Monday, April 27, 2009

Monday Morning Marathon Massage

Monday 27th April 2009 sees the curtain just about come down on the 2009 London Marathon - I say 'just about' come down, because every marathon sees various people doing extreme versions of the event which may take up to a week to finish, but for the majority the race is over. It's the 1st time in 3 years that I haven't done the marathon, but my views about it are the same...

I've watched the race since the 1st one back in 1981, and always wondered what it would be like to run it. Never having been a fan of the actual running, I spent year after year watching on tv.
Then when I hit the age of 40 I wanted to do something to mark the occasion, and being a long time writer of goal acheivement theory, the marathon seemed a great challenge.

I applied for the 2007 race, but didn't get a place, but instead of giving up I simply ran 9 laps of my 3 mile training circuit starting at the exact same time as the London race - I even got a little medal made to give myself.

I applied again for the 2008 race, and had mixed feelings when I got accepted - mixed because although it would see my challenge completed, I already knew full well what 26 miles feels like on the body!

I trained myself up again, and finished in a sloth-like 5.48, but at least I had my finishing medal.
I was surprisingly tempted to apply again for this year's race, but fought the urge, and was able to watch on tv again with a nice cup of tea as nearly 36,000 people trotted around the capital's streets.

That's a key figure for my point - 36,000 people, and over the 28 years nearly 750,000 people have finished the race.
Everyone has their curiosity aroused when you mention running the marathon, because it's an established 'challenge' to do and people want to hear how you got on.

'Slowly', is my standard response, but I love the fact that I did it, the fact that I had to set the goal, research the steps needed to achieve the goal, and then start at step 1, literally!
I knew at any time that doing the training was a choice, but that if I chose not to do it, I was increasing the chance of failure.

Basic goal achievement theory you might say, and you'd be right, but the effect of applying that same theory to other aspects of your life has a power which so few people actually use.
I've used the theory for 25 years, and it's taken down some strange adventures in my life.
I intend to carry on using them, and all I can say is that the feeling I got from the Monday Morning Marathon Massage is one of crosing a finish line that can apply to any walk of life you may choose.

If 750,000 have applied the theory, why shouldn't you?

Grab my motivational book here:
http://www.transformyourlifenow.com