So 2011 has drawn to a close and has seen most of my goals achieved, and a few getting ever closer.
My first full year of triathlons, 8 National Series races done, first marathon, first duathlon etc.
Main areas I'm proud of are:
- going from doing my 1st Tri in Aug'10 swimming 75% breast-stroke to returning a year later and all front crawl and finishing 3rd.
- Swim progress as this was a real weakness starting triathlons and I'm a lot more confident now.
- Tracking improvements from race to race as I got fitter and faster.
- Staying mostly injury free and enjoying the whole year.
- Completing first marathon, wanted sub 3 and went with pacers but blew up, 3:20 nonetheless so I'll take it.
Now, I'll do up a seperate 2012 goals list but first a track of my 2011 goal targets to what was achieved.
In order:
- Complete Swim in Top 33% of competitors - Achieved at numerous races
- Finish Race in Top 25% of Competitors - Achieved at most races
Specific:
Swimming:
- Complete 750m Pool Swim in under 12 mins. Currently at 12:55 and intend to take circa 15 seconds off this per month.
Ironically I haven't tested this lately but know I'm around the 12mins for a pool 750m at end of December 2011.
Recent 400m TT was 6:04 so should equate to around the 12min 750tt I'd hope.
I have done a couple of 750 easy tt's ataround 65% effort and came in at 12:50 so happy with this.
Achieved!
Cycling:
- Complete 20k on Turbo Trainer in under 30 minutes, then under 28 minutes.
I recently achieved this in May'11 and timed a 29:10 20k on the Turbo Trainer - easy resistance.
This is achieved, and perhaps not the best measurement of Bike improvement as depends on resistance etc.
- Complete 40k on Turbo Trainer in under 60 minutes.
Also achieved.
- Complete Triathlon Bike section in top 50 or better during Irish National Series races.
Achieved at numerous races. In fact I managed to get close to top 10 near end of season.
Running:
- Run 5k in under 18 minutes
Close but no cigar! Ran a 18:16 on 26th Dec on a rolling course, be pretty confident of a 17:xx on a flat course but anyway.
- Run 5k in under 20 minutes off the 20k Bike
I recently completed this after my 29:10 20k Bike above doing a 19:50 5k Run straight after.
Achieved
- Run 10k in under 37 minutes
Not Achieved - perhaps quite close at current pace but I haven't done a 10k timed effort in quite a while so will have to wait and see on this.
- Run 10k in under 40 minutes after a 40k Bike
Achieved in Caroline Kearney Oly Tri - all be it think the bike course was 2km short.
- Run Half Marathon in under 1hr 30 minutes (doing my first one in Sept)
Achieved, but not in the Half Mara as I didn't do this due to cut foot. I went through the Half in 1:29 during October's Marathon.
- Run Full Marathon in under 3 Hours (again doing my first one in Oct)
Not Achieved - ran 3:20 as I blew up around the 28k mark. Man that was fun! NOT! Marathons are tough going, no plans on doing another one for a while yet...
Triathlon Races:
- Improve my Positions in Races as the season progresses.
Achieved
- Aim for Top 50 or better Position in a National Series Race this year.
Achieved - in fact near top 50 overall I think. Ended races around top 30 in NS events.
- Aim for Top 6 in Triathlon Club
Achieved - 5th. However a couple of fast guys didn't complete the NS ranking of 5 races so not quite accurate.
- Compete in at least 5 National Series Races and get Ranking target to improve on next year.
Achieved - however I intend smashing my 2011 ranking in 2012.
- Podium finish in 1 or 2 local races I plan
Achieved - 3rd in Focus Ireland Dun Laoghaire Sprint Tri.
So in summary I've become fitter and finished races further up the field as I went into the season.
I'm perhaps even more addicted to improving now and hope to break further ground into 2012.
My first full year of triathlons, 8 National Series races done, first marathon, first duathlon etc.
Main areas I'm proud of are:
- going from doing my 1st Tri in Aug'10 swimming 75% breast-stroke to returning a year later and all front crawl and finishing 3rd.
- Swim progress as this was a real weakness starting triathlons and I'm a lot more confident now.
- Tracking improvements from race to race as I got fitter and faster.
- Staying mostly injury free and enjoying the whole year.
- Completing first marathon, wanted sub 3 and went with pacers but blew up, 3:20 nonetheless so I'll take it.
Now, I'll do up a seperate 2012 goals list but first a track of my 2011 goal targets to what was achieved.
In order:
- Complete Swim in Top 33% of competitors - Achieved at numerous races
- Finish Race in Top 25% of Competitors - Achieved at most races
Specific:
Swimming:
- Complete 750m Pool Swim in under 12 mins. Currently at 12:55 and intend to take circa 15 seconds off this per month.
Ironically I haven't tested this lately but know I'm around the 12mins for a pool 750m at end of December 2011.
Recent 400m TT was 6:04 so should equate to around the 12min 750tt I'd hope.
I have done a couple of 750 easy tt's ataround 65% effort and came in at 12:50 so happy with this.
Achieved!
Cycling:
- Complete 20k on Turbo Trainer in under 30 minutes, then under 28 minutes.
I recently achieved this in May'11 and timed a 29:10 20k on the Turbo Trainer - easy resistance.
This is achieved, and perhaps not the best measurement of Bike improvement as depends on resistance etc.
- Complete 40k on Turbo Trainer in under 60 minutes.
Also achieved.
- Complete Triathlon Bike section in top 50 or better during Irish National Series races.
Achieved at numerous races. In fact I managed to get close to top 10 near end of season.
Running:
- Run 5k in under 18 minutes
Close but no cigar! Ran a 18:16 on 26th Dec on a rolling course, be pretty confident of a 17:xx on a flat course but anyway.
- Run 5k in under 20 minutes off the 20k Bike
I recently completed this after my 29:10 20k Bike above doing a 19:50 5k Run straight after.
Achieved
- Run 10k in under 37 minutes
Not Achieved - perhaps quite close at current pace but I haven't done a 10k timed effort in quite a while so will have to wait and see on this.
- Run 10k in under 40 minutes after a 40k Bike
Achieved in Caroline Kearney Oly Tri - all be it think the bike course was 2km short.
- Run Half Marathon in under 1hr 30 minutes (doing my first one in Sept)
Achieved, but not in the Half Mara as I didn't do this due to cut foot. I went through the Half in 1:29 during October's Marathon.
- Run Full Marathon in under 3 Hours (again doing my first one in Oct)
Not Achieved - ran 3:20 as I blew up around the 28k mark. Man that was fun! NOT! Marathons are tough going, no plans on doing another one for a while yet...
Triathlon Races:
- Improve my Positions in Races as the season progresses.
Achieved
- Aim for Top 50 or better Position in a National Series Race this year.
Achieved - in fact near top 50 overall I think. Ended races around top 30 in NS events.
- Aim for Top 6 in Triathlon Club
Achieved - 5th. However a couple of fast guys didn't complete the NS ranking of 5 races so not quite accurate.
- Compete in at least 5 National Series Races and get Ranking target to improve on next year.
Achieved - however I intend smashing my 2011 ranking in 2012.
- Podium finish in 1 or 2 local races I plan
Achieved - 3rd in Focus Ireland Dun Laoghaire Sprint Tri.
So in summary I've become fitter and finished races further up the field as I went into the season.
I'm perhaps even more addicted to improving now and hope to break further ground into 2012.
RSS Feed