"Perseverance is not really a strength for me. I'm just too stubborn to give up."
Well as I sit here and type this out I'm trying to plan my season. So far there are no WTC races on the schedule. Initially I had thought about going back to Louisville, and getting some revenge on the run course ( I think I my have muttered something about burning it to the ground and scourging the earth with salt while the RN's were pumping me with fluids in the med center.) but upon looking at logistics any races that I would have to fly to seem out of the question in 2012, not saying that won't change but a $600 entry and then all the logistics of booking hotels and transport are looking too expensive and too much of a hassle this year. Despite the fact the clock is ticking on my Kona goal, I'm going to take this year to rebuild my wallet and my body before I commit myself to an assault on a spot, I figure 2013 will be the year to do something crazy again. So this year I'm looking at doing mostly Olys and Halves and maybe a non WTC full if I have the cash. I know Chesapeake Man is held in late September on the same course as Eagleman, and it might be a flat, fast, test of strength to see if I have my groove back.
So my ideal race schedule will mostly be of local events so here's the plan:
June is Hell month:
I'm hoping to take advantage of my Volunteer Discount and race the REV3 Half at Quassy on June 3. Likewise I'm also hoping to get a slot at the Patriot Half in East Freetown, MA on June 16as I always seem to have good races there. Steph and I are then heading up to Maine for a week so I start cutting my training back a bit. If the Patriot is full the Griskus Olympic is my back up race on the same weekend.
2 races this month either a monster half and a fast half or a monster half and monster Oly.
July is going to be short races.
I'm thinking about the KIC It Olympic on July 1 in Stamford, CT. Then the staple event of my tri career the Pat Griskus Sprint on July 11. I'm considering the Lowell Olympic on July 29 to finish out July on a high note.
3 Races this month.
August is a toss up month:
Ideally I want to do REV3 Half Old Orchard Beach on August 26th but if my budget is running tight I may opt for the Park City Mossman on the same date. Likewise I haven't raced the Niantic Bay Sprint in years and I love the course so I'm hoping to gain entry there as well.
In total 2 races this month.
September
In a perfect world I'll do Chesapeake Man on September 29 to closeout my tri season.
So I'm shooting for 8 races but like everything else in my life these are subject to change. I know I'll do at least 5, and those are the Griskus Sprint, REV3 half Quassy, Niantic, either Griskus Oly or Patriot, and either Rev3 Old Orchard or Park City, and even that's a pretty strong season. So hopefully the Income Tax Fairy will be good to me and I can put that refund to good use and have a little left over to fund this.
R.D.
Showing posts with label Planning for the future. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Planning for the future. Show all posts
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Learning from 08 Planning for 09
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.
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.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
To hang it up or not to hang it up that is the question...
Well while today, started off a little Murphy's Law...I slept in, my dogs ran off, my other sister slept in so I had to drive her to school, got in to work to find out we were getting our Semi annual audit....surprise! ( And people wonder why I'm going gray in my 20's.) But it seems like I have found some balance to the force....to quote my star wars/ Indiana Jones addicted brother. My Anthropology professor will get back to me on my paper, I don't feel so bad as three of us required extensions...and we were all doing relatively well...I think I have like a B or B- for the semester as of now.
I have my last exam tonight...which means I have to bash Stalin, and explain why the Allies won World War II .... seriously I think we had better leaders for propaganda I mean a British propaganda pic...Churchill with a Tommy Gun...German Propaganda Hitler in Liderhoesen...seriously who would you think's more bad ass? ( note to self if I edit this post..put up the picture of Sir Winston packing heat.)
Over the Last two days I have started upping my non-existent volume. I got in a 4 mile run on Tuesday night followed by 3000 yards in the pool. Last night I did 3300 in the pool, so my swim leg for Eagleman might be lethally fast as usual. After checking split times...I'm going to need every second if I want a chance at Kona or Clearwater. My run split would be about 5th fastest...my swim about 3rd and my bike. ( in my age group..it depends on the day and terrain. If the wind is calm expect a sub 3 hour ride...if it's typical Eagleman, expect alot of the other competitors and I to be pulling a Lt. Dan from Forest Gump...cussing out 36 mph head winds... put I still expect even in winds to be able to crack 3 hours....hopefully the Bad Karma train..which has been getting back at me a lot lately won't make an appearance. My mood has been generally negative, I blame alot of it on the unholy trinity of stress...Finals, Work and Home. My mom actually sold some high end rentals which is good...but the feds decided to screw any of us who used Turbo Tax..so that stimulus check...might be non-existent.
In any case, when this whole finals week/ final draft of anthropology paper are done one major source of my stress will have been alleviated.
I have my last exam tonight...which means I have to bash Stalin, and explain why the Allies won World War II .... seriously I think we had better leaders for propaganda I mean a British propaganda pic...Churchill with a Tommy Gun...German Propaganda Hitler in Liderhoesen...seriously who would you think's more bad ass? ( note to self if I edit this post..put up the picture of Sir Winston packing heat.)
Over the Last two days I have started upping my non-existent volume. I got in a 4 mile run on Tuesday night followed by 3000 yards in the pool. Last night I did 3300 in the pool, so my swim leg for Eagleman might be lethally fast as usual. After checking split times...I'm going to need every second if I want a chance at Kona or Clearwater. My run split would be about 5th fastest...my swim about 3rd and my bike. ( in my age group..it depends on the day and terrain. If the wind is calm expect a sub 3 hour ride...if it's typical Eagleman, expect alot of the other competitors and I to be pulling a Lt. Dan from Forest Gump...cussing out 36 mph head winds... put I still expect even in winds to be able to crack 3 hours....hopefully the Bad Karma train..which has been getting back at me a lot lately won't make an appearance. My mood has been generally negative, I blame alot of it on the unholy trinity of stress...Finals, Work and Home. My mom actually sold some high end rentals which is good...but the feds decided to screw any of us who used Turbo Tax..so that stimulus check...might be non-existent.
In any case, when this whole finals week/ final draft of anthropology paper are done one major source of my stress will have been alleviated.
Later this summer I need to run a cost benefit/analysis on my racing schedule as well as if I should race next year. As one person put it I'm spending close to 33% of my annual income on racing. ( a majority of that was the IM) With college loans coming due, expenses that pop up from my family, as well as my own debts which need to get paid down, if I want to do anything with my life. It is painstakingly clear that a 10 race schedule just isn't feasible. An Ironman may be in the cards for next year, but I need to see how my summer finances unfold. Another idea I've been batting around is after RI 70.3 is to hang it up...not for the week.......but for good. Part of me finds great joy in the sport and thinks that with the right training, equipment and race planning I could go far. The other part of me is saying.." Bob you are unworthy of this, go back to the books and the office and let the real athletes play...besides you need the extra cash." It is something I do for love, but I'm finding out in this world money is the be all and end all. While I would like to be able to sit back at age 40 with a house paid off, my nieces' and nephews tuition for an Ivy League sitting in trust ( I do not plan on having kids..so my sibling's children will be spoiled rotten then sent home.) The other part of me realizes that given the way I eat and stress out, without the sport, I might not make it to 40. ( heart disease is hereditary in my family.) Also, God forbid, if I was diagnosed with Cancer, ALS, MS, or some other disease that would make even the simplest tasks a burden, would I want to look back on my life and say " Yea I was in to tri for a while I was good, I could have done more in it but I walked away at 23."
Well I've got a final to cram for.
R.D.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Positive news, some life venting, more positive news
Ok the last couple of posts have been sort of negative as my exams and 1 300lbs. Gorrilla of a paper have sucked the life out of me . My anth paper still needs a peer review but my professor has been understanding...so by friday it should be done and my semester will officially be over. Last night I managed to get in a 4 mile "breather" run and 3000 yds. in the pool.
My ambitious main set of 5x200 fell on its butt regally, I manged to hold 2 of them, tried on the third but my body was just too spent from paper writing. I changed my main set instead to 10x 100's on 1:25. Bjoern is in ready or not mode for Switzerland 70.3 , we went to dinner, sort of as a " hey thanks for some of the help with the training" deal. Bjoern sounds ready for it. His main concern is the swim in a mountain lake in the beginning of June....possibly sans wetsuit...his bike leg...well....Stadler-esque comes to mind...without the temper tantrum over a flat tire. The run is my main concern for him because his knee acts up occasionally, but his last 8 miler went pretty well....I'm confident he'll have a good day. positive part 1 done!
The rest of my 2008 and 2009 season are on hold....I have some debt I need to reduce..as well as a delicate situation at home. I'll most likely throw down for Niantic, Park City and Nutmegman, but those races are all game time decisions. Ironman New Zealand has not sold at the rate I was expecting it to, so I can wait a little longer before sending in an entry fee, and arranging travel....whether or not I will do it remains to be seen, indeed whether or not I will race at all next year remains to be seen. I'm not burned out I'm just consumed by guilt...knowing my race fees can easily be gas and groceries for the week...granted a lot of people have told me I should live my life, and enjoy my "youth" while it lasts...including my priest, parents, friends....I just constantly have the fear that I will end up like my parents, having to take care of everyone else's shit when they become old and senile and having to live my life vicariously.... that's part of the reason I want to move to the left coast....that and weather more conducive to year round training...the longer I stay in Connecticut, the more entrenched I will become and after 30 years, still be at the Bank, have a sore knee from shoveling, and stress from having to manage my parents' affairs, because I'll be the only one close and not bitter. In essence I will have become my parents. Not that that's a bad thing but I don't want to wait until I'm in my early forties to find myself and start living. Ok vent done!
Last night over dinner, Bjoern and I in the midst of our speaking tri geek, have come up with an interesting business proposition. Now it's still a few years off, but it doesn''t hurt to plan and research. We sat there talking about forgein Ironmans and the idea of buying a condo in one of the towns..use for the month up until the race thane earn income on it the other 11 months renting it out. Definately work in Placid, especially during the Winter....well we took the idea one step further...then a little bit further....I don't want to get into details but think the Red Bull house in Kona now multiply that times 3 and for the average triathlete, in the high income world of triathlon this could be a very viable idea...also with the real estate market tanking..it might be an affordable under taking.....
( For all financial planners worried about me going through with this..don't be..I have neither the capital, investors, nor business plan set up. Although despite the numerous things that could go wrong..worst case senario...I would end up with a house in either Lake Placid, NY, Panama City, FL, or Taupo, NZ and I end up teaching there until I pay off the mortgage...or rent out....I don't know about you but Panama City in the middle of July ( humidity) or Lake Placid from October to March doesn't sound pleasant unless you're a humidity/ snow lover... which hey I could rent to the elederly/ ski crowd....I don't have the capital don't worry....this plan is years off, or a pipe dream at best. Afterall dreams only become nightmares when you try to make them realities,without the proper planning and cost/benefit analysis.)
Well that's all the news that's fit to print.
R.D,
My ambitious main set of 5x200 fell on its butt regally, I manged to hold 2 of them, tried on the third but my body was just too spent from paper writing. I changed my main set instead to 10x 100's on 1:25. Bjoern is in ready or not mode for Switzerland 70.3 , we went to dinner, sort of as a " hey thanks for some of the help with the training" deal. Bjoern sounds ready for it. His main concern is the swim in a mountain lake in the beginning of June....possibly sans wetsuit...his bike leg...well....Stadler-esque comes to mind...without the temper tantrum over a flat tire. The run is my main concern for him because his knee acts up occasionally, but his last 8 miler went pretty well....I'm confident he'll have a good day. positive part 1 done!
The rest of my 2008 and 2009 season are on hold....I have some debt I need to reduce..as well as a delicate situation at home. I'll most likely throw down for Niantic, Park City and Nutmegman, but those races are all game time decisions. Ironman New Zealand has not sold at the rate I was expecting it to, so I can wait a little longer before sending in an entry fee, and arranging travel....whether or not I will do it remains to be seen, indeed whether or not I will race at all next year remains to be seen. I'm not burned out I'm just consumed by guilt...knowing my race fees can easily be gas and groceries for the week...granted a lot of people have told me I should live my life, and enjoy my "youth" while it lasts...including my priest, parents, friends....I just constantly have the fear that I will end up like my parents, having to take care of everyone else's shit when they become old and senile and having to live my life vicariously.... that's part of the reason I want to move to the left coast....that and weather more conducive to year round training...the longer I stay in Connecticut, the more entrenched I will become and after 30 years, still be at the Bank, have a sore knee from shoveling, and stress from having to manage my parents' affairs, because I'll be the only one close and not bitter. In essence I will have become my parents. Not that that's a bad thing but I don't want to wait until I'm in my early forties to find myself and start living. Ok vent done!
Last night over dinner, Bjoern and I in the midst of our speaking tri geek, have come up with an interesting business proposition. Now it's still a few years off, but it doesn''t hurt to plan and research. We sat there talking about forgein Ironmans and the idea of buying a condo in one of the towns..use for the month up until the race thane earn income on it the other 11 months renting it out. Definately work in Placid, especially during the Winter....well we took the idea one step further...then a little bit further....I don't want to get into details but think the Red Bull house in Kona now multiply that times 3 and for the average triathlete, in the high income world of triathlon this could be a very viable idea...also with the real estate market tanking..it might be an affordable under taking.....
( For all financial planners worried about me going through with this..don't be..I have neither the capital, investors, nor business plan set up. Although despite the numerous things that could go wrong..worst case senario...I would end up with a house in either Lake Placid, NY, Panama City, FL, or Taupo, NZ and I end up teaching there until I pay off the mortgage...or rent out....I don't know about you but Panama City in the middle of July ( humidity) or Lake Placid from October to March doesn't sound pleasant unless you're a humidity/ snow lover... which hey I could rent to the elederly/ ski crowd....I don't have the capital don't worry....this plan is years off, or a pipe dream at best. Afterall dreams only become nightmares when you try to make them realities,without the proper planning and cost/benefit analysis.)
Well that's all the news that's fit to print.
R.D,
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