I made a pretty big decision this past weekend during my sprint triathlon about next season.

I did my first triathlon in October of 2010 and then spent the 2011 season training for an Ironman. I made a very quick jump to the longer distances and I loved it. All i know is endurance. All I can do is long and slow for hours on end.

It was very clear this weekend that I have a hard time pushing the pace. Speed is my weakness. Granted, my slower speeds may have had something to do with the fact of doing two hard hikes 2 days before the race which lead to awful calf cramps, but still.

I have toyed with the idea of doing another Ironman next year. I asked a few people about what they thought about me balancing my first year of PT school with Ironman training. While many said it would be doable, they also said it would be hard. Some said it was just plain stupid and I would be spreading myself too thin.

Ironman training takes heart. It takes every ounce of energy you have. It requires 8+ hours of sleep per night. And it requires a nice chunk of cash.

Next year, I need my heart and my energy to be focused on PT school. I need shorter workouts and races with cheaper entries due to my non existent income as a student.

Due to all of these factors, I am saying “see ya later” to the 140.6 distance and hello to sprints and Olympic distances for the 2013 season. I plan on doing another Ironman. I plan on doing more than just one more. But I respect the distance and the next time I tackle the 140.6 I want to be able to put my whole heart into it.

I hope the season of shorter training will allow me to become a faster and stronger triathlete.

What do you think? Am I less of a triathlete because I am choosing to race shorter distances?