What Lies Ahead: 2010 In The Works

My 2010 season has been working itself out in my head even before i wrapped up 2009, but I’ve had more time lately to finalize it, work out race dates, start looking at dog event dates, and so on.

I’m quite glad I committed before IM AZ that I would be doing all short-course next year.  Because I really really want to do another Ironman – despite any and all mentally low and physically slow moments, I loved my race day experience.  And I will do another Ironman, but it’s the best choice for me to wait a year and work on my speed and form and try to score some PRs at shorter distances.

Selecting races is another area where I have to do some scouting to find the best choices for me.  I could have done more races with friends, in perhaps some new and exciting locations or on courses that I know well, but I decided they were not the best races for me, with my goals for the year and the weaknesses I want to work on.  The same will go with my choice for an Ironman in 2011…I really need to do some research and find the best course for my strengths and weaknesses.

Without further gabbing, here’s what 2010 is shaping up to look like for me!  I’m looking forward to revisiting some courses I know well and doing races/venues I haven’t tried since my beginner year in triathlon.

Racing

• 2/7: Superbowl Sunday 10K, Santa Cruz, CA
• 3/21: Benicia Run for Education 5K, Benicia, CA
• 4/17: Vineman Showdown Triathlon, Marin, CA
• 5/9: Rev3 Olympic Triathlon, Knoxville, TN – Tri camp reunion
• 5/16: Morgan Hill Sprint Triathlon, Morgan Hill, CA
• 5/28-5/31: Camp Go CHICAgo! with Elizabeth Waterstraat and Jennifer Harrison – Just mailed the check out today!
• 6/6: Mermaid Sprint Triathlon, TBD
• 7/25: Catfish Open Water Swim, 1-mile, Morgan Hill, CA
• 8/8: Santa Cruz Sprint Triathlon, Santa Cruz, CA
• 9/26: Almaden New Times 10K, San Jose, CA
• 10/24: SOMA (1/2 Iron) Triathlon, Tempe, AZ

Sherpa/Pacer

• 2/13: It’s a milestone birthday for Melissa and I agreed to be her pacer on the way to a new 10K PR at the Mermaid San Diego Run.  Then, we celebrate at Disneyland!
• 7/18: Assuming they all registered before it filled up, I’ll be playing sherpa to a whole group of friends coming out to California for Vineman 70.3!  I even promised to be the post-race designated driver when they go wine tasting.
• 11/21: There’s no way I can’t pop down to Scottsdale for the weekend and cheer for all my friends racing Ironman Arizona!

Dog Events

• 16 AKC Agility Trial Weekends – Some 1-day, some 2-day, and a few 3-day entries, totalling about 34 individual days of competition over the year
• 2 All-Breed Conformation Shows – I have picked a couple shows to special Stanley for fun; he’s still maturing but it will be good practice for us both
• 1 Regional Specialty (Conformation and Agility) – Pending judge selection, I am planning to take the boys to Washington for the Northwest Bearded Collie Club’s regional specialty, show Stanley in Breed, and trial both dogs for 2 days in agility
• 1 Regional Specialty (Agility Only) – Agility for both boys in the Northern California Bearded Collie Club’s agility trial (I will not show Stanley in Breed because we know the judge too well and it would appear improper!)
• 1 National Specialty – A big maybe due to work and training for my last big race of the year, but I’d like to road-trip to Colorado for the Bearded Collie Club of America National Specialty and show/trial the boys.

Suffice it to say, it’s going to be a fun-packed year.  I think 2010 will yield a better balance between training, racing (more races = yay!), my dog hobbies, and work (yes, the bills have to get paid somehow).