Time for a new start

Well now that I have been sitting around for a few weeks recovering from my croken collarbone, I feel a moment of clarity. Its odd, up until this morning I think I was still too heavily invested in the current season to really let it go. Or shall I say I was in the process of letting it go. Mentally I was geared up to do IM Wisconsin. Possibly a marathon in the Fall.

What I was not ready for was several months not able to do anything at all. So I think it has taken me a few weeks to truly adapt to that. Logically I was able almost instantly to shift over and say I am injured and cannot do the IM this year. And so I was able to do what needed to be done to shift all my races over to next year. However I was not able to shift my planning over. Although I had all the time in the world I simply could not sit down to make decisions about it. Instead I just vegged. Which perhaps is the best thing I could have done for myself.

Aside from my training I am also going through potential career changes. Good changes. But changes none the less. So it was good to have an opportunity to clear the plate and reorganize so to speak.

This morning I feel ready to plan for next year.

Next year I already know I am doing the IM Lake Placid. So really my planning involves identifying when I can start training for it. I also have budget considerations to make. I have the money to continue as is with my training, the question is do I want to?

By that I mean, each year I have upped my game a little. Last year was the year of getting a carbon tri Bike, and a coach

Next year? I would like to upgrade, and I have a budget to add somethings but I do not have enough to upgrade everything. For example do I shoot for aero wheels? Or do I take the same money and get a Garmin, aero helmet and maybe wheel covers that would simulate aero wheels? How many races should I do? etc Cost is a factor what with every half ironman now costing about $300

I have to balance all of this out with the fact that I have a house and family obligations. We have allot of upgrades to do for the house. So I would actually like to set a budget for next years tri goals so that I know Thats what I have to work with and that my other parts of my life will not be suffering because of it. So these are the decisions I need to make. Finally I feel a little clear headed about these. In a way I needed to simply my life a bit, my broken collarbone in a unplanned and brutal fashion accomplished that lol

SO as far at training time goes, here are the facts the Doc says that I will require 3 months before I can fully get back to triathlon training. Meaning he does not recommend swimming or any exercises that use the shoulder until then. So that leaves out Swimming. My plan is to give myself the full amount of time needed. So I will not be doing any Tri training until November.

That still leaves me with 9 months in order to prepare for IM Lake Placid which is plenty of time. So I am not really worried. Between now and November I should be able to gradually get back to cycling and running, so that I can slowly begin to build a base again. In a way I will be starting over as if I have not done a thing all year. I remember reading somewhere that it takes only two weeks of inactivity to begin to lose fitness. So in three months I will have lost alot of fitness. Oddly enough thats OK. I'll look at it as a fresh start.

I'll keep you guys posted as to what happens from here.