2009 Top Ten Lists - Highs and Lows
On the final day of the year I am taking a look back on my top and bottom ten moments from my 2009 season.
Bottom Ten
10. Bike the Bruce: Not being able to break away from the pack no matter what effort I put in
9. Guelph Olympic Triathlon: Leaky goggles that I could not figure out and no mental fortitude to go on without them, instead I floated around until I fixed them.
8. Orillia Triathlon: Cutting my feet in the water before the race even started
7. Peterborough 70.3: Dropping from 1st to 6th place on the run after emptying my tank on the bike course
6. Muskoka Long Course Triathlon: Panic in the water right at the start, had to stop and calm down before continuing.
5. Peterborough 70.3: Pounding away on my pedals right past a policemen and a turn on the ride back towards transition.
4. Orillia Triathlon: Missing a ZAG with less than 2km’s left in the bike and riding off course down a hill before turning around and figuring out my mistake
3. 70.3 Triathlon Worlds: Watching guys run past me at the start of the run (just after transition) that I had sailed past on the bike with 40km left on the bike course.
2. Milton Triathlon: Panic in the water in my 1st ever Tri – felt like my heart was going to explode
1. Duathlon Worlds: Watching the third guy in my category pass me on the final 5km run, knowing that any chance of a podium was over.
Top Ten
10. Peterborough half-iron: Finishing a swim without panicking.
9. Bike the Bruce: Acting as a lead out man for Ian that put him into a situation to win, which he did.
8. Gravenhurst Duathlon Provincials: Holding of David Frake by seconds to capture the title (David later beat me by almost 4 minutes at the Worlds).
7. Toronto Island Triathlon: Looking at the results board to see that I had won my first Triathlon
6. Duathlon Worlds: Wearing team Canada colours for the 1st time.
5. 70.3 World Championships: Finishing with the 4th fastest bike split amongst amateurs in a race soiled by drafting. Event atmosphere was top rate.
4. Good Friday RR: Getting into a break-away and grabbing second place in the race.
3. Niagara RR: Winning my first RR with a final push up the hill
2. Ontario Provincial RR: Winning the race in a solo break over the last 2 laps.
1. Muskoka 70.3: getting to the run turn around and then realizing that I had built up over 1km lead in my category; finishing as the top amateur in the race. The race atmosphere was amazing.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
2009 MultiSport Goals Revisited
2009 MultiSport Goals Revisited
On Nov 12th, 2008 I sent Bryce Croll the president of the UofT triathlon Club a list of goals as part of the process of requesting a Triathlon Mentor in the mentorship program. Bryce assigned Paul Bregin to be my mentor and he did a great job sharing his experiences with me; a Triathlon newbie. I commend the UofT club on this mentorship program and have signed up to be a mentor in 2010.
Now that the season is over, it is a perfect time to reflect back on my 2009 goals as I work on setting my 2010 goals. In general I feel that I was making some big guesses in setting my goals as I had never competed in a Triathlon. In hindsight my goals do seem overly ambitious. In looking back on 2009, I was impressed with the level of competitors in the two world championships that I competed in this year (Duathlon and 70.3).
I did not include any cycling goals in this as they did not apply to my application for a mentor; for 2010 I will definitely include cycling goals.
Short Term Goals:
1: Finish acquiring the parts & building my TT bike
Status: Accomplished
Notes: Easy goal and fun
2: Continue to focus on improvement in swim and running
Status: Accomplished / Ongoing
Notes: My run times improved throughout the year as did my swim times. At some point I am going to start having diminishing returns based on age, but I prefer not to think about that, after all this blog is called midlife and denial is certainly a part of the midlife crisis
3: Be able to run a 5km at a 3:25/km pace (My last race in Sept I ran the 1st 10km at a 3:36/km pace)
Status: Close but no Cigar
Notes: My best time was 3:28/km pace in the Cobourg triathlon where the swim was substituted with a 5km my time was 17:18
4: Be able to swim a 750meters at a 1:30 pace (by May 2009)
Status: Not even close
Notes: What an ambitious goal set just 6 weeks after I started swim workouts. I got down to 1:36/100m by the end of the season for 1.9km, but have a difficult time obtaining that time in a pool
5a: Obtain Elite status as a Duathlete
Status: Accomplished
Notes: I applied and the OAT granted me the status
5b: If I do not gain Elite DU status - Win my age group at the Phx Desert Classic DU Feb 22nd
Status: Accomplished in a way
Notes: I competed in the elite wave and finished last but my time was good faster that the top competitor in my age group
5c: If I do gain Elite status - post a top 3 bike split and finish no worse that to 60% of competitor in the Desert Classic DU
Status: Failed
Notes: I had the 17th fastest bike split and finished 12th out of 12 amongst pros
Year Long Goals:
1: Qualify for the 2010 Worlds in Duathlon Elite division
Status: Abandoned
Notes: I qualified for the elite Duathlon Worlds but have decided not to enter, I am not close to being competitive at the elite DU level.
2: Qualify for 2010 Worlds in Age Group for Olympic Distance triathlon
Status: Accomplished
Notes: I won my age group at the provincials in Cobourg
3: Finish top 3 in the 2009 Worlds DU championship in September in NC
Status: Failed
Notes: I finished 10th and was impressed at the level of competition
4: Be the 1st to cross the finish line in at least 1 local race (impossible as a Duathlete as we always start later)
Status: Accomplished
Notes: Ironically it was in a duathlon, the provincial championships in Gravenhurst
5: Finish in the top 20 overall at Muskoka 70.3
Status: Accomplished
Notes: I finished 16th and was the top amateur
6: Finish in the top 5 in Victoria's DU
Status: Accomplished
Notes: I finished 3rd
Multi-Year Goal:
1: Continue to Qualify and compete in Worlds with top 3 finishes
Notes: Wow that was ambitious I will need to adjust downwards for 2010
2: Become a Top level Triathlete - Run splits down to 32-34 minute 10km
Notes: Absolutely insane goal, not sure how I am going to get there. I ran 35:46 at the DU worlds and it just about killed me.
3: Stay with lead groups out of the swims
Notes: First I have to catch up to them before I try to stay with them. Long way to go on this one
Dream Goal (Hey why not dream): Defy Mother Nature and be a 43 year old member of Team Canada - triathlon at the 2012 Olympics
Notes: Yes I was still basking in the glow of Simon’s silver in the 2008 Olympics. I might as well include my goal of competing in the Tour De France. These dream goals have no basis in reality.
On Nov 12th, 2008 I sent Bryce Croll the president of the UofT triathlon Club a list of goals as part of the process of requesting a Triathlon Mentor in the mentorship program. Bryce assigned Paul Bregin to be my mentor and he did a great job sharing his experiences with me; a Triathlon newbie. I commend the UofT club on this mentorship program and have signed up to be a mentor in 2010.
Now that the season is over, it is a perfect time to reflect back on my 2009 goals as I work on setting my 2010 goals. In general I feel that I was making some big guesses in setting my goals as I had never competed in a Triathlon. In hindsight my goals do seem overly ambitious. In looking back on 2009, I was impressed with the level of competitors in the two world championships that I competed in this year (Duathlon and 70.3).
I did not include any cycling goals in this as they did not apply to my application for a mentor; for 2010 I will definitely include cycling goals.
Short Term Goals:
1: Finish acquiring the parts & building my TT bike
Status: Accomplished
Notes: Easy goal and fun
2: Continue to focus on improvement in swim and running
Status: Accomplished / Ongoing
Notes: My run times improved throughout the year as did my swim times. At some point I am going to start having diminishing returns based on age, but I prefer not to think about that, after all this blog is called midlife and denial is certainly a part of the midlife crisis
3: Be able to run a 5km at a 3:25/km pace (My last race in Sept I ran the 1st 10km at a 3:36/km pace)
Status: Close but no Cigar
Notes: My best time was 3:28/km pace in the Cobourg triathlon where the swim was substituted with a 5km my time was 17:18
4: Be able to swim a 750meters at a 1:30 pace (by May 2009)
Status: Not even close
Notes: What an ambitious goal set just 6 weeks after I started swim workouts. I got down to 1:36/100m by the end of the season for 1.9km, but have a difficult time obtaining that time in a pool
5a: Obtain Elite status as a Duathlete
Status: Accomplished
Notes: I applied and the OAT granted me the status
5b: If I do not gain Elite DU status - Win my age group at the Phx Desert Classic DU Feb 22nd
Status: Accomplished in a way
Notes: I competed in the elite wave and finished last but my time was good faster that the top competitor in my age group
5c: If I do gain Elite status - post a top 3 bike split and finish no worse that to 60% of competitor in the Desert Classic DU
Status: Failed
Notes: I had the 17th fastest bike split and finished 12th out of 12 amongst pros
Year Long Goals:
1: Qualify for the 2010 Worlds in Duathlon Elite division
Status: Abandoned
Notes: I qualified for the elite Duathlon Worlds but have decided not to enter, I am not close to being competitive at the elite DU level.
2: Qualify for 2010 Worlds in Age Group for Olympic Distance triathlon
Status: Accomplished
Notes: I won my age group at the provincials in Cobourg
3: Finish top 3 in the 2009 Worlds DU championship in September in NC
Status: Failed
Notes: I finished 10th and was impressed at the level of competition
4: Be the 1st to cross the finish line in at least 1 local race (impossible as a Duathlete as we always start later)
Status: Accomplished
Notes: Ironically it was in a duathlon, the provincial championships in Gravenhurst
5: Finish in the top 20 overall at Muskoka 70.3
Status: Accomplished
Notes: I finished 16th and was the top amateur
6: Finish in the top 5 in Victoria's DU
Status: Accomplished
Notes: I finished 3rd
Multi-Year Goal:
1: Continue to Qualify and compete in Worlds with top 3 finishes
Notes: Wow that was ambitious I will need to adjust downwards for 2010
2: Become a Top level Triathlete - Run splits down to 32-34 minute 10km
Notes: Absolutely insane goal, not sure how I am going to get there. I ran 35:46 at the DU worlds and it just about killed me.
3: Stay with lead groups out of the swims
Notes: First I have to catch up to them before I try to stay with them. Long way to go on this one
Dream Goal (Hey why not dream): Defy Mother Nature and be a 43 year old member of Team Canada - triathlon at the 2012 Olympics
Notes: Yes I was still basking in the glow of Simon’s silver in the 2008 Olympics. I might as well include my goal of competing in the Tour De France. These dream goals have no basis in reality.
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