The ghost of self reliance and the strength of the Mind!

Running Distance so far this week: 0 Miles! I keep hearing back from loads of very well meaning people that this is 'for the best'. 'You need to be careful' 'Don't overdo it' 'Mind the injury doesn't get worse' 'An Achilles is injury is dangerous'. All these might be true, yet I don't want to hear them anymore :)

I'm getting very familiar with my body after 7 years of distance running. I know what constitutes pain, niggles and slight discomfort. I was in pain after a niggle and am now moving back just into discomfort. Knowing that pain might reoccur. But my mind is telling me to run tomorrow morning. Just a 10K and see what happens. And get to a Physio next week if the discomfort or niggle is still there.

And I allow my mind to conquer my body every single time. It usually knows best. The body always gives up first. And the mind hates the 0 in front of the Miles. A tad out of vanity maybe, yet mostly out of the lack of running. The pure joy and freedom I get from it, the energy, the mindfulness and peace.

Yet I also know not just to rely on my mind. So I use motivation from wherever I can get it. 2 sentences popped into my mind to assist me this week. These sentences are not only valid for sports performance. They also reflect on the pain of transition and change in every aspect of life. Anyway they helped me make the decision to try and run tomorrow!

The first line comes from Haruki Murakami in his book 'What I talk about when I talk about running': 'Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional'. I love that line and it has helped me so many times before get over discomfort masquerading as real pain.

The second I get from listening to an Eric Thomas speech:
'Listen to me. PAIN IS TEMPORARY! It may last for a minute, or an hour, or a day, or even a year. But eventually it will subside and something else will take it’s place. If I quit however, it will last forever.'

So there goes, I'm running in the morning. And if it doesn't finish me off, I'll be running again Sunday. But that's like 172,800 seconds from now. And another 24 hours after that you can find out in my Monday blog :)

Meanwhile please support the companies that sponsored the Challenge in the last week: Patricia Irwin at www.ringoroses.ie for all your floristry needs and http://www.abetterme.ie/joomla/index.php/class-times to contact Verette regards her Weight Watchers classes who brought in another €125 yesterday.

You can donate €12 (€1/marathon) or whatever you want to at http://www.mycharity.ie/event/patrick_mercies_12marathonsin12monthsin2015

We have passed the €1,000 and are on our way to the €2,000 mark.

Miles with smiles for Gorta Self Help Africa!!!!!!!