2014 Race and Event Schedule

I have had my race schedule planned out for a little while now but have finally decided to commit it all to the blogosphere. It is a busy and ambitious schedule. I enjoy racing and having a full schedule keeps me motivated and on track.

Not all of these races are A races. In fact, I only really have one A race, some B races, a couple of B+ races and a C race. In the world of endurance sports, an A race is one that gets full preparation and dedication including a proper taper before the race. B races are less important races that are fun, perhaps challenging, and good training for future races. They usually do not include a full taper. I will rest before a B race but not do a full blown taper. To me, a B+ race is like a B race but is a race I would like to push myself a little harder in. Of course I always push myself. But a B+ race has a condition that makes it more meaningful to me than other B races. Below, I list all of my races and events as well as whether they are A or B races and what gives the B+ races a tad more weight in my emotional commitment.

1. Saturday, March 29th - Monument Ave 10K - C Race. Just another training day really. If I feel particularly good that day, I will see what I can do. Mostly I am doing this race because my work encourages us to run and actually pays our entry
2. Saturday, April 6th - Smithfield Sprint Triathlon -  300 meter pool swim, 10 Mile Bike, 5K run. B+ race. Last year I got 5th in my age group. Therefore I have made this a B+ race meaning I have high expectations and would love to make it to my first podium. 
3. Saturday, April 26th - Richmond Tri Club Sprint Triathlon- 400 meter open water style pool swim, 20K Bike, 5K run. B race. I did this race last year and it was a lot of fun. It is here in town which is convenient and I know lots of people racing. Hoping to go out and have some fun and beat last year's time. 
4. Sunday, May 4th - Monticello Man Olympic Triathlon- .9 mile swim, 24 mile bike, 10K run. B race. I did this last year and it was a challenge. It was windy and cold and I was not "happy" the whole time. However, I had fun overall and my friends are doing it again this year so it should be fun. It is a triple J event. 
5. Saturday, May 10th - Cap to Cap Century Bike Ride- 100 mile bike ride with supported rest stops on the way. Not a race. I would like to get as many 100 milers in as possible this year before my Ironman. Actually I would prefer to get some 120s in. That last 12 miles on the bike is always difficult. Of course, I am not sure how many I will get in. It all depends on what Coach says. 
6. Sunday, May 11 - Kinetic Sprint Triathlon - 750 Meter Lake Swim, 15.5 Mile Bike 5K run. I may have inadvertently told my coach this was a B race. But it is actually a C race now that I think of it. Mostly I am doing this race as a birthday celebration. I like to do something on the epic side for my birthday every year. A century bike ride the day before a triathlon is leaning in the direction of epic. Not quite there but about as close as I am going to get for a birthday celebration in May. 
7. Saturday, May 17th and Sunday, May 18th - Ironman Chattanooga Training Camp. Not a race. Just a training weekend on the Ironman Chattanooga course. I am not good at remembering terrain or routes but getting out on the course will be a big help. Since the course has multiple loops on the run and then bike, I can see most if not all of the course and get a good idea of the elevation and anything else that might help me train for the race.
8. Sunday, May 25th -Mountains of Misery- This one is also not a race. Although some people will seem like they are racing, I am going to take my time and enjoy the scenery. The MOM is a 104 mile bike ride with 10,000 feet of climbing in the mountains near Blacksburg, VA. 
9. Saturday, July 12th -Mini-Musselman Triathlon - 750 meter lake swim, 16.1 mile bike, 3.1 mile run. B+ race. I am doing the Musselman double so I would like to see how I compare to others doing the double.
10. Sunday, July 13th - Musselman Triathlon - 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run. B+ race. It will be neat to see how I compare to the other doublers. I have no idea what to expect.
11. Sunday, September 28th - Ironman Chattanooga - 2.4 mile river swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run. A race. All of my training and preparation is building to this day. I would love to go sub 12:30 which is an attainable goal I think. 

Well, I think that is everything. It is going to be a busy spring and a big summer of training. I am looking forward to the process of training and racing. I hope to learn more about what I am capable of and become a better athlete throughout the year.  Feel free to comment. Thanks.