Need some advise regarding choosing a distance in the Abu Dhabi Triathlon

Hi Everyone,

My and my husband both signed up in October last year for the Abu Dhabi Short Distance (1500m swim/100K bike/10K run) which will be held on March 3rd 2012.

Due to some medical issues I was not able to exercise at all for 7 weeks in the end of last and beginning of this year. I started training again on January 9th again and finally got myself a triathlon coach.

I had several minor sport related injuries last year and the most persistent one was a foot injury which to this date nobody has been able to figure out what it was. Right now the foot is fine and I hope it will stay that way.

Since the start of training both me and my coach always had in mind that there is a shorter distance than the above one available in Abu Dhabi so if we feel that it would not work out for me to get to that distance within those 8 weeks than I can always sign up for the sprint (750m swim/50K bike/5K run) right before the race.

Now the Race Directors just announced that registration will close TOMORROW at lunch and I still have not made a decision. I am awaiting an answer from my coach but would like to get some input from you guys as well because maybe there are some pro or con reasons that I don't see.

Everything points towards me doing to the sprint distance BUT the major reason for us going there is the fact that you will be riding on the Formula 1 track there as part of the bike course but that is only available in the longer distance and not in the sprint.

So how can I make a decision when everything points towards the shorter one but the main reason for doing the race in the first place is only available in the longer one?

Facts are that I am probably able to "participate" in the longer distance but I could not race it which would be OK. Only worry I have that I might injure myself again as I have not been able to train for the distance as I wanted and that would have a negative impact on the rest of the season....

The shorter one I could probably up the tempo a bit and do well but I won't get to ride on the F1 track....

Can you help me make a decision? Please....I am changing my mind every 2 seconds....

Thanks!