Well 2008 has been a hell of a year, granted it's still not over, I have at least 2 races left on tap. From my ambitious schedule this year with life and the economy wrecking havoc on well laid plans I have decided to start planning ahead for 09 now. I have done some big name races and know what they're all about so now I figure is the best time to set my race goals for next season, that and start getting my logistics straight, as I bring myself back into a comfort zone.
Goal 3 A Priority races!
Also learned from this year pay for my season ender before the season, and wacky summer finances hit the fan.
Ideally I'd like to do 2 Ironmans in 09 I'd love to go back to New Zealand ( mainly as it doesn't sell out, and I've already got a place to crash down there, and the Kiwis rock!) so that's on my short list. Enter the" you moron it will cost you a kings Ransom to go down again...and you'll be living in a cardboard box." rant. I've already told my parents, relatives to talk me out of it, to tell me to focus on school, my career, my financial health,their future nursing homes, but instead got the "go for it while you're young, dumb, and full of ......enthusiasm." Dang 5 years ago my parents were telling me the Griskus was a waste of cash, when did they become cool and I become such a tightwad? Other reasons fueling this decision are hearing about Iron Matron's condo experience in Placid, for most people it costs about $3k to do an Ironman anyway, I might as well do it and have a passport stamp out of the deal.
Another Foreign IM on the radar is Western Australia in Brusselton in December 09,
Pros: All Summer and fall to train. Aussie chicks are HOT! Flat as a pancake! Kona would be 10 months off if I qualified.
Cons: I only know one person in OZ and she's in Brisbane, King's Ransom Rant again, Also do I really want to spend Christmas alone in a foreign land, spend the money there that I would be spending in the malls here, for my loved ones.
The last of the Foreign Canidates is Bob and Claire tackle the Carnaries. Lanzorate. Claire has wanted to do it , and I couldn't do it without a translator, so if I do this one I'll be tagging along with Speedy Claire and hearing about how her bike split obliterated mine, the entire flight back. That and Melissa will have to tag along as well so this one might be just as costly.
The Domestics don't prove to be any cheaper unless I decide to weekend an Ironman.
CDA is out...already filled
Lake Placid.....I won't have the cash
Louisville...maybe
Wisconsin: The weather is iffy, it's hilly as all hell, Jodi will most likely show up for us to have an Ironwar, I might reallistically have all my ducks in a row to register for it, but if I qualify for Kona I have to finance and recover in a hurry. On the fence on this one.
Arizona: They moved it to November, so hopefully all those " I was popping salt tablets like m&m's" stories willl be at an end. There are a few hills in this sucker but for the most part the toughest battle is against the heat also if I don't have $500 by November I'm in deeper shit than I thought. This one is on the short list.
Florida: Flat, fast, the swim has a death toll meter, retirees clogging the roads. I heard mixed reviews on this race, some people love it some people hate it, I would like to do it just to pull an absurdly fast bike split, but I know at least 1500 other tri geeks are thinking the exact same thing....
So those are the ideas for which Ironman my lycra covered, timex using, finely tuned athletic ass is contemplating throwing down for, remember I'm contemplating doing only one or two on the list not everyone of them, I know I'm not made off money, unless 6 strategic numbers get pulled by the CT lottery tonight.
Next year I'm also planning on doing RI 70.3 again, it was a nice race and I really like having one close to home. WTC if you want to put on a full iron in NE Call me I know some great spots and race directors in CT aching for 140.6 mile (226.2km) love fest. Also doing the Patriot Tri, I want to keep my perfect streak alive. The Griskus's series are my hometown races so they're in so my tentative, no entry fees paid yet, bookings made yet, all subject to change cancelation or obliteration schedule looks like this
March 7 Ironman New Zealand
June 13 Pat Griskus Olympic
June 20 Patriot Triathlon
July 8 Pat Griskus Sprint Triathlon
July 12 Amica Rhode Island 70..3
August TBA Park City Mossman
September Nutmeg State Half OR Ford Ironman Wisconsin
October Kona?
November ( If not doing Wisconsin or not making Kona) Arizona OR Florida
Remember this is the ideal. All subject to change with financial situation, economy, war, family distress, natural disaster and other acts of God and man. I want to keep my peak phase of June and July of just doing the local races August Park city thrown in to keep me motivated, The Ironman's are an if, but hopefully can and will happen.
Other than that my rest week's been going pretty well got in the pool twice to swim off the excessive quanitities of bad for Bob food, tomorrow I'm going up to the Litchfield Hills tri to play photographer. Monday begins my hellish prep for IMNZ 09 ( throwing it out there hoping good things will happen.)/ Nutmeg man/ what ever comes my way phase. I figure if I ever want to compete on a higher level I've got to start training on a higher level, the high water mark 08 season is over time to finish strong and blaze into 09.
The methodical planner.
R.D.
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3 comments:
melissa? meaning me? I have enough on my palet this year just being a senior so I think any spontaneous traveling is out of the picture if I want to graduate anywhere near honors... so don't worry about me in travelling arrangements ** if that was me you were talking about**
yeah, i'm trying to stay on my goal of 1 Ironman per year. but right now, my job situation is so uncertain that i don't know if i can even plan a year in advance.
it sucks. i really want to look at IM WAus, IM Aus, IM Japan (a bitch hard one i heard), or IM Brazil. NA races are out--just not as much fun as going to another country. if the exchange rate were better i'd say IM Germany for sure (friendly course). but the economy...
I'm still waiting to hear about Lanzarote. It all depends on when my friend's wedding is (they might be the same weekend), but there are enough American athletes that come to the Canaries that I think you'll be fine with English. If not, I'm going to sign up for KY... that is, if I ever want to do an ironman again!
If you really want to go to Kona, though, maybe you should look at how competitive the fields are in your perspective races rather than choosing based on financials. For example, the Aussies are triathlon ANIMALS, while Malaysia is pretty much a guaranteed slot. Somewhere out there on the internet there's a whole spreadsheet about where you're most likely to qualify based on your age group.
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