Hello.
I haven’t blogged in three months – that’s triathlon training for you. So let’s talk triathlon. Signing up for this was a clear decision on my part to get my fat butt smaller. Simple. Ah but it became so much more than that. I took on the challenge of my life. I kid you not.
I started with no bike, no goggles and a very slow run. That is where I started. Talk about scream to the universe – I need to get this party started and sitting here eating myself fatter was not going to change that – nope it was not.
The mental challenge was as difficult as the physical one.
Please do not think that I sang along each time, skipping my way out of the door – ‘whoo hoo I have a goal – get me…’ nope! Not in a million. It does not happen like that. So if you are perhaps of the persuasion that the difference between those that do, and those that don’t is a million miles apart – you would be so wrong.
I am here to tell you about that those that do, myself being one of those. All they do is make a choice. Pick something and then they do it. One tiny step at a time. Believe me when I tell you that it is not that they do not have exactly the same ‘wah wah wah’ going on in their heads before they walk out of the door and run or go to the pool or to get on their bike. They do. I did. And so will you! To be really honest, as we are talking about it. It gets worse the more you do it – the more challenging it gets the more insidious your mind will get. Disgustingly so. I was horrified at where my mind would go during my lengthy training sessions. I was embarrassed to share them with my partner. Thankfully he sat and nodded instead of running away with my boys to safety! It was, let’s say cathartic and leave it there… what’s thought on the run, stays on the run…
Your mind is not you.
So if you want to achieve a goal and you think you need to get a different mind set. You don’t. All you need to do is to take a step with the mind sh*t you have going on. Because if you think you need to work on that first you are really mistaken and it can really make you feel inadequate. Take it from someone who had to go through all the mental challenges to do something crazy – my mind is no different now to when I started – the only difference is that I have the experience to review back to when I am out running now…. ‘Yes yes I know you don’t want to do the Park Run, but you can do it because we both know that you can do it after you have swam and biked hills to die for – so lets just get on with it shall we… but I have a sore foot and I really think I need more sleep and do you think we ate enough this morning… Oh dear now I feel faint!….’
So here’s to doing it. With or without mind sh*t going on. Because I know you can.