almost time to run

Click here to read a very well written article by my coach on the topic of flexibility and strength training. I think the most important statement of the entire article is this:

Based on my experiences as an athlete, and in working with others, this post represents my opinion on the topic of stretching. It IS NOT based on the most recent research paper available in the journals which was crafted to achieve a specific objective. On this topic in particular, you can find just as many papers for stretching as you can against. In these situations you have to rely on your own experiences. In general I think too many people site papers for things rather than making their own decisions….get your own ideas people! Use the papers as input to your decisions……that’s a post topic in of itself.

In this world of coaching I often get tired of coaches who attack one another, their methods, their beliefs. Coaches against coaches could be an industry itself. There are so many fabulous coaches out there...... I take great pride on doing my own reading, forming my own opinion, drawing my own conclusions.

I have spent years working with people. When I was a teenager I taught dance. I coached swimming for 15 years, I have taught in the fitness industry for 20. You learn a lot about people, athletes, fitness enthusiasts from just..... working in the field. I use a lot of that experience.

I think coaches attack each other because they feel threatened. In my opinion..... each coach is their own proof of success. I don't measure success in how many athletes does this coach have going to Kona? Look at their stable of athletes..... has each athlete made gains within their own realm? For the athlete it might mean completing a 5K, running a marathon, anything. The end all be all is not Kona.

I advise...... to be careful when coaches attack one another. Don't look to the coach they are attacking...... look to the coach who creates the attack. That speaks volumes and volume about who you are working with.

Now this morning I am itching, absolutely itching to begin my workout. 1:05 tempo run / 2 hour bike / 1:05 run. One more hour to go. One of my friends just sent me an email that read:

"Where do you want to be a year from today?" It made me smile. I know exactly where I want to be, about to have the race of my life at Ironman Florida. I know this entire season of working with Jesse is just the beginning of preparations for the year I have ahead.

In December I will be traveling to Boston to (visit Kim) undergo a comprehensive evaluation at the hands of Jesse. Run analysis, bike testing, body composition testing, the whole shebang. I am so incredibly honored that he sees the potential within me to achieve something I didn't even conceive I could. He has done the spread with performance indicators. Those are achievable numbers. Damn they are achievable numbers.

Sometimes when you break down the dream into attainable parts it's not only achievable, it's realistic. The year has pretty much already been set in motion. I know where I have to be and by when.

My race schedule has changed a bit. I so stupidly procrastinated signing up for Oceanside and got closed out. Such a stupid move. So I will instead be headed to Texas for Lonestar 70.3. I have a love for Texas. The best new is....... about 8 of my athletes will be joining me. Now how fun is that?

Likely the 2010 schedule will look something like this:

April: Lonestar 70.3

June: running 2 Ironman camps!

July: Musselman 1/2 Ironman

September: Either Pumpkinman 1/2 Ironman or Syracuse 70.3

November: Ironman Florida or Ironman Arizona.

A few scattered sprint and running races in there as well. But my focus is on distance. It seems like I am racing fewer races each year...... but it's really the fact that I am not throwing eggs against the wall anymore. There is a lot of purpose to each race. A good amount of GOAL.

Ahhhh, almost time to run.