Goals and Training Regiment for 2012 Triathlon Race Year

This post is for the goals that I am going to make for myself for the next race season.  It may seem very early for some people to begin planning a race season, however it is important for me to have large goals that are a ways out so there is a reason for me to keep doing what I am doing.

I am married and I support my beautiful wife and 2 young (3 and 5) children.  It is a choice and a sacrifice for my wife to stay home and I wouldn't choose it any other way.  My wife does an amazing job raising the children and managing our household.  In the mean time, I work a fulltime job and need to ensure that my managers are happy with me.  I am a contract-driven electrical engineer which means I work from project to project.  It is important that I do my work well to move onto new projects.  I have had steady contract employment for 6 years.

All of that being said, I have limited time to train for triathlon.  It is a hobby.  If I try to look at it more than a hobby, it will cause me to fail in the other areas of life.  I must look at it as a hobby...but I look at it as a hobby that I want to do very well at.

What you won't see in my goals is a Half-Ironman or a Full Ironman.  This is because it is near impossible for me to continue working and supporting my family and train for an endurance challenge of those calibers.  Although it would be nice...I really don't have the time that these challenges demand.  They are out of the picture for the next several years.  I will complete one (or several), but the cards are not in my hand right now to do so.

Up to this point, I have completed the following:
-1 sprint triathlon in 1:46:something
-1 Olympic Triathlon in 3:02:00
-3 5k races in 24:51 and 23:08, and 25:25.  
I am very pleased with what has been accomplished and I look forward to the future with the sport.

Now that my race season is wrapping up, people are asking me what I am going to do next.  I figured I would write this post out to outline what my goals are going to look like, and what my training will look like to meet those goals.  Since I will be training for an entire year, I need to have goals that are pushing my limits while still being smart about how they are handled.

So here they are...

Goals for the 2012 Triathlon Season:

1. Complete an Olympic Triathlon. 
1. I am looking at the following options for races: 
1.  Lake Stevens: http://www.active.com/triathlon/lake-stevens-wa/lake-stevens-olympic-and-sprint-triathlon-2011
2. Ocean Shores Big Weekend: http://trifreaks.com/OceanShoresTri.aspx
3. Chelanman: http://chelanman.com/olympic-triathon_294.html
4. Grand Columbian Triathlon: http://trifreaks.com/GrandColumbianTri.aspx
5. Spokane Triathlon: http://www.spokanetriathlon.com/index.html
2. The race option depends on Vacation times during next year.
2. Complete A 2.4 mile swim race (yikes!)
1. http://fridaynightswimraces.com/
2.  I can currently swim 1.1 miles in open water now. I figure that a 1.2 mile swim wouldn't be much of a goal for me...so I think I would have to step it up to the next level, which is 2.4 miles.
3. A Half Marathon (I should be able to complete one with a 9-10 minute pace)
1. May 5, Snoqualmie: http://www.runsnoqualmie.com/#!cinco-de-mayo-half-marathon--8k
2. March 26, Issaquah: http://www.evergreentrailruns.com/mar-26-lake-sammamish-run
3. Feb 20, Bellingham: http://www.halfmarathons.net/usa_half_marathons_washington_birch_bay_half_marathon.html
4. Mar 5, Everson (Bellingham)http://www.halfmarathons.net/usa_half_marathons_washington_run_for_the_honeywagon_half_marathon.html
4. Half-Century Bike Ride (The furthest I have ridden is 30 miles in one day.)
1. Aug 14, North Bend: http://www.active.com/cycling/north-bend-wa/tour-de-peaks-bike-ride-2011
2. Sept 17, Samammish: http://www.active.com/running/sammamish-wa/seek-justice-challenge-2011
3. Sept 18, Bellingham: http://www.active.com/cycling/bellingham-wa/chuckanut-century-2011
4. July 28th, Bellingham: http://www.active.com/cycling/bellingham-wa/tour-de-whatcom-2012
5. Complete the Warrior Dash.
1. A friend would like to do this:  http://warriordash.com/register2011_washington.php
2. This is lower on the priority list, however it still looks like fun.  If it interferes with anything else, I may have to drop it.

If anybody has any advice on the above listed races, please let me know. 

Training for the 2012 Season:
Swim:

1. Swim once a week.
1. During the Summer, swim in open-water for 1+ miles each time. 
2. During Winter/Spring, swim in pool.  Alternate intervals and long swims each week.

Bike:

1. Ride once a week.
1. 3 times a month:  Hill Intervals
2. Once a month: long ride

Run:

1. Run once a week.
1. Run Speed intervals 3 times a month
2. Run long run once a month

Gym:

1. Weight train once a week
1. Train for strength and power
2. Many people may say, "You don't want to do that for triathlon!", however my fitness goals are not limited to triathlon...They are all encompassing fitness goals...Triathlon is just a good test of where I am at each year. 

Before you say it:

• "It is not enough training for what you want to accomplish...".  ...Well, it is all the training that I can afford.  I plan on burning every fiber in my body during that training plan, and I don't have any option other than to make the best use of it.  I don't have time for 4 hour rides or 2 hour runs or 2 hour swims, nevertheless bricks of those events.  I have time for what I have time for.  That is it.
• "Weight training doesn't help you in triathlon...".  My goal has never been set on just triathlon.  My goal has always been all-around fitness.  I am just using triathlon as an overall fitness test.  I will never take a podium spot in triathlon and that is not my goal. Even though being skinny is an advantage during races, I will never do it justice enough to podium in a race.  My goal is to make my body a machine.  Adding muscle to it is part of that machine.
• "Do you really think that you can do this?..."  No...And that is exactly why I am doing it.  Everybody knows what they CAN do.  My goal is to find out what I am CAPABLE of doing.  I can stick with one thing and do it over and over and over until I get it finely tuned...But my goal is to find out my limits in any situation.

My Motto for 2012:

• The Race Clock Doesn't Care About You.