My advice to me!!

2010 was a year of new learning!  I learnt a ton about myself, training, coaching, swim, bike, run......I opened myself up to being present in what I was doing and gained so much from it.  I actually listened to what I was being told and learned from what I was reading.  I gained physical and mental insigth into training and defeat.  Most of all I grew and gave myself a new platform to excel from as I continue on whatever quest it is I go on.
My IM Moo! experience was incredible!  I trained hard, trained smart and managed to stay healthy all the way to the start line.  The only injury I suffered in my training was in December 2009 when I thought I needed to start ramping up hard on my running for a IM in September.  Go figure, within 2 weeks I was off the wicked plantar and did not run for 3-4 weeks.  So, I have put together some small nuggets of advice for myslef based on what I gained last year.
1) Choose your A race and make it your A race!!  I watched so many friends race and race and race only to be dissapointed when they did not get the result that they wanted when IM was complete.  You have to focus on the task and build your training and other events around it.  Each weekend can not be a race to set a PB.  You need to recover and allow your body to rebuild after you go like a madman.
2) Choose your race schedule and stick to it.  Make it strategic so that it fits into your plan and training periodization.  If you do not, you will likely race to train.
3) Focus on all 3 discplines!!  It is a race involving 3 events, focus on each of them correspondingly.  I could not swim when I registered and came up with an awesome result by keeping focused on my training and doing the tough stuff even though I did not like it.  Cycling is a strength for me, I still put in all the workouts and the grinding and it came out in the end as a great ride on a tough course.  I learned from being a run slacker that it does not work!!  I am not a strong runner and did not put in the miles required to run a great race. 
4) Learn from your experience!!  Log your training and your feelings and results and put them to work for you! 

5) DONT OVERTRAIN!!!  I am watching many friends who are in all out panic mode because they arent trying hard for a race that is in August.  CALM DOWN!  I started my quest to IM as a fat dude and did not truly start the hard work until end of ski season.  I had a great result for my first IM and was healthy getting to it.  No one is going to view you as a hero because you train like an idiot every day and push yourself in every workout even though the program tells you not to!  It does not work!  The programs are written based on years of scientific research, unless you are writing your thesis on the subject of IM training, don't be an ass and do what you are told!!!
6)  NUTRITION IS KING!!!  I spent the entire summer figuring out what I needed to eat, how and when I needed to do it!  You can be the best at all 3 discplines but that gives you nothing in an IM race.  Nutrition is the secret key to success.  Dont think for a minute you will learn it on race day!  WRONG!!  I watched an accomplised athlete who should have kicked my pants finish 45 min behind me because he did not listen to my summer long training advice!  Pay attention to what you are eating, when you are eating it and how it amkes you feel at the start middle and end.  You have minimum 3 months of hard training, use every long workout to teach you the lessons you need for a succesful race day!
7) ENJOY the journey!!  My ride to IM was the coolest time of my life.  I am healthier than I have ever been!  I was inspired by the wicked amazing people around me!  I inspired and trained others to reach new heights!  IT WAS COOLEST THING I HAVE EVER ENJOYED!!!!!  Why??  I took time to enjoy what I was doing!  Did it hurt?  Yes!  Did I wonder why I was doing some days?  Yes! Did I ever consider quiting?  NO!   I chose to do it so I committed to myself to enjoy the journey and I did!

As I start this year am I going to do things differently?  Sure, I have learned from my victories and mistakes!  BUT, the principles and advice I hve noted above will be the exact same!  I am going to take what I learnt and get better as a result!  A better athlete, training myself smarter, training others stronger and enjoying the trip along the way!!!

Good training day today with a short 7k run at a 4:34 pace. Could not figure out why the run was tough as I was ealry on.  When we finished I asked someone what pace we had run at and discovered why!  I love it!  Following my own advice I guess!  Wanna run fast you have to put in some hurt to get there!