2012 Race Schedule

Last year I somehow ended up signing up and completing 21 races. Why so many? I have no idea! I had a core set of races that I wanted to do, and then I signed up for several others because I had a great discount, and then I signed up for a couple more because I got to do them for free, and then my racing friends (you know who you are!) talked me into several more. I was on a race binge! While its fun to race and I think I push myself much harder on a race day than a training day, there were several occasions where racing meant that I wasn't getting in the same type of quality/distance training that I should have to prepare for my longer distance races.

This year I made not signing up for as many races one of my New Year's Goals. (More on my blog 2012 Goals.) My primary race goals for the year have been:

• to sign up for less races
• to run the SF Marathon
• to run a 3:55 marathon (most likely CIM)
• to run a 1:45 half marathon (not sure which race will be best for that)
• to complete an Olympic distance triathlon (signed up for one in September)
• to complete a century ride (100 miles)

Since I'm a San Francisco Marathon Ambassador, my first full marathon for the year is going to be the SF Marathon in July. Last week I also signed up for CIM (in December) when race registration opened  since I figured it was my best chance for a new PR, but then in the flurry of excitement of the Marine Corps Marathon registration opening (for only 2 1/2 hours before it sold out!) I somehow registered for that as well so now I once again have three full marathons on the books for this year just like last year. 

Last week I also finally registered for several races I knew I wanted to do throughout the remainder of the year, and finally by Thursday of last week I felt that my 2012 racing schedule was pretty much set, and that I knew I needed to spend the next 8 1/2 months resisting the peer pressure from friends (*cough* Tara) to sign up for any additional races. And then .... on Friday I saw that the Gran Fondo race (a 60 mile and 100 mile bike tour) had a fluke with its discount code and suddenly the $125 registration (which included a bike jersey) was only $25. I instantly signed up figuring if I didn't end up doing the race I'd still get a free bike jersey which was probably worth about $60!

There was a flaw in my planning though when I signed up for the Gran Fondo. I've been diligently training for the San Diego Century ride on May 19th which is 66 miles. Now I've suddenly signed up for the Gran Fondo on April 15th which is 60 miles. Err wait, what kind of training is that? I also hadn't thought about all of my weekend commitments coming up. I am racing the next five weekends in a row! How am I going to squeeze my long rides in? Shoot, I am going to have to figure something out. At the very least I have endurance from all of my marathon training. Let's hope come Gran Fondo race day it all comes together for me.

Here is my 2012 planned race lineup:

January 2012

• Resolution Run 15K - new 15K PR!
• Carlsbad Marathon - completed!

February 2012

• No races :-O

March 2012

• March 18th - Super Seal Sprint Triathlon (did this last year)
• March 25th - Oakland Half Marathon (Registered for 50% off and its an excuse to go home to the Bay Area)

 April 2012

• Carlsbad 5K - Everyone has always raved about this race to me and how fun it is. I also saw a $15 registration deal. How could I pass that up?
• Hollywood Half Marathon - Got a special registration deal on this AND my cousin Giselle is going to do it as well!
• Gran Fondo - 60 mile bike race with a jersey that I couldn't pass up on for $26

May 2012

• Vancouver Half Marathon - I'm going to be in Vancouver for a week for work and wouldn't you know, the race starts and finishes a few blocks from my hotel! Granted I'll be there for a tradeshow and I'm going to end up being an hour late for that day. Shh ... it will all work out! Also, Christina will be coming up from Seattle to run the race. Fun!
• San Diego Century - 66 mile ride which is considered a "metric century". Heard good things about this "tour" aka non-competitive ride from my friend Todd last year

June 2012

• No races, Time to really start focusing on my marathon and triathlon training.

July 2012

• San Francisco Marathon - whoo hoo! This will be my 2nd year running as an Ambassador, my 3rd year running the full, and my 4th year completing this event (Ran the half in 2010)
• Will ease off the biking and swimming a bit to run, run, run.

August 2012

•  No races. Time to continue on with my marathon training to prepare for Marine Corps and to pick back up with biking and swimming.

September 2012

•  San Diego Triathlon Classic - My first Olympic distance triathlon! Eek! This will be the longest triathlon I'll have done to date. 1500m swim, 40K bike, 10K run

October 2012

• Marine Corps Marathon - My third time running this race! I'm sad that David won't be running with me like the first two times I ran, but excited that Tara and Christina will be running.

November 2012

• No races. Time to get serious about CIM in December! Will focus on speedwork from September on through December to try to go after a new marathon PR of 3:45 -3:55.

December 2012

• California International Marathon (CIM) - Whoo hoo! Finishing up the year strong I hope! I finally broke 4 hours last year and squeaked in with a 3:57 thanks to the help of my friend Jenny. I'm hoping to shave ever more time off this year. I was on track for a 3:45 finish up until mile 18 last year when I fell apart mentally. I know I have a 3:45 in me, I just need to keep it all together.

So in total for the year I'll be doing:

• 3 full marathons
• 3 half marathons
• 2 bike races
• 2 triathlons
• 1 15K
• 1 5K

With 12 races total compared to my 21 last year, I hope that training and focus leads to another year of PRs!

Are you doing any of these races?

How do you resist signing up for races on an impulse? Am I alone in that problem? :)