The 2013 Race Schedule!! Yee-haw!

I know I was lamenting that my 2013 schedule is going to look alot like 2012.  And, well, parts of it will.  I'm shooting to do mostly local races, like I did this past season, but I am trying to mix it up a little and do some different local races.  The schedule isn't 100% final and I might add in a couple more.  But for now, this is what I'm shooting for:

- Rock 'n Roll USA half marathon on March 16th here in Washington, DC.  I've done this race a couple times in the past - 2012, 2009.  They've changed up the course this year but I expect it will be equally fun and hilly.  It's a great local race and so many of my friends run it, I always bump into friends on the racecourse.  And my friend from high school, Kim, will be doing this race too, giving us an excuse to catch up!

- Monticelloman Olympic triathlon on May 5th outside of Charlottesville, VA.  In 2012 I did the half ironman distance at Monticelloman and I really enjoyed it - great course from start to finish and impressive race organization.  I thought about doing the half again, but there's another half later in May I'm interested in doing.

- Kinetic Half Ironman triathlon on May 11th down at Lake Anna.  I did this race in 2009 and 2010 and it sucked the life out of me every time :)  That run course with the mile-long uphill you get to do three times.  But I think I've had a long enough break from the race because I am excited to give it another go.  Plus it's a popular triathlon in the DC tri community and lots of my friends will be out there racing, making it that much more fun.

- Rev3 Quassy Half Ironman triathlon on June 2nd in Middlebury, CT.  This will be a repeat from 2011 and 2012.  Here's to hoping I don't make it a three-peat and end up with a 5:28 once again - I'd REALLY like to go a bit faster.  I had originally intended to sign up for Eagleman (good practice for racing in the heat) but I procrastinated on registering and got shut out, womp womp.  Rev3 does a great job at putting together an awesome race, the course is fun - hills and all - and it's close enough for my parents to drive down and spectate and I'm able to drive up the day before the race and drive home after the race, so no need to take time off from work.  Plus Mindy and Sarah are looking at doing it, making it even more fun.

- Diabolical Double Gran Fondo on June 22nd out in Garrett County, MD.  Did this last year - probably the most time I have ever spent on a bike.  Beautiful ride and the only part I didn't like was doing DOWN the steep hill near the Westernport Wall.  They are holding a "gentleman's race" for teams of 4-6 in 2013 so you will find Mindy, Sarah, Katie and I riding together (and laughing and stuffing ourselves with sandwiches and M&Ms at the rest stops and commiserating about our poor rear ends that have sat on bike seats for far too long).

- Ironman Lake Placid on July 27th in Lake Placid, NY.  I've not had the race I wanted to have in 2011 and in 2012 - neither race was a disaster but I crossed the finish line feeling unfulfilled and a little dissatisfied with my performance.  I want to give it another go before moving on to an Ironman race in a different venue.  And this seems like it is going to be the unofficial DC area triathlete race so I'm excited to see lots of familiar faces on the course, and my friend Stacey from tri camp (she is a mom of three kids under 7) is doing it too.  Stacey is the one who pulled me up that last hill on the run course at Mile 24, waving a giant bag of mini eggs at me like a carrot.  I'm so excited to have so many training buddies doing IMLP - it will make the long bike rides and long runs double as social time too.

- Luray Olympic triathlon on August 17th in Luray, VA.  I had wanted to do Age Group Nationals again this year, and I found out a couple of weeks ago that I qualified.  I also found out that they were being held a week earlier than last year - and with IMLP being a week later, that left only two weeks between Ironman and AG Nationals rather than the 4 weeks in 2012.  I don't think I'd be in recovered enough to do well and it doesn't make sense to spend the money, at least not in 2013.  Luray is a fantastic local race and I can even drive down the morning of.  Beautiful hilly course, lots of friends doing it.  I'm excited.

- Vegas 70.3 World Championships on September 8th in Las Vegas, NV.  I had no plans, initially, to do this race again anytime soon.  I didn't think I'd be fortunate enough to qualify again and I did so terribly in 2012 that I wasn't too broken up about the prospect of never biking in 110 degree heat again.  But then 70.3 Poconos happened and I nabbed a slot and that was that.  I'm going back.  Fingers crossed that the fact it is on Mr. Sweetie and my 7th wedding anniversary that it will bring me some luck and fast feet.

The latter half of my season after Vegas isn't ironed out yet.  I'd like to do one or two more half ironmans and maybe one more shorter race.  I've heard great things about Rev3 South Carolina and Beach2Battleship half has been calling my name for years.  There are some shorter local races - Giant Acorn or Waterman's that I'd be interested in doing too.  I'm even still working on some stuff in the early season, Rumpus in Bumpass isn't happening in 2013 and I'm still undecided about a triathlon in April.  New Orleans 70.3 is on my radar, but finances make that hard to swing.  I also want to get in an off-road triathlon.  I know I need a mountain bike first - working on that.  After tri season there will be some Backyard Burn trail races and MORE cyclocross - weeeeeeee!