2014 was a better year than I ever would have expected. I started working with a coach, I
raced/trained with the DC Tri/Snapple Elite team, started working at a new
clinic (Rose Physical Therapy Group), raced my 2nd Ironman,
qualified for 70.3 World Championships and…set a new PR in every distance I
raced. The start to 2014 wasn’t really
all that glamorous and had its fair share of tears, frustration and 2nd
thoughts. All in all 2014 was a great
year and you can read all the race reports here. How could I have even more fun lined up in
2015 you ask?
To start MR. is getting a bit of a makeover. A new cockpit and a new crank – Quarq Power
Meter – will be ready to go when I’m ready to kick off my 2015 training. I’ve gone back and forth on the decision to
put money in to MR. or sell the bike and put all the money into a new
bike. I love this bike and right now the biggest improvements will come from improving the engine not the machine. MR. and I are together for another year!
The 2015 race schedule will look a bit different than
previous years. Much less racing, more
focus on A races, and minimal short course racing. Racing is fun and I think a couple of years
ago it was good for me to go out and race (almost every weekend) just having
fun and landing a spot on the podium at local races. I currently don’t have a single local race on
my schedule for 2015. 2015 will be my
first double Ironman year. I’ll race my
first foreign race at the 70.3 World Championships in Zell Am See,
Austria. It will also mark a complete
year working with my coach – which means she’s seeing me through my off season
and the beginning of my 2015 training (unlike last year where I got some crazy
rides/runs out of my system in January before beginning with her).
The 2015 races involve flying…with my bike! I’ve flown to triathlons before, but I’ve
always lucked out in that MR. has been privileged enough to get a ride in one
piece. I’ll be getting a bike case,
learning some more about MR. and practicing packing him up and getting him back
together – race ready part. I know this
is doable, as I have many friends who have done this successfully, multiple
times, but it still makes me nervous.
 |
| Zell Am See |
In 2015 I’ll be racing on the Snapple/DC Tri Elite team
(yes, I did this in 2014)…alongside Adam!
I’m pretty excited about some training weekends, race weekends and team
events in 2015. This will also be the first year where I won't be transitioning from school to work or old job to new job. I'm looking forward to some consistency (even if it means I won't have a random couple weeks off during peak training).
2015 will be the first year that I start a training cycle
after taking a couple complete weeks off of training. I honestly don’t know the last time I
had ‘real’ off-season. In college I always used the off-season to
improve my fitness. Past years in
triathlon I’ve gotten caught up in the USAT National Club Challenge competition
and in 2012 probably logged some of my biggest months in the ‘off-season’. I’m all for off-season fun but some people
take that thing way to seriously – it doesn’t do any good to be a January
champion.
For now, I’ll keep enjoying my time off and working on some
non-triathlon related projects. Here’s a
peak at what the 2015 race schedule is lining up to look like.
4/18/15 – TryCharleston ½ Iron Race
5/16/15 – IRONMAN TEXAS
7/19/15 – New Jersey State Triathlon (Regional Club
Championships)
8/30/15 – 70.3 IM World Championships – Zell Am See, Austria
9/28/15 – IRONMAN CHATTANOOGA
9/28/15 – IRONMAN CHATTANOOGA
