Peace of Mind - Above & Beyond feat. Zoë Johnston

Abs are shaping though...

Lyrics:- 'If you've ever lost every part of yourself, if you've left your heart on a lonely avenue, it will be only a matter of time before your life comes through for you' - Grant, McGuinness, Siljamaeki, Bayer & Johnston

Song Choice:- Above & Beyond are quite a new band to me and this is a great track with the wonderful line in it about 'losing every part of yourself'. I know only too well myself as it's something I encountered last year and it's dead easy to lose your purpose and end up treading water in life if you are not careful.

Has that ever happened to you? Or maybe you feel you've lost yourself right now? I do - Well bits of me still anyway...

I remember feeling very lost the first time I came back from the Marathon des Sables in 1999. You see no-one back home had experienced what I'd been through, social media didn't exist to share my highs and lows and no-one understood my 'Post Traumatic Race Disorder'. I do remember having a few dicey moments after the race that year and ended up feeling very isolated with the only option I found being in changing everything around me so I could start again, afresh.

It took sometime to regain a 'Piece of Mind' I can tell you but it worked. 

When the world around me changed last year, rather than do it alone, I looked for help rebuilding my life post GBS and used social media to connect with other folk who'd had  similar GBS experiences. I went looking for solutions as I'm a fixer - I didn't go looking for sympathy or to whinge on about tingly hands, feet and feeling tired as that doesn't help you get mobile and is negative and counter productive IMO. I didn't find the answers - I had to work them out for myself.

What I've found to be vital in a good GBS recovery is: - 

• Knowing what drugs to take - for the shortest time possible 
• Knowing what Physiotherapy will give you the best outcome
• Only listen to very experienced people - then make up your own mind
• Family support is extremely important as they tell you straight
• And do everything at your 100% best as no-one will do it for you.

Do that and you'll walk or run away hopefully knowing you've given it your best shot. Don't get me wrong, I've still got a long way to go as I ran 4.5 miles hard yesterday and was on top of the world and ran two miles today with the world on my shoulders. But who cares as 'Life is coming through for me, and nothings going to stop me. 

Is it coming though for you? Be honest...

Rory Coleman - 990 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,532 Days' Alcohol Free - 381 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location:- Boscastle, Cornwall