The Plan

Check out the pictures below. It's interesting how the two images juxtaposed one underneath the other look somewhat like a Johannesburg yingyang.

The first impressive quasi-spaceship-erection is Soccer City just on the outskirts of Soweto (short for South Western Township) which is where Thursday's opening World Cup festival will be held. The stadium is out of this world. Natalie and I are going to the opening show and can't wait for the fun to begin. All the cool kids will be there: Black Eyed Peas, Shakira, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Johan Stemmet, Parletones, you name it!
The second quasi-spaceship-erection over Johannesburg is the spaceship from the movie, District 9. It too is out of this world. Tourists from abroad may be disappointed to discover that it no longer hovers over the Soweto skyline. I enjoyed that movie by the way. Very poignant.

Before the 2010 World Cup madness begins in my hometown (I feel rather proud in writing that), I need to jot down my plans for the upcoming season. Every year I have the same allotted amount of hours within which to train. That's about 8 hours per week on average, up to a maximum of 18 hours in my peak week. And I have entrenched in my planning that these hours should not interfere with family life. This is my #1 priority. Natalie checks in now and again to ensure that I abide by this rule. She is an accountant - very little gets past her.

So without additional hours, I can only train smarter, never more. And before I whip up how I will do that I set out my goals for the year ahead.

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June – get into the gym, some swimming
July – Training starts. Caveman diet. Maybe Green Beret. Lots of base training.
Aug - Base
Sep – Base & Build & Speed work
Oct – Energade Triathlon season – RobbyRicc to kill everyone and place in his age group
Nov – Have sprog#3 and celebrate with a sub 3 marathon
Dec – Rack up the Husband Points (HPs). Chilled training and family time. Lots of running.

2011

Jan – Swim/bike/run
Feb – Prestige Ultra Half Ironman Distance Race - 4.30 target and qualify for SA team to go to ITU Nevada (Silverman) in November 2011
Mar - Run everywhere
Apr – Maybe Ironman South Africa if the wife allows and my training warrants it
May – Comrades (Silver sub 7.30)

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It's almost too easy on paper. I need to figure out how to stick that plan to the blog to ensure I'm honest. I'll let that plan settle in before digging into the micro planning. Of course my mate and mentor Keeto is also on board. He keeps me back and sets the bar as required.

Vamonos,

~RobbyRicc

Ironman? Silverman? Just a man?

"Enough about Ironman!" The wife confirmed it this morning. Just as I was starting to nail the races and figure it all out. I need to get stuck into some more DIY and earn some hubbie points.

Speaking of DIY, my sights are drifting to ITU. This means no more of the long Ironman stuff. Just consistent training and, of course, making sure that Family Comes First.

Silverman in Las Vegas, Nevada, is hosting the ITU World Long Distance Champs in 5 November 2011. Chances are that qualification for the South African team will be at the Prestige Ultra Triathlon at the Vaal in February 2011. Looks like the happenings of a good plan. I need to show my wife this video....

Always one step ahead,

~RobbyRicc