Category: Uncategorized

The countdown is on….

Back in March 2020 our world was rocked by something called coronavirus. This post is NOT going to rehearse, challenge or even comment on everything that has passed since then.

However, it does represent a significant milestone to me. Around that time my steady, well-paid employment suddenly looked less steady, less well-paid and less secure. And as the news broke that my current assignment would not be renewed the one constant in my life was my daily ‘allowance’ of an hour of exercise and in particular, a chance to run-free on car-free highways.

The enforced career break (it lasted 3 months) created other opportunities – time to think, time to reflect, and time to re-assess priorities. Across the 20 years of being self-employed I had previously thought about what makes for a better work-life balance and what I could meaningfully do as a job where I no longer dreaded the 5.a.m Monday morning alarm.

Back then options existed, some options were explored & evaluated, and some conversations pointed the way forward. However, for a whole host of reasons I never had the courage to make the decision to pivot my career and take a chance.

It took a worldwide pandemic to change all that. And a podcast that introduced me to the concept of Ikigai. Essentially, Ikigai is the reason why you get up in the morning – the idea of happiness in living.

Now without getting too esoterical it set me on a path of trying to answer the following questions in search of a new career or new employment:

  • What do I enjoy doing?
  • What am I good at?
  • What can I get paid doing?
  • What does the world need?

Nearly two years later and the answers to those questions have been answered and the ‘game plan’ is now set and that pivot in life and work has been significant, major, challenging, scary but ultimately very rewarding.

My ikigai is all about fitness. I’m not yet the fittest I could be, I’m definitely not the fastest I could be and I’m not the leanest I could be. But It’s not about the end result or the outcome, it’s about the journey. A journey that has only really just begun (as I approach the ripe age of 56) and hopefully will continue with me now and forever.

More importantly my ikigai is also about helping others to realise their best version of themselves, and as a qualified running coach and personal trainer I have the knowledge and technical tools to help others succeed.

I am on the same journey, just a few stops further down the track. My experiences are recent, still raw in the memory and therefore more valuable to others seeking out and trusting in my knowledge.

I am learning as a coach, learning as a mentor, learning as an advisor. I will make mistakes and those mistakes will allow me to grow. Is that fair on my clients? Some may not think so – why should you pay for advice from someone ‘learning on the job’. Fair point.

Challenging that is easy. I am keen to learn, I am hungry to learn and I will go in search of new ways to improve (both me and my clients) and this will allow growth that benefits us all. I don’t have a set way of doing things, I’m not tied into certain methods, I’m not committed to any particular approach. My yearning for learning makes me a sponge capable of absorbing so much more.

It is also true that whilst I have acquired new skills and knowledge relating to fitness, my past corporate life has left me with numerous life skills which will transfer and translate into my new career in health, fitness and well-being.

Good verbal and written communication skills, strong project management skills, an ability to evaluate and analyse problems, and trusting my decision making all provide the strong foundations on which the new technical skills of how to coach running drills, or how to programme an exercise programme to support weight loss for are built.

So as February fast approaches I am excited and scared in equal measures. Personal growth only comes from making yourself vulnerable and it is now time to see how I manage that vulnerability. I am ready, I am prepared, I am at the start line.

And then there is the small matter of choosing a new logo for Arba Fitness…….OMG big decisions ahead 🙂

Imposter Syndrome

So completed day 3 of my Gym Instructor course. It’s been long days, hard work, loads of information which has all combined to make it challenging, both physically and mentally.

I’m learning loads and learning I don’t know even more. Now that should’t surprise me or anyone really. I’m not a natural ‘gym bunny’ – in fact I don’t think I ever lifted a dumbbell in anger until summer 2020 ie it was a Covid ‘project’ to take a bit more ownership of my health.

Fast forward nearly a year and starting with that little inkling of ‘ could I ‘ I’m now just hours away from testing myself, and more importantly someone else assessing me, to see if the answer is ‘yes you can’.

Which brings me to the title of this blog post – imposter syndrome.

Something is nagging away telling me this is all wrong – why would someone come to me for help and advice, why would they trust me with their future well-being when less than 5 years ago I didn’t care about me.

And I guess part of the answer, no maybe all of the answer is because I didn’t , then I did, then I did something about it and now I want to pay it forward a little.

The imposter syndrome plays into this in the sense that I feel I’m not quite deserving to be given that trust and responsibility by potential future clients. And it’s something that’s played out previously.

A few years ago I really enjoyed, and I mean really enjoyed my cooking. Would spend hours preparing wonderful 3 and 4 course meals for friends and family and wait for the praise to roll in over the washing up. And then the thought occurred could I make this a career.

What held me back was the recognition that asking people to pay creates a contract that brings with it financial reward but also responsibility. And with a limited, self taught skills base that responsibility felt all to huge . So I carried on with dinner parties, life got busy and that ambition died.

Nearly 20 years on I find myself in a very similar situation – I love my running , I love helping and I think I have a range of skills that gives me a chance this time – but that doubt is back, nagging away, sowing the seeds of self doubt.

But this time I have mechanisms to handle this. Little signals of affirmation that I can show myself that I can because I have!

The VLM 2019 shorts may not mean anything to the casual on-looker but they confirm to me I can overcome obstacles, I can achieve my goals.

Reflecting on this makes me realise those future clients won’t come to me because I’ve lifted more or gone for longer. Instead those clients hopefully recognise I was in their shoes not so long ago, I’ve faced those same challenges, I’ve put in the effort and reaped the rewards. That’s a different kind of credibility that connects I hope.

So which bone does the hip flexor connect to again?

Letting the universe speak….

It’s been 2 long years since my first failed attempt at putting my thoughts down in writing about all things running.

In that same time a lot has happened and now is not the time or space to review – we can leave that for others.

So why try again? Simple, at 8.45am on Monday morning (31st May) I will see if the universe is reaching out to me. And?

Ok, put more explicitly I will return to the classroom for the next 7 days with the intention of qualifying as both a PT Level 2 gym instructor AND complete stage 1 (of 3) of my running coaches qualification.

Events have transpired that means that 2 separate courses booked about a year apart now land back-back.

So what’s the universe got to do with all this? Maybe nothing maybe everything.

Since early 2020 I’ve been listening to The Rich Roll podcast – a source of over 500 inspiring and thought-provoking long form conversations that could glibly be called ‘self-help’.

But listening to real people tell their real stories about how they have overcome personal challenges, taken on endurance challenges beyond imagination, and invested in themselves to become the person they deserve to be, has inspired me, had me in tears at time, made me humble….. and most importantly have driven me to make a decision to embrace change.

At 55 most people may be looking at retirement options, spending more time with grandchildren and generally congratulating themselves on getting this far unscathed.

Not me.

I’m seeking to pivot ( to use one of Rich Roll’s key words ) and change career – not just a little, but a lot.

Maybe the fitness sector doesn’t need another middle age man, carrying too much timber, who has adopted a plant- based diet but still craves the occasional sausage and egg muffin. But just maybe it does.

So in the spirit of accountability and in the hope that sharing my vulnerability means that I can attract positive vibes I will be documenting my journey here for others to read (and maybe be inspired just a little).

I have a ‘rough cut’ ‘draft plan’ of where this could all end up but it’s a place I’ve never really been before – normally choosing to follow the safe path, the known path, so I genuinely enter the next 7 days with excitement, coupled with a large dose of fear and a hope that The Universe speaks clearly to me.

Remember, the hardest step is getting past your front door and at around 6.30am on Monday I will be taking that journey.

Namaste…..

RED January

Today is RED #24 out of potential 31. Plan was a steady 5k. Reality? An even slower 3k. Felt light headed. Heavy legs. Why?

154 miles year to date. Nothing special if you’re an elite athlete – nay just a typical weeks work for Sir Mo.

As a relatively new marathon runner (Berlin 2019 being my only one so far) the temptation has been to push beyond ‘the plan’. To see how far I can push the training boundaries. To push the body to the edge (of fatigue and possible injury). Today was a reminder that life gets in the way. 130 miles driving to be precise.

Lacing up and hitting the run is still a relatively new experience for me so new challenges are……. new challenges! Training for London 2019 is all about consistency but I’m learning that’s not the same as running the same route at the same pace day after day after day after day after day. Get my drift.

I feel lucky. I am part of a great online running community – Fordy Runs. I need to look, listen and learn from those that are further ahead of me, both in terms of talent and training. Sometimes less is more and when RED January is over, and my streak is complete, I will re-assess.

Until then its 7 more days of RED January……