It’s fascinating meeting so many different people every day, and of all abilities at our gym.
The conversation i had this morning was with Allyson Ashford, who recently ran 50 miles in an ultra-marathon, in horrendous conditions through mud, darkness, torrential flood like conditions with just a map and a headlight as a guide across the Gower.
Allyson told me how many times she felt like giving up, but get got back up every time and just kept on going despite the obvious pain, discomfort, her feet were cutting up really bad, and every part of her body was aching.
I have ran a marathon myself but can’t imagine the pain of 50 miles, especially through that kind of course.
Allyson has been off for a couple of weeks after the race due to a severe infection in her feet that literally made her unable to wear any kind of shoes for a couple of weeks. So when i saw her this morning, i was expecting her to say she would never do it again, she would never subject herself to that kind of pain again, and distance and especially extreme distance running for her was a thing of the past.
What i saw and heard was calmness. She looked at peace because she has conquered a course which at least 38 others dropped out of that day. She discovered a mental toughness she didn’t know she had. She found that extra effort when she thought she was close to being down and out. She told me that the last 2.5 miles was the very worst, and getting over the line was naturally an emotional occasion and famous achievement.
Needless to say we are extremely proud of her as a gym and it’s inspiration to have her around a few times a week!
If you think of the things you really want and have been pursuing for a while, that extra effort when you think you are down and out is going to be needed. After all, if something isn’t worth working really hard for, then it can’t be that special in the first place.
When you think you haven’t got any more in you, it’s the mental toughness of seeing it through that’s going to drag you over the finishing line in whatever race you’re running, whether its a run, cycle, rehabilitation, or an emotional race getting your life back in order.
The main thing is to start in the first place, and don’t stop no matter what until you reach your own version of greatness.
