!!!
Our next challenge: secure that slot (as far as I know it sells out fast!!!!). Once we are past that phase I'll start looking at lodging, transportation, etc!!!
Al,
If I were Al, I wouldn't race IMBrazil (sorry Juan!).
You're a big boy and know what you're doing, just my opinion.