Smashed it 1:09:19 – the power of the mind!

Well, yesterday saw me swimming, cycling and running in Great Yarmouth – the East Coast Triathlon – the end of a pretty momentous week for me.

I have learnt so much through this exercise malarkey – so much about myself – such huge moments of self and genuine doubt and then digging deep to find the strength and determination to go on. Just a week ago I stopped running at the Parkrun and then again struggled to run a couple of days later – big loud voice in my head saying “you can’t do it” but countered by an increasingly persistent voice saying “yes you can – there is no reason why not” – this voice gets louder when encouraged by friends and family who really want me to succeed. All of this has no relation to my physical ability! So whilst waiting on the edge of the pool at the beginning of the triathlon I got into the zone “it doesn’t matter how long it takes, you can finish, enjoy it” – other participants were busy chatting about previous triathlons and impressive runs they have done. I tried not to be impacted by it – but then I started swimming! I can swim for a long way without any bother, but 100m in I started to panic “I’m going to drown, I can’t do it, I’ll just have to get out, it doesn’t matter”. I had a flashback of a previous event when I was about 11 at King Alfred’s baths in Hove, looking over a 50 metre pool in a gala and the voice came – “you can’t do it, you’ll drown” and as a young child I walked away in front of all the crowd and didn’t compete. This time though the other voice kicked in – reassured me I can swim, made me think of the number of colleagues and friends who are waiting to hear how I got on, the number of encouraging messages I have had – so I just began to breathe calmly and swam and the rest of it went well….

Cycling was great – cold and windy but exhilarating. I love my new bike and I love cycling – I’m hungry to keep going, hungry to get fitter so I can go further.

The running was hard but I still managed it and I finished – in 1 hour, 9 minutes and 19 seconds! My aim was to finish in less than 1 hour 30 – so smashed that!

So brilliant for me and hopefully a fillip for my fundraising for Break http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CatherineKenney.  Just this week I heard about the impact that some of this money can have for the disadvantaged and vulnerable young people we support – young adults who routinely return to their children’s home after they have left, introducing their own children to us, popping in knowing they are welcome and when they need it knowing they will get support. These young people know that Break has a genuine commitment to them lifelong – not just a paid obligation when they live with us. This is all pretty impressive!

Other good news for me this week was a visit to my GP – you may remember that one of my challenges is to lose 50 pounds ( from my heaviest) – this visit confirmed that I have lost 40 pounds so far and that I am no longer in the at risk group for diabetes – so, on target for my challenge but more importantly I have managed and changed some pretty poor eating habits and thought patterns that have contributed to me eating and gaining weight.

I’m writing this on Sunday – the day after the triathlon. I have some other key dates in – 50 cakes on a cake stall ( 13 May), 50 mile North Norfolk walk (7-9 July) and the Norwich 10k ( can’t think about that – its in August). I need to get my 50 square quilt going and to decide whether to do more triathlons ( I think yes – but not sure which ones yet – an open water one?).

Lesson 1 of the week – again – the mind is a very powerful thing, get it onside and ignore the negative voices off (easier said than done).

Lesson 2 – the support and encouragement of friends and colleagues makes a world of difference and I am very lucky! Thank you.