2016 Plans

We did the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics last weekend. Tradition dictates that it's now time to finalize the race plans for the summer. Incidentally, this year our team raised a total of $1900. A lot of that was due to my sister in law, Mindy.  Lots of dough, lots of fun.

My toe has healed, and my knees are finally getting back into the running.  I put on around 20 miles in January, and I think I'm over the hump.  I'll try to start ticking up the mileage again, and we'll see if the body can take it.  The six weeks off for my broken toe cost me about 10 lbs.  Some of that is the usual winter/off-season weight, and some is beer/chips weight.  Plenty of time to drop some bills, but I kinda feel like a tool for over doing the lazy.

Once again, I am signed up for the Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon on Saturday, May 14 ($55).  I signed up in the fall before I broke my foot.  I had hoped it would be a long slow build to the race, but once again I am under a time crunch.  I'll give it a shot, but this isn't my top priority for the summer.

My sister and I have decided to tick up the triathlon length and try a 70.3 race.  We are signed up for the Liberty Triathlon at Lake Rebecca on Saturday, June 11 ($90+$12 usat, 1.2 mile/ 56 mile/ 13.1 mile).  I don' like the idea of putting all the training on one race, so I am also going to sign up for the Minnesota Toughman Triathlon in Chisago on Sunday, July 24 ($120+$12 usat, 1.2 mile/ 56 mile/ 13.1 mile).  This will put me in a marathon and two 70.3's in the span of ten weeks.  It's a bit ambitious, but it's what I want to do.  Might as well give it a shot.

I'm going to try to prep for the 70.3 race by doing the Minnesota Ironman Bike Ride ($35, 60 mile bike ride).  I'm not really sure how they get away with calling it the Minnesota Ironman, I would guess that they may have had the name before Kona blew up.  It's the 50th year for the ride.  Anyhoo, it's an untimed, noncompetitive, organized ride. I figure its a good way to tick off some miles and feel a bit more safe on the road.

The week before the Liberty Triathlon in June, I'm going to do the New Bri Tri.  It's a sprint triathlon in New Brighton ($70, 0.5 mile/ 14 mile/ 3 mile).  I figure it will be a good way to get in the lake before the long swim.  Also, if I can't pull off a hour and a half workout by a week before the 70.3, then I'm in super trouble.

Two more are on the schedule.  The Granitman Clearwater Olympic relay on Sunday, July 10 ($55 each, 0.9 mile/ 28.66 mile /6.2 mile).  I'll be doing this with Bull again this year.  I'll take the swim/bike and he will take the run.  I'm pretty sure this will be his first 10k, hopefully he has some fun with it. Again, this will mostly just be a workout day.  It's not often that I get in a swim bike, so this will be  a nice workout before the July 70.3.

Last on the schedule is the Lifetime Fitness Maple Grove Olympic Triathlon on Saturday, July 27 ($115+$12 usat, 0.93 mile/ 23 mile/ 6.2 mile).  I really wanted to go back to the Lake Marion Triathlon, but it is on the same day as a family event that I have in Wisconsin; bummer.  Anyhoo, this will wrap up the season and see if the long course work helps tick down my Olympic time.  It's almost two miles short of the 40K on on the bike, so I'm thinking 3 hours will be my time to beat.  This will give me three races with the $12 usat one day membership.  A yearly membership is only $45, I may just kick in the extra few buck to be a member this year.

I'm probably going to stay away from Surf the Murph this year.  It seems like that race always ends up with my knees injured.  The big day this year will be Monday, September 12.  That is the day that registration opens up for Ironman Wisconsin 2017.  That's the plan.