Refocusing

I went for a run the other day, and it felt good. Then I went on another run, and it felt very good.

2010 started off with some ambitious goals, featuring a Cat 3 upgrade as the main quest for 2010. Battenkill was a big event early in the season, and I trained hard hitting the weights aggressively in February and logging over 500 miles in March. I felt really good, it was the best cycling shape I've ever been in. In April I logged a century the week before Battenkill, felt good for the main event, and noticed my improvements in the Thursday Night Crits. It was a great start to 2010.

I still logged over 400 miles for April, but my training totally dropped off in May. It didn't help that I spent almost 2 week off the bike, sprawled out on my couch trying to get over some nasty flu type virus that completely knocked me out. Coming back after that was tough, and now with June half way over I want to pause and re-examine my season. It didn't help that my next big season goal, Mt. Nebo had lost sanctioned status with the USAC. I was interested in doing the race anyway, but felt that doing a 25 mile event with 90+ other Cat 4/5 riders was too perilous to my health. Those descents are fast and tight.

So now I want to step back, re-assess my goals for 2010, and regather some training motivation and focus. Given that my top races are no longer USAC sanctioned (all the good hilly ones!) the singular goal of upgrading to Cat 3 no longer seems to be in the picture. Rediscovering running will help to diversify my season goals, which I think will be important to maintaining my training motivation. Running provides an intrinsic enjoyment and doesn't require any specific goals.

This has been a good long break, probably mostly a mental recovery, but now I'm ready and excited to start some focused training again.

Here are some tentative plans. Cyclocross will remain a top goal for the year, and I want to add some running events, a stage race, a duathlon, and maybe some adventure races.

Thursday June 24 - Route 29 Time Trial

Sunday July 11 - Catfish Duathlon in Harrisburg

Sunday July 18 - Route 29 Time Trial

Saturday July 31 - Pottsville 17

August 14 & 15 - Tour de Millersburg Stage Race

Sunday September 5 - Robeson Township State Race

Saturday October 2 - Lamprey Systems Cyclocross

Sunday November 22 - Philadelphia half marathon

That's something to get excited about.