So the training targets for 2014 are going to be built on something a little bit more scientific than last years (but not a lot). They are basically going to be built around what I think I will have the time to do this year. I still don't have a real single race target to aim at so everything is still a bit vague for now.
2013 was built around volume to prepare me for doing a half-ironman so those targets were just set as 'more than 2012'. I am not planning to do anything as long in 2014, so the total numbers certainly aren't going to get any larger. In fact in order to pick up the speed I am going to cut back on all of the mileage targets from what I actually did this year.
Swim - 78 miles. And learn to tumble turn properly.
In 2010 I swam 39 miles, 2011 I swam 44 miles, 2012 I swam 52 miles.
In 2013 I swam 85 miles. And I did a bit of tumble turning, but not enough.
So my new target is slightly up on last year's target, but less than last year's total. It is 1.5miles a week and I should easily get this from just TPT sessions and some summer trips to Knockburn. I missed a bit of volume early in the year as I rebuilt my collar bone but I am not planning the two 5-mile weeks in December that more than cancelled those out, so I don't expect to do 85 again. But by doing roughly the same basic number of sessions, and continuing to up the speed a little bit I should get pretty close with just my weekly TPT sessions. They are normally ~2,100m (1.3 miles), so it wouldn't take many extras to fill that out. So I am going to add a couple of speed targets into the racing section as well.
Bike - 1,820 miles.
In 2012 I rode 1,562 miles.
In 2013 I rode 2,078 miles.
In 2014 I plan to ride less miles but faster. So I am going to set the target at a slightly reduced 1,820 miles, which works out at 35 miles a week. I can easily see this target slipping away from me though. I won't be able to get the early gym miles I did last year, and I will be looking to go faster and shorter through the summer. I would like to do one of the local Time Trial races this year, but we will see how it goes nearer the time. The bike 'should' be my weakest event, and I am comfortable with just holding it where it is and moving the other two events forward.
Run 624 miles.
At the minute I am really struggling on the runs during races. I want to be back running at least at a level where it isn't my weakest triathlon event. With over 20 years behind me it should be my best event. The reason I started triathlons was because of how much I could chase people down on the run.
I am quite pleased with the total number of miles I got in 2013, but they didn't convert to fast running in races. So as with cycling and swimming the numbers come down a little from the 2013 actuals, but higher than the 2013 targets. There is also going to be at least one timed one in the racing targets, although still not sure I can cope with a proper road running race so might be a tough one to get.
Racing
The racing targets are going to be much more specific this year.
Swim 400m under 6mins 30, and 750m under 13mins, and 1500m under 27mins. (And if I do by some chance find another 5k swim race, get under 1hr 35).
Cycle a TT race. (Just out of interest as much as anything else).
Run a 5k under 21mins 30, or 10k under 44mins, or half marathon under 1hr 48. Finding a race I can go to and take part in is going to be the hardest part of this one.
Clock personal best times at Knockburn Sprint and Standard and at Huntly Standard (allowing for weather). Finish in the top-10 at Forres Novice.
I also have a list of people that I want to beat. Inkeeping with the history of my blogs I am not going to name people directly. That rule was originally in place because of a police investigation, but it makes sense to keep it so still no names. But I know who they are. There are a group of them just ahead of me in races. In the local vernacular they are the 'ken't faces'. Some of them I want to beat at races, some of them I will be happy beating in individual stages.
Targets that aren't targets.
Sessions - No target this time.
They can come and go with whatever suits. This number could get silly as I start doing shorter and faster. I could end up on 12-15 a week but all of them under half an hour, so counting a flat number here has little value.
Weight - No target this time.
At the start of the year I wanted to be heavier. Up to 80kg. I have been that or above since about the middle of the year. I want to be a bit smarter about this one. I would like to be a bit lighter, for the bike and run sections I am carrying a bit more than is really comfortable. There are just too many hills around here to be hauling extra weight up them. But part of last year's failure on this target was to just set a weight number, which I could just as easily reach by getting fat. And the risk this year is that I could hit a lower weight target by sacrificing useful swim muscles. So I am not going to set a target, but if I get anywhere outside the 75-82kg range then something has probably gone wrong.
2013 was built around volume to prepare me for doing a half-ironman so those targets were just set as 'more than 2012'. I am not planning to do anything as long in 2014, so the total numbers certainly aren't going to get any larger. In fact in order to pick up the speed I am going to cut back on all of the mileage targets from what I actually did this year.
Swim - 78 miles. And learn to tumble turn properly.
In 2010 I swam 39 miles, 2011 I swam 44 miles, 2012 I swam 52 miles.
In 2013 I swam 85 miles. And I did a bit of tumble turning, but not enough.
So my new target is slightly up on last year's target, but less than last year's total. It is 1.5miles a week and I should easily get this from just TPT sessions and some summer trips to Knockburn. I missed a bit of volume early in the year as I rebuilt my collar bone but I am not planning the two 5-mile weeks in December that more than cancelled those out, so I don't expect to do 85 again. But by doing roughly the same basic number of sessions, and continuing to up the speed a little bit I should get pretty close with just my weekly TPT sessions. They are normally ~2,100m (1.3 miles), so it wouldn't take many extras to fill that out. So I am going to add a couple of speed targets into the racing section as well.
Bike - 1,820 miles.
In 2012 I rode 1,562 miles.
In 2013 I rode 2,078 miles.
In 2014 I plan to ride less miles but faster. So I am going to set the target at a slightly reduced 1,820 miles, which works out at 35 miles a week. I can easily see this target slipping away from me though. I won't be able to get the early gym miles I did last year, and I will be looking to go faster and shorter through the summer. I would like to do one of the local Time Trial races this year, but we will see how it goes nearer the time. The bike 'should' be my weakest event, and I am comfortable with just holding it where it is and moving the other two events forward.
Run 624 miles.
At the minute I am really struggling on the runs during races. I want to be back running at least at a level where it isn't my weakest triathlon event. With over 20 years behind me it should be my best event. The reason I started triathlons was because of how much I could chase people down on the run.
I am quite pleased with the total number of miles I got in 2013, but they didn't convert to fast running in races. So as with cycling and swimming the numbers come down a little from the 2013 actuals, but higher than the 2013 targets. There is also going to be at least one timed one in the racing targets, although still not sure I can cope with a proper road running race so might be a tough one to get.
Racing
The racing targets are going to be much more specific this year.
Swim 400m under 6mins 30, and 750m under 13mins, and 1500m under 27mins. (And if I do by some chance find another 5k swim race, get under 1hr 35).
Cycle a TT race. (Just out of interest as much as anything else).
Run a 5k under 21mins 30, or 10k under 44mins, or half marathon under 1hr 48. Finding a race I can go to and take part in is going to be the hardest part of this one.
Clock personal best times at Knockburn Sprint and Standard and at Huntly Standard (allowing for weather). Finish in the top-10 at Forres Novice.
I also have a list of people that I want to beat. Inkeeping with the history of my blogs I am not going to name people directly. That rule was originally in place because of a police investigation, but it makes sense to keep it so still no names. But I know who they are. There are a group of them just ahead of me in races. In the local vernacular they are the 'ken't faces'. Some of them I want to beat at races, some of them I will be happy beating in individual stages.
Targets that aren't targets.
Sessions - No target this time.
They can come and go with whatever suits. This number could get silly as I start doing shorter and faster. I could end up on 12-15 a week but all of them under half an hour, so counting a flat number here has little value.
Weight - No target this time.
At the start of the year I wanted to be heavier. Up to 80kg. I have been that or above since about the middle of the year. I want to be a bit smarter about this one. I would like to be a bit lighter, for the bike and run sections I am carrying a bit more than is really comfortable. There are just too many hills around here to be hauling extra weight up them. But part of last year's failure on this target was to just set a weight number, which I could just as easily reach by getting fat. And the risk this year is that I could hit a lower weight target by sacrificing useful swim muscles. So I am not going to set a target, but if I get anywhere outside the 75-82kg range then something has probably gone wrong.
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