Try-ing Again

After taking a few weeks off from structured training, I'm really excited to start base training for my next big event - Ironman Chattanooga 2015!!!  I'm also just generally excited about returning to the sport of triathlon.  Focusing on running for the last year and half has been fun and rewarding, but to my surprise I have really missed swimming and biking.  I guess this shouldn't be so surprising, but I thought a big part of why I liked triathlon so much was because I had gotten to a highly competitive level and being a competitive person I enjoyed the success of being a top amateur.  Taking time away from the sport has made me realize that I truly love the sport itself (swimming, biking, running, transitioning, long training days, training variety, gear, triathletes themselves, races, blogs, you name it) and I don't think I would get the same fulfillment if I were to continue with a singular focus on running. 

Next season is going to be an interesting one, that is for sure.  I'm going to be slower, that is for sure.  And I don't like the thought of that and it's going to be super difficult not to want to compare times from previous years.  BUT, I've chosen to organize my 2015 season around Ironman Chattanooga.  I thought this would be a good idea because 1) it is a different goal for me vs. my previous goal of racing as a pro, 2) it's probably the one distance that I will actually be able to get a PR in next year, 3) a bunch of my training buddies are doing fulls next year, and 4) I'd like to get to Kona within a few years. 

So where to start!?  I think the answer is clear.  The swim for Chattanooga has a nice current and my run is in good shape right now.  Translation:  ITS ALL ABOUT THE BIKE BABY!  Unfortunately, I think I know I've lost a lot of cycling fitness due to leaning down and running so much, so I am going to need to spend some quality time in the saddle.  To kick start this, I am doing a December Bike Challenge, where my goal is to ride my bike every day for the entire month.  Any takers?  I think this will be a delightful way to get rehabituated to the wonderful world of cycling.

All I have to do now is make sure I'm stocked up on

to save my