Consistency and Commitment
Hi friends! Here is the second installment of my X-Country series that is being featured on AAA Racing pages. I hope you enjoy!
First of all, thank you to everyone who posted nice comments and well wishes on the first X-Country post Alun and AAA Racing published. It is humbling, nerve racking and overwhelmingly exciting thinking about the project ahead of me and my team. To know that people are watching, following and eagerly anticipating what I will and wont do, adds that little bit of pressure. All in a good way though! I can’t wait to share the journey!
Got a little off the sides and top….
Anyone who knows me knows that one of the biggest things I preach is consistency. In all areas but particularly in training. Since my last post, this has been my sole focus. Since running 10x 50k and 40x marathons back to back, my motivation, mental state and consistency has been a long way from where I would like them to be. It has taken a minute to begin to return to my former self. However, I have been gentle on myself, still got decent kms in each week but last Monday decided enough was enough. It was time to stop entertaining my monkey mind convincing me to take it easy. It was time to begin to push forward and get that consistency back and returning to the Grills of old.
It's gone well. I had a solid week of training last week and on track for a good one this week also. With Go Figure 80k in a week and a half, it's almost time to taper. This train, race, rest repeat process will be welcome in the next couple months as my body/mind continues to heal and I forge forward strongly, preparing for the X-Country adventure.
Consistency and commitment to something doesn’t only hold true in running though. In actively preparing for this challenge, over the last two years I have sent emails, made phone calls, put myself out there on social media and really taken hit after hit, (with a few wins spread throughout) never having much love finding sponsors for this run. Over the last month or two though, my thoughts around ‘putting myself out there, taking the ‘no’s’ and trusting the right people will come along when they need to’ mentality has began to pay off. Prayers and posi vibes are being answered.
The crew is all but set for the run. With possibly four guys giving up TWO MONTHS of their lives to come the WHOLE time and another couple coming in and out, the team is being built! It is looking like we may have a financial sponsor for the run and also, I am now working with a high performance mental coach/biomarker expert who has a large reach in relation to accessing further sponsors and building a team around me to make my body and mind as bullet proof in every way come September. This Friday the team looking at doing our documentary has a meeting with the US Netflix department. I am SOOOO nervous about this and what a dream it would be if that comes through! Ill keep you posted!
So, as you can see, consistency and commitment in running has all sorts of on-flow effects in all areas of life. Like SO many things, the cross over benefits from running to normal life are endless. They are integral practices to build into EVERYTHING we do and will only make us better. Two words and disciplines I do my best to live EVERY day in ALL I do.
Much love friends. I look forward to seeing some of you at Go Figure (sorry I missed Hares and Hounds) and having a solid crack at the new course. Good times and much love. Have a rad month and until next time, Consistency + Commitment.