Duathlon: My race goal

I like to do race course re-con a week or two before the actual event, just to get a feel for the terrain. Even though I've competed in the Nordonia Duathlon before, I wanted to go out and test the track again today, a little over a week before the race.

I'm glad I did; it was a lot harder than I remembered. Of course, the perpetual rain/cold/wind/rain weather pattern northeast Ohio has been suffering through since March doesn't put me at the same level of fitness as last year, either.

I did the entire course in a little over 1:17, which isn't too bad. I finished the race last year in 1:13: and some change, which got me a second place for all women.

Goal for May 21:

Let's go with 1:14:00. I know that I haven't been out training as much, and the race is 3 weeks earlier than last year's event. I'm trying to be realistic here...

Anyone else doing this race?

Racing season 2011 begins!

I raced at RATL (Race at the Lakes) yesterday, for the first time and in my Snakebite Team kit!

4 other teammates showed up for this race, and we worked together on tactics, coached and encouraged each other along the way, and had a good time doing it - but just couldn't keep up with the lead girls. Thanks to Angie, Andrea, Stacy, and Kim for a great race yesterday.

And congratulations to Gray Patton who did this amazing bat-out-of-hell impersonation, taking off like she was on fire at the very beginning of the race, and holding her lead the entire 15 laps. I didn't see her again until I finished.

Next week I'm planning to be back out at RATL, for the last of the 4-race series. But I'm also considering racing the Colavito Time Trial series, which begins next Sunday. Not sure if I'll do both races yet - I'll decide later in the week...

Goal Setting

I like to plan my training around goals I set for myself early in the season.

This year's goals are a little late in coming, because the season has been delayed a bit (rain, wind, cold, repeat...)

Joe Friel, in his "Training Bible" books, says that goals should be:

• Measurable - otherwise, how do you know you're improving?
• Under your control - 'complete the Twin Sizzler in 1:15:00 or better', vs. 'Win Twin Sizzler)
• Stretch your abilities - 'Finish a 10K race' isn't a real goal for someone who already runs 5 miles
• Stated in the positive - 'Not drown in my first triathlon' is an example of a not-positively-stated goal

With those guidelines in mind, here are my 2011 goals, in no order of importance:

• Ride with the Summit Freewheelers "A" group 3 times, hanging with them from start to finish all three times
• Run a 10-mile road or 10K trail race
• Run an average 7.5 min/mile pace in my two spring duathlons
• Attain the 8 points required to maintain 'Team" status in Snakebite Racing
• Compete in the Blossom Time 5-mile run, finishing with a better time than Andy Z (who dropped the gauntlet early in the year, and just so happens to be the CEO of the company for whom I currently work)

And lastly, I'm going to add this one is as a BONUS goal, even though this isn't currently part of the plan:

• Complete a Century Ride

I'll update each of these goals as the season progresses.

I'd love to hear what you're training for this year. Please post your goals in the comments field of this blog.