2017 Race Schedule

I think I very well get the worst friend of the year award. Recently, one of my closest university friends let me know she was engaged and asked me to be a bridesmaid. My response was:

“As long as it isn’t on one of my race weekends.”

What I really meant was as long as it doesn’t fall on one of my IMPORTANT races weekends. I have a number of small races that I intend to use as a benchmark to progress over the year, but I do have a number of pretty big ones that I have put a lot of stock into.

I am racing in three different sports in 2017 – running, adventure racing and triathlon.

[Tangent: I intend to extend that to cycling races in 2018. This year, I am using as a development year in terms of cycling – I have joined a mountain biking team, I have ordered a cross bike and I have my road and tri bikes. I intend to race in all four different styles next year because although I think of myself as a runner, I want to also truly believe I am a cyclist which will translate well into my multisport disciplines – AR and tri – in the future.]

So what do I have planned in terms of key races?

ADVENTURE RACE

The Florida Sea to Sea 72 HR Adventure Race – March 2 – 5, 2017

Brad and I will be racing for Get Out There Magazine, literally racing from one coast of Florida to the next, nonstop. You can read more about the race here. My goal for this race is a podium finish. Brad and I have worked out some goals in terms of progression and team development so we are using this race to keep us on track.

It has worked out flawlessly that on the day that we complete the race, my parents are flying into Tampa from another trip so I will recover from this race for three beautiful days of sleeping in hammocks under palm trees, relaxing at the beach and eating fresh Florida produce before heading back to reality. I call that the best of both worlds.

RUNNING

Ottawa Half Marathon – May 28

My close friend Todd just bought a house in Ottawa and I want to target a spring half marathon to test out my speed going into triathlon racing season. This is a perfect set up for the season and ideally, I plan to try to better my half marathon PR of 1:27:28.

TRIATHLON

Ironman 70.3 Syracuse – June 18

This race will be a test of fitness, rather than a goal race. I will practice Ironman nutrition, speed and gear to get more comfortable and feel confident going into a full. It is a more difficult course, which I thrive on. I absolutely love racing in elements and on hills and this course promises to deliver both.

Ironman 140.6 – July 23

This is the big one. It is my first ironman so I am relentlessly preparing for it, yet managing expectations that as my first one, I will be more or less figuring out how my body handles this distance and style of racing for the first time. I am only excited to make this my goal race for 2017.

DUATHLON

ITU Multisport World Championships – Aug 18-27

This is close enough after my Ironman that I have chosen to go to this and just enjoy the experience with no performance expectations because I will undoubtedly still be recovering from the ironman. I signed up for the duathlon without knowing it was a qualifier and when both Mark and I qualified, we decided that it would be a perfect race to wrap our vacation around so we are flying out, doing the race and then road tripping through BC and Alberta for a couple weeks. I am looking forward to soaking in the experience of going and trying something brand new to me.

ADVENTURE RACE

Brad and I break out our adventure racing season with a key race in the spring and fall. Right now, we are nailing down the logistics of this one, but we will be doing one, possibly two big fall races.

RUNNING

My close friends and I do a run vacation every year and I intend to close off the year with a running race in California.

NOTES

• I love racing local and intend to supplement my training for races by participating in events from RunWaterloo, 5 Peaks and MultiSport Canada. 
• I have never done a single one of my key races for this year so if you have done any of the above and have any advice, leave it in the comments!
• I am not outright racing all of these events. I believe strongly in recovering and knowing when to exert myself and when to hold back. This is a high volume year and I am countering that with doing less intensity such as the 5 KM and 10 KM events that I did last year. I am not saying I won’t revisit, but my main goal this year is to not become injured.
• In happy news, the wedding was 2018 so I am able to have the best of both worlds!

What do you have planned for 2017?

Have  you done any of these races? What should I be expecting?