So - three sprint triathlons done this year, some progress made.

I’m doing my review, making plans. Trying to work out what I’m doing next year, where I want to go, what I want to do and what I’ve got capacity for, whilst keeping the kitten away from this morning’s party trick of climbing the thick living room curtains.

There’s been a lot of new things this year. I swam in open water for the first time ever - and did quite a bit of it. I did my first open water tri and sucked, but that’s fine. Room to improve.

Repeated the same course I did a few years ago and knocked first twenty minutes off and then another three minutes off, so happy with those improvements. Think I can get more again out of that course, so will go back and do it again next year.

Looking at my annual training plan for 2017, some of it was useful, some of it was bunk. I should have kept it closer to hand and reviewed it more often. I’ve collected a lot of data in Garmin Connect and Strava, but not necessarily been in a position to use that data to the best effect. I need to get better at that. This was my first year with a real training plan around - I understand the process better, so I’ll use it again, and hopefully get more out of it this time around.

On the back of the plan, my 2017 goals were listed as:

  • Finish under 1:45 on sprint - done. Easily. Finished, 1:27 on best, 1:41 this season at worst.
  • Complete swim without panicing. Coming in to this season, swimming was my least comfortable sport. I’ve had a major turnaround now, it’s getting much, much better. I’m now much more comfortable hammering out long distances, it’s now about building some speed and endurance.
  • Complete run without breaking pace. Done at Nantwich. Struggled at Birmingham. Flat courses fine, hilly courses still need some work. Endurance on runs cause some problems.

Sill looking through the 2018 calendar and working out where I can fit in competitions, but shaping up winter training. Hopefully can come out of winter in a good position to take on spring and summer.