The 3 year plan

The picture this week is me cycling on a rented mountain bike in the park in Mendoza, Argentina.
As it’s the beginning of the new year, a time of big plans and resolutions this weeks update is about The Plan.

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My other half – Alex always laughs at me that I always like to have a plan. Yes, admittedly, I do like to have a plan. No matter how unrealistic or badly designed the plan is, I need to have a plan – I’m lost without one.
So this is the beginning of the 3 year plan and the goal is … Ironman Hawaii World Championships 2010 and the plan started in October 2007.
I went to Kona in 2005, having qualified at Ironman Germany earlier in the same year. It was an incredible experience and no other race even compares to Kona. Each year over 2000 of the best age group and professional triathletes descend to this small tropical village to follow the footsteps of the legends of the sport: Dave Scott, Mark Allen, Paula Newby-Frazer, Natasha Badman to battle the ocean waves, the fearsome winds and to suffer running a tropical marathon. C’mon – just ask any triathlete in the world about it and he’ll e able to spell out the names of places that he may have never been to, like Alii Drive, The Lava Fields or the Natural Energy Lab, all the legendary places synonymous with the Kona Ironman.
When I went to Kona in 2005 I was in a great shape, having raced well all season, with a good PB of 9:32 and I thought I was ready for it. Nothing further from the truth! I had one of the worst races ever, having to walk most of the marathon and finishing in 10:40, well of the pace of the top of my age group. I was very proud just to be there and having finished. In the same race my good friend Nick Kinsey had a great race and finished 5th in his age group in 9:30. Having seen him on the podium at the closing ceremony has ever since been an inspiration for me. I came close at the 2006 70.3 World Championships finishing 8th in my age group, but not close enough. Besides, doing well in Florida is not the same as doing well in Kona.
It’s always dangerous to state your goals publicly, because the disappointment of not achieving the gold will be greater this way, but I’m going to say it anyway: my goal is a podium place in Kona in 2010. I don’t know how realistic this is and weather I will be able to even get close to it, but certainly I’m going to enjoy the journey and I’ll be happy just qualifying and finishing the race. I might be the first Trisportnews athlete to compete in Kona…
Next week I’ll reveal what Year 1 has in store for me.