Plans for next year:

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Well shit, there’s no other way to say it. Real life (whatever that is?) is about to hit me. I graduate in December and then am going to be forced with making some big decisions about my life. I want to outline my thought process with some of those decisions. Feel free to share your opinion.
               For me, very little has changed in terms of what I want to do. I still dream of being a professional triathlete. I dream of being able to support myself from triathlon. I am not doing that yet but I believe it is within reach. My plan is to fully commit to triathlon in 2018.
               I am entertaining a couple different ideas as how to become the best triathlete I can. The first idea is to do a training trip down to Australia. I love this idea for the sense of adventure it brings as well as the fact that I would be training in good weather year-round. I think it would be excellent for me to have a swim focused block down there. I believe it would set me up for a great 2018. Of course, the trip would be expensive and it would entail getting to know a new area. I believe for it to work I would want to train with a solid group of athletes to push me and show me the area (anyone know anyone down there?). I would then race near Australia. Australia would however put off beginning some other career aspirations I have.
               The second option is to stay at home so that I can control the environment I know while saving money and starting long term aspirations. I would very likely do training camps around the US when the weather gets poor in Boulder for long periods of time.  I would also then have a larger budget for things such as massage, coaching, strength training, food, traveling to races, etc.
If in Boulder I could immediately start my other career aspirations which include being a personal trainer and coach. I am getting certified as a personal trainer this fall so could begin working with clients if I stayed through winter. Coaching could likely happen either way, although it would be better if I was in Boulder. Things are already in motion with coaching! (Let me know if you are interested in either PT or coaching and spread the word!) I am excited for both and I acknowledge that they will take time to gain momentum; which may be all the better reason to start early
These are the two geographic locations I am considering.
           The other decision I need to make is the proportion of races I want to be on road vs Xterra’s. Right now, I am strongly considering committing to the (Xterra) Pan American series which would entail traveling to south America and Canada for races. This would be best done from Boulder and would allow me to satisfy my adventurous side. I would then transition more into IM racing as the summer came along. The big question is can I do both? If in Australia I could do the south-east Asia tour. The big question is can I do both?
           Xterra and IM are very different events. My training would still look more like IM training but I think with some MTB specific work I could be ready to race Xterra’s. I have already done well while focusing on IM.
           These are the decisions I am trying to make. My long-term goal is to succeed in IM but would it hurt to succeed in Xterra first? I also am excited for the adventure next year brings and the inevitable choices I will have to make. Right now, I am leaning more heavily towards going to Austrailia. Life is a journey and I am excited for it. 

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