Been there, done that, now what?

[teigyr]

Well...since I did the two tri's this season (sprint and one with sprint distance except for 1/4 mile swim), I am lost now that the last one is done.

I was very aimless today so it's time to plan for next season. What is the next step, Oly? The way I see it is I train for the next step and throw in a few sprint tri's for fun and to practice. I'm more of a distance person anyway.

For those that read my swim thread, this winter is all about swimming. I am going to a Total Immersion clinic in October and I plan to practice OW until it's too cold. Oddly enough, I prefer OW to pool swimming so I guess I'm blessed that way. Either that or the coach I got was awesome because he really made me see the beauty in it.

So, what would be the next progression for late spring/early summer? I don't like being stagnate, ie repeating the same distances over and over unless it is THE distance I prefer. I know my limits - in cycling I progressed to centuries and that was pretty much THE distance. No desire for a double.

I have most of the toys, now I just need to plan for the next one. What's a good distance?

And thank you all. Thanks to this thread I wanted to do a tri and thanks to this thread I did two in two weeks. (And I didn't drown!)

[Eden]

Why not aim for a faster time on the same distance course? I enjoy races that are the same from year to year so that I can see how well I've progressed (not tri's for me, but still the same idea)

[mimitabby]

what's a total immersion clinic? Are you learning fish language or what?

[Tri Girl]

I know that lost feeling... it's kinda sad to have. :(

I'd shoot for an oly or two next season with a couple sprints for the fun of it and training (your sprints could be one or both of the races you just did).
If you're like me (I'm definitely an endurance/distance athlete over a fast/sprinty type), then I find going long to be the most rewarding. Training long is a whole other animal, but one that I see more gains/rewards in.

Do you have any in mind????

[teigyr]

Being a fish would be a good thing :D It's a swimming style that apparently is not physically draining. So I hear.

The problem is I wasn't a fast cyclist and I didn't care about time as opposed to distance. I warm up slowly (it takes me approx 15 miles on the bike) so yeah I could work on that but it's more enjoyable to increase the distance I do so I don't have to do anything that is perceived as sprinting. I'm a "comfort" athlete person.

Am thinking of a few sprints then an Oly. Don't know which one yet but I have to figure out something. I don't like having nothing to look forward to!!! And for my repeat sprints, I will aim for faster time. I only compete against myself but it has to get better. My first tri which was two weeks ago could have been done in a FAR faster time had I been swimming better and doing better transitions. Trust me, this will happen next year :D My bike time was decent (not on the second tri but those Kirkland hills were diabolical) and my run time surprised me in a good way.

[HillSlugger]

There doesn't have to be a "next step". I think you need to look at what you like and dislike about triathlon and decide what is right for you. There's nothing wrong with doing sprint tri's if that's what you like. If you are looking for a bigger challenge, then it makes sense to look at Olympic distance.

I certainly understand the "nothing to look forward to". I had planned my season so that after the tri's were over I'd start ramping up the distance for my first metric century. In my case, my knee problem has taken the whole rest of the season away from me. Now, I'm diligently doing PT so that I can have a next season.

[Kimmyt]

I hear you on all accounts. I have personally decided that I want to increase my distance next season. To this end, I have decided to take part in an early-spring half marathon to see how it feels. If it is not a horrible experience, then it will be a good thing to file away for later use, to know that I can run that distance. Then come summer I will be doing one Oly, and depending on how I feel at that Oly (if I enjoy the distance, etc.) I may do another at summer's end, or if I do not enjoy the distance, I will do a sprint.

I think you should try an Oly if you are interested in it, then you can see if going longer is really for you.

And like others said, sprints are cool too. I totally plan on doing longer distances now and then in the distant future perhaps when long hours of training are not a possibility, focusing on speed in the short distance events.

K.

[tygab]

I am feeling the same way... scanning the listings but I really can't fit another one in unless I end up doing one out of the area... so I am mostly looking to next year.

I am thinking along the lines of Kimmyt in terms of maybe doing a 1/2 marathon in a warmish area in the late winter/spring, and an oly for the tri goal. I feel like I am a distance person too, it takes me at least 7-10 miles to be into the bike, and then I can usually just go for several hours. And while I do not run fast, I usually feel very comfortable, maybe too comfortable. Good for distance, not so good for 5ks. I may try a fall 10k, too.

I start my 2008 training plan this coming Monday, since my old one basically ended as it's structured around the summer. :rolleyes: I stuffed some 08 races/events in as placeholders, and the nice thing is that it will recalculate once I do know dates/events. The good news is that the next month if not two is kinda simple. I hope to stay closer to the plan than I did last year, but just having one helped a lot, I think. Even if I got thrown off for a bit, there was always something to go back to.

[teigyr]

Hmmm, I'm not so much of a runner to think about a 1/2 marathon. Maybe...but with the tri's being over my PT sternly told me not to run for a bit. It does take me forever to warm up though, with a 12 mile cycling route on a sprint tri, by mile 11 I finally feel ok! With the run, I feel ok after 2 miles or so. The swim though...would definitely have concerns with an Oly unless I make substantial headway this winter. Am trying.

DH would like to do a century in '08 so I will train for that. And I am looking at Oly distance tri's for mid-late summer. I don't think I'm obsessive but I do feel lost!

Tygab (and most others), I imagine there are weather challenges for certain parts of tri training in the winter? I go to MA frequently and it's usually in the cold season...VERY cold :D

Maybe I'll think of a 10K run or something but to be honest, I'm ADD enough to appreciate tri's. They're kind of fun.

[rocknrollgirl]

Hi Guys,
coming in a little late on this, but I like to do some of the same races year to year, to see if I can improve, and in off road events each venue is so different, that you would never get bored ( or feel very accomplished! ) at a standard distance. I guess in a way that is a good thing.

After Nationals were are thowing in a fun race in October with a group. Is there something like that you can do?

Some fun fall running races?

I would go for the Oly distance. It is the logical next step. I would also throw in a repeat of one of your races from this season.

[HappyAnika]

It sounds like what you've said points you to an Oly. I like the idea of doing a few more sprints for practice and fun. This is loosely what I have planned for myself next year, we'll see how training goes with the wee one. I'm already anxious to get back out and do another sprint, without being pregnant, so I can give it my all.

In the meantime, you talk about currently being aimless. Can you find some other fall events to look forward to? I'm still planning to do a 5k at the end of October. I needed something to motivate me to keep running so I don't just drop it and then have to start all over next year. I'm also still trying to talk myself into going to a spin class at the gym. I'm so jealous you're going to a TI workshop, I'd love to do that. DH and I taught ourselves through the book and DVD, but a workshop would be invaluable. October is just around the corner, it'll be here before you know it, then you'll want to keep swimming all winter to perfect your technique. I think it's perfectly normal to feel a little aimless after the highlights of the season are over, but there's still plenty to do. The aimlessness shall pass. :)