Sunday 2 October 2016

Achieving goals - takes desire and hard work

It's been an interesting weekend.  Once every 2 years the Ryder Cup comes along.  I'm currently watching it, as I have been all weekend, and the USA are in a strong position.  But the competition is immense.  It's like gladiators going at each other with the partisan crowds egging them on.  Sport at it's very best and it has taken years of practice to get to that level. Whoever wins, I may be sleeping by the end, will certainly have worked for it.
Also this weekend I've got friends taking part in the Scottish 10k in Glasgow and my assistant Julie Wilson got a PB of 57 mins - first time she's got under an hour and she worked so hard for it - well done Julie.  Notice a theme here? 
Other friends were in the half marathon and got PBs.  The reason this race is relevant to me is in 2007 I ran the 10k.  I hadn't run in years and was delighted to break the hour - it was the start of this mad journey.  When I crossed the line I thought of the runners doing double the distance after the 10k was finished and thought, how could they do that?  3 years later I completed my first Ironman.
In the last hour three of my friends have just completed Barcelona Ironman.  They have all worked so hard to get to the start line, 2 PBs and for one of them it was his first Ironman and crossing the line he'd have welcomed the words, Graeme Brown you are an Ironman - an experience he won't forget!
As for me I ran on Wednesday and then on Saturday and Sunday.  I'm feeling good and getting back to regular running is making me feel good.  All week I have followed the Grand to Grand ultra which I will be taking part in in a years time.  The pictures coming back are unbelievable and will drive me on in my training.  Having a picture in your head of what your goal is makes all the difference.  It will be in my mind on every single training session for the next year.  It's good to have a goal.