So what's up in 2010?

That is the question I get a lot, because I have been pretty quiet about what it is I am actually racing this year. There are a lot of things which I honestly haven't decided on, or have changed my mind on already a few times.

Here's the first thing to know about my racing in 2010, there will be NO Ironman events, either full or 70.3. This means no Wisconsin, (which is what originally got me thinking about returning), but that changed when WTC announced their new professional triathlete membership program. Their greed and disrespect of elites is something I won't tolerate. They will not get my support until they change their policies. And in my opinion, any elite who is pandering to the WTC with this bogus program is doing ALL ELITES A DISSERVICE. But, that's just my opinion.

I'm all for the drug testing, but what WTC is proposing is a fallacy, not a drug testing regimen. An effective drug testing system doesn't allow the athletes to choose when to be tested. And to expect me to pay a large sum of money for something ineffective and worthless, while at the same time allowing WTC to use my name, presence, race performance and hard work to capitalize and promote their events with, all while cutting the prize purse and Kona opportunities, would be a crime against my own intelligence and dignity to continue to support.

So I will be turning back the clock, and going back to short course. It's something which I never really gave the attention and commitment it deserved. I'm wiser now, and I miss going fast. I feel like I missed out on the opportunities of draft-legal racing. I missed out on the travel. I missed out on the fun of racing on a somewhat regular basis.

So I'm not going to post a whole race schedule here, because it is ever changing. I might do Wildflower, but I'm not sure. I do know I will support TriCalifornia and their events, because they treat elites the way they should be treated.

I will also do some bike races, mountain bike races, and other fun things that I want to do. I was asked recently what was different this time, compared to when I left the sport. The difference is clear to me, in that I am no longer trying to make a living as an athlete. I am making a living separate from racing. I am enjoying the sport. I'm trying to balance my life better, between the happiness of the triathlon lifestyle, and the thrill and risks of racing at the elite level.

Here is a tentative schedule:

Carlsbad 5000

Desert International Triathlon

Vegas XTERRA

WildFlower Half

San Diego International

Treasure Island ITU

Alcatraz Triathlon - August

Elite Nationals - Tuscaloosa, AL

PATCO Championships - Mexico

Huatalco World Cup - Mexico

This list will grow and morph, and doesn't include a bunch of the local races around San Diego I hope to do as well.

More big news coming in the next post...

Vance