Setting 2014 Goals

Reflecting back on 2013, the big goal was getting into road cycling.  I bought a road bike in April and then cycled over 5100 km this year, the main event riding the STP (Seattle to Portland) some 340kms over 2 days.   Although most of the 5100 kms I road this year were road cycling,  my cycling does include weekly mountain biking with my buddy Pete.  I love the technical riding and excitement of mtg, although I don't like the crashes that you experience when mtb.  This year, I also got into trail running.  I had to pretty much give up road running, at least for now.  I haven't run a marathon or half for a while as my running injury seems to persist when I road run (I don't think my body can take all the repetitive pounding, hour after hour needed for distance running).  The positive thing is that I'm able to trail run, it seems to be much easier on my body and trail running doesn't aggrevate my injury.  I'm glad I found trail running.  I'm loving being in the forest and being connected to nature.  Best part, I'm only minutes away from the trails.

Looking ahead to 2014, I've  set some goals.  I've signed up for 5 trail run  races  with 5 Peaks, about a race a month.  I also will ride 2-3 big road bike races 100 - 160 km per race (Valley Fondo one of them).  I'm also planning one or two mountain bike races.  lets see.   And the big stretch goal in 14 is possibly doing a triathlon.  One problem: I can't swim.  I started swim lessons from ground up, learning to blow bubbles, dunking my head under water and swimming in the deep end, what a fat dweeb I am.  I completed two beginner classes (16 lessons so far), and starting my third beginner swim class in January.  In swimming, I facing my fear of the deep end and somewhat getting over my automatic panic attacks when I'm in the deep end.  I'm not sure why I even want to do a triathlon? Not sure but I'm making progress learning to swim and  I'm starting to swim laps.  I figure, I'll need to swim about 20 laps in about 20 mins to do a short sprint triathlon.  That would be cool but I'm realizing it'll be a big stretch for this year.  We'll just have to see how the year unfolds.

All the best in your fitness endeavours.   No fear.