Planning for 2009

My two weeks post- Ironman has ended. I have given my body a wonderful rest! My only workouts for the past two weeks: run x 3 (all easy 30 min or under), swim 2x easy, yoga x 3, and bike x 0! While I have not enjoyed missing out on my daily does of good exercise, I have appreciated the fact that good rest for me now will pay dividends for the next year.

I have also spent this time thinking about the upcoming year. I have had two recurring thoughts:

1. I need to focus on my school clinicals until graduation in May to make sure I am developing my physical therapy skills and feel prepared to pass my boards.
2. I need to race closer to home to honor the financial situation in our family. I need to trim the fat and race locally more often to reduce travel costs.
   

This really led me to the conclusion that 2009 will stay very local. It will allow me to focus on school and not strain to fit in travel. It will also save Dave and I some money. This past year I raced everywhere BUT home, and the costs really did add up by the end of the year.

Here are some of the races I wanted to do next year but I cut from the list because they did not fit my vision for 2009: Mardi Gras Marathon, Sylamore 50k, Gulf Coast Half Ironman, New Orleans 70.3, and Ironman Cozumel! Yes, these races seem so exciting and fun! But, they all involve time away from school and travel $$$.

So, here is my revised plan for 2009.

Jan: Swampstomper 50k. Located in Memphis, for $30 it can't be beat. This would be a fun way to attempt my first 50k with friends in a local environment. While it doesn't have the Sylamore appeal to me, I think it will still be a fun experience.

Feb: ?

March: Little Rock Half Marathon. Mira, consider this your recruiting letter- will run with me? I have done this half 2 years in a row, and I love this race. It is only 2.5 hours away and I can stay with family. This will be a smarter travel option for me in place of the Mardi Gras half marathon. I would like to run this half fast this year!

April: ?

May: Memphis In May. Our biggest local race, I can work on getting a new Oly PR right in my backyard. I have an extra bedroom and another pull out bed if anyone wants to race and needs a place to stay. You must be able to tolerate 2 dogs and 1 cat.

June-October: I am going to do some local tris and pick a Half IM for the fall. I will be out of school and hopefully have a job, so I can maybe treat myself to a half IM out of town.

November: New York marathon perhaps? I think I will put my name in the lottery.

It looks like the ironman will have to wait for 2010. The only IMs I have interest in seem to be filled for this upcoming year. So, I think I will keep my eye out for that Cozumel IM in 2010....