After completing eight triathlons over the past three years I offer the following thoughts entering the offseason.
I am not a good runner. Two examples illustrate this; the first is my performance in the Monticelloman Olympic distance triathlon. After the bike portion of the race, within the 35-39 age group, I was in fifth place out of 28. After the run I was 17th. The previous year I participated in the Claytor Lake sprint triathlon. Out of 98 participants my run time ranked 89th.
During this offseason I am hanging up the goggles and bicycle. The fitness efforts I make this winter will be solely focused on improving my run time. Reading books, increasing leg strength, core strength, and increasing running workout distance and intensity will be the priority. A subset of the increased fitness shall be a loss of weight. I've often thrown around the ratio of 2.3 pounds (weight) to inches (height) as a goal weight. For all 6 feet 3 inches of me that means 172.5 pounds. I am currently 215 pounds and believe that weight to be an unrealistic goal. I therefore make my goal weight 190 pounds by April 2014.
I will likely look for a couple of reasons to hop in the pool and go for a bicycle ride. I do not plan on having a workout that specifically includes those disciplines for a while.
While focusing on running/weight, I will establish a secondary goal of increasing overall muscle tone. My arms are flabby, legs weak, and belly soft. Jiggling across the finish line is no way to go through life! Enhancing muscle tone twice a week is already one million times more than I focus on muscle tone now. That frequency sounds about right, and I reserve the right to adjust as I go.
I've spent about one thousand dollars on gear and entry fees. For the most part I've bought on the cheap and I have showed up to all the races I've entered. If I make another purchase it will likely be a bike. Tri bikes are expensive and I still want to ensure an investment in a bike is returned with exercise and physical fitness. I have also yet to find a pair of tri-shorts that don't fade after exposure to sun or chlorine. Those two items are on my watch list, but I have a feeling I am going to "go with what I got" for the time being.
My swim and bike times are not elite, or great. They are always in the top half of athlete performance and that gives me the confidence that a pause in training for those disciplines will not adversely affect my overall performance. Losing weight and increasing overall physical fitness will contribute to my performance in the swim/bike as well.
