What On Earth Am I Doing?

It’s a bit strange not having NaBloPoMo to spur me on to post, finding my own internal motivation after weeks of continuous posting is proving difficult.

That’s a little digression though, what the title of this post refers to is the fact that I’ve set myself up a little challenge. ‘Little’ isn’t perhaps the best word I could use to describe it, as I seem to be entering myself for the Great North Run next year….

For anyone not in the know, it’s a half-marathon and certainly the most famous one in the UK. That’s right, a half-marathon. And I’m the chap who at the moment finds that about a mile is his limit. To some that might sound like a strange choice to make, given that my fitness, strength and weight are all not what they should be. Over the last few weeks though I’ve pushed myself and drawn inspiration from myself and others. I was frankly quite scared at going to another grading, as I know each successive one is harder and harder, but i don’t always feel like I’ve made a proportionate jump in my ability and fitness. But that aside, I did it. Another friend of mine also pushed through and achieved her brown sash in Kung Fu, and I’m now looking at a senior grade and a relatively short jump to Dan grade from my next grading.

The point which I’m so deftly side-stepping here (if only I could do that in sparring!), is that I can do things I think I won’t be able to do. I was reminded by someone yesterday that I’ve proved it to myself with Tang Soo Do, I never thought I’d be able to stick at something like this for two years, yet here I am, loving it more than ever. I’ve just put myself through 8 days of training with only 2 rest days. Sure it’s perhaps not the smartest way of doing it, but despite sometimes feeling like I just wanted to sit down and sleep, I was able to push myself on and finish.

In the past I’ve heard my instructor talk before about the difference between a normal student and a Black Belt. The re-occurring theme wasn’t ability, or fitness, or strength – though no-one can deny the merits of each – it was the mindset and attitude. A Black Belt pushes them self right past the comfort zone, and carries on when every part of them is yelling ‘no! stop now!’. This is what I want to accomplish on a larger scale over the next ten months, training and working towards the run. I believe it will help me mentally moving up through the senior ranks and toward my eventual Dan grade too. It means a lot of training, a lot of running (and I hate running) and a complete change in eating habits too.

And now I’ve said it here, there’s no backing out! 🙂