Not much training, but ALOT going on!

So, after making the call on not racing Ironman Port Macquarie I have just rested, as in done nothing.  I have really enjoyed being "social" again and attending functions, catching up with friends and just having that "normal" (well kind of) life.  I have only had 2 training sessions since just within the last few days, a small run and a 2 hr REALLY easy ride on the weekend.

I am really happy that I made this decision and that I have given my body the chance to fully recover from a solid training program since the new year, albeit a little inconsistent with a few injuries.  Getting the niggles out of the body has been a very important part of me resting.

However during this time, there has been a fair bit happening.  I have been the subject to a University Assignment, invited to do a Rotary Talk (tomorrow night) and also working closely once again with my athletes who are upcoming their races at Cairns both Ironman and 70.3 races as the season comes to close.

With the addition of another few athletes, my motivation and enthusiasm for success for ALL that I coach is as high as ever.  With this I have been reading different articles from other more coaches to continue my education within the sport.  Also reading a few articles about long course training and my approach for my athletes.

This also leads from my blog Prepare to Succeed, Don't Chase the Fail about preparing yourself to have success.

Whilst reading a blog from Sean Foster (Fluid Movements Melbourne) he talks about balancing all 3 disciplines and planning.  A paragraph from this blog is:

Finally, the period of time you allocate to train for your goal race is critical. The longer the block, the more latitude you will have to strategize within the periodised plan.


This is something that I consistently talk to my athletes about.... Not rushing, this is the key.  Sean has coached a girl by the name of Kristy Hallet from her first triathlon to her recently turning pro after having the fastest female age group time at Ironman Melbourne.

Another paragraph from his blog is:

The longer the period of time you allow yourself to reach a goal, say 30-50weeks prior to your ‘A’ Race, the more gradual the increase in effort can be and the more effective the end result.  


This is something that I am finding also.  The more time you have to prepare for you main race, the more success.  Those you understand this, go a long way is achieving their goals.  Those who drift in and out, become consistent, then fade, have a very inconsistent race career.  I can attest for this by the year I "tried" to self coach.  Training was very inconsistent and my result at the end of the day replicated that.

After understanding this theory, my results have also reflected strongly.  As I talk to more and more athletes every day, it becomes easier to understand and pick the ones who are preparing to succeed vs those who are trying to chase it!

So, my whole point of what I have said in previous blogs is across the board from all successful coaches in gaining success.

As with anything success breeds success, starting with a beginner who completes their first race to an Ironman wanting to qualify for Hawaii.  As it has with TMC, we have grown to over 60 athletes and had to add an extra coach to the stable and now have 4 coaches and also having a female coach Kim Michell, it gives us the ability to continue to grow and cope with the enquiries that we are receiving.  This year we have 2 athletes (at time of writing as we have a few more racing) competing at Hawaii (myself included) and by the way the performances have gone, I would expect this number to double for next year.

Throw in a qualifier for the Olympic Distance World Titles in New Zealand, it has been a rather successful period for us.  This can only be achieved by people committing to not only TMC, but also to themselves in what they want to get out of the sport.  Everyday I am communicating with my athletes who are at various abilities, builds and expectations, however one thing is those who have committed are on the right path to ticking off their goals.

I cannot say how much I enjoy not just coaching my athletes, but getting out there when the weather is good, bad or indifferent and just slugging it out with them.  Getting to know them better, know them when they are fatigued, hurting, or even travelling along smoothly.  This continues my passion and want to help people achieve what they want to as I have been fortunate to have ticked off some pretty significant goals in my fleeting triathlon career.

So in saying that, there are more athletes that I need to call, including another potential "newbie", also have to put the finishing touches on my talk for tomorrow night and even commence my core strength program.  This was the 2nd of my New Years Goals as stated in this blog.  So, once this becomes consistent, I will have ticked off both of my new years resolutions.... How have you gone with yours?

For now...

X-Man

PS.  I have reactivated my comments section, so please feel free to comment, even if anonymously.

Ironman Australia Round up.

Ironman Australia holds some mixed emotions for me, some for really good reasons and other for "smart" reasons!

Firstly, I wanted to explain the reasons why I didn't start.  I went to Port with a very mixed mindset of wanting to start the race or not.  I did really want to start and do the race with many close mates, a boys weekend away with an Ironman race, what more could I ask for??

On the other hand, by not racing, I wouldn't risk upsetting the virus that I was getting over and potentially delay my Kona preparation by anywhere up to 3months post race.  I decided to go through my normal routine, register, check my bike in, carb load etc and just see how I woke up race morning.  This was my plan that I had discussed with Andrew for the previous few weeks.  I had more to loose than gain from this race.

So, landing in Newcastle on the Thursday evening, the 5 of us, Scott, Steve, Ronny, Benny and myself had accommodation organised and took the opportunity for a good night sleep before we convoy down to the home of Ironman Australia, Port MacQuarie.

Arriving on the Friday, getting our apartment, everything was as normal.  I actually enjoyed these few days before the race compared to Melbourne as I felt like it was an Ironman, Melbourne just didn't have the same feel for me.

Fast forward to race morning, once I woke, I just knew that I shouldn't race.  I felt really sluggish, tired and something just told me to enjoy the day.  So I did just that.  Remember this blog: Prepare to Succeed, Don't chase the fail? Well that is what my mindset was about.  Do this race and risk putting myself so far behind for no reason then ego, or rest and get my body/health right for the start of my Hawaii build.

So, Nathan (younger bro) and I went to the swim start with the boys and did our bit as supporters to help where we could.  A few nerves from the others, but I knew and said to Nathan that I had made the correct choice.

It would have been easy for me to suit up and go out and race, it was harder to make the correct decision by not starting.  The hardest thing was seeing my bike still waiting in T1 after everyone had collected theirs, usually mine is pretty close to being first in T2, not getting packed into a truck and transported to T2.

So we set up just up from the turn around point on the bike and saw all the boys go through.  Little did we know, that Andrew, Billy, Mitch & Greg made a surprise visit to support which made our group even more vocal.

By the end of the day and many cold ones later, I could not have been happier about my decision.  I am still giving my body a chance to fully recover before I put it through another serious Hawaii prep however I do know that when I commence it, I will be ready.

Putting on my coaches hat, I had 4 athletes race Ironman Australia, 2 first timers, a newbie to me and an old friend and training partner.

The 2 first Timers, Tim Tingiri and Adam Kelsall, both had outstanding races and had a wonderful experience through their first Ironman Journey.  I know that both learnt a lot from their first race and might just have even caught the bug called "Ironman"!

Adam Kelsall, who has had an endurance back round through some silly sport known as 24hr mtb had a race to remember with the following stats:

Swim: 1:00:58
T1: 5:28 (I might have to ask how many course he had to eat in T1)
Ride: 5:47:14 This was our plan to set him up for a solid run.
T2: 3:07 (must have been excited to start the run)
Run: 3:41:12 (not bad for a guy who only started running consistently 6months ago)

Overall: 10hr 37min 59 sec

From where I watched, he smiled all day and soaked it up, an outstanding first Ironman!!

Tim Tingiri also had a great race and learnt a few lessons he can take with him moving on.... Main lesson.... Ironman isn't easy and if is was, everyone would do it.  Tim was a little hard on himself post race, but after explaining the significance of his achievement and what he put his lovely wife Deb through ;-) I think he got it!!  Great effort mate.

Swim: 1:10:36  The guy couldn't even swim 1k 1 year ago, amazing turnaround. We both thought a 1:20 was the time that he would do.
T1: 3:21 Impressive
Bike: 5:59:24 Same deal as above, coming in very raw, still a  good time
T2: 2:07 - Nailed it
Run: 3:56:26, not as fast as we both thought, but still a great first up Marathon off the bike.  A bit of experience and nutrition, things WILL be quicker next up!

Overall: 11hr 11min 54 sec

Benny Robinson had to withdraw through injury after the bike and by the emotion he showed he will be back faster than ever.  Was cruising after a 1:05 swim and a 5:20 ride, injury took hold and the unfortunate DNF prevailed.

New comer to me (after IMMelb) James Monahan was backing up after Ironman Melbourne only 6weeks earlier where he went 10hrs 12min put him through a run focus for the 4 weeks we had and got his run time from 4hr 6min to 3hr 47min and an improvement overall by 10min on a course where the winning time was some 30min slower.

Big signs to come from James as with a full year under his belt with the right focus, there WILL be only 1 result.

Now onto what I enjoy before the Ironman races in Australia, my little "tip the a/g winners".  At Melbourne I managed to tip 5 a/g winners and was determined to up this at Port, maybe not as much as I did though.

From this blog, the below was the result of my tipping:

Matty Burton 1st 18-24 M
Alicia Johnson 1st 18-24 F

Matt Craft 1st 30-34 M

Leanne Southwell 1st 40-44 F

Angela Clarke 1st 45-49 F

Stephen Bingham 1st 50-54 M
Leanne MacPherson 1st 50-54 F

John Hill 1st 55-59 M
Nance Cullen 1st 55-59 F

Ron Wilson 1st 60-64 M

Karly McKinlay 1st 65-69 F

Michelle Mitchell 1st Pro W

Throw in Matty Burton to be 1st a/g across the line I think that I had a good day!

Other honourable mentions:

Paul Roberts 2nd 25-59 M

Kristy Craft 3rd 30-34 F

Catherine Theile 2nd 35-39 F

Helen Freer 3rd 60-64 F

Guy Vernay 2nd 65-69 M

Ah the fun of it all, next predictions for me Ironman Cairns!!

To rest and recover!

X-Man

Ironman Australia Age Group Tips & Pro's "Who cares Ironman"

My Age Group predictions:

No doubt I will miss 1-2 athletes here or there as I only gauge these tips on who I remember and on what performance.  No I don't scroll through every person on the entry list!

18-24 Male - Matty Burton by a long long way.  A/G World Champ 2011, However I do know that James Kuyper will lead him out of the water by a good 5-6 minutes and lead for around 40-50k's on the bike.

18-24 Female - Alicia Johnson.  Purely based on previous results

25-29 Male - Paul Roberts. Once again based on previous results, and has raced on this course with a solid performance. Wouldn't surprise me if someone else gets up though!

25-29 Female - Liz Gordon A/G champion from last year.

30-34 Male - My A/G!!!  With no Chapman's this year, time someone else won this A/G!!  My pick is Matty Craft (multiple IM World Champ finisher) and in 9hr 28 last year and is in good form so far this year!

Along with Craft, Daniel Eisenhuth (4th 2011) and Jason Nuttman (looks like a late entry from IMNZ 4hr 27min).  There could be a roughy get up here, but these are my picks. 

30-34 Female - Two girl race....Anna Francis from VIC or Kristy Craft (Could it be a Craft 30-34 double??)  This should be close for a long long way!

35-39 Male - Mark Janson (3rd Hawaii 2010 9hr 5min) with Nathan Fitzackerly and Andrew Vicary trying to topple him.

35-39 Female - Once again am tipping a Two girl race between Jodie Barker & Catherine Thiele.  Both have experience here and will be a great race to follow.

40-44 Male  - Matt Koorey for me.  2nd in 2011 behind Matty Lewis.

40-44 Female - Leanne Southwell comfortable here.

45-49 Male - Chris Southwell, straight up.  Did have Ricky Jeffs to lead off the bike but heard he will be supporting.

45-49 Female - Between Angela Clarke & Allison Coote.

50-54 Male - Couldn't decide between 3 Ironman Australian legends Stephen Bingham (20 time finisher), Mark Moro (11) & Allan Moustakis (14).

50-54 Female - 3 way here also between 13 time finisher Janet McAfee, Rosie Spicer & Leanne McPherson.

55-59 Male - Plain and simple for me.....John Hill, unless something goes wrong he will be done a long long way before the rest.

55-59 Female - Nancy Cullen with a similar result to John.

60-64 Male - Just for finishing, these guys are FREAKS!!  But to pick a winner, I can't decide between, Peter Williams, Ron Wilson and 17 time finisher Rod Howitt.

60-64 Female - Helen Freer


65-69 Male - If Patrick got his genes from his father, I would have to go with Guy Vernay, however I think  that 23 time finisher Geoff Thorsen or 13 time finisher Dieter Reithmeier could be challenging.

65-69 Female - Orginally Karla Mckinley, only starter...but I have found out that she qualified from Ironman Melbourne, so unsure if there will be any starters here.

70+ Just phenomenal that  there is actually a entrant let alone a couple.


For me, the Japanese entrant Hideki Iishi.




For Overall AGE GROUP honours, Matty Burton & Jodie Barker (although this will be close)


Now let's not forget the Pro's... Now they usually get all the spot light, but not for me.  By having only 7 males and 4 female entrants just shows that they are not the heart and soul of the sport.  The age groupers are, so the age groupers are the ones that get my focus.


In my opinion of the Pro's, this race is the "Who cares Ironman"!!


I am going to pick Leon Griffin as he is a Vic and the Vic's need to win one up there and he has every opportunity.  However I do have a soft spot for Jason Shortis.  Mr 40+ and still giving the young ones a battle.


For the women...4 starters...terrible..But Michelle Mitchell for me.


For Now...


X-Man


For the record...I am heading up for the weekend and after hearing a rumour that it might be the last Ironman in Port Macquarie, I might start just to be part of an inaugural and final race in the same year (Melbourne & Port).


I managed to get a little bit of training done over the weekend and today, so I will definitely not be racing, just finishing!  I got my blood tests back today being all clear and I will post them this week.

Ironman Australia Predictions..

Tonight I will include all my Age group predictions for Ironman Australia next weekend.  I recently did these on twitter, however will post on here this evening.

My goal....

To predict more than the 5 a/g group winners from Melbourne.  I am even going to try and predict a few older age groups this time.

Stay Tuned...

X-Man

Prepare to Succeed, Don't Chase the Fail!!

What does this mean?  You might ask!!

What is the difference between the two?

The difference is reaching your ultimate goal vs not reaching it!

So to "Prepare to Succeed" means making sacrifices, withdrawing from events that don't fit into the overall scheme of things.  This is where I am at and have been for the last few years, picking and choosing races to benefit my goals, changing focus whenever needed.

Building for the long term, not just the weekend has also been the goal.  Having rough times on the training track but understanding what/how & why I am doing it makes it easier for me.  It has been all about getting the goals ticked off.  And on looking back, I am pretty sure that I have able to achieve these to date.

This can takes YEARS to achieve!  Years of consistency, years of building up your training base to be able to dig deep into it when required knowing that you have plenty there to choose from.

The caption says, "If Rome wasn't built in a day, how long did it take?"

This is the same with endurance sports....How long can it take?

There are so many relevant factors to this question.  What is your back round? How long you been in the sport? What is your history of injuries?  These 3 amongst a list of so many more.  It just takes time and as time ticks by you start to understand how long it takes.

I dug up an old Cairns Half Ironman from June 2000, which was the first 1/2 that I did.  Some of the names that I see on the results list are still going today.  I can say that these people definitely "Prepared to Succeed".

One guy who finished runner up on this day has gone one to become one of the greatest Ironman Athlete in recent times....Craig Alexander.

Other names that raced back then and to my knowledge are still competing well now are:

Rebekah Keat 1st Fem
The Grangers (Justin & Belinda 3rd Fem)
Rebekah Keat
Shane Reed
Chris Lee
John Hill (A/G'er)

Chris Hill won the race, Jason Metters 3rd & Rina Hill 2nd Fem

My whole point is that a base takes a long time to build, success doesn't happen straight away, and if you are patient with the right guidance you can get there in time.

For the record I snuck into 39th place outright (4hr 43min), qualified for Forster Ironman, but the thought of Ironman was way too daunting for me at 21y.o.


"Chase the Fail" is for all those people who expect results all the time, compare themselves to others and lose focus on what they want to achieve.  Wanting/expecting to race all the time and achieve PB's or podiums although they might only be in the infancy of a training program.  Not compromising to achieve the overall goal, changing their program to suit there wants not their overall goal.  Having extended periods off during the year and only do the minimum required to get through the race.

I think you get my drift.

So next time you look at a race schedule, ask yourself....Which races are going to benefit my overall goal?

Now as far as personally, I have still been struggling with illness.  Ironman Australia is becoming more of a no go, however after re-reading the above, I know that I am "Preparing to Succeed" so this doesn't worry me at all. I will still be up there supporting the boys!

The below picture says it all:

For Now...

X-Man

On this Great Day for Australians, I thought it very relevant to post the below pictures:

Lest we forget.

The tale of 2 years!

The title of this blog could have had different variations, however this was the best I could come up with. As you will read below you you know that my last 2 years of Ironman training and preparations have been nothing short of...

And...

Granted, both years/results have been amazing and far from what I really expected. However, I can really separate the last 2 years into 2 categories... Pre-Kona and Post-Kona.

So, in the categories, I will focus on the Pre-Kona first.

For me, it was exactly what the below photos indicate.

Smooth sailing & living the dream.

I was injury free, free from illness and was just ticking off sessions left right and centre without any dramas (besides fatigue building up) and getting results. I broke the 80min mark for a 1/2 Marathon, got myself a top 10 overall in a 70.3 race and had a great race at Hawaii.

I almost felt:

Nothing was stopping me getting my sessions done, heck, I even was doing 5hr Indoor Trainer sessions, doing double 4hrs rides with 40min runs, running 100k a week became the normal.

The only thing I was suffering from was general fatigue and soreness. I was right on top of this and was getting treatment twice weekly.

Fast forward into Post Kona time:

I started to have feet trouble, developed plantar fasciitis, tried to train and race through it, still got results and didn't give it the respect it deserved. I managed my first Overall win (Murray Man), and then things turned south. I headed to Phuket 70.3 to try and jag another spot for Kona, got off the bike in 1st in my a/g, however just had to walk the run leg, well run walk. If you read my Phuket race report you will see that it was a bit of a run/walk thanks to winner Michael Raelert spurring me on!

A long December followed without being able to walk properly, taking time off to enjoy some normality in my life. I started back around Christmas with the boys just riding with the occasional run thrown in. 1 run, 2-3days off running, frustration.

So we re-jigged the program to try and manage the PF and get some running done in the lead up to Ironman Melbourne.

There was nothing smooth about this race build. Just a total management of my body, my motivation and my training. Having good weeks, bad weeks and weeks in between meant the I was very unsure about how I would fair in the race. I gained some confidence very late in the build after getter 2 100k run weeks in the legs.

The most frustrating thing about my build was that there was no pattern for when my feet were so sore I couldn't stand. It wouldn't necessarily be after a 2.5-3hr run, it might be after a run free day, or it could be after an easy 30min run, or even off the bike which prevented me from completing the session.

So heading into Melbourne, I decided just to lay everything on the line as it was such a special day for me for so many reasons! I got through this race with a result that I would only ever dream about with having a ride/run and overall PB. Joining the sub 9 club and then earning another qualification for Kona was just the icing for me.

Since then I recovered and starting getting back into it, a bit of inconsistency for family reasons (my choice and one that I loved making) and now this week falling sick. Heading to bed Tuesday night at 9pm (normal time) looking forward to swimming the following morning (Did I really just write that??).

The alarm going off at just after 5am, I tried to open my eyes and my body just felt dead. No energy, nothing, I even struggled to move to find the alarm to turn it off. I fell back asleep and before I knew it, 8am, same feeling, decided to take the day off as I just couldn't move.

Next thing I knew, midday, then 3pm, then 5pm. I forced myself to get up and try and move around. Sitting with no energy on the couch hoping that I was just tired and then tried to eat, just a small meal is all I could consume, a bit of water and some strepsils that my sister got for me.

7.30pm, lights out. Boom, 7am wake up. So from 9pm the Tuesday night until 7am Thursday morning I think that I was awake for a total of 4hrs. Now, that's not like me at all.

I decided to head to work to get active and maybe just try to fight it off naturally. Nope, 1pm, exhausted, off to the Dr. The verdict...Tonsillitis for now. 5 days of anti-biotics to follow along with Echinacea, garlic, Zinc & vitamin C tablets and blood tests if I am no better over the weekend.

Will this stop me?

As much as I listen to my body and am a big advocate for it, until I am told to stop I will just tick over and keep myself in shape. Right now I have stopped, into day 3 of nothing, just letting the body recover.

Am I getting a big Nervous?

For sure. I am never one to want to race ugly, but I might not have any choice! I know that mentally I just need to tick off a few big sessions to rebuild my confidence. With only 2 weeks to go, time is running out for this, however I am always up for the challenge!

Although I might get to the start line looking like the above, the motto is exactly what I will be about. I might be underdone, but I sure do know what it takes to fight out and Ironman race!

And like with anything:

So for me, it is more rest & recovery, pumping drugs into my body and trying to get myself ready to go again sooner rather than later. I am not going to force it that's for sure, I do it because I love it!

For Now...

X-Man

Nutrition - The easy excuse!

The first of many topics that I have been thinking about to blog on.

In the 5 or so years of being in the "Ironman" caper, I have found this to be the main "excuse" for people not getting the outcome they expect or desire!

Like with the 3 disciplines in the world of Triathlon, nutrition is no different in getting the preparation right. If you prepare correctly in training, there is NO reason why things can't go right on race day.

So, why do people fall back to this??

In my opinion, there are a few reasons and will list them below:

1. They never really try to get it right in training, just touching the edges in exact race quantities. I have also found that people like to see how much training they can get done on such little nutrition. Like it is a "bragging point". Why?? I have no idea, many people use lack of nutrition as a way to lose weight. But when it comes to race day, you try to load your body up and the body is just not used to it. So common sense comes in here and if your body is not used to the quantity that you are trying to consume, clearly something is going to go wrong!

2. Not researching what is on course for race day. Purely and simply, if you don't do your research, you are not preparing yourself for the best race you can have. If you don't prepare, you prepare to fail.

3. Failing to have a race plan to accommodate changing conditions. In my last 2 Ironman races, I have vomited for a good portion of the bike leg. Why this is, I am unsure, I think in Hawaii, it was that the weather was so hot and the fluid so cold, so a shock reaction. What did I do?? I let the bottle warm a little on my bike before I started intake..... Now over there, it was only 1k or so before I could stomach it. Rather than use this as an excuse, I altered my tactic. There is nothing wrong with changing things on race day to suit how your race is going.

4. People never admit that they maybe just do enough training in general to get the result they wanted, so it is just easy to blame "stomach issues". Simply, if you do the correct preparation, you get the result you want. If you are using excuses, you haven't prepared properly. I am not saying everything goes right all the time, but if you have a few options up your sleeve from previous situations, you can adapt quickly and get on with the job at hand.

5. Last but not least, the one that baffles me the most. Trying NEW things on race day. The biggest no-no in this caper. Partaking in this is just the perfect recipe for disaster, or the easy one to make an excuse for. What I don't understand is that part where people think that the body can handle something new under race conditions, under race stress. If you have never tried it in training, why on earth would you consider it on race day? What makes you think that it could possibly go right?? Yeah, maybe you will get away with it 5% of the time, but the other 95% means you are just wasting all that time, energy, dedication and commitment by a stupid decision.
I found this little motto and think that it just sums up the reason why people make excuses:















One thing that I have also learnt in this sport is those you have decorum and understand that not everything can go right in every race or situation are those you get results. They are the people who change things up until they get the right combination. The people who go searching for something different to get a different result.

As the great Albert Einstein quoted: "The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

So why not try and change your mindset, your strategy and ultimately..... YOUR RESULT..

For Now...


X-Man

Life Balance

So, I write this blog early on Saturday morning where in many cases I would be out training. I have decided to stay in today as it is the last full day that I will have with my kids for a little while. They have been over from Adelaide since last weekend and I have had an amazing time with them.

Getting used to near teenage fashion has been a reality check. Does indicate that I am getting "old" or just have no idea about the fashion??

Like with everything in my life, me support network is amazing, having Dad, Naomi and the kids grandmother to assist during the week whilst I worked was wonderful. I put my training on hold for a lot of the week unless one or both of the kids wanted to join me.

A lot would say that if I hadn't already qualified for Kona this wouldn't be the case. That is just

crap. Before Melbourne I went to Perth for a mates wedding and had 4 days off with no training at all around the same time before that race.

The below 3 pictures sum up my life, however in the first one, career is replaced by training. The middle one just indicates how even my life balance is and the last one replicates people looking for it, not quite clam, not sure what to do.

Which one are you?

I don't think that there is any secret is what I do, just pure enjoyment, just knowing when I need to go hard in training and when the balance needs to be the even.

Does it mean that I have different goals moving forward??

My goals haven't changed nor will they, I just know that with the mindset that I have developed since Kona, everything is in perspective and if I maintain a consistent, even life balance, the results will still come my way.

Next weekend, I fly to Adelaide to become a God Father once again. The honour of this once again out weighs training. Now, I don't know if my mates are starving for friends or I am just the best of a bad bunch, but I will take and accept the honour either way!!

Another amazing thing that is happening for me is getting messages like the one below:

Tell ya what mate you talk about motivation... I'm in the best pace right now than I have been for over 10 years now.. It's been 4 weeks and 1 day on straight and narrow... Finally have some serious goals in sight and making awesome progress and truth be known a majority of my motivation has been from following your posts.... Without sounding corny mate you have made me realise how confidence and strong will can take you anywhere.. You've done amazing things in the last 10 years

Really helping my find the motivation to kick the old ways and start finding myself again... Cheers Xman

This from a guy that I met many years ago and we were on the same path, I just changed paths and started to set goals. To read this message brought tears to my eyes and to realise that I am impacting on some great mates and helping them achieve small goals is just fantastic. The message then proceeded like this:

Me:

thanks mate really appreciate it, I have found myself also and decide to have a really good crack at this as I found myself going no where fast....so a change of direction and wrote a few goals down and worked out a way to start ticking them off. nothing to big to start with, just found my feet and as it all rolled on, the goals just keep getting bigger!

Mate:

No mate seriously Thankyou was a massive kick in ass seeing what you have achieved and how stagnant I still was your a champion big man keep up the great work

• I am not going to name him as the hardest part to changing is realising. Then once you have realised, you have to put plans in place to change, for this guy, who is an out & out superstar to realise, accept and change is so pleasing!
• 
  
• I have also received other messages from mates that I didn't think would come my way, but just shows with the right attitude you can help others without even knowing. This is not my driving force but is a great motivator.
• 
  
• For now...
• 
  
• X-Man
• 
  
• PS, no idea why my font goes all funny at times!! I have never been one on presentation, more just the content!

A simple but effective formula!

Now I haven't blogged much lately, but have been thinking of blogs to do, so stay tuned....

Just a short, simple but very effective formula to think

about!!

Find some:

work on getting:

Will mean you will:

My above photo didn't happen in a short time, it has taken me 4 years of consistent training with a program that suited my needs. Never in my right mind did I think that I could break 9hrs, but with the right guidance and the trust and confidence in my coach, it just happened, not just for me, but for Gregory Farrell also.

I know that come this time next year I will have a couple of athletes really giving the 9hr barrier a nudge as well as the 10hr, 11hr and 12hr. It is not all about the fastest for me, it is the person who is the most consistent will get the best result.

For now...

X-Man

Recovery Over, Time to start training!

After all I have an Ironman to get fit for!

In the last few weeks of recovery and now just starting to get the body kick started I have heard so many comments about me backing up for Ironman Australia in 4 weeks!

Comments like,"You are crazy", "Why are you doing this, you have already qualified?" and many others along this line.

Don't get me wrong, I have received just as much support (well I think it is support) as what I have received negative comments about me backing up to race.

What I say to people is that if you knew my build to Ironman Melbourne, like "really" knew it you would understand why I am making this decision. I do know 1 thing for sure, it is going to be fun. The build, the weekend away with mates that I love being around (bromance at its best) and the fact that once again I enter the unknown for me. Doing 2 Ironman races in 6 weeks!

I have seen many people do it in the past, backing up from Kona to WA and having great results and that is off the back of a perfect build, 16+ weeks of solid training and focus. For me I didn't have that, I have suffered from and managed Plantar fasciitis since not long after Hawaii and had to deal the best I could with it.

Not being able to walk at times due to the pain, having days off training for the same reason and the motivation absolutely destroyed. (Many would remember those posts) I actually just flicked back through them and realised low my motivation was, how much the injury affected me.

So with all this in mind, I want to have a really solid 3weeks, head to Ironman Australia and have another cracking race. Having the weekend with the boys who I did my first Ironman with is going to be special for me also. Not the most flattering photo, but the memories of that still last a life time!

To have the opportunity to do it over, is exciting....The 3 of us are all still going along our journey and have different stories to tell, however to experience the finish of my 1st Ironman with Benny & Ronnie is still fresh. Throw in a few 1st time travelling buddies and I am....

Yep that's right excited to race in this race... To see what I can produce after a short time, but most of all to see a few more of my athletes complete their first Ironman race.

All the factors above give me the drive to be in good shape for the race and to tick off another goal. I want to win my Age Group. I am not going there for any other reason. I am not going to just go around, I am going there to succeed.

Going so close in Melbourne was amazing, but this time I am playing to win.

Now, coming from Victoria, I thought that the above clip was more than appropriate! Seeing old VFL footy at its toughest reminds me of some of the hurt in Ironman racing...I now know how far I can push my body, how hard I can go and still go on. And this race is going to be no different!

After being so excited to finish 2nd at Melbourne I discovered a desire to win my age group. These races are so competitive and only 1 person gets the honour of being the winner. I want that! I have experienced a few feelings like it, however I train for Ironman and want the feeling in Ironman.

To achieve it, everything has to go right on race day, everything has to go right in training, the 1% things count. That's what the next 4 weeks are going to be about.....the 1% er's, the small things that others don't think about, that get disregarded along the way. That is going to be the difference.

On that note, it is time to get out there and get this show on the road!

For Now...

X-Man