The third  thing I want to achieve in 2012 is some big goals on the athletic front. If you haven’t seen the first three posts in this series of posts here they are:

Time for Some Changes

The First of Seven Things – My Food Addiction

The Second of Seven Things – Working on Me

As it stands right now I’m only focusing on two big races in 2012. Everything else will be steps and milestones to help me accomplish my two big goals.

My first big race of 2012 will be the Ironman South Africa in Port Elizabeth on the 22nd of April 2012. I did it this year with no particular time in mind, I just wanted to get through the day in one piece and enjoy it. Check on both of those points. I was however disappointed with my marathon time and feel I can improve substantially. I finished in 13:53 and some change this year and the goal in 2012 is to take an hour off of that time. In order to do so I’m going to have to ride as close to six hours as I can on the bike (as opposed to a six and a half hour this year) and then dip under five hours for my marathon (I did a 5:40 this year). Just doing that, which I know I’m capable of, will take over an hour off my time and that’s not even looking at improving in the swim and on my transitions where there is definitely time to be made up.

My biggest athletic goal for 2012

The second big race I am focusing on is the Comrades Marathon. More than any race in 2012 this is one I have to get done. There is unfinished business to take care of in Durban in June. In 2010 I ran my first Comrades and missed one of the cut offs with 29kms to go. In failing I felt like I had let so many people down. So many people depended on me to run for their loved ones and I let them down. Finishing Comrades this year gave me great satisfaction but it is the down run that has still got the better of me. That will change on 3 June 2012. The goal I have set myself is to run a sub 11 hour Comrades next year and in doing so earn myself a bronze medal.

For me to get both those goals done I need to succeed at getting as close as possible to my goal weight of 90kgs (see thing number one of the Seven Things). I know losing the weight will make running a lot easier and it will make me quicker. I mentioned in that post too that I wanted to see what I am capable of doing at 90kgs and have set a few other goals that I would like to achieve in 2012:

I want to run a sub 50 minute 10km. My current pb is 53 and some change.

I want to run a sub 1:50 half marathon. My current pb is 1:52.

I want to run a sub 4 hour marathon. My current pb is 4:16.

I want to do a sub 2:30 Olympic distance triathlon. My current pb is 2:44.

I want to do a sub 6 hour half ironman distance triathlon. My current pb is 6:15

I think if I can get down to 90kgs these time are very conservative and I think even at the weight I am at now I have a shot at attaining these goals. Getting the weight off is just going to make it easier.

What are some of you athletic/fitness goals for 2012? Any big races planned? And are you just going to finish or are you going to race against yourself? Please feel free to comment in the comments section below…