Tuesday, January 5, 2016

2015 Race and Training Year in Review

Sometimes I do a 'Race Year in Review'.  Sometimes I do a 'Training Year in Review'.  This year, I'm doing them both, together.  Efficiency.  Make a note of it.


First, the training, because otherwise the racing isn't for crap.
Swim:
347,014 yards (197.2 miles)
Time 142:22
Biggest Month:  39,400 yards (January)
Biggest Week: 10,500 yards (Jan 26th)
Longest Swim: Kona (maybe that was my problem)
So less yardage than last year, but more time.  I guess that means more instruction?  Definitely more kicks, different strokes, and drills, so there's that.  I don't really know if I've gotten any faster.  My Kona swim was abysmal.  However my rankings at Eagleman and Knoxville weren't bad, and my Stumpy time was 3:20 faster than 2 years ago.  I am making some progress.

Bike:
5,787 Miles
Time 277:04
Biggest Month: 977 miles (August) (woah!)
Biggest Week: 316 miles (September 14th)
Longest Bike: 150 miles
Got some serious miles in this year training for Kona.  500 miles more than last year (which had been my biggest to date).  A lot of long slow stuff, so power didn't really increase that much.  6 Century rides in training.  Topping it off with a 150 miler at 21.1 mph average.

Run:
1,637 Miles
Time 199:32
Biggest Month: 184 miles (August)
Biggest Week: 60 miles (August 31st)
Longest Run: 23 miles
Similarly with the run, I got in 200 miles more than last year.  Which is a lot considering I trained for an Ironman last year too.  It felt good to get some miles in and not be injured at all.

Strength:
Time 23:30
This blasphemy will never end.  Never!

Totals:
7,621 Miles
Time 642:28
Biggest Month: 84 hours; 1,177 miles (August)
Biggest Week: 27 hours; 381 miles (September 14th)
A 9.6% increase in total mileage, and a 8.8% increase in time.  Looking forward to 2016 when these numbers will be way down.

2015 Races

02.28 Banks Trail Middle School 5K 18:46, 1st Overall (129 Finishers)
Had to defend my title against a bunch of preteens.

04.11 Charlotte Racefest Half Marathon 1:23:15, 4th / 1268 (1st Masters)
I had a great time going until that wrong turn.

05.17 Challenge Knoxville Half 4:33:30, 3 / 41 AG, 7 / 205 Overall Male Non-Pro
My first "Challenge" race.  Just like the all the Rev3 races I've done.  The pointy end of this race was pretty competitive.  Ultra hilly, probably wouldn't do it again.

06.14 IM Eagleman 70.3 4:37:08, 3 / 251 AG, 16 / 1350 Overall Male Non-Pro
Had a good bike until the penalty.  Slow run, but still made the podium

06.24 Rock Hill Time Trial 23:05.83, 2 / 23 Overall
Finally did one of these.  Plan on doing more next year.

07.04 American 4 Miler 23:40, 10th / 343 Men, 1st Masters (816 finishers) 
Not sure how I got talked into this one, but had fun winning masters.

07.11 Stumpy Creek Olympic 2:18:42, 3rd Overall (124 Men)
Nathan talked me into this one.  I still don't like this race, but was happy to make the overall podium.

09.12 Finish Srong Half 4:34:53, 1st Overall (53 finishers)
Always fun to crush the field in a small race.  Big fish, little pond?

10.10 IM World Championship 10:15:21, 86 / 291 AG, 400 / 1549 OA Male Non-Pro
The pinnacle of it all.  Man that was a tough race.  A trip and race I will never forget.

11.14 Thunder Road Marathon Relay 3:18:57, 3 / 62 OA, 1st / 41 Mixed Division
Definitely a lot of fun hanging out with everyone.  And a sprint finish.

11.26 Baxter Turkey Trot 17:39 (2.88 miles) 1st Overall (?400 Finishers)
Technically not really a race, but a fun morning with my wife.
Kona
In 2015, I made Ironman's All World Athlete Silver again.  I don't put much stock in the ranking, but it is nice to have the ranking to get a low race number and a sweet spot in transition in 2016 races.  I will take full advantage of this as I'm doing 3 Ironman 70.3's this year: Chattanooga, Muncie and Augusta.

And finally, after years of David Hall beating me in the USA Triathlon Male 40-44 rankings for South Carolina, he aged up into M45-49.  I actually beat him this year, too (my 97.363 to his 96.359)! But alas it doesn't really count since he's old.  Well, I'm old, but he's older.  I will take solace in the fact that I finished 2015 ranked #1 for M40-44 in the ENTIRE Southeast Region.  That includes the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and the panhandle of Florida.

Yeah, it was a good year.  So let's set the goals for next year.  Much like 2014, there is only one goal: Qualify for the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Chattanooga, TN. (and don't get divorced)