Race Tactics

What do you think about during a race? Are you hanging on for dear life, out of control and doing whatever you can to get to the finish in whatever state that is. Or are you in control, measuring out your effort across the whole race, and following a race plan which might include changes in effort at strategic times with the objective of getting to the finish faster than, and ahead of your competitors? Whichever approach you take, they both represent race tactics...whether good or bad.

Race tactics often seem to be the things that only the elite use. But just as any well planned training plan covers the three essential aspects of fitness, technical and tactical skills, so every race should include consideration for your fitness level, technical abilities and tactics to maximise the other two aspects. So to that end, race tactics are for everyone, and something only the naive would ignore.

A few weeks ago Chris McCormack did an interview in which he talked at length about tactics in the Hawaii IM, and in particular, what he felt various athletes should be doing before and during the race to ensure the race played out in their favour by both controlling what they did and influencing others in their favour, which is difficult because each other athlete would be endeavouring to do the same!! This is why Macca talked about the importance of pre-race semantics (propaganda?) to put his thoughts in the minds of others that would hopefully reap rewards on race day.

It was a fascinating dicsussion primarily because in 2010 Macca raced one of the best tactical IM races in history, not just on the day but in the years beforehand. It was almost as if he wrote a script with roles for each athlete, and then executed it like a Steven Spielberg directed film. History records that he won a brilliant race, where race tactics came through that involved physical and mental mastery, and intimately knowing himself, the course and the tendencies of other athletes.

However, of course, Macca is unique and very few of us perform at a level to execute tactics like he does. Nonetheless, there are lessons from Macca that we can all learn from and apply to our races so that our tactics - essentially the decisions we make - ensure the best outcome from our races.

Here are some of the key race tactics points:

1. Know yourself and your capabilities. There's no quicker way to bring your race down than to try performing at a level that is beyond what all indications beforehand suggest you are capable of. Great tactics involve pushing to your limits - and occasionally a smidgeon beyond - based on knowing what your capabilities are and how far / hard / fast / etc you can go for. Tactics invole knowing whether you are able to change your pace, by how much, for how long - should the need arise - compared to a sensible base pace. Pacing tactics make or break races.

2. Know the course. The course is a fixed aspect of the race, so it pays to knows the geography in advance to not only train appropriately, but also to plan your tactics and strategy for each part of it, for example, the most appropriate way of climb the hills depending on length and steepness. Knowing the course also implies consideration for the length, since tactics for an Olympic Distance triathlon are vastly different to those for an Ironman. Also, knowing the course can also mean being familiar with prevailing weather conditions, including heat/cold, winds and more.

3. Know your competition. While not necessarily applicable for everyone, for those who are racing for a placing it is due diligence to know who your competition is and their relative strengths and weaknesses...as much as you can. This helps to know how to - or whether to - respond to their performance during a race (within your capabilities, of course!). Also, as Macca points out, knowing your competition also means knowing their mental game, and whether you can influence that.

4. Expect the unexpected. Race tactics really only represent an idealistic plan assuming everything else going according to script. However there are countless uncontrollables that affect your race, and turn your tactics on their head. That is why any plan must have have the capability to be changed on the fly, whether the fall-back is plan B, C, Z or one you'd never considered, which is where experience from training and racing comes into play. The one thing you do want to avoid is being too reactive to events around you, otherwise you have lost control of your race.

5. Manage risks. In conjuction with expecting the unexpected, you need to manage the risks associated with any race tactics you employ against the benefit it might bring towards the eventual race outcome. Put into practice, the risk of going too hard too early will surely bring you undone later on...as will surging too hard mid-race. However, you might decide the effort to bridge a gap to group is worth it for the benefit of the group dynamic. You need to decide these things as you go, based on knowing yourself, the course, competition, etc.

So bringing all these things together - plus a host of others - allows you to plan optimum race tactics in advance, and be prepared for a range of scenarios to occur and know what is the best thing to do. Each race scenario you find yourself in is also an opportunity to learn more about how you body actually responds so that you might be able to better optimise race tactics in the future. Race tactics are something you never completely master - but practice sure does help - and is why sporting competition is always intriguing because no two events are ever the same.

Sports and ballet

I recently went to the ballet for the first time, to see a major production by the Australian Ballet company of the classic "Romeo and Juliet". To say the least it was eye opening - even from our nose-bleed seats - for the scale of the whole performance...it was spectacular. But during some of the slower moments of the show I started noticing similarities between the ballet and sports, and what things we can learn from professional ballet because often it is only when we think laterally that you see where opportunities are for development and improvement.

To start with, one obvious difference is that ballet is non-competitive (although the film "Black Swan" might suggest otherwise!!), without any sign of a start or finish line. Ballet is primarily an artistic expression of a story in a way that is like poetry in motion, with all the grace, beauty and smoothness of a fairy tale. But once you start to look at the dancers, the sets and more the similarities appear...along with things we can learn from.

Starting with the dancers...they are amazing. Like all specialists, they have physically evolved to suit the needs of their performance both in appearance and how they move - duck feet everywhere!!! These dancers have evolved during their career to develop the characteristics to support their activity, honed by hours and hours of practice and rehearsal. Their skill and control of movement is equal to top athletes in any sport, where the principle dancers are the highest ranked ones at the top of their game.

The sets on stage are large and elaborate, providing the setting for a performance that would otherwise lack context. The sets create a scene, and do far more than simply provide background and colour. The sets are much like a race village and finish chute, where without them a finish line would simply be a line in the dirt. Like the sets, a race finish arch provides focus for the effort being put in by athletes, with the orchestra providing the live music.

Ballet performance seems to be a mix of abstract and random movements, but choreographed into a sequence that portrays the story being told. But if you saw a dancer without the context of sets and choreography it would seem to be random, surrounded by support dancers weaving and twisting across the stage...at least that is how it appears to my unfamiliar eye. I often think this is how a triathlon looks to similarly unfamiliar eyes, where there are races within races due to wave starts for different age groups - people are swimming, riding and running everywhere in seemingly chaotic fashion, but to a person who understand the nature of such events, the competition is clear. Each pursuit - and every sport - has aficionados who see and understand the intricacies being demonstrated and the people who are doing them.

These are just three areas where I could see similaries between ballet and sports, and as I pondered further there were also lessons to be learned from the ballet, not just the performance I was witnessing on stage but what must happening behind the scenes and in practice.

These top ballet dancers are so good because of endless practice, but I would venture to say that beyond the basic skills of dancing, there would be volumes of 'deliberate practice', that is, concentration and thought towards every movement and it's role in the overal performance. Think of a dance instructor correcting what is seemingly a minor alignment in a dancer's routine, which might seem trivial but if it was left unattended might lead to further small routine flaws...each of which adds up. As the old saying goes, only perfect practice makes perfect.

The lesson is that when in training, practice and refine every aspect of your performance as if you were doing it in a race...because eventually you will be. Train with the perfection you want to race with.

Continuing that theme, the dancers seemed to move on auto-pilot as if this show was their life purpose. In reality, they had rehearsed the performance so much that it was automatic, like a singer who performs the same songs at every concert so the words and tunes are automatic. Rehearsal would have been repetitive, boring, tiring, demanding and more, but that was necessary to achieve the final outcome.

The lesson is that sports training is also repetitive boring, tiring, demanding and more, but that is also necessary to perform in races. Rob de Castella used to day that (elite) running is 99.9% drudgery, and 0.1% glamour. I think he over stated the glamour aspect.

The final lesson I learned is that the best dancers are all-rounders. They could have stepped into any of the other roles and excelled. They had worked on all aspects of their dance performance so that nothing was lacking, and it would have been this dedication that led to them being the best dancers and filling the lead roles. Carry this over to sports and it is clear you need to work on all aspects of your fitness and performance, and while you will never be able to run like Usain Bolt AND Kenenisa Bekele, your should include elements of each type of training in your overall, year-round program to round out your performance.

The actual story of Romeo and Juliet we saw is well known, and although we couldn't understand why some parts performed as they were, in looking back on the show the story was clear...which a credit to the dancers and director who brought a story to life simply through music and dance. The final product, however, was the combined result of so many things and contributing elements that to consider them all is mind boggling. It's the same with sports performance, where success goes to those who firstly see the whole picture, and secondly who act upon it.

Redundant body parts

I had a bit of a human anatomy lesson yesterday, which is also provides for a great trivia question...how many parts of our body can you name which are redundant? An obvious one is the appendix, that is usually taken out when it causes problems...which happened to me in 2000 when mine burst/ruptured and needed emergency surgery to scrape the remnants out. Personal experience is always a great way of learning trivia!!!

Well there is at least one other redundant body part, about which I now also have personal experience. It is the Plantaris tendon and associated muscle, which is in your lower leg and stretches from just below the knee to the heel. The Plantaris muscle is small and thin. In fact it is so small that it is missing in 7-15% of the population. It is known as a vestigal muscle, which suggests that we have somehow evolved and that we don't really need the muscle (and tendon) anymore. Some friends have already told me that since I still have the tendon it means I simply haven't evolved...but I prefer to think of myself as being a more complete person!!

Apparently the tendon is often used by surgeons as a donor site for tendon repairs elsewhere in the body. There is no apparent loss of function by surgically removing the tendon, and similarly if it ruptures...apart from the associated pain when that occurs.

The reason I know this is that my goddam Plantaris tendon flared up 10 days ago in a race that I was a DNF from...something I haven't done in decades. It came out of the blue, feeling fine during the warm-up, and only starting to hurt about 2-3km before getting worse until I pulled out at 5km. Perhaps a contributor was having a deep massage the day before, in fact Ms A asked if that was normal practice, which I dismissed to an extent, having no problems previously. Anyway, lesson learnt - no massage the day before racing anymore...

Initially I wondered if it was another calf pull/strain/tear, but was soon apparent this injury was "different" and that the tendon was the actual problem...notwithstanding that I always have tight calves!!! The strange thing was why it happened since the Plantaris is such a minor / insignificant part of running. Nonetheless, it was inflamed and after a week and  two physio visits I checked in to see my excellent doctor yesterday morning, with an ultrasound and injection in the afternoon...I do like it when things happen quickly!!!

It was interesting talking to the sonographer / doctor about the circumstances of injury, and hearing about the redundancy of the tendon/muscle. Apparently a Collingwood footballer ruptured his recently and was back playing 2 weeks later once the pain had settled...he simple didn't need it. Some internet research says it is commonly known as "tennis calf" since it is often sudden movements like in tennis that rupture it, again with no on-going problems. So it seems I might have been better off actually rupturing mine rather than stopping short and resting it...sigh...

Anyway, we've taken some positive action and I'll be back running next week...with tendon still in tact!!! At least I'll be better prepared for trivia questions.

Multi-Year Planning

Little of significance gets done without any planning. Whether it is building a house, getting married or an overseas trip, these things don't just "happen" - there is always some planning beforehand. It's the same with sporting performances, from micro-planning of day-to-day training sessions to a season plan of races. But what about your long-term plan of development to really commit and strive towards your ultimate performance in a particular event? What I mean is multi-year planning, with an associated long-term vision and goals, which takes patience but where the finale is well worth the journey.

The Olympic games are four years apart, but it is often proposed that athletes striving to compete there should in fact consider a five-year plan, such is the concentrated effort it takes to perform at the highest level of all. While this is ultimate multi-year planning, it is built on a solid foundation where training, experience and performance level is cumulative and built up over time. This period of time allows the athlete and coach to have extended periods of focus to work on different fitness aspects which contribute to overall and eventual performance. Basically, you don't get faster at running 10km (for example), by continually running 10km races. This is especially so the longer the race distance.

Multi-year planning shifts the focus away from short-term performance - it takes years to really give something your best shot - so that each race is a stepping stone towards a bigger goal, supported by strategically planned training phases to achieve the necessary, progressive improvement. This is not to say that any interim race is not important, and that there are not peak races along the way - there are - but rather that you take a long-term view to your development at whatever you conclude is your best / target / goal distance event.

The best way to explain multi-year planning is with a high-level, descriptive example, using the Ironman as the event in focus. The assumptions in beginning a multi-year journey are that the athlete has some triathlon background, which may even include doing an IM in the past.

Year 1, part 1
Before any plan begins you need to be ready for what is ahead, physically and mentally. So spend the first part getting healthy, doing simple things to be fit and ready to train. Keep your goal in mind so you don't lose focus. Also, identify your key limiter, which is most often speed...even for IM.

Year 1, part 2
Train your key limiter. Build a program that enhances your overall fitness, but which focuses on your most limiting performance component. In saying that is most likely speed, in the context of IM I mean your ability to swim a fast 200-400m, ride a fast 3-4km TT, and ride a fast 1-1.5km. Building this speed begins with the mechanics, coordination and neuromuscular capability to allow you to be fast in the first place, and then adds the fitness to be fast over those distances. You might do a few, short, single sport events during this time over distances you would normally consider trivial, but that is the process to developing the necessary speed we're talking about.

Year 2
This whole year is devoted to extending your speed endurance from Year 1 over longer distances, specifically Olympic Distance triathlon event distances. Train to be fast over a 1500m swim, 40km ride and 10km run, as single sport events. You'll put them together into triathlons but only sprint or OD formats. Essentially, you are building endurance (back) into your fitness but maintaining your key limiter focus since these new speed gears will be your strength.

Year 3, part 1
Now you progress your distances further to be racing IM 70.3 events, and giving them a serious crack. This is a further progression on from Year 2, where you're adding more endurance but still maintaining the speed capability you developed back in year 1 for this will underpin your performances. Be careful not to cross-over the "line" to where you become a one-pace long course athlete, because the gears you added will be your weapon as the race gets longer.

Year 3, part 2
Now it is time to line up for an IM, mainly to get back in the ring and re-familiarise yourself with what an IM is all about. Do an IM as a reminder, but also to see how you feel physically and mentally stepping (back) up to that distance. Avoid putting too much pressure on yourself to perform in this race, but at the same time give it your best shot since IM races are few and far between. Evaluate afterwards how it went and how you performed, not just in terms of time but your race execution.

Year 4
This is the year to maximise the investment of time and effort you've put in. Aim for 2 x IM during this year, with the aim of really giving them your best shot to capitalise on everything you've gained over the previous years. Do shorter races, also, as further opportunities to refine your approach but the IM events are your "AAA" races that you've been training for.


So there is an overview of a multi-year plan, which could also substitute for a sensible progression in triathlons to doing an IM. But the key thing in this approach is that the starting point assumes existing fitness and experience, and that this approach is not so much the progression of a beginner to completing an IM, but rather an athlete who is willing to take a step back in order to take two (or more) steps forward. As with all long-term plans, it requires trust, faith and diligence, and the need to be flexible as life circumstances change...but the benefit is in both the journey and (hopefully) the outcome.

As with all training endeavours, be realistic about your time availability, your physical capabilities and balance between life and sport. Keep your focus on the end goal throughout since at times it will seem a long way away, but nothing worthwhile comes easily. Above all, be flexible in the whole plan. View this as somewhat of a template where the specific details will likely change and adapt...including the overall timeframe...but remember that long-term plans are strategic in nature, and making changes will necessarily impact the outcome in some way. But however you approach it, enjoy the journey and challenge of developing yourself as an athlete and as a person as it will present you with the best of times and the worst of times. Enjoy them all!!

Tips for Kona newbie

The Hawaii Ironman is always a big deal whether you're a newbie or a veteran...and people do go back year after year to try and conquer the island and the race. Many people take years to really succeed in their race, be they pros or age groupers.

As much as experience is hard won through sweat and tears, there is also a wealth of advice around from those who have done the hard yards and who are happy to offer it up, from which we can all benefit. So in putting out the question of advice for a newbie heading to Kona, the following is a compilation of individual tips and tricks to hopefully help make it a great experience.

General
See some of the island. If you've only got a short time then drive up the Queen K, turn right where the bike course turns left and head over to the Eastern side of the island. With a bit more time drive over the saddle between the two mountains and into Hilo, and go to volcano national park. The island is an incredibly beautiful place...if you like seeing that kind of stuff.

Captain cook memorial trip - boat ride with interesting marine lesson on way - kids will love it. The boat stays out on the bay for few hours...you can relax, swim, eat, drink, snorkle. It's an awesome place. Boat provides all required.

Use lots of sunscreen before, DURING (especially) and after the race. Your skin will thank you.

Pre-RaceArrive in Kona fresher than you think you should be.

Take part in the athlets parade, and cruise the expo for the freebies.

If you are getting there a week before hand, you can still check out the important bits (i.e. the ride up and down Hawi) by driving to the appropriate starting point. Doing a training ride up to Hawi and back in strong winds is an invaluable exercise just to know what the day might have in store.

Take it easy. Don't try to do too much. It is easy to get caught up in the hype and spend too much time out and about and on your feet when you should be taking it easy.

Recommend the Hula Bean (on the non-coast side of Alii Dve not far from the swim entry) rather than Lava Java for quality of coffee. Lava Java is THE SCENE so it is the place to go for celebrity spotting and freebies (in the past they have given away fuel belts and other stuff out front).

Acclimatisation - Everyone is different but I you're probably best not to use air-con and get used to living in the termperature and humidity 24 x 7. If you can't sleep or are worried about hydration, this might not work for you.

Swim
The swim will have more biffo than any other race you've done, and you will swim 5-10min slower than you usually do.

Some years there is a bit of a current and all the people planning to stay out of trouble by swimming wide wind up jammed up in a big pack on the left hand side. I think it was best to be in between those trying to stay wide and the gun swimmers. Of course, if you are a gun swimmer you want to get on board at the start and need to be prepared to take your lumps.

Start way left (with the pier on your right) - to get less biffo. Aim for the 2nd or 3rd orange buoy and by that point you should be settled into your pace with less biffo - and very very small over-distance by starting to the left. There are outrigger canoes that let you hang on to if you wish to not tread water.

Bike
Wheels on bike...if it is windy, you will get blown about no matter what wheelset you use. The balance of (eg) Zipp 1080 (rear) with 404 (front) should be OK, or 404 on both. If it is windy, watch out for lost bottles blowing around the road at aid stations. These have brought down a few people in the past. Be prepared to take bottles on the bike with your right hand instead of left.

When riding before race day (or even when walking) be careful to look the opposite way - best to look every way every time. It is very easy to step into the path of a car or to look the wrong way before riding into an intersection.

The bike has the smoothest surface of any race, and the "climb" to Hawi is over rated.

At the 120km mark (after the decent as you turn back on the Queen K) your day is either just starting or starting to finish. Go too hard and it will be finishing.

On the road to Hawi - cross winds are common from approx mile post 14 to 19, with predominantly tail winds on the return from Hawi from mile post 20 to 15, but can have some cross winds gusts from MP 17 to 14. The worst cross winds are on a relatively short stretch from Hawi, after that it's likely to be a head wind. Enjoy.

Run
Pace the run evenly. If it doesn't feel too slow at the start, it's too fast. Break the run up into 25 short runs from aid station to the next aid station. Forget about beating people. Aim for the race to be an exercise in pacing and control - if you come out of the energy lab and you have something left, start racing there.

The run is hot along Alii Dve, and full of spectators. Do NOT get caught up in the vibe and let it speed up your pace. You will need it for the Queen K and in/out Energy Lab where it is has considerably less screaming spectators.
If you lose your focus at anytime during the first 10 mile (the section up and back Alii Dr) and go too hard you will pay for it 10 fold on the Queen K.

Palani Rd hill is worth walking a bit of to save yourself.

Be familiar with landmarks on the way to the energy lab turn-off because it all looks the same and seems to go forever. Same on return.

Have a great time and enjoy that awesome last km of the run leg.

Tooth hurty

I'm sure that I'm not the only person who has avoided a dentist visit for longer than I should. In fact, given "they" recommend a 6 monthly visit then I've travelling in excess of a factor of 10 beyond that time for a few years. If ignorance really is bliss, then I've been in a blissful place for quite a while...from a dental point of view, at least.

But all that changed once I got married last month, not because my beautiful wife is a dentist but because she suggested a few times (I won't call it nagging) that I go, even giving me the card for her dentist to call, which I took and put in my bag to do something about...sometime. It was too easy not to do anything, except I knew myself that it was in my own interest to go, so I asked my work colleagues for suggestions and dammit if they didn't tell me about a clinic about 5-10min walk away. Dammit. So I called and booked in, knowing this would likely start the flow of a river of cash from my pocket into the dentist's...

The day came around for the appointment and after only a very short wait, barely long enough to even select between a magazine 2 years old or 3 years old, I was led into a windowless room with the dreaded chair facing me; comfy if you're looking for a nap, but not if you're there for a dentist appointment. Alvin was my dentist and he spoke in a quiet voice, greeting me and saying everything will be fine, sounding just like the captain of the Titanic, I'm sure!!

I stressed that I was just here for a check-up and not interested in anything cosmetic, because heaven knows how hard it would be to improve much of my appearance. With that I slid into the chair with a napkin tied around my neck and some un-fashionable glasses on my eyes as the chair raised and reclined to a point where it would have been quite awkward to get out.

Alvin set to work doing an inspection with a little mirror and "prodder", giving a running report to his assistant about the state of play in my mouth, using code words that I couldn't distinguish whether it was a good story or not...I assumed the latter. After a few minutes he took some x-rays, thought for a minute and then told me the news. While not quite a disaster there were some fillings needed - not too bad - and a tooth to be pulled out - that was bad. Not any tooth, but a wisdom tooth, about which I've only heard horror stories of extraction from other people. Oh. My. God.

While I digested this he did a clean and polish of my teeth and sent me off to come back 1 week later for the first part of the repair - a filling and the dreaded tooth removal. "Book an hour" he said, so not just painful but stretched over a hour, too. Paying the bill was barely a tickle compared to what was ahead next time.

The intervening week was filled with nerves and anxiety which made the dread of donating blood seem trivial. I had visions of my head being shaken about as the dentist struggled with a pair of pliers in my mouth getting the tooth out, not to mention the needle to numb the area in the first place...would it work?? Ms A reassured me that they would give me "happy gas" so I would be oblivious to it all, but nothing could dress up the horror I was expecting. I even wanted to take some hospital strength pain killers I was given after my Achilles operation until Ms A talked me out of it.

I would just have to grin and bear it, as much as you can with a mouthful of dentals tools.

The appointment time arrived and this time I didn't even have time to pick up a magazine before the dental nurse came and led me to the chamber, I mean, consulting room. Alvin was barely audible above my beating heart as I relayed my nervousness and asked for any painkiller they could offer, which to my horror said did not include any gas. Oh no...

With great efficiency I again sat down and Alvin got to work, sticking his stainless steel needle into my mouth at least 5 times - it seemed like one of the injections came out the back of my neck. But soon I was numb, with a tennis ball sized cheek, or one that felt that big.

The filling was first, with a lot of grinding and other things, plus a suction vacuum that did as much to dry my mouth out than remove any gunk. All the while I was clenching my hand around the waist of my pants, quite possibly digging a hole in them, also. The only blessing was being able to use my iPod, which I turned up to max volume with some rocking tunes...the selection which both Alvin and the nurse approved of!!!

Next was the tooth removal. Alvin said he'd start by loosening it, and stuck what looked like a screw driver in my mouth to do the job. Then it was the dreaded pliers, looking exactly like in my nightmares, that he stuck in. My whole body was tense, eyes scrunched shut and beads of sweat emerging as he grabbed hold of the tooth...and then it was over!!! It came out with little resistance (thank god!!), and Alvin rested it on the tray and replaced it with some awful feeling gauze to stem the blood.

Phew. That wasn't too bad!!! My relief was measurable - I felt like I dodged a bullet. I left with a second wad of gauze with the whole job done in about 40 mins, and almost happily paid the bill...it hurt more than the tooth thing. There's still another appointment to do the final two fillings, but I think I can handle that now.

The numbness wore off after a while, but even then the pain wasn't too bad. A couple of Panadol that night and I slept like a baby. Ms A was proud of my stoic nature, despite my pathetic anxiety in the lead-up. After all, I only went because of her persistence.

Later that evening as we were having a cup of tea she looked up from reading something and said, "You should get your prostate checked...". Geezus, gimme a break...

Wedding speech

4 weeks ago I got married to the wonderful Ms A at fantastic wedding with all our family and best friends - it was a highlight in so many ways. Married life so far is going pretty well!!

Anyway, our speeches were in a couple of parts each, as a kind of tag team effort. Here is what I said...quite long, and in 2 parts...put here for posterity!!

Part 1
A long time ago I remember watching the TV adaptation of "The Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy", where the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything turned out to be 42. So maybe it was meant to be that now, in my 42nd year, I'm standing here next to my beautiful bride - my "wifey" - who has become my answer to life, the universe and everything. But just like in the TV series, the answer took a long time to find, and even just 2 years ago this day would have seemed unreal...and it still does.

Anyone who has known me for more than 5 minutes will know I like to pack a lot into life, with an all or nothing kind of approach. I've done things my way and I've enjoyed every minute of it, albeit with a tinge of emptiness at being a solo rider. But over time I learned to adapt and enjoy the company of the people around me...and it wasn't as if still being single was for lack of effort. I often pondered if I was single because I was busy, or I was busy because I was single. Whatever.

As it's already been explained, Andrea and I met in hyperspace - the internet - which we'd both tried for some time and gathered an encyclopaedia of experiences from. Andrea had even called in her mum to help out, who I'm told acted as her virtual agent to conjure up a match...if only those unwitting fellows had known!!! Anyway, we were both familiar with the routine of initial contact, email, phone call and then, possibly, actually meeting up in person. Like a punter who goes back for lotto tickets in search of the jackpot prize, for us that would be finding someone we'd last more than a few dates with...perhaps even a lifetime.

Before we first met Andrea had a huge advantage since my name is unique on Google - plus, having a blog and a web-site is hardly being anonymous - and she duly did some research which amazingly didn't put her off. But try trying to find one Andrea Smith is like searching for a needle in a haystack...I didn't even bother trying. Nonetheless she seemed to be a good sort, and after a lengthy phone call on a Saturday evening in January last year we lined up a courageous dinner at one of Melbourne's favourite dining establishments, the Vegie Bar.

They say first encounters count for a lot and I remember meeting her for the first time as we happened to be standing side-by-side to cross the road to said dining venue. Somehow we immediately knew who each other was, and my first impression was of her lovely smile, and warm and friendly voice. Suffice to say, dinner went well and I was pleased to learn she eats pretty much anything - what a girl!!!

Now I'm not sure who she told what about this date, but I reckon her mum knew what was going on, in fact she'd probably done some due diligence work of her own!!! From my end, I kept hush until there was something definite to actually report on...which came the next weekend after a Zoo Twilight concert, helped nicely by a cold evening where body warmth was invaluable. It was here I made the first mistake of our fledgling relationship, telling Andrea that in my experience the best way to warm your hands up is to put them against skin, under a jumper or something. I failed to point out, however, that your own skin is the best choice, and continue to suffer the daily torment of cold hands up my shirt...

Anyway, our second date at the zoo was great and it was the next day while at the tennis with Darren that I said to him, "I've met a girl.". He was probably thinking "yeah, yeah..." knowing my history in that regard, but being the optimistic person I am, could only see the good in her...which I still do. Each date reinforced that she was a great catch, and word eventually spread through my family that Cam has met a girl...and she even likes him, too!!!

Less than 2 months in and Andrea showed a huge vote of confidence by coming on a trip to the Blue Mountains in NSW while I did a running race, which was fantastic. Not only was she supportive but she was also a great omen since I ran well...she was a keeper for sure!!!

We had a relationship test soon after while she went on a 6 week overseas trip...during which I really did miss her...and in particular when she returned to post-holiday blues that clashed with my diagnosis of chronic achilles problems requiring surgery. Wham bam. That weekend was heavy going. But what a girl she was a few weeks later when she picked me up from hospital, taxi'd me around, cared for me and more. Her true colours of caring and warmth shone brightly.

Around this time we started meeting each other's family and friends. The contrast was that Andrea had given detailed briefings to each of them about me before meeting, whereas I kind of threw her out there to fend for herself...and she passed with flying colours. Everyone loves Andrea, and I keep getting told that she's way out of my league, which is lovely to know...but just don't tell her that too often!!! I think our friends all gave mutual approval, and I look forward to seeing more of Andrea's friends over time.

It's been especially lovely being welcomed into the Smith clan, or at least this instance of the Smith clan!! Their welcome and hospitality has shown no bounds, and I couldn't ask for better in-laws, not to mention the instant family of 5 young nephews. They are a wonderful family unit with a lot of similarities to the Maffetts, which is perhaps why Andrea and I share so many values in common.

Time marched on and I think we both sensed this might be a long-term deal, enjoying some trips away driving and walking in different places around Victoria. We became more comfortable and familiar with each other...out went the designer pyjamas and in came the flannel ones. Yet there haven't been any times when I've thought "Oh no" about her, and in fact, keep seeing things that make me so happy that she actually likes me for who I am...it's a little surreal. We've both got full lives and so combining them is a little like having the best of each.

Everyone just expects that Andrea is also a self-absorbed and obsessed sports jock, but she's not, which is a good thing because I don't think I'd get along with someone like me!! One of her great qualities is her compassion and understanding - which I've certainly put to the test - and that she's open minded and supportive, which makes her so easy to get on with a like. She supports me in a way that I aspire to do for her into the future. In late breaking news, however, Andrea and Erica did their first ever fun run last month and are marking their calendars with more events coming up!!!

Then, of course, came the engagement in March. In all honesty, I'd been planning this for months, since well before Christmas, with a trip to NZ seeming to be great timing, not to mention a spectacular setting. I finally narrowed it down to the Wednesday and as we walked up a hill nearby Queenstown which promised a great view, I thought inside this would be the time - remote, alone and crisp with the fresh air. So imagine my dismay when we get to the top and find two telecom workers doing maintenance work on the towers!!!! Dammit.

Undeterred from my mission...we had some friendly chat with the workers before I pointed us to a rock a little distance away to sit on, with an amazing view before us. Now the build up to this moment had some of the markings of a Mills and Boon novel, but my execution of the proposal didn't...and neither did the pause Andrea made before even acknowledging I'd said something!! While I don't recall it being an emphatic "yes", I took the "That would be lovely" to mean the same thing. So the deed was done and the walk back down to our campervan was full of planning for this day, with a series of phone calls that evening to family - and a rare Facebook update - confirming it all to the world.

But getting engaged wasn't enough because we needed to find a home to live in, realising neither of our pads would be ideal. So we also entered the real estate market in selling our two houses and buying a common one...not quite in that order, but with the same outcome. To cut a long story short, all this happened from March to July and we finally moved into our new house, the Chateau de Northcote, only 5 weeks ago. It is huge, big and roomy...literally...we've got 13 people bunkered in there this weekend. But more than that, it is Andrea and Campbell's house - our home - that will last a lifetime. We hope you can all come and visit us sometime.

So here we are today - and our speeches are not quite finished yet - where being the centre of attention is what neither of us usually seek out, or are comfortable with. But it is wonderfully exciting to be married to such an amazing girl, and to have all our family and friends here to help celebrate it. Thank-you so much for coming.

Now it's back to Andrea for the next part.
Part 2
My horoscope last Sunday read something like “blah blah blah”, and finished with the sentence, “Don’t expect to keep a romantic liaison private”. I guess it could only be referring to this day!!

Tomorrow we start the rest of our lives as a married couple – with these rings on our fingers – which is both exciting and a little daunting. Exciting because I cannot think of the better person hang out with as I get older and saggier, but daunting because there is so much to learn about this whole marriage deal.

However I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge, and the promise of this one is way over and above anything else that whatever it takes will be worth it, however much effort it involves.

So far we’ve been shacked up together for 5 weeks of learning each other’s habits, deciding which way the toilet roll should go, who does the cooking and cleaning, and also just enjoying being together. It all feels a bit like a fairy tale, but it’s real and it’s our new lives.

I love that there’s someone who I want and need to care for, to say good morning to and kiss goodnight. It fulfils the basic need of wanting to love and be loved, and in Andrea I’ve found just that person. She’s caring, thoughtful, friendly, laughs at my jokes and straightens my moral compass.

I love you for who you are and what you bring out in me…however I don’t think you’ll ever convert me to coffee.

There’s a movie line I’ve always wanted the reason to use in real life, and with Andrea I think I could have used it right from the start…“You had me at hello.”

Ahead of us is so much to look forward to. We’ve got wonderful families, great friends an amazing house to live in and more. Whenever kids arrive it will be fun to visit the nearby parks and chase them up and down the stairs…which will also be great training for the Olympic athletes I know they’re going to become.

A characteristic I’ve learned that most athletes have is that they’re always optimistic and striving to better themselves – that’s what I want to do in our relationship, to be a better husband and person. It’s taken a long time to become some kind of marriage material, and Andrea is my motivation to keep working it.

It will take us a lot of work and effort, and we’ll have some slip-ups at times, but I think that as long as we’re always looking ahead to how we want things to be then we can’t go wrong. If we need role models then we only need look to our parents for guidance – with almost 90 years of combined marriage between them.

So come with me, Andrea, as we set off on an amazing journey that I’m privileged to share with you.

Being coachable

In the relatively short time I’ve been a coach, something I’ve realised I will keep on learning about is the art of coaching; working with each individual athlete and the physical and mental characteristics they bring. No two people are the same and thus the coaching approach and strategy is never the same – this is the beauty of human uniqueness, and what makes coaching an ever challenging and enjoyable pursuit.

What I have also learned is that the approach and attitude each athlete brings to the coaching relationship is also unique, and has a direct influence on how successful the coach-athlete partnership ends up being. In essence, the more "coachable’ an athlete is, the more you will achieve.

While there is no set formula for what defines coachable, there are some general points I’ve found are worth highlighting about the more coachable athletes (and this is not exhaustive!!). So, in no particular order here they are.

Reliable and ResponsibleReliable athletes are the ones you can depend on to be doing the things that serve the coach-athlete relationship best. This ranges from being on time to training (or advising if they will be late/absent) to doing the proper warm-up, being responsible for their own actions and more. For a coach to be able to rely on athletes being responsible means less of their time is taken up by catering for trivial matters, and more of their attention can be given to meaningful coaching.

Listeners and LearnersIn his book, Chris McCormack says that when you stop learning from your coach it is probably time to move on. This also means that the more coachable athletes are the ones who listen and learn from their coach, which also means they ask questions and absorb what they’re being told. Good coaches are also educators about sport, and often also about perspective and other worldly matters. Great coaches inspire because of their wisdom and ability to develop a deep love of the sport and all that it involves. Coachable athletes will lap it up and thirst for more understanding of the sport and their place in it.

Open Minded and Open CommunicatorsI don’t think anyone would disagree that communication is central to any good relationship. A coach-athlete relationship is the same where the ability, on both sides, to discuss plans, consider feedback, evaluate options, disagree, collaborate and more is invaluable in ensuring the best strategy towards achieving your goals. There is never a right approach, just the best one you can come up with at that time, so stay open minded and communicate feedback on what you’re thinking and experiencing.

RespectWhen an athlete engages a coach there is an implied level of respect for the coach and the attributes they bring to the relationship. So it only make sense to uphold that respect for the services they are providing, which doesn’t meant to worship the coach, but to pay them the duty of treating them as you would expect them to treat you, through good times and bad. Respect is something that is earned over time, and if you lose respect then the relationship is able as stable as a house of cards.

Humility and a Sense of HumourWhether you’re world champion of a back-of-pack athlete, you’re still just a person with two arms and two legs and one brain, and in that sense we are all equal. Sure, some have a greater capability than others once training / racing gets going, but until then we're all equals, and that is how you should behave. In the same sense, a sense of humour is a sense of who you really are, being able to laugh at yourself as readily as you laugh at other things. Humility and sense of humour reflect on a healthy perspective about the sport, and life.

Enthusiastic and MotivatedThese final characteristics in many ways are a result of - or culmination of - all the other points. Athletes who want to be coached, will be, and they will be excited about what they can achieve in partnership with a coach. Without enthusiasm and motivation an athlete will struggle with any task. The coach will never give the athlete motivation. It must come from within, and with it everything falls into place.


You will notice that none of these things relate to the physical capabilities of an athlete, because in many ways that is secondary to the approach they bring. Being coachable is about the attitude an athlete brings with them, because it's your attitude at the start of a challenge that has the most influence on the outcome.

Of course, there is an equal list of things that athletes should be looking for in coaches, which may include many of the same points I’ve mentioned above!! But lists aside, athletes and coaches have found many and varied ways of making the relationship work, and as long as you are enjoying your sport and the role of your coach then that sounds like a happy and productive situation to be in.