My Ultimate "A" Race

    So many races it boggles the mind! I could race twice every weekend between now and December. Okay, that isn't totally true, there is an odd dearth of races in August. BUT I have found my half-Ironman: The Best In The West, September 7th, about 2 hours from home. I have been searching relentlessly. I was interested in the Pacific Crest Tri the last weekend of June, but it is at high elevation and I knew I would have trouble fitting in high elevation training to get acclimated beforehand. Then I looked at the Rev3 Half Rev in mid-July, but despite what all my schedule links say, I don't think it is happening this year. The Best In The West has the bonus of 2 more months to dial in my running, with ample opportunity to run some long distance events between now and then.
    With my ultimate A Race on the calender I can now start building my training and race schedules. This makes me more excited than you might imagine. The key to a successful A Race is to plan ahead, build and taper appropriately. I can schedule B and C races to hone skills, and build endurance and confidence. It will also allow me plenty of time for open water swims. I think my wetsuit will be a constant companion once the weather warms and I can find good water. I may even try a few ocean swims.... and then there is Scuba diving on the agenda, the ultimate open water swimming.
     I feel a shivering excitement, as well as a sense of relief. I feel as if a burden has been lifted, now that I know when and where I will be testing my mettle. There is also the reassurance that I will now have ample time to train so that I won't be going into this ill-prepared. That had been weighing heavily on my mind. With firefighter academy taking up so much of what little spare time I have, I knew I wouldn't be able to get into serious training until nearly May. And with winter weather, and the short winter days, training outside is very sketchy right now. Now I have the entire summer to swim, run and bike to my heart's content. I will have time do some longer trail runs as well as at least one half-marathon. I plan on doing several 5K and 10K races as training races, because I know I am far more likely to push myself in a race than I am on my own, it is human nature.
    Finally, let the scheduling commence! Training can begin in earnest. Shit's about to get real (again).