Most of us are doing base training as we prepare for races later this year. If you haven’t developed an annual training plan, you might want to check out the “Designing your own training plan” article posted on the VeloNews web site at http://velonews.competitor.com/2009/12/coaches-panel/designing-your-own-training-plan-for-2009_86341. Even if you’re a recreational cyclist or runner, having an annual plan will result in more effective training and better performance.
Review of the past year:
• Cycling: The local cycling community, working with the San Angelo Bicycle Association and other organizations, helped organize multiple local events such as times trials, cycling tours, a regional mountain bike race, and group rides. Many local cyclists also traveled to other locations to participate in races and tours. Cycling grew in popularity during 2009, with a good increase in entry level participants. More information is available at www.sanangelobicycle.com.
• Running: The local running club (San Angelo Road Lizards) helped plan and conduct over 15 run/walk events during 2009, hosted the State Championship 8 kilometer race, organized multiple weekly group runs such as the Friday evening session on the River Trail, and facilitated a significant increase in the number of runners who trained for and completed long distance events such as marathons and ½ marathons. Over 150 local families now belong to “the Lizards”. You can see the upcoming event schedule and other information at www.roadlizards.com or visit them on FaceBook.
• Multisport events: Our community hosted four multisport events during the past year, with two triathlons and two duathlons. One of these events, the Suddenlink Lake Nasworthy Sprint triathlon, drew 25% more participants than during 2008 and attracted numerous first timers. Two of the events were collaborative efforts with the cycling and running clubs partnering with local sponsors to put on the races.
• Fitness and Wellness initiatives: A new Fitness and Wellness program was launched during 2009 (Get Healthy San Angelo), with support from the City of San Angelo. A second Fitness and Wellness program was expanded and improved during the year (the Angelo State University ASUFit initiative). The ASUFit program (www.angelo.edu/asufit) is designed to help ASU faculty, staff, and students make healthy lifestyle choices and to foster a culture of wellness on the ASU campus.
• Media exposure: During 2009 the local news media did a good job of helping to promote fitness and related activities. Examples of this included newspaper and television coverage of events, multiple newspaper columnists writing fitness-related articles, event advertisements on Suddenlink cable, and wellness-related radio spots on multiple radio stations.
• Special Recognition: Jeanette Passons, 2009-2010 president of the Road Lizards running club, for guiding the club to a new level of quality and collaboration; Mars Torres, who brought us two great runs sponsored by Shannon; Randy Coleman, who pulled together a community wide group to launch Get Healthy San Angelo and implemented multiple media activities; the planning group that orchestrated the 2nd annual Lake Nasworthy triathlon; Kevin Dierschke and the mountain bike volunteers who planned and promoted the Red Bluff Mountain Bike Challenge, and the CATCH A Fit Life children’s fitness initiative delivered by Shannon Wellness.
• Top local events of 2009 (my picks): Trail Running Series, Shannon Pink Ribbon Run, Vita Sport Run in the Sun, Red Bluff Mountain Bike Challenge, Lake Nasworthy Sprint Triathlon, ASU Turkey Trot, and both of the races promoted by Ironhead Race Productions (Striders Duathlon and Wool Capitol Triathlon).
UPCOMING EVENTS
January 16: Texas age-based cyclocross championships, http://www.txbra.org/events/event.asp?EventID=1927
Jan 23: Trail Running Series race #1, http://roadlizards.org/Upcoming%20Races/SARLTrailSeries_2009.
February 6: Trail Running Series race #2, http://roadlizards.org/Upcoming%20Races/SARLTrailSeries_2009.pdf
February 20: Trail Running Series race #3, http://roadlizards.org/Upcoming%20Races/SARLTrailSeries_2009.pdf
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