Goals for 2015 - Develop the plan, execute the plan, make my goals a reality

The plan:  Finish a Half Ironman Triathlon in 2015

Leading in this blog with a fantastic video I had to share with you. 

Last year I felt like I had a good season.  It was a season of learning new limitations as well as new accomplishments.  I had several years of troubling health issues that kept me from training (2012, 2013) followed by the devastating confirmation of MS, and then trying to find my way back.  

2014 was a year with a new team of support and finding ways to support myself despite my illness. I did five triathlons, 3 - 5k fun runs, and a half marathon. The half marathon was to test my limits and see if I was officially back in the game to see if another 1/2 Ironman Triathlon was in the cards for me. I felt like my performance at the IMT Des Moines half marathon last year went well with my second best time of the five I have run.  

This year I am focusing my energy a bit with a relay run, two half marathons, two 5k fun runs and two triathlons. The big news is I have signed up for my second half Ironman triathlon so I'm focused on September 13th, 2015. 

The last time I did a 1/2 Ironman (my first and only one so far) was in 2011.  I had an amazing season of firsts in the distance race arena and finished the season with a pretty fast Des Moines IMT half marathon.  

Taking a look at where I was at in 2011 versus totals from this year.  In 2011 I ran my first half marathon in April so my run numbers are rather front loaded.  That year I did my first half Ironman triathlon in late July.  2011 (May) swim 12, bike 250, run 230 So far this year 2015 (may) swim 29, bike 200, run 130 miles. My 2015 monthly average distance goals for swim 6 miles, bike 50 miles, run 25 miles. So far for June 2015 I am at 3.4 miles swimming with some long course swims under my belt, 55.5 miles biking and 17.7 miles running and the numbers are climbing since it is only the 15th. So far my recovery has been pretty good. I have been working with a personal trainer since March. We have done baseline testing twice in the three disciplines and I am happy with improvement I am seeing.

I have set some goals: Balance out my sides with strength work (finally there after three months with my trainer), run a 1/2 marathon at close to a nine minute mile pace. I would like to break the two hour mark or at the minimum have a PR as my best time is 2:06 in 2011. Hoping to hit that goal for my last race of the season in October. Finish a second 1/2 Ironman triathlon as close to or faster than my 2011 time of 6:10. There were so many things I learned from my first one (read messed up) so I should be able to pull a faster time. Continue to trim down (not lose weight) after a couple of years of mixed fitness and roll over in the over 40 age bracket. Have fun training with my family (bike rides, pool visits, and short runs) because I want them to live a healthy lifestyle too.

As always thanks for following my adventures in health.