thoughts on the new year...

I've never been much for resolutions. I generally work towards goals.
Sometimes those look more like resolutions like the fact that I need
to work on my climbing this year. Working on that climbing is going to
mean, at the very least, trying to tackle some of the weight. I think
that's always a goal though... weight loss. I don't know when working
on losing weight has ever not been part of my goals. Inevitable I
sabotage myself and never actually go past a certain marker (which in
my case tends to be 225) but it stays as a goal.

At the Y yesterday I did a weigh in for the year. Last year, I started
out around 237. I hit the holidays WAY too hard and the cycling off
season lasted a little too long. This year, with a much more active
off season (though I did get so busy last month that there was an
almost month long gap) I'm starting off at 232. With cycling season
scheduled to start in a couple of weeks that should start coming down
soon. Who knows. I'd like to drop 20lbs or an equivalent amount of
body fat, but we'll see if that happens.

My main goals for the year, sporting wise? I want to get back to
long-distance tri racing. (though racing might not be exactly the word
to use). I was hoping to do an Ironman, but with paying off debt, I
think the local half-ironman in Boulder is going to be a lot more
realistic.

I'd also really like to run the Pike's Peak Ascent this year. It's my
challenge to the Triathlete Alliance to come out to Colorado Springs
and do it with me. I don't know that there's a more challenging half
marathon in the country. 13.3 miles up 7,000 some odd feet. It sounds
hellish, but it sounds curiously fun. It would be great to run it with
some tri-blogger friends.

Cycling wise, I'm hoping to get a few centuries in and one double
century. I've only completed the 200 mile distance once. The second
attempt I made on it was the year I had defective spokes on my
then-new Fuji Team and broke a half-dozen of them within a couple
month window. Last year, I was hoping to do the Paul Bunyan for the
first time in a couple of years, but it got cancelled due to road
construction. This year, I really hope to change that.

I don't think I'll be attempting Triple Bypass this year. It's still
on the list of things I want to accomplish, but I just don't think I'm
ready. Plus, I hate the fact that it's not an out and back, so you
have to have someone drive to the other side of Vail to pick you up.
Not fun.

Anyway, those are my sports goals for the year. There are professional
goals too, but I don't think those are nearly as interesting.

More later.