This week kicked off the 1st of 3 races of the 2016 Midwest Indoor Tri Classic Series (MITCS). This race series is featured by and takes place in Illinois at the Wheaton Sports Center, HealthTrack Sports Wellness Center-Glen Ellyn and Edward Health Fitness Center–Woodridge. (Check the pics below.)

I enjoy participating in this series each year, which benefits the Greater Illinois Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This series is staffed by some of the most awesome personnel, as well as volunteers, and sponsors.

This is the 5th year I’ve participated in MITCS. I really enjoy racing in an indoor season of triathlons because it allows me stay consistent with training throughout the year before I get to outdoor season. It allows me time to work on various elements of all three portions of the race while experiencing actually competing. The format of indoors is great practice while still providing a competitive edge to push myself.

It’s great to see familiar faces as well as see growth or differences in how I raced in previous years. I also like being able to establish a foundation of my times and focus on building on that to get faster.

Many of my fellow triathletes are doing longer distances in the half Ironman and Ironman events, which I greatly admire. I want to focus on speed and getting faster. I do plan on building up to competing in 1-2 Olympic distance triathlons this year, however, I also want to beat my past year’s times. This year I plan to incorporate more consistent and intense training plans, as well as coaching (past years have been completely on my own) and combining my nutrition, specific techniques I can apply to the swim and bike, as well as building on my runs.

Since the results from yesterday, I’m happy to have beaten my last year’s times on all three (swim, bike & run), while accomplishing 2nd place AG (age-group) and 19th overall female for race #1. I’m looking forward to building upon that, so let’s go 2016!!