My introduction to running was by way of a Couch – 5K plan I found on the Internet, followed up with a beginner's marathon plan by the great Hal Higdon.  

Soon after that I came across Matt Fitzgerald and his 80/20 plan. Slowing down sounded like a good idea, so I went with that. It was through Matt that I discovered Dr. Stephen Seiler, credited with formulating 80/20 training. At some point I learned that Joe Friel was another Seiler fan. He was the one who said that too often athletes make their easy days hard and their hard days easy.

The recent pair of rain events caused flood damage throughout the state. Especially hard hit was the Waialua-Haleiwa neighborhood. Road damage resulted in significant impact on the safety of the annual Hawaii Bicycling League Haleiwa Metric Century Ride, particularly at Waimea Bay. HBL did the right thing by taking the riders safety into account and cancelling this event. But decisions like this go beyond the immediate impact.

Triathletes are famous for having A-type personalities. I do not place myself in that category, but that doesn't mean I am invulnerable to its pitfalls. This week I stepped in it.

The recent pair of so-called Kona Low rain storms has kept me off of the roads and out of the ocean. Not entirely. I did get in a couple of road runs and one decent bike ride, but that was it. Much more indoor running and riding than I am accustomed to, and no swimming. 

The storm is over. We all lost a week’s worth of training. On top of that, many of us, myself included, had our workweek cut short. A week is not a lot of lost time, but the general rule is not to pick up your training where you left off. This is crucial when coming back from injury, but also applies to travel. A couple of lost days is not a problem, but a week or more off requires adjustments.

The best laid schemes o' mice an' men 
Gang aft a-gley.  -Robert Burns

A training plan that covers most of a year is always a good idea. The plan should target the key races or events the athlete is training for, arrange workouts that fit the athlete’s schedule, and lead to an optimal race day performance, all while taking into account the athlete’s abilities that need extra attention.

My year has begun with a tumultuous start. We are moving. Not far. Just one valley over. A much bigger house and a more useful yard. Naturally, the search has consumed much January so far, and the move in will wipe out what's left. Things should be back to normal by February. Meanwhile, I have updated the Events calendar, except for those organizations who have not released their 2026 calendars. Pattie and I will be helping out at KC's 48th annual HPH 10K and 5K Run, is coming up on January 25. 

I hope you find time over the next few days to reflect on your accomplishments this past year. Pay special attention to your successes. Remember, you don’t have to achieve your goal in order to have success. Focus more on the process. Lessons learned. New friends made along the way. Memories you would not have had otherwise. Your brain is wired to focus on failures, so that you don’t screw up again. When you feel that happening, acknowledge those thoughts, set them aside and turn again to feeling grateful for the good things.

It’s been a long time since I felt good about my race results. At last, with this edition of the Honolulu Marathon, I can say I am delighted with my results. Not exactly what I planned for, but remarkably close, and how often does a race go as planned? 

The end of the year approaches. Now is the time to think about doing awesome things next year. Something big and scary. Exactly what that might be depends on you. Your first triathlon. Your first marathon. You know that to be successful in achieving your goal you need to train. Your first question might be how to train – what to do and when to do it. Just as important, yet too often overlooked, is how to find the time. To be successful, you need to get organized.

For much of North America and Europe the endurance race season has ended. Blog posts and podcasts focus on how to train in the off season. Here in Hawaii, the season stretches into December with the Honolulu Marathon. It can be hard to find the motivation to sit back and plan next year while struggling to find time to train, but if you wait until after the Marathon you will find your free time consumed by the demands of the holiday season.