Author Archives: Frank Cardia

Frank Cardia – Blue Sky Financial

Frank Cardia, owner of Blue Sky Financial based in Hackensack, New Jersey, has served as a financial professional in his community for more than 15 years. Mr. Cardia is a Realtor® licensed in the state of New Jersey, a licensed financial advisor, and a licensed broker for the sale of health and life insurance. In addition, he has spent the past six years developing a career as a business consultant with the goal of working closely with companies on-site and in larger financial seminars to improve motivation and sales. Frank Cardia has trained thousands of sales staff on more efficient techniques for managing their businesses. Many of his clients have gone on to earn incomes of six figures or more through adopting his organizational and mental strategies. Mr. Cardia has personally trained alongside some of the most well-known and respected business minds of our time, such as Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy, and T. Harv Eker (author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind).

Frank Cardia has achieved a number of successes over the course of his career, including growing one mortgage company under his supervision from a staff of three to a staff of 175, and from a yearly revenue of $150,000 to one totaling more than $10 million, all within five years. He also oversaw the addition of 11 offices to the company. Since he earned his mortgage license in 2000, Frank Cardia has personally supervised loans totaling in excess of $1 billion. His passion continues to be assisting his individual and business customers to become financially secure and independent through developing sound long-term strategic plans.

Frank Cardia is a dedicated and accomplished runner and endurance athlete. He has completed several dozen triathlons, among them two half and five full Ironman competitions. He also enjoys swimming, biking, travel, and spending time with his family.

Triathlon 101 – Frank Cardia

My name is Frank Cardia, and I have been competing in triathlons for about 2 years now. When I first got into the sport I was a little intimidated, but soon realized that even as a beginner that were really wasn’t much to it. I have since done over 15 triathlons, from sprints which are the shortest distance to 3 full Ironman distance. So let me give you a little quick triathlon 101 and hope to see you out there racing.

Different people have different ways of losing weight – while some go for diet pills others opt for certain restrictions in the diet. But, running is perhaps one of the safest ways to get those extra pounds off your body. And if you want to pursue running as a professional does, nothing works for you as well as triathlon running does.

Most starters obviously have the drawback of not having any prior training but all professionals would tell you that they have had to go through rigorous training to ensure perfection in the sport.

Apart from some primary training, starters also need to see to it that some basic aspects are taken care of including the proper fit of the running shoes, avoiding running on concrete or any extra-hard surface (running on concrete or asphalt increases the chances and actual occurrences of injuries), creating a warm up session comprising five minutes of walking and stretching (this ensures proper flow of blood to the muscles which, again means injuries will occur less) etc. But that is not all. An amateur runner also needs to formulate a correct cool- down routine so that the body gets ample time to recover after heavy workout.

For everyone who has now got interested in triathlons, here is a quick take on what triathlon events are all about. While participating in a triathlon event you will have to do three things at one go- swim, cycle and also run. There are certain standard distances measured at triathlons- Enticer: where you need to swim 250 meters, run 2.5 kilometers and cycle for another 10 kilometers; Sprint: Where you need to swim 500 meters, run 5 kilometers and cycle for 10 kilometers.

Apart from this, you will have a tougher time with Olympic, Half- Ironman and Ironman events where you need to do all three activities, each for a longer distance. From this you can get a clear picture of what you need to do before being a part of such an event.

Most professionals are of the opinion that swimming is actually the hardest part in an entire triathlon event. And it is in this aspect that people from cycling and running backgrounds have a drawback. But the good news for starters is that if you are technically sound in swimming after the initial fifteen minutes the challenge will seem to be a lesser burden.

During the training period a beginner needs to perform really well in the sphere of swimming, which means if he is supposed to appear for a 500 meter race, in the training session he has to perform with the intensity of a 1000 meter competition. Cycling is comparatively easy for everyone but in this case, too, beginners need to gear up right from the start of the training session.

Running is quite difficult for most people in a triathlon event because it comes at the end, after you have swum and cycled for long. You tend to have a feeling that your legs are giving away and the best way to ensure that you stay ahead is to create a style of your own and follow certain techniques.

Well I hope this has been helpful — again I’m Frank Cardia, thanks for reading my blog.. — Remember even the best triathlete was once the newest and the worst and some point in his life — so just take your time and most importantly —-HAVE FUN

Frank Cardia

Frank Cardia On Goal Setting

When an athlete runs a triathlon, his goal is to beat his opponents and win. When a person engages in an intense workout, there is a weight goal that he or she would like to meet. When you apply for a job, your goal is to pass the interview and get accepted.As you may notice, it is important to set a goal for yourself so that you can meet a particular objective. Without goals, your actions will all be for nothing. This is the reason why goal setting is important. When dealing with your career, your finances or even your personal life, setting goals for yourself will allow you to create an action plan so that you can work towards, and eventually meet those goals.

The Numerous Advantages of Goal Setting

As a whole, goal setting will allow you to turn your future plans into a reality. Here are the numerous advantages that you can get to enjoy with the help of goal setting:

1. Setting long-term goals for yourself will give you that drive to work harder in meeting your career or your personal objectives. 2. Setting short-term goals can be a great motivator, especially if you monitor your progress and celebrate your successes in each small accomplishment that you have. 3. Goal setting will allow you to determine the possible distractions that you may deal with in the process of meeting your long-term goals. Once these distractions are identified, you can exert an extra effort so that you will not be lured away from your goals. 4. Goal setting is the key to effective time management. 5. Goal setting will boost your self-esteem since it improves the quality of your life by letting you know exactly where you are headed in the future.

Getting a Head Start in Goal Setting

Now that you know all about the importance of goal setting, how can you begin setting such goals for yourself? Here are some useful goal setting tips that you can follow:

ï¿½* Start by creating a list of your short-term goals while still keeping your lifetime goals in mind. ï¿½* As you slowly progress and each of your short-term goals are being met, you can move on to a broader picture: by setting your long-term goals. ï¿½* Your long-term goals should span your personal, professional, financial, physical, educational, and even your public service goals. Answer these questions: – How would you like to see yourself a few years from now? – How would you like to make a difference in the lives of others? – What long-term financial goals would you like to meet? – What are your travel plans in the near future? ï¿½* Remember that whether you are setting long-term or short-term goals for yourself, they should still be realistic. Knowing what you want out of life is the best way to set realistic goals for yourself.

To sum it all up, goal setting is all a matter of deciding what is important for you to achieve in this lifetime. Removing distractions, motivating yourself and boosting your confidence are the steps that you need to follow in order to meet the goals that you have set for yourself.

Committing yourself to achieving your goals is what will make your journey in life more fun, enriching and meaningful.

Frank Cardia does 100 miles in Florida

That’s right…..100 miles — and no, not on a bike !!!!!!! Orange Park, Fl. 3/1/08

My plane landed in JacksonvilleAirport around 5pm on Friday February 29th. I got my rental car and made my way towards

Orange
Park where the race and my hotel were. Made a quick run to Publix to pick up some last minute food for the race and then grabbed some pasta for dinner. To the room and off to bed. Tomorrow is a long day !!

I couldn’t really sleep that well so I was up at 3:30 am pacing back in forth in my room. I began making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the race ( about 7 of them ). Got all my little snack goodies in my camelback backpack ,,, filled it with Gatorade and off to the race site.

Registration took 5 minutes and before you know it we were all lined up at 6am ready to rock and roll.. Now there were 3 different races that day- there was a 50 miler… a 100k ( 62.5 miles )which is what I originally went down there to do….. and then there was the 100 miler.. So here we are, its pitch black and your staring down this tree covered path. Most of the runners had either flash lights in their hands or they had on this flash light head gear – that almost looked like they were coal miners.. I had no light I was basically depending on the light from all the other runners… AND WERE OFF !!!

At about mile 2 or so I met up with this guy Joe form Chicago( he and his wife were doing the 50 mile run ) and we were running at the exact same pace… so we started talking and hit it off pretty well. Next thing you know we’re at mile 10 and we are still talking… So we decided to make sure to push each other and run the first 50 together. Which was a huge benefit for me…because running 50 miles all by yourself can be so so boring and that’s when you start asking your self questions like “ why am I doing this “?

Now somewhere around mile 40 or so, Joe and I kept joking around saying that I might as well just do the 100 today… whats the sense of me doing only 62.5 ???? Just do the other 38 miles and bang out the 100 today !!!! And as I said my plan was only to do the 100k ,,, but then I started really thinking about it… and I really did feel good at mile 40– so I decided when I got in at mile 50, I would make my decision for 62.5 or 100 miles.

We crossed the 50 mile mark around 11hrs and 10 minutes and Joe had completed his first 50 mile run….. and what a great time too. So I kinda took inventory of how I felt and realized today was my day… I GOTTA DO THE 100. So I grabbed Chris, the race director, and told him I’m Frank Cardia and that I was out for the 100k and put me down as a 100 miler. They explained to me that if I didn’t finish the 100 miles they wouldn’t give me a 100k belt buckle award but I would get a DNF ( did not finish ) because I was no longer a 100k runner but a 100 miler.. I said “ I understand” and filled my camelback with Gatorade and peanut butter and jelly and took off back to the run…

Mile 50 to 75 wasn’t actually as bad as I thought it would be.. It was the first time that I didn’t have anyone to talk to while running – but I did have the IPOD and that 25 miles seemed to fly by… I get into the mile 75 aid station at around 10:30pm – I have been running since 6am– that’s a looooooong day. But surprisingly I was still very optimistic about finishing the race within the 24 hrs they give you…

Now mile 75 to 87.5…… that was a bitch !!!!!!! You had to be at 87.5 by 2am or they would take you off the course.. Its about 1:13am and I was near mile 85– and I really started to go into a severe depression.. They had given me flashlight headgear that went dead on me… so here I am in the middle of the night, been running for nearly 20 hrs, my feet are bleeding from my toenails,,,and its pitch black out… My IPOD battery had died as well…I had thrown up 2X – Had Gatorade and peanut butter puke all over me…. NOT A GOOD MOMENT IN MY LIFE… So I had been speaking with friends and family members during the run all day, on my cell phone– I decided to call my buddy Matt.. He was still up and told me keep calling him, so I did… and he really got me through a run couple of minutes, cause I was convinced that I was never gonna make it to the 87.5 aid station by 2am… Got off the phone with Matt and began running again.. got there at 1:45am or so…

Mile 87.5 to 100 ……. I would be sitting here to long typing if I really tried to describe just exactly how brutal that12.5 miles could actually be… Every other runner had a pacer there with them ( basically a friend who will run with you in the early morning hours to keep you positive and motivated ) I had no intentions of running for 24hrs that day, so I did not bring a friend…. I WAS ALL ALONE !!!!…. But having that voice there while your running at 4am really really is a huge help… So I decided to do the next best thing and call my sister and brother in law.. They live in Las Vegas which luckily is 3 hrs behind us…. So I harassed them a bit at like 4am to hear some encouraging words…

I finally crossed the 100 mile mark at 23hrs and 22 minutes…. It was still completely pitch black out….. There was still peoples hanging out at the finish line… they all congratulated me and said they never thought I would finish in the allotted 24hrs… considering how 80% of people don’t complete their first 100 in the 24 hours.. so I was extremely happy and proud that I had finished – they gave me my belt buckle and I just fell to the floor… I literally couldn’t get up to get food or a drink – they had to come over and pretty much help me drink and take my shoes off.. I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE FELT THAT TYPE OF PAIN – THAT FELT SO GOOD !!!!

Made my way back to the hotel, it was about 6am… showered, packed my bag….hit Denny’s for a quick breakfast — and then off to the airport and back to NJ.. Looking forward to some real sleep.. That was the longest 24hrs of my life !!!!!!!!!

BUT I LIVE TO RACE ANOTHER DAY !!!!!!!!

Frank Cardia’s Year End Review

Many people spend some time at the end of the year working on the New Year. These people typically fall into two groups: those who use the end of the year as a way to be introspective and look back on the past year, and those who spend time looking forward; setting goals and planning the coming year.

Actually, there is a much larger third group – the group that intends to do one or the other of these things but ends up doing neither. Why this third group exists is the topic for another article, but reading this article can provide a path to help you if find yourself stuck in inactivity each December!

Each of the first two groups is doing something positive and helpful, but both are missing something. They are each doing half of the two step process for accelerating your success. Here are those two steps:

Reflect
Project

Either of these steps can be useful, however when you place both of them together, you create a powerful synergy. Let’s look at each individually.

Reflection

Reflection is key to capitalizing on your past experiences. Have you ever met someone who seems to make the same mistake repeatedly? This person isn’t taking time to reflect on what worked (and what didn’t) in their past experiences. Reflection allows us to learn and grow from our past experiences. You can see why people like to do this at the end of the year – it gives them time to take stock of their year and look for the things they learned.

Doing this reflection successfully though is about more than collecting lessons; it is also about growing from those lessons. Effective reflection leads to an outcome – an intention for applying those lessons in the future, which leads to the second step.

Projection

Projection is a process of looking forward. When people take time at the end of the year to look ahead and set some goals they are projecting. Projection is planning; thinking about the future, deciding what you want and then expecting success. When we plan from a perspective of expected success, we plan more thoroughly. And when we plan more thoroughly, we improve our ability to execute on those plans.

As you can see this is a more engaging process than just creating a New Year’s Resolution. The good news is that this more integrated approach gives you a much better chance of making your “resolutions” real.

How To Do It

Now that you know the steps, you may be looking for more guidance on how to do them. While books could be written on specific details and tools, you’d likely rather be reflecting and projecting than reading an in-depth treatise on approaches. So let me make it simple.

Ask yourself questions.

Ask yourself questions to reflect on the past year, on the lessons you learned and more.

Ask yourself questions to think about the coming year, what you want to achieve and how you can use the lessons of the past to reach those plans more rapidly.

Asking questions and answering them is one of the most powerful ways to help you reach any new goal or objective.

Only at the End of the Year?

I’m writing this in mid-December and this is definitely a time of year when this two-step approach is helpful. But you can use this approach any time you wish, or any time you are looking for a kick start on success.

Maybe . . .

Once a quarter
At your birthday
At the start (or end) of a new job
At the start (or end) of a big project

You can reflect and project anytime you want – in fact the more you think in terms of learning from your past and applying it to your future goals and plans, the more you accelerate your progress!

Like many other things in life, the more time you put into these processes the more valuable they will be, and yet simply working on a daily basis with this dual focus of reflection and projection can be helpful as well.

Make this your best year ever — I dare ya’

Frank Cardia

Frank Cardia’s menu while training for a marathon

Training for a marathon is a great excuse to start eating more nutritious food, which is what you’ve always wanted, right? The good part is, because you’re going to be burning so many more calories, you may actually find that you’re able to eat more than you usually do. PLUS, you get to eat a lot of carbohydrates (take that, Dr. Atkins!) You’ll still need to pay attention to making lower fat choices, but you’ll get to focus on items such as pasta, bread, and potatoes in order to fuel your workouts

After you’ve been running for a while you may actually start to crave healthy foods. Before long you’ll be munching on carrot sticks instead of going out for ice cream. OK, maybe you’ll still want ice cream… but it’ll be carrot-flavored ice cream.

The basic things to remember are:

Eat meals that are high in carbohydrates and low in fat. Don’t forget the lean proteins (chicken, fish, legumes).
Eat fruits and vegetables, but be sure not to have too many the day before the race (potential digestive disaster while you’re running – let’s not go there).
Drink plenty of water, even on days that you’re not running. During your training period, you’ll need to consume 3-4 liters of water a day at a minimum. And we’re sure you know the old “check your urine-color” test. Not exactly dinner table conversation, but the darker yellow your urine is, the more water you need to consume.
It’s a good idea to eat a small snack and have a glass of water about a half-hour before you run. Carbohydrates are usually the best choice, with dairy being the worst. Definitely avoid alcohol and caffinated beverages (coffee, tea, cola) as they are diuretics and will quickly dehydrate you.
It will take a bit of experimenting to discover which foods work best for you before your workouts (that is, which foods won’t have you doubled over with stomach cramps midway through the run).
“Carbo loading” (more fun marathon lingo) is reserved for the day or two before an actual race. It refers to eating more carbohydrates (pasta, bagels, etc.) than proteins or fats. This is because your body converts carbohydrates to energy faster than it does with other foods. Therefore, it is common for marathoners to eat a big bowl of pasta the night before the race. Quick note of caution – it is generally not a good idea to carbo load on a regular basis, particularly if you are concerned with weight maintenance.

Keep running and live to race another day,

Frank Cardia’s 10 steps to referrals in 10 minutes a day

Even though it’s one of the most powerful ways to build your business, most business owners don’t send out personal cards because they don’t know when it’s appropriate, what to say, or they feel it doesn’t apply to them because their business is DIFFERENT.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a real estate agent, coach, hairdresser, insurance agent, restaurateur, sales rep or dog walker, your business depends on relationships and if your clients and customers aren’t staying with you for the long haul and bringing their friends, there’s a flaw in the system.

A Technical Assistance Research Project conducted in Washington, D.C. a couple of years ago revealed the following reasons why customers leave a business:

1% – Death
3% – Move Away
5% – Buy from a friend
9% – Are sold by a competitor
14% – Product price
68% – Perceived indifference

You can add together the first five percentages listed, double them and they still won’t amount to the number of clients and customers you lose because they don’t have a sense of relationship with you.

In order to create a bond, clients need individual attention, acknowledgement and a feeling that they are genuinely appreciated.

And the simple greeting card has the power to make that happen.

Following are ten creative scripts you can use in a card to strengthen your client and prospect relationships. You will be astounded by the impact this individual attention has on the number of referrals you attract, the loyalty of your existing clients, and the reduction in complaints, returns, and advertising expenses.

After a Networking Event: It was a pleasure meeting you at XYZ last evening. Thank you for sharing your time and telling me about your company’s vision for the future. I have been fortunate to work with outstanding individuals like yourself and would consider it an honor to help you reach your vision. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.

After a Customer Makes a Purchase: Thank you! It was a pleasure to serve you and I would like to acknowledge you for your superb taste in . My goal is to provide you with the best customer service you have ever experienced so you will return and confidently refer your friends. Please contact the customer service number below if you require assistance and you will be served with the utmost care.

After a Prospect Says No – Thank you for giving us the opportunity to provide a proposal. Although we were not selected to be your service provider at this time, we are continuously adding to our array of services and may be able to serve you in the future. Please contact us as you encounter future needs and we will be happy to help you find an appropriate solution.

After a Telephone Conversation – Thank you for your time today. It was a pleasure to speak with you and learn more about your business needs. In respect for your busy schedule, I will contact you only once our evaluation is complete. It should take no more than two weeks. I look forward to the possibility of a mutually beneficial business relationship with you.

After a Group Presentation – Thank you for giving me the time today to teach your staff how they can improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. Simple improvements have a far reaching effect and it would be my pleasure to introduce your satellite offices to a tailored approach that enables them to create similar results. If you would be kind enough to refer your subsidiary managers my way, I’d be happy to provide them with the same personal attention I shared with your group.

After Receiving A Referral – Thank you for your kind referral. It’s an honor to serve your friends and family and you can rest assured they will receive the highest level of attention and service possible.

After an Interview – It was a pleasure to meet you today. Thank you for your time. I delivered a portfolio to your assistant shortly afterward so you may explore the range of services offered in greater detail. If I can serve you in anyway, please do not hesitate to call.

Birthdays – Happy Birthday ! It’s clients (patients/customers) like you who make going to work every day a reason to celebrate. Have a super day today and every day! I appreciate you and wish you the very best.

Anniversaries – Happy 1st Anniversary in your new home (truck/boat/business). I trust you’ve had a wonderful year and wish you many more ahead. If I can do anything to help you add to your experience, please let me know. I’m only a phone call away.

Thanksgiving – As this time of year rolls around, I reflect on all of the wonderful events and people in my life and think of you. Thank you for your business over the past year. It is always a pleasure to serve you and I look forward to many more years of showing my gratitude by giving you the best service possible.

Haven’t Heard – It’s been a little while since your last visit and I’m concerned. If you have simply forgot, please contact my office today so we can ensure you continue to receive your treatment. If there is an alternate reason why you have not returned, please contact me at the private number below so I may personally assist you.

Find reasons to send your clients and prospects cards. A few cards a day should take less than ten minutes.

If you’ve heard of a new addition to a family, send a congrats card. In the event of a loss, express your deepest sympathy. If a customer mentions his 25th wedding anniversary is in two weeks, send a Happy Anniversary card.

These simple acts of kindness go a long way in building relationships that last a lifetime.

Replacing lost customers is expensive and time consuming. Keeping them is inexpensive and highly rewarding not only in terms of your bottom line, but in the quality of relationships you create.

Now go and sell something,

Frank Cardia

Frank Cardia’s Tips for Ironman Florida

Here it is, the event you have been waiting and training for. The last 6 months have all been geared to this day; your training has been perfectly orchestrated and planned so that you can be as ready as possible for the Ironman. But what exactly happens on race day? The following will be a guide using Ironman Florida as an example.

While you can go to the Ironman website and read all the rules and schedules, I wanted to give you a broad picture of what to expect and highlight some key points.
(To read the IM rules and schedules, go to http://www.ironmanflorida.com/info.html then click on ‘rules’ on the page that comes up – an Acrobat file will give you lots of details and you should read it!)

The race actually starts two days prior, as you must arrive and check in/register two days before the event – Ironman rules.

Bring with you:
An official photo ID
USAT card
Confirmation number (if you signed up on the Net).

At registration you will:

Confirm your athlete number
Show your USAT card
Weigh in (just tell them what you weigh- this is for medical reasons, as they may weigh you during the race to check your hydration status)
Pick up your registration packet that contains your race numbers (one for each of the following: the front of your helmet, your bike frame , the back of your bike shirt, and the front of your run shirt), your swim cap, your timing chip, safety pins, bike ties for the bike number, and stickers for your gear bags.
Get your gear bags and other goody bags.

The day before the race there will be a mandatory Pre-race meeting. This is very informative, and as I stated, is mandatory!

This is also the day that you drop off your bike and gear bags (not special needs or dry clothes bags—those you drop on race day).

What are these “Gear bags?”
You are not allowed to leave anything by your bike, so all your gear is in bags that you will pick up when you need them at each transition. The bags are stored in boxes.

You get 5 bags for the following:

Swim to bike transition:
Put everything in here you need for T1 helmet, glasses, shoes and socks, gloves, food, and anything else you need for the bike section. Are you wearing your biking gear under your wetsuit? If not, put it in the T1 bag.
Bike to run transition:
Put everything in here you need for T2: hat, glasses (if different from your biking glasses), shoes and socks, different shirt if necessary, food, etc.
Bike special needs:
Nutrients and anything else you think you might need during the ride—Vaseline, frozen sports drink bottle, gel flask just in case, etc. You pick this up about midway through the ride.
Run special needs:
Maybe a change of socks, Vaseline, salt tabs, pain killers (but not NSAIDS), special food, a long sleeved sweater in case it is cold when you run in the dark (tie it around your waist, so you have it). This will be available about half way through the run.
Dry clothes bag:
For what you can change into after you finish.

Do not put anything you ever want to see again in these bags as it is highly unlikely you will get them back.

On race day, if the gear collection area is not congested, a volunteer will actually hand you your gear bags, but if it is busy you will have to get them yourself, so know where your bag is!

The day before the race.

Affix all your stickers and tags to everything. Figure out where your gear bag is located, where your bike is and where you should leave your special needs and dry gear bags on race day.
You need to have reflective tape on your run gear (you can get it at Inside Out Sports): a piece on the toe and heel of each shoe, a piece on the right and left of both front and back of shirt and shorts! Do this before you even leave home!
Lastly, label all your gear, including shoes before you leave home.

What are you wearing for each portion of the race? Some people actually wear two pairs of shorts for the bike: one compression pair (that double as running shorts-Sugoi and DeSoto have some) and one bike pair. Both can be worn under the wetsuit, or you can add the biking pair in the change tent. Make sure that the compression shorts have no seams in the crotch! Once in T2, you can just remove the bike shorts.

The day before the race, it is a good idea to do a pre-race brick: 30 minute bike ride and 15 minute run – all at race pace. A good idea would be to ride some of the run course.

I would also take advantage of the open water swims in the mornings leading up to race day.

Race Day

NOTE: absolutely no assistance of any kind is allowed from spectators and friends and family – this includes running, biking or driving with you, giving technical support, and/or handing you any food or anything else. You will be disqualified.

Remember to race within yourself and follow your pacing plan. Do not be tempted to run anyone else’s race. Use your HR to guide you, if you have been training with a monitor. Whatever happens, use your mind as well as your body to deal with it, as a race this long is not won, or finished, by just being fit enough. Mental training should be as much a part of race prep and race execution as all your other training.

Get up in plenty of time to eat the breakfast you always eat before your long training sessions, and do whatever mental preparation you have been training with. Remember, you are trained and ready for this event!

Gates to the transition area are open at 5:30 and close at 6:30 am

Bring your swim cap, wetsuit, special needs and dry gear bags, timing chip. If you have a friend there, you can bring your pump too and give it to them after you have finished pumping your tires. Please note, there will be bike assistance people there to pump up your tires, so it is not necessary for you to bring yours.
Stow your special needs and dry clothes bags, go to the body marking area and then go and put on your wetsuit. If you pumped your own tires, hand off your pump to your friends.
Go down to the water to wait for the race to start.
Note: I do not think there are any porta-potties on the bike course, but there are toilets available for the run. Of course, there are plenty of porta-potties at the transition area.

Swim

Out on the swim course, there will be race crew to help you with directions.
The swim course for IM Florida is actually 2 laps, in the middle of which you get out and back on the beach. At this point, some people eat a Gel pack that was stowed in the sleeve of their wetsuit. You should be offered some water here too. Practice with this before hand so you know you won’t choke!
The swim course closes after 2 hours and 20 minutes. If you are still out there after this time, you will be DQ’d and not allowed to continue.

Once out of the water, you will be directed through timing chutes that lead you up and through the wetsuit strip area and showers. There are special wet suit strippers there to help you get out of your suit—let them do the work!
Then head up to the gear racks and into the change tents. There are volunteers in there who will give you anything you ask for: Vaseline, sunblock, etc. Do not be afraid to ask for assistance—use the volunteers!
Make sure you are fully clothed and ready to get on your bike before you head out to the bike storage racks. Get on your bike and go!

Bike

You must have your race numbers on. You can wear it on your race belt – in the back for the bike and in the front for the run.
When you first get on the bike, take in some plain water and, as soon as you feel able, start taking in nutrients. Follow your pre-designed and well practice hydration and nutrition plan to the letter through out the ride. Set your watch alarms for every 20 minutes, and eat and drink as you have done in practice.
Initially, try to keep your HR in Z1-2 so you can settle into the bike. No matter how good you feel, do not let your HR out of Z2 for the first 30 miles!

Keep the intensity/ HR and cadence you have been training with. During the middle of the bike, it would be OK if your HR crept up to the low end of Z3, but preferably you will stay in Z2 for the duration. It will be hard at times to resist the urge to go faster. But remember, you have to conserve energy and try to use fats for energy, and this is only possible if you are totally aerobic. Go faster and you start using up your glycogen stores, you build up lactic acid, and bonking becomes much more of a possibility. Today is about finishing, not speed. So, do NOT be concerned with your speed on the bike—just HR and cadence, just like in training.

Bike aid stations are every 10 miles or so. They will have: water (in white bottles), Gatorade (in Gatorade bottles), Twinlab IM bars, Gu, fruit and cookies. Call out what you want and slow appropriately to safely get it.
There will be technical vans out on the course to assist you. BUT, you should know how to deal with minor problems-flats, etc. So maybe take a beginner course in bike maintenance? Ensure you have had your bike thoroughly checked over before you leave home.
There will also be medical vans out on the course and at aid stations. Getting medical assistance does not automatically mean your race is over.
Bike course closes 10:30 hours after the race start and if you are still on the course you will be DQ’d.

T2
Again, there will be volunteers to assist you in the change tents. Full medical facilities are available there.

Run

You must have your run number and reflective tape. You can wear your number on your race belt—in the back for the bike and in the front for the run.
Aid stations are located about every mile and will have the following: water, Gatorade, Cola, Twinlab IM bars, Gu, fruit and cookies and chicken broth.
Once again, follow your hydration and nutrition plan to the letter!
The special needs bag will be available about half way through the run – take out your long-sleeved sweater and tie it around you waist so you have it just in case.
Self-illuminating light sticks are available at the aid stations, and after dusk you are required to have one.
The run course closes at midnight, but you may finish if you want. If you do not want to continue, you will be brought back to the transition area.

Post race

Finisher t-shirts and medals will be awarded at the finish line!
Drink up! But not plain water—some form of carb drink is best. And eat what you can. Remember, to assist in recovery, a 4-1 ratio of carbs to protein in best within 30 minutes of finishing.
Keep walking so that you do not cramp up, change into some dry clothes and then go and get a massage!

Have fun and live to race another day

Frank Cardia

Frank Cardia’s Top Ten Sales Mistakes

Top 10 Sales Mistakes Every salesperson, regardless of the industry, product, or skill level, makes mistakes. Here are some basic sales mistakes to avoid and some tips for selling more and having happier customers.

1. Not listening. Do not just listen to what the customer is asking for; look past that to find out what they need. Too often salespeople sing the praises of a product without hearing what the customer wants. You cannot sell to someone if you do not know what they want. Listen to your customers, identify the need, and fill it.

2. Overselling. A nonstop sales pitch leaves your potential customer with no room to make an intelligent decision. There is a fine line between being a good salesperson and being pushy or obnoxious. Know when to stop selling.

3. Being unprepared. Whether you are making a sale in a showroom, a board room, or on the phone, you need to know the details about what you are selling and be able to answer all pertinent questions. Be prepared. If you are prospecting for new business, know what you are going to say and be ready for questions you may be asked.

4. Jumping straight to the sale. In any type of sales business, you need to establish a relationship. Even on the Web you need to have landing pages to provide information about your products or services before jumping to the shopping cart. Do not rush to the sale. Take the time to educate your customers, and they will reward you with sales.

5. Not closing the sale. This is the flipside of the mistake above. Once you have provided your customer with the information he or she needs, ask if the customer is ready to make a purchase. It may seem unnecessary, but sometimes asking for the sale can be the nudge your customer needs to make a final decision.

6. Going off topic. Some salespeople overdo the need for a “relationship” with excessive chatter. Others continue to talk about the product or service, but spend an inordinate amount of time on irrelevant information. While you do want to build a relationship and make your customer comfortable, the goal is to make the sale. If the sale is the topic, don’t veer too far off on tangents.

7. Not researching your customer. If you are trying to sell to a specific client at a meeting, you need to know what he or she is all about. Do some research before the sales meeting and get a good idea of the prospect’s likes, dislikes, interests, and manner of doing business. The same holds true for consumers. Get to know who makes up your target audience.

8. Judging books by their covers. Salespeople routinely miss sales because they prejudge their customers. Do not let race, creed, gender, ethnicity, or appearance stand in the way of making a sale.

9. Not following up on leads. Just because someone does not buy immediately does not mean they will not be interested later — particularly if they requested information. Follow-up is a critical aspect of sales that is often neglected.

10. Failing to prospect for new customers. Even when sales are at their peak, you need to devote time to looking for more customers. No company can survive without a constant influx of new customers, so no business can afford not to prospect for them.

Now go out there and sell something

Frank Cardia

Frank Cardia does 37.5 miles in Central Park

Central Park 60K

It was a shivering 42 degrees when I woke race day morning at 6am.. Not your ideal weather to go run 37.5 miles in. But me and my buddy Matt headed into NY City anyway. Now luckily this race didnt start till 8:30 am , so by that time it had warmed up a few degrees already. Normally a Central Park race can attract thousands… BUT not this one.. Not many people looking to torure themselves for 37.5 miles, there was maybe 40 people at this race.

The gun fires and we are off to the races. The race starts with a 1.5 mile out and back, and then you do a 4 mile loop 9X. So we got the first 15 miles or so down with just about no problems… but both of us can feel fatigue is going to start setting in. Matt had just done NYC Marathon 2 weeks prior,, and I had just set my personal best at Ironman Florida 2 weeks prior also… So we were both still a little beaten up.

We get the first 20 under our belt and our time was still on pace to where we wanted it to be. Matt has been experiencing shin splints pretty bad and they just get the best of you when you do something of this magnitude.. So after the 6th loop ( mile 25.5 or so ) he had to call it a day. So now I am stuck doing the last 3 loops ( 12 miles ) all by myself.. Well I can tell you this – THAT WAS NOT FUN AT ALL !!!!!

But I made it through and finished the race in 7 hrs and 47 minutes – I was in alot of pain for the next couple of days.. But another race under my belt.

And I live to race another day

Frank Cardia