Story behind the photos

Phil from www.firstoffthebike.com asked me to write a piece about snapping the photos of Mirinda Carfrae at NZ IM...seems the photos were very popular!! Anyway, here is what I wrote about it all...

If every picture tells a story, then a series of photos of the reigning world champion waiting beside the road mid race with a flat tyre is worthy of a novel. I'm not going to write such a tome, just tell the story behind the photos I was able to snap that wet, wet day in Taupo.

I was in Taupo primarily to support 5 athletes I coach in the race, and being ever the opportunist, Phil (firstoffthebike.com editor) gave me the assignment of following and describing a day in life of the IM world champ in her first outing since winning the title. No problems, I said, and see if you can get me a media pass complete with free drinks that I hear the media live on. Alas, it wasn't to be so I would be watching from the sidelines like everyone else, which left me wondering...do the media even get free drinks??

Anyway, I was excited about the whole event being 6 years since I did the race myself - my first IM - and now spectating with multiple people to watch out for.

Pre-race it was hard to find people - let alone Mirinda - as everyone went to ground, understandably, and loitering around the bike drop-off isn't my idea of fun. Plus, it was starting to rain. So the best I could do was a photo of Mirinda's bike, in the dark, through the perimeter fence, on race morning. Knowing her bike and race number would prove useful later in the day.

The race got underway in rain, often heavy, but non-stop pretty much all day which would play havoc with even my waterproof compact camera from getting drops of water on the lens and nothing dry to wipe it with. The first sighting of athletes would be as they started the bike while it was only semi-light, and things were looking good for Mirinda - and my athletes - after good swims. Snapping moving bikes in the wet with a splodgy lens was tricky...I am far from a professional photographer, or even a competent amateur.

Things went quiet in town during the first bike lap, with the Ironmanlive web-site providing good updates. I planned a strategy to hopefully see / photograph Mirinda and also my athletes amongst the field, which inevitably meant getting very wet...at least it wasn't too cold, I reassured myself. Despite my plans I still missed the pros heading back into town but got on my hired mountain bike to ride around the outskirts of town to hopefully see them heading out...which I also mostly failed at. However lady luck was on my side, as I was about to realise.

As I rode up a road against the flow of athletes the other way I came upon a bike propped up against a sign pole, obviously with a flat tyre. That must suck, I thought, at the prospect of changing a tyre in the wet. When I got closer I recognised the bike and race number, #12, as being Mirinda's and at the same time thought that is really bad luck for her, but also excitement at the photo scoop I was about to get...there wasn't another camera in sight. Phil will love me...in a man-love kind of way, that is...

I dropped my MTB and dashed across the road where a car and 3-4 people were standing - Mirinda, another athlete and a couple of race volunteers - waiting for race tech support to arrive. With camera in hand, Mirinda was happy enough to pose with a little wave and a smile, wrapped in a space blanket. We chatted for a few minutes and she explained that her spare tyre had bounced out, and that just she wanted to finish in order to ratify her qualification for Kona.

A few things struck me as we talked...that she is really quite short, is a humble and lovely person, and was very relaxed about the whole situation even though the race was riding away from her up the road. My opinion of her as a person - let alone as an athlete - went up considerably, and it turns out we'd even met before via a mutual friend back in 2003...a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then!!

Not wanting to revel in her back luck too much, I got back on my MTB and rode on a bit further to spot my athletes but turned back after a 5 minutes or so to still find her roadside but now with tech support slotting in a new rear wheel. However, that wasn't the end of it as just as she got back on they found her rear bottle cage was loose and needed an Allen key to tighen...adding more time to her delay. By the time she was ready to go she was visibly shivvering but pushed off nonetheless and back into the fray after at least 10-15 mins beside the road.

The race - and the rain - continued on, and I saw both my athletes and Mirinda later in the race, in particular on the run leg where she started way, way behind Sam Warriner but running strongly with her usual rhythm. My final sighting was with about 9km to go where I thought she was close enough to push for a win, but it wasn't to be yet still came in an amazing 2nd place, just ahead of fellow pucture recipient Jo Lawn.

The moral of the story from following Mirinda is to never give up in any circumstance, and also that regardless of what success you might enjoy during life, being an honest, humble and friendly person is what most people will remember about you. And from watching my athletes I learned that the level of age group competition is amazing, and that where the mind is strong enough then the body can do amazing things.

She said yes!!

I've just got home from 11 days in New Zealand at the Ironman and then a week travelling around the South Island with Andrea on a holiday...more pictures of that coming soon. It was a great trip.

Anyway, the highlight of the week was me popping the question to Andrea high up on Rock Peak, near Queenstown last Wednesday...and after a momentary pause (surprise?), she said yes!!! Here we are with the inspiring view we had in front of us at the time...we're both quite happy about it all.

So we're getting married later on this year, probably late-July'ish. Suffice to say there's a lot of planning  ahead...and I've been given the task of organising it. It will be a fun day.

World Champion's dog day out...

Last October Mirinda Carfrae won the Hawaii Ironman World Championship, installing her as "top dog" on the women's side of things...along with fellow Aussie Chris McCormack, which was a proud day for Australian triathlon.

Anyway, Mirinda's next race after Kona was the NZ Ironman last Saturday, and so Phil from http://www.firstoffthebike.com/ sent me off with the task of reporting on the new World Champ's day at the office, since I was going to be there spectating. It turned out to be a wet, wet, wet day and following anyone was a hard task...but nonetheless I had some ideas for how I could come up with something for Phil.

As I headed around the bike course on my rental mountain bike cheering various friends, imagine my surprise as I came across bike #12, Mirinda's bike, beside the road with a flat tyre. Here was my scoop!!! I quickly out my camera and in true papparazi style snapped away, while having a chat with Mirnda while she waited for race tech support to help her get going...which took a good 10-15mins. She was super cool and friendly, and was a delight to chat to.

Anyway, I got the following photos of her dog day out...in the bike leg, at least, but recovered to run herself into 2nd place overall. Well done, Mirinda!!

2011 New Zealand Ironman

New Zealand Ironman, Taupo, Saturday 5th March

Apparently they’ve had a good summer over here with warm weather and dry conditions (unlike Melbourne)…until yesterday, race day. It rained, poured, rained, poured and rained some more. From Friday night until this morning (Sunday) there was only perhaps 30mins that didn’t rain. And not just rain, but heavy, heavy rain times. Fortunately, however, it was fairly mild and calm in town (Taupo), although there was some was wind on course. I’ve never seen a triathlon with such rain…

Anyway, the race went ahead regardless and everyone dealt with the conditions as best they could, to their credit. I was particularly following 5 athletes – 3 from our group (Shaun, Rhiannon & Dave) and 2 other guys I’ve been coaching (David & Mark) – plus a number of others in the race I know and was cheering also. The whole field had about 1500 athletes and sold out about 9 months ago.

It was barely light when the swim started, but offered great viewing from high on the lake shore before the first transition leading into 2 bike laps, and then 2 run laps…which meant some downtime during the race. I was staying with Wes & Rhiannon and so chilled out with Wes in the motel room watching really crap NZ TV to pass time. I had also hired a bike which allowed me to ride the run course to keep track of everyone and ride with them for periods of time. We kept track with the on-line updates on the IM web-site.

Suffice to say, EVERONE got soaked – athletes and spectators alike – and unfortunately meant the crowds were a little down. But this race still has a great atmosphere. Here’s a little summary for each of the 5 people I was following…

Rhiannon Snipe – had a great swim and surprised me with how soon she was out onto the bike, with a full “race face” on! She rode sensibly and well, and paced the bike leg well…although quite distance behind her age group leaders. Onto the run and she reported feeling average, but this was her strength and was still running well. I caught up with her again with 10km to go, up a long hill on the run to the finish. If anything, she picked the pace up as she chased a girl in her age group just ahead, and was running with amazing strength and determination…this was a seriously great performance and pulled herself into 4th place in the her age group (15th female overall) with a time that would have won her age group almost every other year.

Dave Symonds – unfortunately had a cold in the lead-up to the race which didn’t help motivation or preparation. However he improved for race day and had a better swim than expected, and rode very consistently and well. Onto the run – also his strength – his turnover was typically good, although like everyone he got tired. However he maintained his form and cadence and ran strongly to the finish, his first IM, and was really pleased with his day.

Shaun Stenson – arrived feeling great and relaxed, and looking forward to a good race. He swam well and like Dave, rode very consistently and strongly with a negative split for the two lap ride. Onto the run and he was still looking relaxed and smooth and maintaining good pace through the first lap, and into the second lap. Things got tough in last 15km and he changed strategy to walk the hills and run the flats…and still running very smoothly when he did. He was all concentration and was doing a fantastic job of keeping going, gaining time on everyone as he ran. He finished with a 38min PB and a fantastic result he is very happy with.

David Green – came here after some fantastic results over summer and hopes of continuing this during the IM, the big end of season goal. He swam solidly, and well for the first lap of the ride but faded a little in the second lap but still off the bike within the time range we had hoped. Onto the run he looked good and ran the first lap well, and well into the second lap. He tired a bit in the second lap but still finished with an 9min PB, which was pleasing but missing the goal of a Hawaii spot.

Mark Harrison – hadn’t raced much but his training was excellent leading into the race. We spent quite some time working out a race plan which started on track with a good swim. He rode a controlled and good bike leg, making a tactical adjustment to ease off in the last 40km to ensure his strength, the run, would still be there. Onto the run and he went really well, and kept his pace and form to the end. While he missed goal A (a Hawaii spot), he got goal B (sub-10hrs) with a 20min PB.

Summary
David Green - 9:37hr (PB), 16th in M30-34
Mark Harrison – 9:51hr (PB), 21st in M35-39
Rhiannon Snipe – 10:14hr (debut), 4th in F25-29, 15th female overall
Dave Symonds – 11:25hr (debut), 67th in M45-49
Shaun Stenson – 11:40 (PB), 119th in M30-34

Rhiannon & Wes at bike check-in. 

 Steno looking very relaxed!!

 Maori warriors doing a ceremony before race start.

 Start of the age group race...barely light and raining.

 David Green heading out for the ride.

 Rhiannon Snipe.

 Mark Harrison.

 Shaun Stenson.

 Me looking very wet already...early in the day.

 It rained and rained during all legs of the race.

 David Green very early in the run.

 Mark Harrison...

Rhiannon...

Mark striding out in the rain. 

Dave still enjoying it all!! 

Rhiannon getting serious late in the race. 

Dave in the hurt locker...

Shaun sharing the hurt locker with Dave...

The race is all over and I'm wet.

When the going gets tough

When the going gets tough...what happens next?? Do you just pull out another tired and worn cliché from you bag in the hope it will inspire you onwards? What if that doesn't work, and why is that some people never seem to hit rough patches? I wondered about these things for a long time, not to mention with the often quoted theory that sport is 90% mental and 10% physical...I mean, is it a load of crap or what?

But then...and this might sound corny...in one race I realised that your body really does follows where you mind leads it, and your mental resolve is the best indicator of how closely you'll perform to your potential. So indulge me for a moment to recount this race and what I learned from it.

It was back in Nov 2002 at the Triathlon World Champs in Cancun, Mexico, a place so hot and humid it made Kona feel like a cool change. Suffice to say, this was big goal race but early in the run leg I was further back and feeling far worse than I wanted to. We were racing in the midday heat and I was cooking...and way behind my expectations. The going was tough, you know, when it feels like you can't feel any worse.

Then just before 5km I heard a voice in my mind say "Try going faster...you've already said you can't feel any worse.". What the?? It was like a kick in ar*e and was exactly what I needed. Of course, the voice was right...I could lift my form a little, and could run faster...and I did. All of a sudden I was passing people and moving through the field...still feeling awful, but I was running with positive - rather than negative - psychological momentum.

Lesson number one was that even when things seem like they can't get any worse, you still have the ability to believe that you're still capable of - and perform - unexpected things, regardless of the circumstances.

Back to the race since there was another lesson coming up. It was getting late in the run leg and I was on my last legs, with tunnel vision and singular focus on running all the way to the finish. I don't recall much of it except that there was no option other than the finish line...every metre of that run leg counted. When I reached the line, as a friend put it, I collapsed "...like a bag of potatoes", unconscious for the minutes it took to be dragged to the medical tent and an IV drip to be plugged in. I felt like death warmed up but elated at the performance boundaries I crossed that afternoon.

Lesson number two was that as long as your mind is committed to the reaching the goal - the finish line - then your body will (usually) find a way. Just don't let any thoughts of compromise options enter your mind.

The hardest part is that lessons don’t come easily, and it’s only by experiencing them yourself that you realise a little more about how your mind actually works. You need to put yourself in situations in training and racing where you learn not only what you body is capable, but also what your mind can lead you to achieve. For many people the weak link in their performance may be their mind…once you can harness it your horizons open to what it possible, and not about the limiting constraints. Think big and bold, and follow through.

How to bounce back

"Inside of a ring or out, ain't nothing wrong with going down. It's staying down that's wrong."
Muhammad Ali

We all have setbacks. You know, when things don’t go right, you stuff up, have bad day, sh*t happens and more things like that. Heck, life would be boring if everything worked out perfectly all the time. If it weren’t for the obstacles we encounter day-to-day we would never be challenged to solve problems and grow as people…which is easy to say, but when you’re at the bottom of a hole it can all look too hard.

How you deal with adversity, and how you rebound from a setback speaks volumes about who you are. Call it character building or whatever, but a champion is the guy who gets up when others say he can’t. Some might roll over and let a set-back knock them out, yet some see it as a great challenge to learn from adversity, plan their return and quietly work their way back – the personal satisfaction in doing so is immense, because only you know the pain and effort involved.

How you bounce back depends on how and why you’re in the situation you are. For the sake of this article I’ll separate them into injury rebound, slump rebound and race rebound, each of which are quite different.

Injury Rebound
Rebounding from injury is typically a critical balancing act between the enthusiasm and excitement of getting back into the swing of sports, and the necessary moderation required so you don’t overdo it while your body re-adapts to the rigors of training and competition. Remember that the greatest predictor for a future injury is a prior injury.

However before getting to that stage it is quite likely you’ve gone through all the emotional phases of being injured which will have surely tested your resolve for driving forwards in your sport. In most cases injuries do recover, and you will get back into game, but at times it’s easy to only see darkness in the tunnel long before there’s any light shining in.

Being injured is a great reality check on the balance you have in life – the more balance, and the more interests you have in addition to your sport, the better you can deal with the reality of your situation. It’s all about perspective and seeing the bigger picture of life and context of where sport fits in. However the greater devotion you have to sport the harder it is being injured, and subsequently the harder it is to maintain a balance when returning to sport.

Rebounding from injury can be both exciting and frustrating. There’s nothing like the freedom of being about to swim / ride / run without the nagging constraint of injury, and you feel the life – and strength – returning to your body. But the frustration of always comparing yourself to your former glory, and how far you slipped can eat away at your confidence, and enjoyment. In these cases you’re best to re-visit your true motivation for sport, and why you do what you do. Hopefully the answer will because of the pure enjoyment, which will underpin your patience in returning from injury.

The motto for rebounding from injury is “hasten slowly”.

Slump Rebound
Rebounding from a slump is a far more complicated matter since there can be myriad of reasons for the slump. While the symptoms of a slump will likely be similar - characterised by poor performance and waning motivation - the reasons for a slump vary enormously. Dealing with the cause is far more effective than treating the symptoms.

Resolving the cause of a slump involves a good deal of honest appraisal because it may not be as "simple" as being only a physical performance issue. Often there is a psychological root cause that needs to be addressed...which I'll leave to qualified folks to talk about.

Whatever is behind a slump, it will usually manifest as a physical issue...although often combined with lagging motivation. These things are closely related. If your motivation is coming from the "wrong" source then perhaps you need to step back and take an objective view of the reasons why you're doing what you're doing.

Dealing with a physical slump is usually a matter of first getting back to an even footing, that is, recovering from any fatigue or similar issues that may be part of the slump. This may take a while...certainly, triathletes can become very over trained which takes extended periods to recover from. At the same time you need to change something or else the same thing will happen again. That is, you need to change the balance between your training, recovery, nutrition, family, work, etc, so that it is sustainable over the long term.

I'd suggest that often the most valuable thing to change / update is your perspective.

So in summary, a slump rebound is usually more involved than simply having some rest. Look at the big picture.

Race Rebound
Rebounding from a race is far more straight forward, although in there can also be complex factors behind why you might have had a bad race. But in considering only the race performance itself, a race review - somewhat of a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis - will uncover some great learning points that will help to focus on improving, which might range from aspects of your fitness to technical issues, tactics and more. So your feedback can inform a whole host of actions for different areas of your preparation and racing.

A race review does not need to be overdone as often you'll be aware of why a race didn't go to plan, however thinking methodically through the lead up race day helps to organise your thoughts.

The important part is to be objective in your review, with a healthy dose of reality and humility (often best served up by an observer!!) since some of the things you realise may have a somewhat bitter taste. Nonetheless, if you're keen on learning and progressing then you need to face the hard reality.

Regardless of any negative points from your race, there are always positive things to learn and take away from a race. Races are unique in that they are the ultimate test of your performance, and are also the ultimate feedback mechanism. A poor race just provides more feedback items than a good race, and what you learn can help your future races.

Describing a race rebound isn't really consistent with an injury or slump rebound because it's really just an accurate view of your current performance level, and getting over a poor race is about striving for a better race.

So whatever you're rebounding from, there will always be significant parts that are mental and physical. But since the body follows where the mind leads it's often the mental side of things where you need to look first when bouncing back. And remember, being on a low is not fatal...it just means there's more things that can get better.

"I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot...and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
Michael Jordan, Professional Basketball Player

Doing what's best

"...the struggle is sometimes hard to see because it is not a struggle between good and evil as much as it is a struggle between the good and the best."

"...the good is always an enemy of the best because the good is so good; it has the feel of good, but ultimately it is less useful because it is not the best."

What's good? What's best? Which do you prefer?

As we train we hope - and expect - that we're going to improve. That we're getting better, so that compared to when we started we're actually becoming pretty good relative to our start point...whether in a race or just in training. Good feels damn good. And that alone is fantastic feedback, and motivation to keep on training.

But how good is good? Is your good, good enough? What comes after good?

There's a million clichés about going beyond your limits to another level...across that invisible line we think is there...that we believe is going to take a huge effort to leap across. Is this what you understand because you see it in films...read it in books...or because that's just what you think? And is the grass really greener once you do lift to a new level?

How about if moving up a new level was simply a matter of doing what's best for you, rather than what's good for you? Would you be prepared to take the step to doing what's best for you, to strive to fulfil your absolute ability, and take comfort that you gave it everything you could?

But each action has a consequence - each person has a different threshold - and doing what's best for you involves sacrifices. But take comfort, also, that this is not an all-or-nothing approach...there's degrees you can take this to, and each person has their own constraints on what they can feasibly do.

"The cowards never started and the weak died along the way. That just leaves us."

So what's involved? It's simply a change in attitude in everything you do that contributes to your ultimate performance...doing what's best for you within your range of control. It's as simple as that. Set your sights high and raise your aim to do what you need to in order to reach that level.

Think of all the things - physical, mental, equipment, nutrition, etc - that make up a performance, from planning to execution, and consider what aspects of that are just good...and what aspects of that could be best for you. Each 1% adds up to a huge gain. And that satisfaction and feedback will be priceless.

"Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone.”

Motivation and Expectations

What motivates you about your sport? What are your expectations from it? These are two pretty big questions at the heart of participation at any level, and their answers give an insight into the true psyche of anyone who has kitted up for a session, competition or other sports activity.

A sports psychologist may give a long and detailed explanation of motivation, but I'm a simple guy which is where this article is aimed. So here's my look more at motivation and expectation.

There's a million books about getting motivated, being motivated and staying motivated, not to mention an industry of motivational speakers, videos, songs, etc. I'm guessing the common theme they have is that motivation comes from within and any amount of gee-up energy and material will only have a temporary effect. Fair enough and quite correct from where I see it.

However I consider motivation in a way that it's linked to expectations...which I'll get to shortly. I think there are two types of motivation - for the love of it, or as a means to an end. Put another way, are you in it for the art or business? Let me explain.

I love being involved in sports, especially running. The beauty and simplicity is the appeal, and feeling of movement and freedom when I'm out running. For other people they love the speed and excitement of cycling, the skill and athleticism of tennis, or perhaps the precision and concentration of golf. Each sport has it's own challenges which appeals to millions of people around the world. They are motivated by the love of their sport...purists at heart, and is key to life-long involvement and enjoyment from sports.

Many other people are motivated to participate in a sports activity as a means to an end. For some people this means personal trainer classes, spin classes, gym, etc, to get fit, lose weight, look good, meet people...although some purists may debate about whether they're actually "participating" in sports, or just exercising. Either way, they're motivation is as means to an end.

A variation to this is people who, for example, swim because it is one part of a triathlon - they might love triathlon as sport, but hate swimming, and if triathlon were changed to being lawn bowls, bike riding and running they'd take up lawn bowls...especially if their was a lure like qualifying for Kona. Their motivation to swim is as a means to an end.

Sometimes there is overlap, or where one motivation leads to another. For example, someone may start a sport for a love of it, find they're good and go on to being a professional...in which case it becomes a means to an end. Alternatively, someone may start as a means to lose weight and find they enjoy the sport and evolve to love it, which is a fantastic outcome.

A big trap in sports is when people forget what their motivation is, and keep on with sports because they don't know any difference and are trapped in a cycle. It all becomes a bit aimless...I'm sure we've seen people like this, and is where motivation is linked to expectations.

Expectations are what you hope to get out of something, as some form of 'reward'...although it can be in a multitude of forms. For people who love their sport the reward is simply the joy of doing what they enjoy - like the "runner's high" - before, during and after. For each person it will be different, and just reinforces why they do what they do...which includes the excitement and challenge of competition. For people motivated as a means to an end, the expectations are often around health, as tortuous as the process might be!!

The important thing about expectations is that you must be the one who owns them. If you get to the point of being motivated by the expectations of others then it is the start of a downward spiral where motivation - and the reasons for participating in sports - begins to wear you out and wear you down. Responding to the expectations of other people is a negative motivation.

In practical terms this can be something like going to training because you think others expect you to, and similarly with races...and these are surely not good ways to go on participating. While it's great to feel a responsibility to others, if it's not a team sport where others are depending on you, then perhaps it is time to question and re-visit your true motivation.

Motivation is what energises our life, but just as motivation comes from within, so should your expectations. Aim for your own standards - your own expectations - and you'll always be master of your own destiny.

The busy athletes guide to training

This article is for the busy athlete who has little time for fuss, let alone endless training. They want the best results from the least training...and they don't care too much for fluff and waffle. So let's get straight into it!!

1. Make it a team project
Most busy athletes will be busy due to family and/or work commitments, which means family and/or work also need to be part of the solution...part of your team. You need them to work with you, not against your goals and dreams.

Top priority is being 110% comfortable that your family supports your quest to be an athlete, and the time and energy your sports will take away from home life. Redeemer that being selfish does not equal balance, and without balance and harmony at home then things will crumble terribly. Sports are a healthy indulgence, not an obsession, so make sure your family team is part of the journey so you can share the experiences it brings.

Close behind family is work where you need to reach an agreement about how much training you can fit in without compromising your career. For all but a few people, sport does not put food on the table, so your training needs to fit in your work commitments...also as part of your supporting team.

2. Have goals
Goals are the things that give you direction and motivation, as well as guiding the training you do. Without knowing your goals it's not possible to define an effective training program to give you the most benefit from the training time you invest. The more specific your goals, the more specific the training plan to achieve those goals will be. Busy people will recognise the SMART criteria for setting goals - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-based. Once you've defined your goals you can go forth and build a plan and schedule to achieve them.

3. Identify your constraints / available time
The best training program is one that you can do, because it fits in around your constraints and available time. Whether your constraints are family duties, shift work, work, etc, they need to be factored in before you build any plan. Write out a timeline for each day of the week to see where your available training time is and if there is any opportunity to shuffle things around - this exercise is fantastic for seeing where all your times goes!! Your constraints will also include your preferences, eg, that weekly session you do with friends that you really want to keep doing. For busy athletes, training should fit around your lifestyle, not dictate it.

4. Develop a routine
The next step on from identifying your constraints is developing a repeatable, sustainable routine which fits into your lifestyle. Routine breeds consistency, which is the most important aspect of any training program, and for many people a weekly routine is most workable...notwithstanding that there will be exceptions from time to time. Given this routine will include which sessions fit in on what day / time, it is important to plan this out being mindful of the principles of a balanced training program, eg, not book-ending hard sessions back-to-back, and so on. A routine also needs to include sufficient recovery, which includes sleep, all of which may take a couple of weeks to fine tune into an effective routine for you.

5. Benchmark
Busy athletes like to see progress and results from their training, to know that they're heading towards their goals. This gives reassurance and motivation to continue on. Benchmarking is the way of measuring your performance at a point in time, to then compare against as training progresses. Hopefully you'll see continual improvements, or at the very least the feedback from each benchmarking session provides a subjective assessment of progress. Benchmark tests need to be repeatable under similar conditions - environmental, emotional and physical - so as to be a fair measure, and tests should be specific to the goal events.

6. Train
Finally you need to do the do!! By this stage the busy athlete knows what session they're doing, when, and for how long. With the guidance of a coach they'll also know the details of the session - how to execute the session - and what to do if circumstances dictate that there's less time than anticipated, or conditions (eg, weather) are not conducive for the planned session. Having training so tightly planned and scheduled may take away some of the impulsive enjoyment, but that is an unfortunate compromise the busy athlete must accept. At the heart of any weekly training schedule, for riding and running at least, are two key workouts - a long session and a tempo / interval / threshold session (depending on your preferred terminology). Your training should be tailored to meet the goals you set.

7. RaceMost likely it is a race that has been the goal, and primary motivator for the busy athlete. This is a chance to throw off the shackles of such structured training and let it all hang out on the race stage!! For the busy family athlete, a goal race can also be an opportunity for a trip to somewhere new, be it interstate, overseas or otherwise. The race is the reward for being diligent and dedicated to the (mostly) thankless process of training. A race is like a victory lap...enjoy it and reap the rewards of overcoming a busy lifestyle. Most importantly, share the emotion and excitement with your team...because without them you wouldn't be there.

Rules of training

Do you ever stop to wonder why sports seem so complicated? Do you wonder what changed from when you remember just heading out the door to enjoy the beauty of being fit, outdoors, pumping adrenalin and just going hard? At times they can seem like the long lost days of the past - the "good old days" - with the freedom to do what you want and still front up on race day and put in a good showing. Crazy to think, but some people are still like that!!!

Sadly, this article is not here to take you back to when things were simpler, but rather to add some more rules to an already cluttered headspace. However, these rules will hopefully help to simplify your training, because the bigger part of training is not so much the physical work you do but the approach and attitude you take to training.

These rules are aimed at giving you a clear approach to training, and make your training and racing most effective. So here goes...

1. CNN (Consistency, No Compromise, No Doubts)

If you train consistency, with no compromise in the things you do during training, then you'll have no doubts about how you'll perform on race day.

2. JFT - sometimes just training is more important than the details of what you do.

JFT = Just F***ing Train. Remember that at the end of the day training is how you improve...and sometimes the specifics are less important than just getting out to train.

3. You can't overtrain, only under recover.

Read that again. Recovery is what allows you to keep on training, and it's during recovery from sessions where you adapt and improve. Plan recovery with the same diligence as you plan training.

4. Plan the work, work the plan.

Have plan for where you're heading and how you're going to achieve your goals. Then work to the plan...and be prepared to update your plan at any time.

5. Train today so you can still train tomorrow – consider a 72hr training window.

If you train so long and/or hard that you're unable to train tomorrow - fail. Consider your training session in the current 24 hr window in the context of what you did in the previous 24 hrs, and what you plan to do in the next 24 hrs -a 72 hr window. Aim for consistency from day-to-day, week-to-week, etc.

6. TUF – Technique Under Fatigue. Practice in all sessions.

The athlete who holds their technique best under fatigue will slow down least, especially when running. Practice technique in every session, whether slow, medium or fast.

7. Specificity is the key to your best performance.

Training to meet the specific demands of your target event is the best way to be prepared for the specific demands of the event.

8. When things are going well, be conservative.

If you're having a great day / week / month of training, don't be tempted to do more and/or harder training. Stick to plan and be consistent. Single training sessions don't make champions - consistency does.

9. Consider metabolic vs. structural conditioning.

If your metabolic fitness (ie, aerobic capacity) exceeds your structural fitness (ie, muscles, bones, tendons, etc) then be careful to only train as hard as the weakest aspect can cope with, so you don't break down.

10. An educated athlete is better prepared.

Learn about your sport, it's history, the events, equipment, training methodologies, other athletes and more. The greater your understanding of the sport and it's intricacies the better your grasp on how YOU can best prepare for and race.

11. Be honest with yourself and have a passion for being your best.

If you're not honest with yourself then you're only fooling yourself. Be honest and humble, and see every session as an opportunity to improve and learn more about yourself and the sport.

12. Do the minimum amount to achieve your goals.

Train with an objective and make sure you get the most effectiveness from each session - the most benefit from the least time/effort.

Finally…

13. There is no answer.  Sport is an on-going journey of learning about yourself.

No one has the best answer for you. You are a work in progress and the more you know about yourself the better you'll be able to decide what is best for you. Keep on experiencing and learning.