From the reports of bloggers and your training buddies, it's evident that we are in the midst of racing season. Training can be very exciting but of course, what's the point of training without a race to put all that hard work to the test.
With the release of a new Ironman next year in Lake Tahoe (2013), it's important to take into consideration a few key factors when registering for a race. Here's my top 10 suggestions:
1) altitude
2) time of the year
3) cost of race
4) cost of travel
5) support from friends and family
6) weather on race day
7) similar training conditions for the race course
8) ease of travel and loding on race day
9) other life stressors during training that may interfere with training and/or racing
10) any current injuries, weaknesses, set-backs or concerns
And of course, consult with your coach or mentors to get other opinions for a race. It's ok to look at forums but always keep in mind that a POV from a person who lives in the mountains may be completely different than the POV of someone living on flat roads and who is able to train year round in warmer conditions.
Always think before you register for a race. Signing up for a race with your friends can be fun and motivating but at the end of the race day, you are in control of getting your body from the starting line to the finish line....and every "body" needs to be trained with proper training. For on race day, it is both mental and physical......you are putting your training to the test as you control the controllables - nutrition, attitude and pacing.
Be sure to stay tuned later today for some exciting triathlon news!
With the release of a new Ironman next year in Lake Tahoe (2013), it's important to take into consideration a few key factors when registering for a race. Here's my top 10 suggestions:
1) altitude
2) time of the year
3) cost of race
4) cost of travel
5) support from friends and family
6) weather on race day
7) similar training conditions for the race course
8) ease of travel and loding on race day
9) other life stressors during training that may interfere with training and/or racing
10) any current injuries, weaknesses, set-backs or concerns
And of course, consult with your coach or mentors to get other opinions for a race. It's ok to look at forums but always keep in mind that a POV from a person who lives in the mountains may be completely different than the POV of someone living on flat roads and who is able to train year round in warmer conditions.
Always think before you register for a race. Signing up for a race with your friends can be fun and motivating but at the end of the race day, you are in control of getting your body from the starting line to the finish line....and every "body" needs to be trained with proper training. For on race day, it is both mental and physical......you are putting your training to the test as you control the controllables - nutrition, attitude and pacing.
Be sure to stay tuned later today for some exciting triathlon news!