It’s been a while, the focus for August was on my health and well being. No 1 priority.
Yet sometimes an opportunity comes into your life, and you just feel compelled to do it. For no logical reason. This opportunity was presented less than a week ago, to run (well walk/jog if I am honest) a marathon, the very first day of the Strive Challenge for the Big Change Charitable Trust.
Check Strive & the Big Change Trust here, one crazy challenge: https://www.strivechallenge.com/ support and donate to this great cause please click here: www.virginmoneygiving.com/energisedperformance
I often ask my clients these questions when making a decision…
What will I gain from doing it?
Friendships, fun, involvement in something that makes a huge difference to children & young people’s lives, opportunities, conversations, confidence, courage, strength. Raising more money towards our £40k target in our 10th year of Energised Performance, we are nearly there!
What will I lose from doing it?
Sleep, recovery time for well being.
What will I gain by not doing it?
Sleep, recovery time! It’s just a day. And I a lovely holiday coming up, so the balance, which is key, is in place.
What will I lose by not doing it?
The opportunity to make a difference, to inspire through adversity that things can still be done, to make others smile, to believe in possibility and potential always.
And so with less than 24hrs I find myself signed up! This is the route we will be running: http://www.strava.com/routes/164316 – please do come and say hello on route!! I will be a while 🙂 You can support me if you feel inclined (and I would be most grateful here: www.virginmoneygiving.com/energisedperformance
So how will I prepare when I it less than 24 hours before I should be nearer the finish….?!
I have slept and rested well, eaten lots of good foods, written up my blogs, and will refine my mental strength plan for the event. What do I want to feel, who are my models of excellence, what is my best race possible plan, and strategies for overcoming limits. Refining my mental strength, keeping my pace, being happy with being last if that happens, enjoying the moments and thinking of all the clients who inspire me to be the best Coach I can possibly be. To do this for them, for the Big Change, for Strive & for me.
So shortly I will travel up to London…. it’s weird thinking I have Thursday off work… let’s run a marathon (ha, ha!), complete and utter madness even if I have done my prep. Since I ran Sierra Leone Marathon I have not really run as it really doesn’t help my funny attacks with my unsettled neurology.
Yet if I am looking for 3 role models to inspire me that yes, it is madness but a good kind of madness, here they are.
1. Claire Oziem has just run from Lands End to John O’Groats for Mind, unsupported. Makes this seem tiny and possible. And appropriate that it’s all to do with empowering others to be better. https://www.facebook.com/1000milesinmind?fref=ts
2. Lindsay Sharp winning Silver at the Commonwealth Games, despite being really ill hours before. I loved the three feelings she had on her hand. A great example of anchoring positive thoughts to gain the best outcome, even if you are not in the best place.
3. Team Energised Relays & Thunder Run 24 Team of Dave, Marie and Rich Cole (supported by Simon and Debbie B). A few of our Team members needed to pull out due to personal loss. The power of the Team Energised support, commitment and courage is immense. Both what they showed and how the others are coping inspires me to be the very best Coach possible.
So that’s why my madness was motivated into a yes… combined with the EEG results are not back yet and my blood pressure is stable today, so I have a cautious letter of okay (!) to do it…
I did think long and hard about was it the right message to do… and I believe yes, as most of August is rest time, recovery and healing time for my neurology. Combined with planning, refining and developing Energised Performance to offer you some really good, new, efficient things this Autumn, from October. And ending with an amazing week’s holiday.
So whilst the balance may seem unbalanced, I feel it’s in balance 🙂 I’m looking forward to my walk, jog, crawl, run from the O2 to Gravesend, could be a little different to Sierra Leone!!
I never thought a year ago my health and life would change so dramatically. And I never in a million years thought I would then do 2 marathon’s. Yet somehow, in 24hrs I hope to report that I have done just that.
Your support, donations and general wonderfulness taking the time to read this inspires me. I will need courage and strength tomorrow, and I intend to take each step with positive intention towards raising £750 by the time I finish and making a Big Change for someones life.
As Maya Angelou said in an interview before she passed away (abbreviated),
‘I wanted to talk to you about courage, more about depending on one’s own self. Even in our culture, people do not value themselves enough. It’s about courage and showing respect, she said. I respect myself and insist upon it from everybody else. And because I do, I then respect everybody too. Be kind to yourself, have humility but not modesty. Each of us has the potential to be phenomenal. Begin…’
So with courage and kindness to myself I will step out into the O2 arena tomorrow to complete a Big Day for Big Change with the Sam Branson, Jack Whitehall and Friends. It should be a good (long) day! I will be wearing normal clothes or maybe a caterpiller or Little miss Sunshine outfit if I can find one ;-)!
To support and donate to this great cause please click here: www.virginmoneygiving.com/energisedperformance
With my strength from the Sierra Leone Marathon & the Street Children, powered by Bounce Balls who are sponsoring the Strive Challenge, kitted in my Sweaty Betty, Shock Absorber & Mizuno Kit I will get to the end …. 🙂 Sometime.
And look forward to sharing my stories and #teamenergised success at the Summer Meal on Friday evening in Bristol! You are all most welcome to come along ….
ps. Team we have to hit £750 by the end of tomorrow, we can do it, I know it! So do share the links and do it, team efforts 🙂 Pudding all round at the Meal if so! Sponsored Extra Burpees at Big Bootcamp on Saturday to make up the difference if not…. 😉
