Age group(er) again

I was having a harder time getting back into the training & dieting groove this year. I was struggling to drop the off season weight I'd picked up & was getting to the point that I was expecting I was going to have to race the 2011 season as a Clydesdale again. In early January I got on a roll with my training & dropping the weight. I'm trying to lose the weight slower this time, I'm guessing I'll be down to 190 around mid April. Even though the 1st half of the triathlon season I'll be over 200 pounds, so I could race as a Clydesdale, I'm planning on registering in the 35-39 age group so that all my races for the year are in the same division.

190 is the weight I feel best at. I sport a 6 pack at 190. Anytime I drop below 190 I feel consistently hungry, get sick more easily, & am a grouch, but at 185 am I fast! I'm planning to maintain & race race at 190 until October, then in early October, God willing, I'll start dropping the extra 5-10 pounds to ensure I'm at my fastest at Ironman Arizona. I feel confident that I can go sub 13 hours as long as I get & stay below 200 pounds. I'm guessing I can be closer to 12 hours if I am able to show up on race day weighing 180-185.

My 1st race of the 2011 season will be the Presidents day duathlon, next Saturday at White Sands Missile Range New Mexico.