I had done 7 races in 8 weeks, and although still an age grouper, I qualified on the elite team that year. I won 2 of the races, placed 2^nd in another, got out-kicked by Mike Pigg and Kenny Glah in Vancouver, then finished a close 3^rd again in Toronto behind Kiwi Rick Wells and Mike Pigg (again). I was literally like a pig in … mud! I was racing around the world, taking time off work as a builder in Australia and living my dream.

Well, what’s wrong with that you might ask? Nothing really, other than it was bound to catch up to me sometime. And it did.

I just loved to race. I just loved triathlon, still do. I just wanted to be in on everything and not miss a single beat.

In 1990 I moved to the USA for a season, leaving Australia with $2,000 AUD, yep, around $1,500USD. This would help me get some rent and an airfare. I had to be careful because making money was it. I was like a Rebel with a Cause, like a pocessed gambler hitting Vegas, and I wasn’t going to take 2^nd for an answer.

I broke through in my first race and won the San Diego International and took home more than double of what I arrived with (you little beauty!). I was starting to do alright and my room-mate Brad Beven and I talked about racing away from each other so we could capitalize on the money that was floating around this magnificent country, much to the demise of the US men.

We cleaned up, but we figured if we won World’s, or something like that, then some (sponsor) would pick us up. Five weeks out from World’s in Orlando, Brad and I raced together up in Whistler, Canada and went 2^nd and 3^rd. The day after we were riding mountain bikes and I fell off and Brad came tumbling after (sound familiar?). I separated my shoulder and was out for three weeks. I then had just two weeks before World’s to swim, and got ready just in time.

Brad and I raced well - I won and he was second. Now comes the good part.

I was doing a Urine test for doping control and it happened, Murphy Reinschreiber (my agent of 14 years) came up to me and said, “do you have an agent?” Just like that we struck a deal, and I’m happy to say that he now has an ocean view house and I live in the slums! (We do OK, seriously. But I like rubbing it in).

From that moment my scheduled slowed almost to a halt. He told me that I needed to not race as much and focus. I wasn’t really a fan of it, but because he was the super agent I thought he knew what he was talking about. He did!

My schedule was a reduced one, but one with promise, centered around sponsorship and the races I really wanted to compete at – plus of course the Hawaii Ironman at the end of every USA season as the clincher.

Scheduling really is important. Most of you know that when working a long week, getting time off is almost impossible outside of scheduled vacation times.

People often ask, “What should I do leading up to Ironman”. My answer is simple and it goes like this.

1. The Ironman takes around 12-16 weeks to prepare - given that you have a good base in the sport.
2. During the 16-week period you should incorporate 2-3 races, one a half Ironman if possible and that should be done no later than 5 weeks out. You can also do a super- brick session (long swim, long bike and transition run) to replace the Half. The other races are sharpeners, as it’s always good to take your mind away from the constant grind and monotonous regime of the same roads and trails.
3. I always felt that there had to be a race that I wanted to take my significant other to. This was a treat for both and I always chose an exotic locale, namely Tahiti (oops, that was with my girlfriend! Geez, I hope my wife doesn’t read this article! She’s always wanted to go to Tahiti, he he he. Maybe one day, Sian!)
4. How to schedule races properly. The racing season can be long and you should take every precaution in building into it. I always tried to start out in Australia doing a sprint series, that I rarely trained for, as the races would get me sharp, were loads of fun but hard racing. Then I’d come to the states and start with Olympic distance racing eventually building to a mid-year Ironman or Half Ironman. It’s important that you build, even in races, build into it, don’t ever go all out early.
5. Last but not least, 1993, just when I thought I had figured it all out (racing Kona that is) the year went really well, and coming into the last month and I was still looking for a race to do for a two-week-out sharpener. I had just spent the previous 4 weeks training with Jurgen Zack, a risk, maybe, but it turned out great (I was known for not training a whole heck of a lot). Two weeks out and I was off to the World Duathlon Champs in Dallas, Texas. (This is also the plan that champion Heather Fuhr uses) A rather good field rocked up - anyway, I won, beating them all out of the title and was on absolute fire.  Hawaii was going to be the most anticipated showdown between the Grip, Mark Allen, and the masters’ apprentice, little old me. I arrived home on the Monday and flew to Kona on Wednesday.  Race-week Tuesday I put in a pretty hard run in the morning followed by breakfast, then rest. I then rode to the pool, but on the way home was a 20-25 mile time trial. I was almost home when a young 16-year-old going surfing decided to turn in front of me, hitting me head on. I flipped over the car and nearly landed for a 9.5. My knee buckled. Broken. Out of Kona.

So what do I know about scheduling? I may have been able to tell you if I had raced in Kona that year - ah well!

Good luck to you all, and stay outta trouble.