With biscuit showing up on the scene, my mid-to-long-term plan needed some adjustment. The plan was:

• Reach 570 during the summer training session, either in UCD at the June 10 match or at a match afterwards (dependant on weight loss rate and delivery date for the new jacket)
• Hit Tier 3 selection score (573) to qualify for RIAC and Intershoot during the opening matches of the domestic season (October/November)
• Shoot in RIAC (December in Luxembourg)
• Hit Tier 2 selection score (577) to qualify for the European championships (either in RIAC or in domestic matches)
• Shoot in Intershoot (February 2-4 in the Hague)
• Shoot in the European Championships (February 14-20 in Finland)
• Hit Tier 1 selection score (583) to qualify for the World Cup series of matches (either in Intershoot or in domestic matches)
• Shoot in the ISSF World Cup (April 17-29 in London)
• Shoot in the ISSF World Cup (May 13-20 in Milan)
• Shoot in the ISSF World Cup (May 20-27 in Munich)

This worked reasonably well; I was hitting 570 in training around mid-June; shot a 574 in UCD just before Intershoot, shot in RIAC and Intershoot, but never got the weight down low enough to get the new shooting suit and I think (and Matt agrees) that that slowed progression a fair amount on the score front. But the actual technique wasn’t suffering too badly; and I thought Intershoot went pretty well. The Europeans, the World Cups are all off the table this year because biscuit was due in mid-March (in a few days actually) and I didn’t really want to leave home and there was too much to do beforehand. So I thought about the next year or two, talked it over with Matt, went through a draft or two and this is my new mid-to-long-term training plan. It’s liable to change as training and competition progresses, though I’ll try to blog major changes and evaluations as they happen 🙂

• Get physical fitness under control by Autumn (meaning weight down to the 220-240lb region and general aerobic fitness and flexibilty improved upon)
• Drop out of rifle shooting (or even all shooting) for a 3-6 month period after Biscuit is born (because 4am feedings and competitive target shooting at the international level don’t mix too well)
• Buy New Equipment (new jacket, new trousers, new boots, new rifle – but wait until after the new ISSF rules are announced)
• Resume training and competing in rifle matches domestically; get back up past the MQS level (by October/November)
  
• Shoot in RIAC 2012 (December in Luxembourg)
• Hit Tier 2 selection score (577) to qualify for the 2013 European championships (either in RIAC or in domestic matches)
• Shoot in Intershoot 2013 (January 31-February 2 in the Hague)
• Shoot in the 2013 European 10m Airgun Championships (February 25-March 3 in Denmark)
• Hit Tier 1 selection score (583) to qualify for the World Cup series of matches (either in Intershoot or in domestic matches)
• Shoot in an ISSF World Cup (2013 dates not yet released by ISSF)