What are your why’s?

The past days I have been engaged in the most interesting of conversations with two of my close friends in sport, my fellow Endurance lab coaches, and my amazing boyfriend.

How are we different in how we approach a race/ competition?

What makes us perform better?

What are the driving emotions?

What strategies do we employ to get into the zone and attack a race?

I am more

than

Which is something that my coach Annchen Clarke understand and so plays to my strength and personality (and quirks).

What are our WHYs?

What matters most? The physical body, the mind and mental skills, or even determination and desire?

I am a thinker in my training (I probably drive people nuts); I really push into the gritty parts of what, why, how, and beyond. I want to toss the principles of it all around, the physiology, biochemistry, endocrinology, musculoskeletal and neurology pieces, what is happening, how can I improve and make my training time count the most, how does this apply to nutrition and health, and even more fascinating to me, how can I grow the strength of my mind; mental skills and mindset.

Sport is more than genes, more than talent, and more than just training; it seems to be this fantastic alchemy of the athlete, their body, their mind, their soul and how all of this is nurtured to be at its fittest and strongest.

I am all in to learn more.

I am into my fourth year of the journey now with triathlon and every year I feel I know and am more when it comes to not only me as a person, but me the professional supporting clients. I have learnt so many skills as a result of the goals that I have set at the start of each training year; because growth, learning, being stronger, having more discipline, consistency, curiosity, awareness and more are all on the list of my why’s for why I bother to show up every day and hit the green box in my training.

I guess you could say that training is creating my why’s and giving me no excuses for not applying them. You are either IN or you are OUT.

I know my bigger picture why’s; they are understanding people and supporting them to be all that they are. If I can understand people and the world better, and use all that I have experienced and learnt on my journey to empower you to come alive in health and vitality and happiness than I am happy.

My wish is to see my clients, friends and family, free from worry, pain, fear and all the emotions and road blocks that we set in our path blocking us from living a life that is free and flowing. If I can provide the nudge; and hand hold the first steps….imagine then…..

Today is June 26th 2018; we are in the midst of the most fantastic and glorious weather; an Irish “heatwave”.. I was up early and took the dog out for my run repeats into Annaholty bog.

There is no better place than nature to remind you of the deeper whys.

I was reminded today of the absolute privilege that it is to be healthy, to have freedom, to be fit, and to live in the most beautiful place in the world (when the sun shines!). This is my soul filled, this is my heart happy; this is me just being me.

I have linked some photos at the end.

I want you to think about your why’s.

Contemplate your why’s for sport, your why’s for health, your why’s for work, your why’s in life… sometimes we all need a nudge to reconnect to what is driving us and where we wish to arrive. It is not enough to get out of the bed and merely react all day; this will not satisfy our core being. Spend a moment to contemplate this; play around with the ideas and thoughts that come to you, observe and be curious. The energy of our whys can also differ greatly whether we are talking about work, sport/ health, or life. But remember, the strengths and skills gained in one area of our life can be pulled over and transferred into others. If you are feisty and committed in sport, why not in the corporate world and so on.

Understand that your whys also change and evolve as you grow. Where you are going is a place that feels good, it calls us, it draws us out of our fears and limiting beliefs. It asks us to be more. What are your why’s?

Get a pen to paper, or go for a walk or long run, play music, or simply sit under a tree and let your why’s unfold. Don’t try too hard.

My 800 speed track passed many confused farmers turning turf

Views across Annaholty bog

Bog tracks

Bog cotton

Annaholty bog

Horsetail

Turf

Beautiful Keeper Hill in the distance

Happy Trinity

Don’t forget that we all race our own race, ultimately.
Many athletes get stuck in the belief that MORE is better.
But we all have our own pace, distance and ways to challenge ourselves.
For some people merely getting out of bed pain free, or walking a kilometre is a miracle achievement.

Don’t measure yourself against others,
but by what you are capable of.

Be wary of the inner voice of ego.