Marathon Man runs to RunFestRun

Press Release - 29th May 2019

RunFestRun is the nation’s newest and biggest running party, hosted by Chris Evans and Vassos Alexander at Wiltshire’s beautiful Bowood House and Gardens. When Marathon Man, Rory Coleman, was asked to take part, he knew there was only one thing to do… run there!

Having completed over 1,000 marathons and 250 ULTRA-marathons, Rory is well-known amongst the running community for his extreme running exploits. He will be one of the inspirational speakers taking part at the event alongside Paula Radcliffe, Steve Cram and Jo Pavey. 

He aims to inspire people new to running and healthier living and show them what’s possible by putting on a pair of trainers and going for a run.Back in 1994, Rory did just that and has never looked back having used running as a therapy and a framework for life. Over the last 25 years, he’s experienced some amazing adventures and coached many celebrities to do the same. He now uses that knowledge and experience to help others enjoy and achieve their goals and dreams through running and fitness.

Rather than driving to the festival, Rory will be running the 100km (62.1 miles) from his home in Cardiff to the RunFestRun venue where he plans to inspire a new generation of runners. This is a particularly impressive feat given the fact that Rory was paralysed from the neck down only three years ago following the contraction of Guillian-Barre Syndrome (‘GBS’), a rare and debilitating neurological disorder that affects 600 people/year in the UK.

‘I’m really looking forward to my run to RunFestRun,’ said Rory, ‘it’s something I could only have dreamed about three years ago when I was recovering from GBS and I hope my run will inspire lots of people to get into running and come to the Festival’.

Tickets can still be purchased online and Rory is speaking at 3pm on Saturday 1^stJune in the Inspiration Tent.

Call Rory Coleman for comment on 07866 477051 or email rory@rorycoleman.co.uk

Ends.

1,037 Marathons - 250 Marathons - 9 Guinness World Records - 15 Marathon des Sables

Live and Dangerous

Life’s kinda ‘Dangerous - incredibly Dangerous in fact and I find some of the things people do in searching for their ‘Ultimate High’, quite stupefying at times. A bit ‘Rich’ coming from someone like me you say. And yes, if I think back over the past 57 year’s there are some things that if I saw my children doing them, I’d go ballistic – but maybe what we don’t know doesn’t hurt eh? 

I mean, the 57-year-old Rory Coleman would never walk 60ft above the River Avon atop Stannells Railway Bridge in Stratford-upon-Avon, or ride down the Bordon Hill (1:10) flat out – (both bridge and bike no-handed) as he might have in 1976 - but then that’s what we used to do for fun before we ‘Grew-Up’. Maybe it’s why we spend so much time in nowadays acting like children. It’s all about ‘Escape’ nowadays. Pressure – Stress…

They say that the world has changed more in the last ten years’ than the previous seventy. Sounds about right to me. And that old-age doesn’t begin until you are at least 74 (there’s hope for me yet), but what are we doing to insure that we get there? Standing atop Stannells Bridge or a skyscraper in Dubai if you’re flash without a safety harness, or extreme paragliding, climbing Everest, walking to the South Pole or melting in the heat of the Sahara Desert or ALL of the above – can’t be the best recipe of a long life.

Anyway, my point is that we insure against things happening to our possessions and dare I say ‘Cars’, yet we don’t see to place much importance of getting more of a lifetime out of our mind and body. Okay, when or if you reach 90 and beyond, I’m not sure how much Paragliding in the Sahara you’ll be wanting to do – however you might want to consider the option and enjoy your latter years as much as the earlier ones - only more sensibly.

It comes down to ‘Resilience’ – a great term for drive, determination and direction all rolled into one and good old ‘Common Sense’. How’s your ‘Resilience’ and ‘Common Sense’ Insurance holding up? Sadly, there’s no on-line checker for the cheapest option here but you can speak toyour broker, you’ll find them if you take a long hard look in the mirror in the cold light of day.

See if you can make a new deal for yourself…

1,037 Marathons, 250 ULTRAs, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

Move Mountains - Jesus Jones

Or in this case ‘Move Mountains’ inspired by the amazing Jesus Jones and the first track from their 1989 debut album, ‘Liquidizer’. Yes, it really was 30 years ago, and yes it does feel like only yesterday - but it wasn’t was it, it’s a mere dot in the rear-view mirror of life. Things feel like they’ve moved at warp-speed since those analogue-pre-internet-google-filled-electromagnetic-spectrum days but maybe we haven’t.

Following a week of ‘Mental Health Awareness’, during which many people (especially Men) have discovered that it’s good to talk about their issues (without embarrassment), and that the recipe for happiness isn’t or status, possessions or wealth - I feel personally very happy about how the many folk I’ve helped reached a new level of happiness in their worlds.

A happiness that lies out there for you in one form or another. And all you need to do is reach out…

1,037 Marathons, 250 Ultras, 9 Guinness World Records and 15 Marathon des Sables

One Small Day - Ultravox

'And live a life the way it's meant to be' - URE

Things will change when you change. Sounds kinda corny doesn’t it? But it’s true. You see, I believe folk expect the world around them to magically change for the better of its own doing - like some kind of magical lottery win where suddenly everything is perfect, all the planets are lined up and the hurty-pain of life disappears and forever.

‘Dream on’, I say as it will never happen - especially if YOU are not prepared to change.

How do YOU go about making the changes that will ease the pressure and lighten your load? Well that’s not so easy - and if it was, life would already be rosy wouldn’t it? If you are in a dark place right now and think that the world is against you, why not take a more pragmatic view of where you find yourself and how you are perceived as it’s easy to say that it’s not your fault and that you are a mere victim of circumstances. Are you blinkered like that?

Let’s break it into three parts. Honesty, De-Cluttering and Direction.

I mean, are you really being honest to yourself? Being self-critical at a time when others are criticizing you might be the last thing you want to take on-board but do the people you’ve surrounded yourself have a point when they highlight your failings. Do you still feel as driven in the career you once loved, since a fresh hierarchy has invaded your work-domain and dented your pride - maybe they have a point? They are probably being Honest. Everyone will say they want ‘Feedback’ but in reality, we all prefer ‘Praise’. I know it’s hard, been there - taken ‘Feedback’ on the chin – softened my message and got the T-Shirt. Take a long hard look, what do you really see?

Clutter. 

That’s what I see in other peoples’ worlds - and I see more worlds than most I believe. So much clutter in fact that it suffocates all the good that lies beneath. You see, we are a nation of hoarders both mental and physical. For instance, I’m just as bad as the next man as I’m not sure if I’ll ever wear my school cap I had when I was 11 again. It lives on in my wardrobe having escaped a trip to the tip on numerous occasions most recently when we moved.  It’s been there for shelf for 45 years’ hoping for an outing but in truth never will - it’s just baggage. Why do we hold onto so many things that are simply useless? Why do we hold onto so many thoughts that are just as useless? Take a trip to the tip - the Memory Tip. Get rid of things that just don’t matter anymore. Move on.

And only when you’ve been honest and de-cluttered, real changes - the changes you are so desperate to make, will start to happen. Success isn’t measured by possessions or wealth; it’s measured by happiness - becoming and being the person that you know is within you, surrounded by the people you really want to be with.

In my own experience, the journey was possibly the most enjoyable part of my life-change. De-cluttering the present and mapping out a fresh and brighter future is amazingly empowering. I felt euphoric and finally back in control of my own destiny. How are you on  Honesty, De-Cluttering and Direction right now? 

1,036 Marathons, 250 ULTRAS, 9 Guinness World Records, 15 Marathon des Sables

One Slip - The Pink Floyd

I just hate it when people give up, especially when just the tiniest of things go wrong and cloud the day – it’s something that really upsets me. I hope the folk chasing their goals that ‘give up’ find it just as upsetting. You see, it’s been a right dichotomy of a week. I found Sunday’s London Marathon totally uplifting. The whole experience boosted my thoughts on being the best version of oneself. 

Seeing so many of my clients’ surpass their race-predictions underlined what can be achieved with hard work and devotion to task. Tuesday’s ULTRAdieters results added more faith as I added more names to my ‘Two Stones+ Lost Club’ – it made me feel super-proud.

Sadly though, it’s not a perfect world and however heartening all the above is – it’s the folk that I see ‘give up’ that I want to help the most. If you’ve been following my daily ‘Quote Boxes’ you will have probably noticed the theme.

‘One slip and down the hole we fall’… my favourite. In fact, the 1987 ‘One Slip’ track by The Pink Floyd, has some brilliant lyrics that underline how I feel about one tiny upset ruining the ‘Big Picture’ journey. A bit like how I am with the folk I work with that momentarily lose their way.

I can think of many instances in my life where it would have been far too easy to have given up when faced with both major and minor obstacles either to circumnavigate or simply take on the chin. I can also think about the times I have ‘given up’ and the common theme perhaps is that I just wasn’t committed enough in the first place or had the required appetite for success.

I mean, why say you are going to do something, if you don’t even believe you will yourself.

Okay, there are many people who start full of good intentions and It made me wonder for instance how many ‘Only went once’ gym memberships there have ever been or alternatively how many running careers have lasted just one ‘Park-Run’. It’s such a shame when success and happiness is only a matter of weeks away for most. 

In 12-weeks, it’s possible to lose a lot of weight and take 30-minutes off your marathon PB – To change one’s whole outlook on life.

 ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason’ is all it takes to make it turn to dust – However ‘A Moment of Reason’ is all it takes to make it happen. Start making it happen today.

1,036 Marathons, 250 Ultras, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables