Not My Best Photo — But One I’m Proud Of
I’ll be honest, the accompanying picture is not the best picture of me ever taken! Far from it. It was taken on Saturday morning, just after I’d finished my first Parkrun since October 2023…
Why I Put It Off for So Long
I’d wanted to do one for ages, but a combination of poor health, injury and excuses, meant I’d been putting it off. I didn’t want to be the person the volunteers waited beyond an hour for, just so I could go for a walk. I know that that’s why they volunteer, but still, I would prefer not to keep them waiting when they all have lives and they’re already giving up time on a Saturday morning.
Finishing Time (and Fartlek Motivation)
So, did I finish in less than an hour? According to Strava, I made it round in 44 minutes 17 seconds, and the Parkrun timekeepers had me at 42.39. I had intended just to walk as it had been nearly 2 years since I’d done one, but I got a bit caught up and did my version of a fartlek run – I jogged to a tree, I then walked to another one, and repeated. I also told myself I didn’t need to finish if it got too much and I could walk the entire thing if I wanted.
Pride Over Perfection
When I finished my knee was screaming at me… but other than that, I was so proud of myself for taking part, finishing, and doing it in a time I was chuffed with.
Why We Hold Back
This then got me thinking. How many of us put something off because we don’t think we can do it?. We maybe don’t want to let other people down? Think it might be too hard, that something is beyond us? And then how many of us do it anyway and think ‘Why was I putting it off?’
We will never know what we’re capable of, if we don’t try new things, or if we put the building blocks in place, but then still never actually try.
It Wasn’t a Surprise — It Was the Result of Hard Work
It shouldn’t have been a surprise that I completed the Parkrun in the time I did – I’ve been consciously exercising, eating well and looking after myself since April (I’ve probably already mentioned that I turn 50 next year, so I want to make sure I’m as fit and healthy as I can be), so Saturrday was a culmination of 3 months’ work. It’s also my goal to run a Parkrun by the end of the year, so it was the first step in being able to do that.
What’s Your Goal?
The question is, what is your goal, or what are you putting off trying? What are the reasons that you’re not doing it? Are they Bonafide, or, if you’re being honest with yourself, are you scared or there’s some other reason holding you back. If you need some help, I’d love for you to reach out and for me to help you reach your goals and to push yourself beyond your comfort zone.
There’s a famous quote: ‘If you always go what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.’ What would you like to get that you’ve never had? And what little step can you take today that will help get you there?