I Surrender - Rainbow

Giving in is really not part of my DNA. Instilled at an early age, I’ve always thought that it’s a weakness. A weakness of mind. A weakness of personality. Pure Coleman-Kryptonite. Having been this way for 57 years’, and having lived life pretty close to the limit of human endurance with some personal and mental challenges that would have had most reaching for the white flag, I thought long and hard as I struggled for the first 20km of day two of Race to the Stones, last Sunday.

You see, post Guillian-Barre Syndrome, my legs are pretty much destroyed for a week following a fast Parkrun or Marathon as my leg muscles just aren’t strong enough anymore – it feels like I’ve already run the race-distance before I’ve even started you see. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not after sympathy or making excuses as I loved both days of Race to the Stones and that first 20km taught me once more that nothing of worth is ever given, and that if you want something enough, you have to work super-hard to achieve it.

I’ll admit I did question my sanity but after three hours of battling the GBS legacy, my legs finally started behaving and downhill it felt like they wouldn’t go from under me, which is what really plays with your mind at the time. The hardest and most frightening part for me – as it is for everyone that has to relearn how to stand and walk again. A sobering thought.

Sure, what I’m doing nowadays isn’t pretty and the times isn’t great but hey I’m out there still recovering. This year I’m a good two plus hours quicker over the 100kms and finished feeling like I’d given it my best – Well the best I can now give, if that makes sense.

Those days of learning to stand and walk seem a long time ago right now and maybe these days of weakened legs will also pass as my recovery continues. What I do know, is that I’m stronger mentally than ever and I’m going to push my recovery as far as possible. What form that takes, well watch this space as it’s just like when I started running. It’s a self-build-and-design-project that only people who’ve have had GBS and have gone on to run a further 66 marathons will understand.

You control your destiny – You design your future – No one does it for you – Fight – With everything you’ve got.

1,042 Marathons - 254 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

99 Red Balloons - Nena

Nena's world soon went POP...

Lyrics:- 'Panic bells, it's red alert' - McAlea

Song Choice:- Yikes when you go looking it's amazing what you can find out eh? A simple reference for a song with Balloon in the title revealed a different story from the one I remember from 1994 when Nena, and her hairy armpits, graced Top of the Pops with her UK one-hit-wonder (well in Top 40 terms anyway).

Wiki says of the song that drove me a bit potty at the time if I'm being honest says:-

The lyrics of the original German version tell a story: 99 balloons are mistaken for UFOs, causing a general to send pilots to investigate. Finding nothing but child's balloons, the pilots decide to put on a show and shoot them down. The display of force worries the nations along the borders and the war ministers on each side bang the drums of conflict to grab power for themselves. In the end, a 99-year war results from the otherwise harmless flight of balloons, causing devastation on all sides without a victor. At the end, the singer walks through the devastated ruins and lets loose a balloon, watching it fly away.

Who'd have thought that...

Anyway, for the purposes of today's blog it's about what happens when just one of those Balloons goes pop. You see disappointment is such a corrosive thing. You see even the slightest blemish can send folks world into a complete tail-spin and can undo months and months of hard work in just a split second.

In my experience, people are always the biggest disappointment. The biggest bang of any Balloon that's ever been blown up is usually from someone not doing the right thing - Yet the person we get most disappointed with is OURSELVES.

I had a real setback recently, a real kick in the pants and yep, it would have been far too easy to give in and become a recluse into 'Climbing back on the Bicycle after a fall'. Trying to make sense and gather strength and resolve from the negativity that surrounded the experience took time.

I've always said it's not how you get knocked down, it's how you get up that counts. Time-after-time-after-time it's proved to be right. Yes it's a shame that we mess up, don't perform as we'd wished and things didn't pan out like we thought they would BUT there's always time to regroup, rethink and re-energise ourselves. Not necessarily to try harder but to make sure when things go POP the next time, we keep going and miss out the deflated stage that stops any forward progress.

Has your World gone POP or are you still trying hard to single handedly BLOW it up? Or is someone trying to BLOW it up for you?

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

9 Guinness World Records - 8,596 Days' Alcohol Free - 444 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir

Location: Cardydd, Cymru

Always in my Head - Coldplay

Lyrics:- My body moves, goes where I will – Berryman, Buckland, Champion & Martin

Song Choice:- On a day that I’ll see Coldplay at the Principality Stadium in Caerdydd, it seems only right to choose one of my favourite Martin penned tracks. Hopefully I’ve picked one that reflects how I feel today as I sit on the train, London bound on the 0512hrs ‘Red-Eye’, ready to engage in being ‘Awesome’ rather than ‘Average’ at Threshold Sport’s first ‘Net-Walking’ event.

‘Always in my Head’ is yet another example of Chris Martin’s enduring magical songwriting genius which has produced hit after hit and success after success for nearly twenty years. As a modern-day ‘Rock Band’, their continued success is unparalleled.

So why is that? And why do I think it’s relevant to me and today’s blog?

Well, I was asked to ‘Distill’ my ‘Mindset’ as part of a ‘Personal Development Programme’ that I’m on right now. Getting this down on paper in one sentence or soundbite, is proving virtually impossible as it’s a totally natural process that’s hard-wired into my DNA – but I’m going to give it a real go. It’s going to take me a few days to compose and I’m going to need Lady C’s help to get it just right for sure.

And that’s where Coldplay come in. I mean I’m not Chris Martin but in their analogy what makes Coldplay, Coldplay? – Hmm, well that’s simple, it’s a blend of Chris Martin’s ability, musicality and personality supported by the rest of the band and a producer and engineer that can take that ability and give it the 100% Elite Star-Quality we have become used to.

At the heart of things, Chris Martin’s ‘Unique’. And I can’t quite put my finger on quite what it is as he’s not an outstanding vocalist or performer but somehow there’s a ‘Magic’ and ‘Stage Presence’ that’s infectious. Maybe it’s his enthusiasm that’s the key to their success and I wonder what his ‘Mindset’ might be as they start developing ideas for their next album.

Has he ‘Distilled’ his ‘Mind-set’?’ or is it just hard-wired into his DNA too?

Maybe it’s something you’ve either got or you haven’t. I mean what is the ‘Magic Sauce’ that makes things happen? Means that you never give up, that people find intimidating, that drives you on at all costs, that if you could bottle it would be worth millions…

Well that’s my mission to find out, articulate and deliver. Something I’ll be considering of course when I’m watching Coldplay tonight as the core-elements of my ‘Mindset’ are ‘Always in my Head’.

Amen

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

9 Guinness World Records - 8,587 Days' Alcohol Free - 435 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

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

Changes - David Bowie

'Change' your World, before it's 'Changed' for you

Lyrics:- 'I still don't know what I was waiting for' - Bowie

Song Choice:- Well, on a day of 'Change' here in the UK, it was the best I could come up with as I'll freely admit that the whole 'Election' process has left me rather deflated about our Country's political future.

The Election did however over the past few days made me think about my own 'Personal Manifesto' and in choosing this Bowie oldie from 1971, I read on Wiki that 'The lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality and the frequent change of the world today'.

Smooth - So it really did fit the bill quite nicely.

I'm sure you are more than aware, if you are a regular blog-reader, that I'm coaching 'Change' every single day of my working life to businesses and individuals - with the key message that 'Anyone can Change' or adapt to 'Change' they find themselves part of.

A lot of 'Change' is a really simple process - a matter of turning a tap on or off on ones behaviour. In my case with 'Alcohol and Nicotine' abuse the results were instant... yet why is it SO hard to get to that 'Point Zero' where you know it's time to make that 'Change' and plunge into the 'Sea of Hardship'.

Getting fit, losing weight or learning a new skill are SO much harder and have less immediate effects, yet we are more likely to engage with those activities than nailing 'The Preverbal Elephant in the Room'.

Time to wake up and take action folks...

The World around us is 'Changing', it will 'Change' even more with 'Donald and Boris' in charge (are they the same person btw as I've never seen them in the same room..) and start realising that we will ALL need to be even more adaptable as we rush headlong into the 2020's. Yep, a new decade is only around the corner and by then you could be the person you have always wanted to be - if that's what you REALLY want.

Today, a 'Black Friday' for Teresa May, needn't be a 'Friday Noir' for you - It could be a 'Friday of Opportunity' where you start to 'Change' YOU the world around YOU.

I mean what are you waiting for?

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

9 Guinness World Records - 8,556 Days' Alcohol Free - 405 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location:- Cardiff, Wales

The Now Generation - Public Service Broadcasting

Lyrics:- 'What to wear? How about these slacks and this shirt? How do I look? You’re so attractive. Clothes pressed and mended, Shoes polished. How do we look? Good enough in that outfit' - PSB

Song Choice:- If you haven’t yet heard of the band 'Public Service Broadcasting', then it’s about time to awaken your ears to a whole new dimension in ‘Prog Rock’. Sure, it’s geeky and it takes a few listens before you are totally hooked but they are well worth a listen . 

To get their full effect though, I suggest you download the 2013 Album ‘Inform – Educate – Entertain’ and play it to death – They are simply the best band I’ve heard since I first heard Pink Floyd and Genesis back in the 70’s, and that’s really saying something.

‘The Now Generation’ is such a great track, especially if you are driving like I was yesterday, played VERY loud. The band’s mix of the latest music technology with Pathé News Reels issued by the Central Office of Information in the early post war years is just so clever. Who’d have thought that films designed to inform the public on matters in which Government action directly impinged their daily lives in this propaganda format, would ever be used as entertainment some 70 years on.

These films look so dated yet as a modern-day tribe and community, we digest even more information from a much wider plethora of formats. Sure, they’re not directed at us from our ‘Government’ (what a frightening thought that would be) but most of the information sources are completely unfounded. It’s amazing how much we’ll trust ‘Google’ to settle any debate, let alone quote the TV Show ‘Qi’ that freely admits 40% of its facts will eventually be found out to be untrue. 

You see it's the sheer volume of ‘Choice’ that's has become overbearing and buying a simple coffee at Costa has a made billion combinations possible. I wonder what the slack wearing, clothes pressed, shoes polished folk of the post-war years would think of that buying process. I sure they wouldn't mind the queuing but I wonder what they would think of the £3.12 price tag!

Make your choices wisely folks - that's YOUR choices, no-one else's eh?

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

9 Guinness World Records - 8,554 Days' Alcohol Free - 403 Days' post GBS

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location:- Cardiff, Wales