Goals for 2013

I have been having trouble attempting to quantify goals for this year. After coming off a year far more successful than I expected (definitely more successful than I could have reasonably expected in terms of 3 first place age group awards) in which I had a new PR for every race and/or race distance. However, I also suffered from a terrible injury back in October and am still working on my final medical clearance to return to training. For now, I have been cleared for a partial return to training and while I have picked back up with light running and indoor cycling, it has not been the same as before. I have done a small bit of swimming, though my physical therapist has wanted me too hold off for a bit longer before spending much more time doing that. In consideration of this recovery effort, I am not certain what I will be completely able to do this year. One thing is certain, after the last (nearly) three months I have been through I know I will do something--even if it means a major scaling back of all goals. However, I'm still going to include some aggressive goals and see what I can make happen.

1. Complete my third Ironman race on May 18, 2013. I registered for this race last summer in the first moments that registration was open. Last year I set a PR of almost three hours from the year before and I was hoping to aim for cutting another hour or two off of that time. Since this race is coming up in about four months, I have little extra time to work with in terms of preparation after I get cleared to proceed, so I will make this goal one of "just" completing the race. However, given the opportunity to do so, I will push myself towards a new PR if I can.

2.With no real idea how long my recovery will take I will forgo my general desire to PR every race and set a more realistic PR goal for 2013. In this case I will attempt to set a PR for at least one running event and one triathlon event.

3.Do at least one very unique race event. I'm not going to place too many restrictions on this, just something out of the ordinary.

4. This year I hope to be more mindful of not letting my training schedule monopolize my overall schedule. This can be especially hard to do during Ironman training, but I want to make sure I save time for my family and not make them feel like they are secondary to my training.

5. Find ways to be helpful to others in these sporting activities and follow through with helping them. Look for ways to return to others the goodwill I have received from people within these sports, especially to those who may be new the active lifestyle.


This may not be the outline of the year I would have wanted to have (after all 3 months ago I felt like I was on track to a sub-5:30 half iron triathlon and would have wanted to plan an aggressive year for 2013), but it is a good starting point for year I want to have considering all that I have been through. Perhaps it is the year I need to have to set some balance in my life and to look forward to greater things in the future beyond this year.