It’s that time of the year- presents, cookies, and a deep desire to curl up in front of a fire and never move again. Which means it’s also time to look ahead and plan next year’s tri season!

So how do you go about picking your races for 2017? It all depends on your goals. Here’s a few ideas to consider as you begin looking forward to 2017.

Think about your big goal

Maybe you want to do a longer race distance this year, tackle your first Olympic or take on a longer distance. Maybe you want to take seconds off your swim pace, or run stronger and faster. Maybe you want to podium. Whatever it is, you’ll need to find a race with your ideal race conditions to make that goal happen. This is called your A race, and if you’ve got one, you should be planning your season around it. Put this one on your calendar first, then pick a couple of smaller races leading up to it to practice and benchmark your progress.

Consider traveling

Triathlon can be a great travel sport. Sure, logistically it’s a bit of a pain getting everything to your race site, but it’s also a great excuse to take an extended vacation. Got a place you’ve been thinking about? Check out if they have a race in 2017 and plan out your trip.

Look outside of triathlon

Something new on my race calendar in 2017 is a half marathon. Now that I know I can go the distance (on sand, after biking 56 miles and almost drowning), I want to see how fast I can go the distance. I love to pick a couple of 5k races to tune up, run with friends and family, and support great causes. I’m even considering a rough water swim in July. Granted, I’ll probably chicken out of that one. But it definitely intrigues me!

Try a unique challenge

Another way to challenge yourself is to commit to a year long goal. Sign up for one race each month. Select a charity and pledge to raise a certain dollar figure for them. Aim to complete 1000 training miles over the year. Whatever the challenge, be sure to break it down into manageable steps to stay accountable throughout the year.