I am beyond stoked to finally present my race plans for this year! I’ve been marinating in this for month and months and months now…and finally took the plunge today and signed up for the first race:
Jersey City Olympic Triathlon – Aug 21
LIC YMCA Indoor Sprint Triathlon (tentative) – June 25
Staten Island Half Marathon (not yet registered) – Oct 9
Outer Banks Marathon (not yet registered) – Nov 12
Let’s start with the triathlon. It’s been my life DREAM to eventually be an ironman (ahem, ironwoman rather 😉 ), and every few months I go through a phase when I seriously consider taking the plunge and signing up for an ironman. But after months of research, I decided it’s best to start small with the Olympic distance and work my way up to the Ironman eventually, for two reasons:
- This is a LIFE goal. So why rush it? Building up to and working towards something is one of the best feelings imaginable, and I want this to last as long as possible.
- It’s a HUGE time, mental, & financial commitment. Triathlons are no joke. Everything from buying a bike, to finding the right pool, to blocking out time to train…better to test the waters with the Olympic distance before saying goodbye to my social life for 6+ months with an Ironman.
I couldn’t be more excited for this triathlon. Week 1 of training has already been so much fun. I love being able to switch up my work outs – (my legs are loving it too…passing off some pain to my shoulders and back ;). I joined the local YMCA today to scope out whether or not I’m willing to incorporate swimming into my routine, and thus whether or not I wanted to do a triathlon. The second I entered the pool, I just knew in my gut that I needed to do this race. Everything from the pace of my lane, to the little-too-friendly lifeguard, to the energetic receptionist, I felt so at home. The lifeguard even encouraged me to join the YMCA indoor sprint triathlon at the end of the month! I will need to see how things training goes these next few weeks before committing.
After the triathlon, I do have every intention on doing a fall marathon, which means a half marathon tune-up race as well. BUT, It’s hard to plan 6 months ahead…I figure I’ll go through this triathlon cycle first, see where I’m at fitness-wise, and then decide on a race.
What goes on in my head when I’m selecting races:
- I’m a firm believer in racing to race. What in the world does that mean, you ask? I do NOT believe in racing every weekend, posting on social media, and not giving a race the proper time and training it deserves. I’d much rather race less frequently, thoughtfully train, and mentally/physically/emotionally be ready to give it my all. With that said, I usually aim for 2 “BIG” races per year (usually the marathon), and some smaller races in between.
- A race must work around exams and social life, not the other way around. For the foreseeable future, I will be taking exams every May and October (UUGGHHHHH!!!!!). And so, I probably don’t want to be doing the 20-miler the week before an exam :P. Similarly, seeing the world is another priority in this stage in my life, and so I race/train around travel plans, OR combine the two!
- Think about the bigger picture. It’s weirdly difficult for me to motivate myself to work out without having a race to look forward to. So I’m using these races to gain a larger balance in my life, stay in shape, and get that daily dose of endorphin ;). It’s officially summer, and I knew in my heart that I didn’t want to be intensely training for a marathon. My goal for the summer was to stay healthy, have fun with working out, and still have time and energy to enjoy these few months of the year I don’t have to study! A triathlon in August seemed like the perfect option to get there 🙂
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Race talk aside, this week has been absolutely lovely so far. Living alone has given me a general attitude of wanting to take care of myself. Instead of spending my time on netflix like I usually would, I’ve been trying new recipes (highlight was baked salmon, lentils and green beans!), reading more (outside on my stoop has been my favorite spot), and even getting into slam poetry (THIS DUDE has been my inspiration all week).
Lastly, I’m pumped to announce…WE BOOKED MIAMI!!!! July 4th with the old roomies. Here we come ❤
I Run Like A Girl 