The Jottings
Pain for Pleasure
Now we’re not talking about 50 shades of grey, tattoos and creepy basements but instead pushing our sporting exertions beyond the tough and into pain.
Earn Your Food
Everyone loves a good feed. Tucking into a hearty plate of your favourite scrumptious main course followed by a bowl of some delectable pudding is one of life’s real pleasures.
No Chance of No Chance
Even the slowest pony has a chance and the only way it’s guaranteed to loose is if it never starts.
Go Slow but Never Stop
In practice this is one for the runners but in our approach to life, it applies to us all. For those who have just started running or those conquering ever increasing distances, hitting the wall is an unpleasant experience; the tank is empty and the legs feel like they’re made of lead.
Always Order Small
Walk into a café in the USA, order a regular latte and you’ll get an overflowing bucket; walk into a café in Japan, make the same order and you’ll get half a shot-glass. What is a normal portion?
“Audacity, Audacity, Always Audacity” – Kaiser Wilhelm II
Audacity - a willingness to take bold risks. The quote is from Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, famous for his military victories and like so many other military quotes, mottos and mantras, imparts that success can only be won by having the courage to break cover and go forth.
2021 Off The Bike
After we were forced to write off 2020 we have all set goals and ambitions for 2021 and the opportunity it offers. Here are a few thoughts on a checklist of possible ‘to-do’s’ that will help you reset from the bonkers world we now find ourselves in.
Always take the Stairs
So, one of the most amazing things I’ve seen is someone take a lift two floors up to the gym and then getting straight onto the stair climbing machine…genius.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
We must thank Monty Python’s Eric Idle for this comedy gem that, for me, sums up the Great British sense of humour. It’s one of the skills that I admire most about your average athlete, the ability to crack a joke at even the lowest of moments.
Reset Your Perspective
At some point all of us will experience a feeling of being overwhelmed. Whether it’s self-imposed pressure to hit your training/racing/riding targets or just the number of happenings happening in your life, you reach a point where it starts to take over.
Every Day’s a School Day
This is one of my favs and probably my most vocalised phase. By this, I mean; every day is a chance to learn…not a chance to pin hilarious notes on your mate’s back.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” – Wayne Gretzky
Spot on Wayne. While we’re now sliding around on ice, except on winter rides, Wayne’s words of wisdom ring true for all sports and in getting the most from life.
Rev Up the Engine
Trying to drop a few pounds or just maintain your race weight? Body weight is the cause of a huge amount of worry, stress and despair but it doesn’t have to be.
Distractions
‘Ah, my legs burn!’, ‘how far left to climb?’, ‘how much further to go?’… You’re not alone, we all think it…and sometimes scream it. One thing is for sure, concentrating on the time ticking by, mileage figure counting down or the pain won’t make it any easier.
Chronophobia
I suffer from chronophobia, the fear of time passing. More accurately, my fear is not making the very most of time.
17km’s to Ylämaa
Turning the corner I saw the back of the road sign that would let me know how long was left to go. With the sun setting and the temperature quickly plummeting into the minuses, the body was starting to suffer.
Rule of 5’s
OK, so you’ve got to nail a training session and you’re sweating just thinking of the pain that awaits. One of the reasons training hurts, is time seems to stand still.
Plan the Ride, Ride the Plan
We have all planned an ‘epic’; a ride or run that conquers some towering climb or vast distance. Sat in the warm on a comfy couch drawing lines on a map, it looks simple, no problem...
We chose to go to the Moon
Everyone has a favourite quote, President John. F. Kennedy’s 1961 moon walk ambition speech is mine. It sums up in so many ways what life is all about for me.
Listen to your Inner voice
We all have that wise and sensible inner voice that tells us that; ‘you can’t carry all of that, make two trips’, ‘they’re not secure, they’ll fall off’, ‘don’t jump that, walk round’…and many other boring, level-headed and practical warnings that turn out to be frustratingly right, as we’re picking ourselves out of the muddy bog we were sure we could sail over.
MacLehose Trail – Truly Inspiring Inspiration
The saying; ‘There’s always someone worse off than you’ – Robert Webb, translates itself easily into the world of adventure and endurance, as; ‘There’s always someone who has suffered more than you’.
“I Never Lose, I Either Win or learn” – Nelson Mandela
For those lacking an answer to the question; ‘what is your favourite quote?’, may I propose; “I Never Lose, I Either Win or learn” – Nelson Mandela