Show me a Reason - The Tubes

With my mind still thinking 1978, here’s another long forgotten band with some great tunes. The Tubes. I saw them at the peak of the 'Punk Rock Era' one night at the Hammersmith Odeon being supported by Squeeze of all bands. Anyway if you get a chance have a listen to their double live album 'What do you want from Live' and re-live part of my youth with me. The lyrics of the above track 'Show me a Reason' feel quite apt today as I continue with my mission of helping folk re-discover their love for life.

There was a time, there was a place

When all the good things in life disappeared, without a trace.

As they do – just as things are looking peachy too. Every time – for everyone as you will never live without life-challenges not only to your bank balance but to your health too.

You got yourself a deal, beg, borrow, or steal

Baby, heart and soul, I don't want to get old

And grab it with both hands as life-changing offers don’t come every day of the week. They could actually be a once-in-a-lifetime offer. One that you’d be mad to refuse or miss out on. One that doesn’t even need a reason or explanation – A complete ‘No-Brainer’.

I got a shot, I got a chance, to make it real to real this time.

So take it… while there’s still a chance – It’s a Totally Non-Risk Item.

1,045 Marathons, 254 Ultras, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

Love too good - Jefferson Starship

Spread your wings, you've been too long in the cage.

    

Today’s song is the first track from the 1978 album ‘Earth’ by Jefferson Starship. Not very well known and long forgotten, but it came to mind on seeing a parent wearing a Jefferson Airplane T-shirt on the school run last week. Took me right back to seeing them play at Knebworth, minus Grace Slick who was reported to be too drunk to take the stage , I hasten to add back in 1978.

    

Okay they sound a bit Fleetwood Mac but this opening track is totally wonderful especially as Slick’s vocals blend into the intro perfectly at perfect pitch. Quite simply spine-tingling.

    

The lyrics speak louder to me now, some forty years on than they ever could to a sixteen year old boy and the submission by Slick in the song makes me feel quite helpless as the song progresses. You see, things are never that really that bad - they just feel that way sometimes.

    

I've opened the door, I've set you free.

And that freedom is perhaps what we are all searching for. Freedom of choice and freedom of what you do, where you live and who you are. Too many people now-a-days are victims of their own well-meaning choices. Hopefully it won’t take forty years for an old rock album to speak volumes for you today and maybe it's time to set yourself free.

Time to tune in...and listen  Here

1,045 Marathons, 254 Ultras, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

Tell me why? - Genesis

Don’t get me wrong - we all have to do things we don’t want to do or take one for the team but when it comes to our own free choice, why do we do things that we don’t enjoy?

If you are a runner, swimmer, musician whatever, if it cheeses you off, why do it? Why lower your mood when what you are doing is meant to be enjoyable and rewarding.

As children, we are exposed to a variety of extra-curricular activities to see if we have the enthusiasm and aptitude to succeed. As adults we seem to lose this as a concept and slog on when our hearts are no longer in things - unable to admit failure, learn and move on.

A fresh diet, a time of sobriety, a new career, new partner even in some cases might be what you need to find the life you’ve been looking to enjoy all of your adult life.

As an experiment, try looking at yourself through the eyes of a child. Are you really going to continue as you are for ever or are you going to start making the changes you know you need to do but are avoiding...Why don't you do what you really want to do?

1,045 Marathons, 254 Ultras, 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

Push it - Salt N Pepa

Lyrics:- 'How to become number one in a hot party show' - Azor, Brito, Davies, Giles, Green, James, Jones & Thomas. 

Song Choice:- 'I've always loved this 1987 classic which incidentally was co-written by Sir Ray Davies of 'The Kinks' - Yikes, he really 'Got me' with that one.

Anyway, if like me you were at a parkrun this morning, I wonder how competitively you 'Pushed it'? For the 'Family Coleman' it was there as an intended gentle Saturday jog-round with us starting absolutely last out of a field of 675 people armed with a double-buggy, loaded up with our two small boys. I'll hasten to add here that I wasn't the one pushing...

Anyway, it started out as a light-hearted affair as it took well over a minute to cross the start line and well over 10 minutes to slowly dodge through the running-traffic until we hit the open fields where Lady C said the 'Red-Rag-To-A-Bull' comment, 'You are not going for a sub-30 today then?'

Hmm... and you know, I did try to resist but after a slow start, which made for a good warm up, it didn't feel right just to chug around as this time last year, I couldn't even walk. Not 'Pushing-it' would therefore have been a crime, well that's what I told myself as I lurched past at least 10 people as I went into my normal parkrun running speed.

Our miles went 10:17, 9:00 & 8:26 with the last 0.11 of a mile at 7:51 pace - it felt bloody brilliant! - Oh we did 29:38 if you are interested and overtook 269 people.

That sub-25 with a flying start is now well on the cards or even quicker if I train hard. My 'Run hard or go home' will now be my parkrun mantra, even when we are out jogging as a family, as Jenny can do 24 minutes with the buggy on a hilly course. She's the one to really beat (With the Pushchair of course)!

How hard did you 'Push it' today?

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 995 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,591 Days' Alcohol Free - 437 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir

Location: Caerdydd, Cymru

Happiest Days of Our Lives - The Pink Floyd

Lyrics:- 'By pouring their derision upon anything we did, exposing every weakness' - Waters

Song Choice:- Oh my, it's amazing just how much negativity some of you lot seem to encounter sometimes whilst striving for your fitness dreams.

For example, how's this for encouragement, word for word that one of my clients received. 

'Mate I'm not knocking it, but you know most people gain weight after losing it'...'Just being realistic...I've a pic of you from 5 years ago. You were as trim as now.

Also.. 

'I had a fat friend who is now thin and nowhere near as nice' and 'I thought you were ill cos you've gone so gaunt'.

Just how demotivating can you get? Luckily, these so-called 'friends' were duly 'un-friended' 'tout-suite' as they simply didn't believe the person concerned had the will-power to maintain their new lifestyle. A simple 'Well-done' would have been far more appropriate than the 'I know you'll mess up and revert to type soon as I've always known you as being overweight'.

But then that's the style of the 'Preying Mantis Energy Vampire'. We all have them in our families, friendship groups and at work. You know, folk that just like to spray a little (or a lot in the above case) 'Kryptonite' on our efforts.

Folk pointing that kinda stuff out to us, just ain't constructive.

So, this weekend when you are out of your work routine, seeing friends, enjoying Wimbledon or family time make sure you take your 'Kryptonite Kevlar-plated Armour' with you. Some trusty replies to throw back at the 'Energy Vampires' will help too - and will help you blow away the tempting 'Just the One glass' or one just one little 'Freddo Bar' that will come your way from folk or from the 'Energy VAmpire' that lives inside your own head...

Have a great weekend and don't pour derision on your own efforts... PLEASE :-)

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 995 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables
9 Guinness World Records - 8,583 Days' Alcohol Free - 431 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location: Caerdydd, Cymru

Let there be Love - Simple Minds

Building 'Love'...

Lyrics:- 'It heals and it hurts' - Kerr & Burchill

Song Choice:- Released in 1991 this is a great track from Simple Minds and is typical of their stadium years. I'd say that they were a much better band at the time than U2 but some how they went into a decline soon after this track, whereas U2 weathered the storm and went onto even greater chart and album success - it's a real shame IMO. Then again, I'm sure Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill won't be losing much sleep over it tonight as they would certainly have made their fortune well before this release.

Anyway, I love the lyrics... and perfect for today as I LOVE Tuesday's.  They are always full of fun in my world as I get so many 'Messages of Success' from clients announcing their 'Weight-loss' and 'Power-Hour Triumphs' on Messenger, Facebook, What’s App and Text. My iPhone was red-hot this morning and that's without a fresh set of 12 #Average2Awesome clients from Stepnell Ltd, starting their journey with us at the Peak Performance Gym in Rugby.

'The Stepnell Dozen'

The first session is always a lot of fun as we start to get to know folk. What we really noticed about this group today was how much CARED about each other which triggered me into thinking about the above track.

You see, it's ok to get pushed to reach your goals by me or by the people around you, but along the way you'll need a lot of 'Love'. Mostly from yourself - as it's easy to be your own worst critic if you're not careful and the training is tough enough without giving yourself a good kicking too.

So with that thought in mind, how about a week of accountability all round where we stick to our goals, stay away from the cookie jar and get on with what we do best - Yes, 'Stretching our Horizons' and that way maybe, our own 'Love' can help heal us and take away some of 'The Hurt Pain of Life' perhaps.

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 995 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,581 Days' Alcohol Free - 429 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location:- Cardiff, Wales

Marathon - Rush

Lyrics:- 'It's a test of ultimate will' - Peart

Song Choice:- This is one of my all-time Rush tracks, and its lyrics have always spoken nearly as loudly as it's title to me over the years, for obvious reasons of course.

We live in our own personal 'Marathon Worlds' and everyday is a school day in the 'University of Hard-Knocks' and we all have our ups and downs. I've always said it's not how you get knocked down, it's how you get up that counts. Rolling with the punches will always get you to the finish line I've found - every time.

You see, psychologically, the last 35% of any accountable goal is always much harder than the first 65%. Marathons definitely follow that pattern with the last nine miles providing the 'Make or Break' mountain or wall to climb or break through that can shatter anyone's inner resolve in a matter of moments.

It's like that in our daily life and sometimes it's so easy to give in when someone that doesn't understand you and your needs, ignorantly attacks your personal protocols, your whole modus operandi. How many times has the wind been blown out of your sails just as you felt you were really starting getting somewhere? It's so rude...

My advice is to blow their 'Kryptonite' quickly away and surround yourself with the positive people that know and understand you, and what you stand for. Luckily these occasions are really rare but crop up when you least expect I've found.

Anyway, if you've encountered the same kind of experience, you'll know the best thing to do is to stick to your values, take a few deep breaths, get your head down and press your reset button knowing that you are happy being you, running your own race and not someone else's.

Listen and take it on board but remember you don't become a 'Winner' in this life being #Average.

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 995 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,57 Days' Alcohol Free - 425 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location:- Cardiff, Wales

Through the Barricades - Spandau Ballet

Lyrics:- 'It's a terrible beauty we've made' - Gates

Song Choice:- What better track to choose to illustrate the boundaries we build around ourselves to protect us from the 'Hurty-World' that lies both outside our front door and inside our heads. 

This track was actually written by DavidGates of 'Bread' fame and re-released with a 'New Romantic Twist'. The Spandau's themselves were once 'Barricaded' off from my world back in the e '80's along with the Duran Duran Boys but were really a guilty pleasure along with disco music and the Bee Gees (Did you see Barry Gibb at Glastonbury? - He was bloody awesome)...

Anyway, I found over the years I ring-fence lots of things into my monochromatic world with very 'Hit' and 'Miss' labels, which is fine. The only thing is years later, I'm finding I've done a complete 'Opinion 360' and instead of a 'Love-Hate' - I've got a 'Hate-Love' situation.

You see you just can't predict the future - although I'm pretty sure you won't catch me being a 'Swim, Bike, Run Person in this lifetime but then you never know (Let's hope not eh?)...

But then we all change our minds at some point in time and the folk I tend to meet want to denounce their past, shape up and shape their future. It's a good thing to do too as living a life behind 'Barricades' ain't much fun.

Amen...

Rory Coleman - 995 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,573 Days' Alcohol Free - 422 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location:- Cardiff, Wales

Two Way Street (Aeroplane Mix) Kimbra

Lyrics:- 'I feel the four become five' - Kimbra

Song Choice:- I love listening to random jukeboxes on 'Internet Radio' and on 'Apple Play'. Okay, a lot of it washes over but every now and again you get a pure gem. I'd never heard of Kimbra before last year, but young the singer/songwriter from New Zealand, (a real Kate Bush in the making btw IMO) is well worth listening to.

The 'Two Way Street' title really got me thinking mainly about 'Two and Two - making Four' -  only they don't.

If you are 45+ they make 3.998 if you multiply 'Two and Two' using 'Log Tables' but seriously I reckon 'Two and Two actually make Three'.

I mean have you ever doubled your effort, you know tried twice as hard at something, or employed someone to help you out? Well then you'll know where I'm coming from...

Double the effort with half of the return, if that.

Right now, if you are looking to succeed, you'll need to double your efforts and then double that if you have the energy and drive to do so if you want to make it.

Just think - If you are working towards your goal right now, whatever it might be, you are only working at 50% efficiency. You will only ever get 50% return of your potential... it's a bit shit isn't it.

Trying isn't just about effort though. It's about being smart with your efforts and where you apply them. If you are great at sales but poor in admin, get the admin you need to release you to sell, sell, sell and stay hungry for the deal. On the other hand, stale 'Salesman make very poor 'Account Handlers' and I've winced far too many times to remember seeing 'Inside Staff' miss out on maximising the deal.

Horses for Courses comes to mind...

The thing is, we are all good at something - something we love - something that drives us on - something we can be a 'World Beater' at...

Recognising that and with the knowledge that 'Two and Two make Three' might just liberate you this week, month, year or even your lifetime as it unfolds before your very eyes at <50%...

You can count on it...

Rory Coleman - 992 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,559 Days' Alcohol Free - 408 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location:- Cardiff, Wales