Coaching in 144 Characters or Less

This started out life as a twitter series, mostly for the amusement of some skiing friends.  I decided to pull them all together and post them here, mostly for the amusement of a different group of friends.  Some of these will turn into posts of their own, probably with some war story or anecdote to go along with them.  They are all up for debate, and some are very definitely ski specific (klister???). Your mileage may vary. Aloha.

• Reminded that physical, emotional and intellectual health of elite athletes are balanced on a razor's edge.
• Never burn a bridge. You may need to come back later and harvest timbers.
• race prep tip: clean kick zone and sidewalls first and then tape it off.  Else you'll have glide wax in your kick zone and klister in the glide.
• Always have a goal for sport - as simple as "stay fit" or lofty as "win Nationals".  Having goals gives you reason for being out there.
• Pursuit tactics. Close the gap as quickly as possible, recover behind the one you caught and when you pass - make it devastating.
• Before you do something remotely questionable, ask yourself "what will grandma think if she sees this in the paper or facebook tomorrow?"
• Race Prep@30 min.- first warmup done. Time for the bathroom and check out the finish stretch.  Make sure you know where to go.
• @15min-build back up to race pace. Quick jump to sprint then ease back to cruise. Should be ready to race now.
• Race prep@10min: in the start area, skis off and to coach, or in tracks. One last drink, keep moving.  Review race plan.
• Race prep - @5 min - warmups off, poles on, blanket on. Jog in place or run with poles. Stay loose, stay warm.  Think about 1st K
• Race prep count-down - @3 min - blanket on, skis on. Make sure boot and binding are clear of snow! Pull up on toe. Focus on breathing.
• Race prep - proper warmup begins an hour or more before your race.  Write down your plan and stick to it.
• Quoting Norm Bellingham, Olympic Gold medalist "Join a guild" - find a group of like-minded peers who will push/pull you to excel in sport.
• I prefer to hear about the athletes that didn't cheat or lie in order to compete. They are the ones I will focus my time and efforts on.
• Before engaging in esoteric arguments about body position make sure you have the athlete's point of view and know their rationale.
• One of the keys to recovery is morning heart rate and weight. Record it daily. Spikes and sustained rises may be need for additional rest.
• The trick with ergo meters is to understand that they can cause bad habits, and do it right anyway.
• Technique is often in the eye of the beholder. Take input from all but you have to learn what works best for you.
• Music can make a long boring workout much more palatable. Safety first, and keep it up tempo and positive.
• The fastest bike, boat or skis are just decorations without the training and effort you put forth to make them go.
• And it seems obvious that when you have a good race, lock that feeling so you can recall it later. It's useful to hold that positive vibe.
• Everyone has bad races. Turning then into learning opportunities for "next time" is the trick.
• Training for multisport events, practice transitions. Putting on shoes is a lot harder when sweat is pouring down and your heart pounding.
• Every athlete should be an amateur meteorologist. Know what the weather is, and what changes are coming and how they will affect your race.
• Have a pre-race sequence and follow it.  This sets it all - when to warm up, to when to take your warm-ups off.  And always watch the clock!
• Visiualize what's likely to happen in your race. Imagine traffic jams and hard corners, how you'll handle them. Never ski into in a box.
• At least occasionally, train with someone a little better than you on your 'hard' days.
• There is nothing much more comfortable - or worse for you - than an old pair of running shoes.
• Serious athletes keep a daily journal. At minimum, what you did, how far/long you went, how you felt.
• Warmup intensity and duration is inversely related to length of race- the shorter your race, the longer/harder your warmup.
• Do not underestimate the importance of speed work. All the level 3 intervals in the world won't make you faster. Only speed can.
• Everyone has an "evil twin" who tells you to try new tires, wax, food the night before a big race. The trick is to ignore them...
• The secret program:Do loop ()  Find a sport you can do for life.  Learn to do it well.  Help put on events.  Teach someone else.Repeat
• Being an elite athlete means choices, sacrifice and hopefully finding a little balance with real life.
• In any sort of time trial, the single most important muscle to train is the one located between the ears.
• The fastest line around a corner or buoy is rarely the shortest line. Learn the difference.
• The view from atop the podium is mighty sweet...
• When learning new technique, practice it in slow motion until you perfect it, then try full speed.
• Learn the history of your sport. Who are/were the champions? What did they do that you should emulate? What were the epic battles?
• Proudly wear your team kit - whatever it is.  Your team/club is the base of your support system for sport and competition.
• Klister is nasty, messy, evil stuff - my competitors should fear it. On the other hand, I live for wet, icy tracks at 32 degrees.
• There is no magical 'extra gear' to be called upon. You only have the ones you built thru the hard, ugly hours of training.
• Know what you do well-and what you don't. Spend a portion of every workout on the things that need improvement.
• Learn to use your mental video recorder. Memorize every race course before you race - even if just a map. Serendipity is not a strategy.
• I banned the phrase "I can't..." from my girls' team. "I haven't learned that yet" or " I'm not able to yet" are OK. Positive words only.
• The hardest step in any race is the first one out the door on a cold rainy morning in March.
• Always have a plan for your workout and follow it.  But don't be afraid to change it to meet conditions of the day. No junk days.
• Next time you finish a race, ask yourself "Where could I have saved five seconds?" Then act on it.