3 goals only for me:-
Priority - Start training consistently again, after having 6 months off
Enjoy and finish the Cotswolds 113 at the beginning of June
Enjoy and finish Race to The Tower
This year has been very challenging for me and although I entered and completed some races, I struggled to get any decent training because of personal and work problems. I didn’t enjoy any of the events I did, it was purely a case of getting on and suffering until the end. I entered a trail 1/2 marathon for end of November without any running to speak of, and I actually quite enjoyed that. No pressure, just admire the scenery and have a laugh along the way.
Next year will be different. No pressure, just train consistently and enjoy the 2 events entered. No doubt I’ll enter some fun stuff too.
How you feeling nearly 3 months on? Agree with what you said that the 5k is a stretch to break 18. If made some progress already then not unreasonable, but will take the full year of good training I’d reckon. Still a great target to aim for, as even <18:30 will set you up for the 10 and 1/2.
Nice to read this thread properly again from the start rather than skimmed glances. Some people laying some serious targets that are gonna be a big focus, others slightly more relaxed. Both equally worthy and needed in different years IMO.
For me I’m scared to write it down and have been thinking it for couple months, but I’m hoping for a focused 6 months of triathlon again. I’ve trained decently for the past 2 years, but priority was on other aspects of life. Whilst ultimately my relationships always will be more important, I seem in a good place to have a 6 month run and do another ironman I can be proud of the training commitment, and hopefully the result at the end. Part of me doesn’t want to regret not trying to improve previous performance while I have the chance.
So, I’m thinking Ironman Cairns, June 2022. It’s usually the Asia-Pacific champs although covid means it’s likely just Aus entries next year.
I’m joining @Matthew_Spooner on a 9 hour target. In each of the past few years that would place around 10-20th including the pros. Usually won in about 8:00 with some good names entering.
Approach:
<50 minute swim (previous 2x IMs have been high 49s, think I can get fit enough to go 47-48 if calm water and find feet)
250W bike. Need to work on improving speed at this power to get <5hr, work on TT position, likely upgrade wheels.
Run 3:05. Previously ran 3:19 at IMUK, and a 1:17 standalone half recently.
Training goals to follow, but generally just build Z2 endurance. I average around 10hrs a week so enjoyed the quality vs quantity posts above, but going to try and increase the volume this year and see how it goes. Still don’t think I’ll get anywhere close to the ~20hrs some others do, but likely a lot more than I’ve previously done.
Yes undulating, and when IM admit that that’s probably fairly hilly. Think they described IMUK as a little bumpy, to avoid putting too many people off
I should have done more research before publicly posting 9 hour goal as really know bike course/splits. Did ask one club member who thought 5hr was realistic as they’d biked 5:15 previously, but I didn’t follow up with the all important Q of how they ran after that
Part of thinking 9hrs was based on previous results rather than the course, some big names going 8hrs, Sarah Crowley 8:50, and some AGs going <9. Think if I could get within an hour of lead mme and somewhere vaguely near other AGs seems to be the standard I might be able to reach.
I have lots of parkrun goals for 2022. Trouble is, when I think about it properly, they’re all arbitrary BS really.
However, would like to run a sub-20 mins, that should be do-able despite my inability in the last 277 attempts!! Maybe pushing a buggy and/or trying to get a certain run position and/or a certain number of seconds in my finishing time is slowing me down!
Would also like to get to 300 parkruns and 125 venues, I won’t bore you with Prime numbers, Fibonacci numbers etc.
Good start to the 2022 campaign today successfully did a CP20 FTP test during a contract call this afternoon. The 20mins was pretty good for winter at 310NP/4.57 WKG so 295W FTP based on the 95%. A good winter training cycle and I should be good for race season
3 events for me so far in 2022, Lanza in May, Copenhagen in August, Escape from Meriden in November.
Goals as things stand aren’t really set too much, I’d guess a course PB at Lanza, see what happens there before the Copenhagen goals is set and then I’d like 60 miles ATCF for Meriden which should get me to a train station on the line back to Bham International
Well as I posted elsewhere, on Friday I did a track 3k in 10:42. Checking Jack Daniels VDOT that’s equivalent to 18:30, I was thinking it might have been worth a little more. But I notice the paces drop more quite rapidly as you move up the lower distances, becoming more stable as you go longer, which makes sense.
Though I was wearing Vaporfly, which Stenard has pointed out are not track legal and I’m not quite comparing apples with applies since my PBs are from parkrun…
But I guess if I’m willing to cheat on the track then I have a year to drop 30 seconds, that’s if I can find a track race of that distance.
I think a goal for next year is to do more training and less reading & chatting!
