2018 totals and 2019 goals

Another new year is upon us!   2018 zoomed by and now it's time for me to reflect on the past year and set goals for 2019.  Most of last year I was coached by Bob Seebohar.  I learned a bunch from Bob and he definitely helped get me into the best shape I have been in in quite some time.  I didn't get any faster in any discipline but did stay injury free and pretty much completed all my goals for the year.  Overall I swam/bike/ran a total of 2,660 miles.  This is a small increase over last year.

I started the year off in January with the Houston Half Marathon in Houston Texas.  This event was especially fun because Julie, and and my stepson Tyler and his girlfriend Abbey were there to support me.  It was fun to see them along the course and at the finish.  

In April, I bought a power meter for my bike and learned how to train with power and all about the FTP test.  I still don't know much about power but can now talk about the number of watts I can generate on the bike!

June was a busy month for me as I accomplished the following:

• Completed the Colorado Sprint Triathlon (1/2 mile swim, 17 mile bike, 5K run)
• Completed the Denver Century Ride  (105 miles)
• Completed the Loveland Lake to Lake Olympic Triathlon (1 mi swim/30 mi bike, 10k run)
• Completed Boulder Stroke and Stride (1500 meter swim, 5K run)

  

In July, Julie and I completed the Triple Bypass.  This was a 118 mile bike ride over 3 mountain passes.  This ride was about 12,000 feet of climbing and the toughest bike ride we have ever done!  We were thrilled to claim victory over it.  I also completed another Boulder Stroke and Stride in July.

August was a thrilling month for me.  In early August, I was humbled at the USAT Age Group Olympic Triathlon Nationals in Cleveland Ohio.  This is always a top notch event racing against the best age group athletes in the United States and I was honored to have qualified to compete.  The swim in Lake Erie was treacherous and the run was really hot but I survived the event and actually beat a few folks.  Julie and I also completed the Skinny Raven 1/2 marathon in Anchorage Alaska in August.  This was my 20th state and it was such a thrill to run in Alaska.  Julie can now claim that she completed a half marathon in both Hawaii and Alaska.  Not too many folks can claim that!


The rest of the year I was kinda lazy and gained about 15 pounds.  The weight sure goes on quickly especially around the October (Halloween candy),  November (Thanksgiving), and December (holiday treats) time-frame.

My totals for 2018 were as follows:

• Swimming - 164,150 yards or about 74 miles.  30 more miles than 2017.
• Biking - 1,953 miles.  2 miles less than 2017
• Running - 613 miles.  8 miles less than 2017.  

My plans for 2019 are:

In 2019, I will be turning 60 in January.  To celebrate this milestone I have decided to attempt an Ironman 70.3 race.   The Ironman race isn't until September but I am super excited about it.  I also started using TriDot for my coaching.  I've only been using it for about a month so far but am pretty sure it will get me in tip top shape for all my events this year.  There isn't a personal coach per se but it includes customized workouts, a workout community,  and the ability to ask questions whenever needed.  TriDot is also much more affordable than a personal coach.  I'm hoping it makes me a little faster and keeps me from getting injured.

My goals for the 2019:

• 3 half marathons.  New Orleans in February is the only one currently booked.
• 2-4 Triathlons (Sprint or Olympic)
• Ironman 70.3 in Atlantic City New Jersey.  (1.2 mile swim, 50 mile bike and 13.1 mi run)
• Plenty of bike riding with Julie in the spring and summer months.
• Focus on enjoying the experiences