Happy New Year!

Well it's another new year and I'm beginning my 4th year blogging. It's really amazing to see the transformation I've made since November 2007 when I first started this blog. Every year I set goals and then do my best to achieve them. You can too!

Here are some of the races I am considering for 2011. I have not registered for any of them yet - I usually don't bother until closer to race date, unless they fill up quickly. You never know what's going to happen over the course of the year.

March 27 - Campus to Campus Half Marathon in Kelowna (fun, training run/race)

May 5 - Oliver Sprint Triathlon (warm up to the half)

June 5 - Oliver Half Iron

June 12 - Women's 5k race in Kelowna

June 25 - Scorched Sole 25km trail race in Kelowna

July 10 - Midsummer 8k road race in Kelowna

July 31 - San Francisco First Half Marathon

August 21 - Apple Sprint Triathlon (Qualifier for World Championships in Auckland 2012)

October 9 - Okanagan Full Marathon

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The Plan

I am really LOVING planning out my training schedule again. I do enjoy being coached and appreciate all that it does for me, but I so miss the strategizing and planning and scheduling of my own training. I've decided that this season, I'm going to take back the reins and see if I've learned anything from both Coach Brian and Coach Jeff Kline who have helped me in the past.

I roughed out a plan using my Triathlete's Training Bible periodization tables. For now, it looks something like this (see below) although much will depend on how things go week to week and adaptations will surely be made. The minutes are referring to possible long run times each week up until my half marathon in March. In brackets refer the the types of Joe Friel's workouts I will be doing during each segment - taken from Appendix of Triathlete's Training Bible. I know I need to do rest weeks more frequently than the average younger person, so I tend to cut back a little every 2-3 weeks, depending on how I feel.

Prep (Endurance, Speed Skills)

Jan 2 50 min (done)

Jan 3-9 60 min

Jan 10-16 60+ min

Base 1 (Longer Endurance, more Speed Skills)

Jan 17-23 75 min

Jan 24-30 90 min

Feb 31-6 (R&R) 60 min

Base 2 (Endurance, Force, Speed, Muscular Endurance)

Feb 7-13 90 min

Feb 14-20 105 min

Feb 21-27 (R&R) 75 min

Base 3 (Endurance, Force, Speed, Muscular Endurance)

Mar 28-6 105 min

Mar 7-13 120 min

Mar 14-20 60 min

Mar 21-27 Half Marathon

Build 1 (Endurance, Muscular Endurance. Force for Run/Bike, Anaerobic Endurance for Swim)

Mar 28-3

Apr 4-12

Apr 11-17

Apr 18-24 (R&R)

Build 2 (Endurance, Muscular Endurance. Force for Run/Bike, Anaerobic Endurance for Swim)

Apr 25-1

May 2-8 (Oliver Sprint Triathlon)

May 9-15

May 16-21 (R&R)

Peak/Taper

May 22-29

May 30-4

Race - June 5


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Diet - AKA healthy eating plan and losing weight

Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, January 4:

The plan - 1600 calories per day 60% carbs 15-25% each of fat and protein

More - fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, water

Less - meat, saturated fat, processed foods, sugar, white flour/starches

In moderation - yogurt, low fat cheese, whole grain bread, one small piece of chocolate per day, 1-2 glasses of wine on the weekend.

I plan to cook more vegetarian meals and replace meat with beans/rice/grains whenever possible. As I find new recipes, I will post them on my recipe blog (link on the right).

I will also take my supplements - calcium/magnesium, Omega 3, Vitamin C and possibly a few others.

OK, I have more to say but will post again tomorrow.