2014 - A Year in Review

*The Annual Review

Many people wait until December to do their year in review, but I think November is a much better time for that task.  With the warm weather behind us, the seasons races all complete, yet our performance still relatively fresh in our mind - Nov is a great time to review the year.  Especially when so many of us often find December to be overwhelming with the holidays upon us, and external pressures taking our thoughts away from fitness and towards more festive and indulgent activities.  

But thinking about your plans for the new year, and upcoming season NOW in Nov, instead of the new year, will allow you to get a head start on your fitness plan for the upcoming season, and will also help you from completely falling off the fitness wagon when the holiday revelers undoubtably come a-knocking.  

*How was my 2014? 

I started my race season earlier in 2014 than I did in 2013, and I’m glad I did.  Although some of the road races in April and May were chilly and required a spring jacket and warm socks, forcing myself to be ready for a 10km road race in early spring helped better prepare myself for the triathlon season in June.  I took it easy with a downhill 10km run (the Yonge St 10km), but it served as a solid confidence booster for the tougher 10km runs later that year, particularly the 10km Zoo run which was much hillier and required more training time. 

I also did the Becel bike ride for heart, the full 75km, which was a full on prep event for some of my longer distance triathlons (olympic 40km bike vs sprint 20km bike) I was planning on doing later that summer.    

My swimming performance had really improved over the last year as well, which I was really pleased with.  In 2013, my 750m sprint swim time was ~17:22, and in 2014 I managed to knock my time down to 16:05.  I attribute this to a committed swim schedule at the pool, and working on my lats (latissimus dorsi muscles) in the weight room over the winter.  I took part in my first open-water swim specific event in August, the Toronto Island Lake Swim, where I swam the 1.5km course in a time of 34:51.  

Overall, I took part in five triathlons (MSC Binbrook, MSC Belwood, MSC Wasaga Beach, TTF, OWT), two 10km runs (Yonge St 10km run, Oasis Zoo run), the Becel bike ride for heart, and the Toronto Island Lake Swim.   It was a great season with some of my best finishes yet, including two top 5 finishes! Placing 4th in my age group at MSC Belwood and 5th in my age group at the Ontario Women’s Triathlon (OWT).  I’m hoping to improve on those in 2015. 

Besides my racing performance I had a few other professional accomplishments in my field I’m proud of.  In April, I attended the Muskoka Tri-Summit on Coaching the Endurance Athlete.  In July, I earned my Level 1 officiating card from Triathlon Ontario. Then in October, I branched out into fitness modeling, and did two shoots with a professional photographer, which was new territory for me, but also fun and exciting in its own way.   

So overall, I can say that 2014 was a pretty good year for me.  I’m proud of my accomplishments. 

*Setting New Goals

This is the point in my year where I like to set my goals for 2015 and format a general training plan to get me where I want to be.  This may include: 

1. setting aside some time to rest any nagging injuries that may have built up over the summer, finally giving them time to heal, possibly visiting a sports medicine professional if needed  
2. scouting out potential dates for races/tournaments and saving the dates on your calendar to avoid double bookings and other disappointments 
3. establishing an off-season training schedule that will have you ready for spring races and a demanding summer, which may include dedicated time in the gym, weight room, pool, the track and with your trainer.  
4. checking out end-of-season equipment sales for great deals on sports gear
5. reviewing your diet and nutrition plan to see if it was appropriate for athletic performance, and if not, to make adjustments. Possibly take some cooking classes or book an appointment with a nutritionist.  
6. trying cross training and participating in sports that were neglected when race season was in full swing. This can include recreational team sports over the winter, or alternate winter cardio sports such as cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing. This can re-invigorate a dull training program, as well as help reconnect with friends. 

*What are my goals for 2015?

Personally, I find setting goals early helps me stay focussed on my long term plans,  preventing me from becoming complacent in my training, or overindulging in the holidays.  

I’m planning on doing the Yonge St 10km again on April 19, but challenging myself early with something new - the GoodLife Fitness half-marathon (21.1km) on May 3.  I’m also planning on doing the Becel Ride for Heart, all 75km once more on May 31.  And of course, several triathlons, at least one in each of June, July, Aug and Sept.  I’m still pondering which exact courses yet, but I’m strongly considering Welland, Belwood, Bracebridge, as well as the Toronto Triathlon Festival (TTF), with distances ranging from 750m swim/30km bike/7.5km run (triathlon) to 1.5km swim/40km bike/10km run (olympic) courses.  I think I’ll save the half-iron triathlon (2km, 90km, 21km) for 2016, although the Niagara Falls Barrelman (Sept 20) is creeping in the back of my mind I must admit. Although I’d really have to up my bike training in order to finish that course in a respectable time.  I’d also like to add in some longer swim courses (1.5-3.8 km) in 2015, possibly the LOST swim or another event offered by the Canadian Open Water Swim Series (COWSS). 

And of course, I still plan on playing in TUC with my ultimate frisbee league teams throughout 2015. 

Obviously with such an ambitious schedule I won’t be taking much time off, as I want to maintain my current level of fitness, then take it up a notch in the new year.  I’ve already begun my off-season strength training program.  

*Wrapping up the wrap-up

I hope reading this blog will help you think about setting your goals for 2015 sooner rather than later, and getting a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, Timed) training plan in place to make those dreams a reality, whether they be purely athletic and other life goals.  There’s no time like the present to make your future better! 

What are your goals for 2015?  I’d love to hear your plans for the upcoming year and help you meet them.