Archive for March, 2011

What Next?

Monday, March 21st, 2011

What Next?    After a lifetime of bike races, triathlons and running races, with the last several years including 5 Ironman distance triathlons, 50+ ultramarathons and seven 100+ mile finishes (three Badwater’s, two Western States, Massunutten and Umstead), I’m at a point where I’ve just not been able to get excited enough about any particular event to put in the required training.  I miss it, but yet I can’t seem to get myself to stay focused enough to do it.

I entered the 2011 Umstead 100 in North Carolina, that will be held this April 1, but last month had my name removed from the entry list so another runner could have the spot.     I simply have not been able to get motivated to do the long training sessions.  I’m loving the workouts I do, clicked off a nice 5 miles this morning before work, fitness is coming along ok, but everything I do is short, and I don’t have a goal, a purpose.   So I’ve been bumbling along staying in decent enough shape, doing some runs, doing some weights, a little bit of lifecycle at the gym, but I NEED to be chasing something.  But WHAT?

SO, after mulling things over for a while, I’ve decided on a new lofty goal of a  SUB 20:00 5k

🙂

That seems kind of silly considering I’ve run countless 18-19 minute 5ks, and a couple 17’s in my life,  but I’ve not tried to run that fast for quite a while.    Though in the last few months I have run a couple 22:30  5k’s, so I’m in the ballpark.

That’s it, my goal at this point is a Sub 20 in 2011. To do that I know I need to get my weight down to 170 or so, and start kicking in some faster runs.  It will do me good, after so many years of long, slow distance on trails, to change the dynamic with some speedwork, sprints and seeing how fast I can run.

Once I’ve achieved that, I’ll see what inspires me.

To help add some variety and let me get some hard workouts,  I’ve started rebuilding my bike, which has been down for over a year when I had a minor incident resulting in a broke wheel. (well, broken spokes, wheel can be salvaged).  The thing is COVERED in dust and dirt, but MAN, what a nice bike.  I love it, Cannondale Six13 with Campy Record Carbon components.

THAT’S THE MISSION for all the world to know!  Sub 20 5k in 2011