Time is on my side (yes it is!)

OK, this is a super scary post for me.....it's time for some RACE goals!!

I do this for every race-make out A, B and C goals.  Two days out, I sit down and evaluate the race as a whole:  the distance, the course, if I have raced it before, and how I am feeling in terms of training, nutrition, etc. to make some time based and non timed based goals. 

This scares the hell out of me.  Especially since I have the nerve to make them public, eek!

Why?  Well,  I always have personal goals, but making them public means that YOU get to see them, too!  I have done this for running, races, but even though those are subject to variables out of my control, I feel like I have more control over a one disciplined race.  For a tri, there are three events that can hand you drastically different things on race day!  So I always go into my goals with the things I mentioned above in mind, as well as the tri mantra that "ANYTHING can happen on race day".

I promise two things, though:  1.  If I miss my goals, I will not make excuses.  I will evaluate why what happened, happened objectively.  and 2.  I will tri try my very best given what the day hands me (har  har)Lets take a look at Keuka, shall we?

First of all, I am lucky enough to have raced Keuka for the past 4 years-3 years of this on the Olympic course.  So I have data to look at from 2008-2010.  Now, as I have said before, I don't have a great history with this race, but the beauty of it is that every year I have gotten stronger!  And 3 years of bad karma means I am due for a good bike, in my opinion :-)
(A quick bit of history-in 2008, 4 weeks prior to this race, I got hit by a car and separated my shoulder.  Since then, I am still trying to overcome my fear of riding in traffic, which I have gotten ALOT better at, but still struggle with.  I also have a cool bump on my shoulder as a "war wound".  His name is Tony Stark.  I am a big dork).

Anyways, here are my past SBR splits: 

2008:  Swim 36:05, Bike 1:38:50, Run 1:03:00 = 3:21:41 - Emotion: I was happy to be alive and racing when the doc said I couldn't!

2009:  Swim 37:09, Bike: 1:33:43, Run: 55:14 = 3:09:07- Emotion:  I feel like crap.  At least the run is flat.

2010: Swim 31:03, Bike 1:34:45, Run: 50:47 = 2:59:45-Emotion:  I HATE this bike.  At least I broke 3 hours by being a runner :-)



So whats on tap for 2011??  Well, if I can shave a minute off my swim, that's cool, but if not, I'm ok with the 2010 time.  For the run, simply for semantics, if I can shave 48 seconds off my run and go sub 50, I would flip for joy :-D  Now for the big kahuna...the BIKE.  Yikes.  This is my Achilles heel.  For a comparison, I did the 2007 bike @ 18.4 mph average (45:49 for 13 miles).  Now this bike is 12 miles more....with a decent incline for about 4 miles from mile 10-15.  But then you get the speed back from mile 20-25.  Conservatively (cause you know I'll try to go faster, but this seems realistic, friends....)I think I'm gonna try to go under 1:30 (bike).  Under 1:25 (bike), I would die from happiness.  Even if I gave up a few minutes on the run. 

So...overall time goal (shudders) C goal is to finish.  Always is :-).  B Goal is 2:55-3:00, the closer to 2:55, the better! and the super scary A goal?  2:50-2:55 baby!!  (That would be a PR for the distance-my current Oly PR is 2:55:01.

Can ya feel me people?  Come on!! 

Now for the non time based goals.  I want to give the bike my best shot.  No I coulda shoulda wouldas!  And I want to finish feeling strong and happy with my effort.  MMM kay?

Let's do this!!!  Tonight it's all about cleaning the bike, going for a test ride to try out my gears, switching wheels out, and starting to collect my tri stuff (yes I have a list.  Don't judge).  Tomorrow- yoga, quick brick workout, then relaxing all afternoon!!  Stay tuned for the race butterflies tomorrow and then a recap on Sunday!!