What other sport can you be out in Whiltshire country side and cross over into another county the one day and then the next day be running around the Olympic rowing venue?
I don’t know if there is another sport like it and if there is, please drop me a line. This sport opens your mind to much more than just getting your heart rate up and burning some calories, or even creating a new look body that includes abs and the ability to do what most would never attempt. For me, being a man, it’s time to switch off from life as I know it, let my mind wonder and just to feel fresh by the time the session ends, obviously physically exhausted but mentally released from a lot of clogging!
The sport enables you to really push the boundaries of what you think you are capable of. I have talked about this endlessly, but really it does give you a sense of achievement every time you pull off a massive session or finish a race in a time, you never expected possible, it creates that inner belief in yourself that just can’t be bought!
This brings me to this weeks’ blog. Well today my wife and I my best friend in the whole world did our first competitive event of the year, a half marathon around Dorney lake. What a pleasure! This place is the Olympic rowing venue and I can honestly say, IMPRESSED!!
So at the start line there are a bunch of runners that carry a banner with times on them, these guys are the pace your race guys, and if you can stick with them they guarantee you that you will run the time it says on their board! Well Lou and I stood there and I sussed this situation out, obviously checking the man with the board that said, 1:45min. This oke was ‘Klein’ in Afrikaans my native tong it means small very small! The oke was hardly carrying 4 kg body fat on what was a 20 kg body! Well after seeing this machine runner I hesitated I felt that the time on that board was out of my reach for sure, but my grandfather left me with a saying for life, ‘Those who hesitate are lost’.
The gun went and Lou and I set off, I told her I would stay with her the first ten and push the next, but like a dog in an open field this was never meant to be and the oke with the board was pulling far ahead. Now this was my first official half marathon so I didn’t really know how to do this. All I knew was push until you can’t run then walk, obviously walking was never the option!
So I said, I love you to my wife squeezed her hand and left in pursuit of the 20 kg man with the 1:45 board. I finally got him about 4 km in and stuck by him like a fly to a fully matured cheddar, and on we went!
After about 10 km I thought to myself this oke is not all I expected him to be and is actually pulling a slow pace! Looking around at my peers I decided I had had enough of these guys and their hard breathing and flew the coop. I pushed on and even harder, going above and beyond my expectations. I finished and overcame my fear of not believing in myself enough when it came to running. I did the thing in 1:39:40 and Lou in 1:55. I was super chuffed! My grandfathers’ words echoing in my ears ‘ Those who hesitate are lost.’ I am now tired and off to bed, but I just had to share with you that this week is there for the taking: adjust your attitude and be the most you can be in any circumstance you find yourself! Praise God!!
Have a Blessed week
Much love,
AD!
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