Live Forever - Oasis

Titled - Fat People...

Lyrics:- 'You and I, We're gonna live forever' - Gallagher

Song Choice:- Well it's great news for us active types and not so for the six million adults in England that are so physically inactive that they are not even doing one brisk 10-minute walk each month. 

Yep you read it right - A MONTH!

The finding is part of research by Public Health England (PHE) that reveals the shocking levels of inactivity among those aged between 40 and 60. It found that 41% of the 15.3 million people in that age group walked less than 10 consecutive minutes at a 'brisk pace' - of at least 3mph - each month.

That's if you call 20 minute miles a 'brisk pace', it's more of 'shopping pace' if you ask me and no wonder our Doctor's Surgeries and Hospitals are already full and will only become even more overloaded with folk that simply can't get off their backsides - it's a modern day plague.

The problem is, that in our modern politically correct world we're not to point out that obesity is killing our Nation and our National Health Service. I wonder how much PHE spent on the survey? I could have told them the results in one sentence and a simple head count in most city centres, especially in the poorer parts of the UK will deliver a 40% obesity rate. You only have to look around... yet there are no answers yet, just no-one walks, especially in London.

Well here's a few ideas, spend the cash getting food manufacturers to cut sugar, obliterate cigarettes for good and get a celebrity culture to encourage folk that being healthy, active and slim is cool. That would be a great way to start IMO.

What can WE do - well as people that know the benefits of aerobic fitness and being active, all we can do is to keep on encouraging others to get out there, become active and get on a diet - your mission is to save as many lives as possible as that's how serious a problem this is becoming.

The good thing is that it could well be thousands of lives as you are going to have a lot of time as we are going to 'Live Forever'.

Amen

Rory Coleman - 997 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,632 Days' Alcohol Free - 480 Days' post GBS

Location: Cardiff, Wales.

Holiday - Scorpions

Lyrics:- 'Exchange your troubles' - Meine 

Song Choice:- I've always tried not to be put off with the Scorpions strange Anglo-German sounding vocals, and like the Pre-'Winds of Change' Scorpions are far better IMO if I'm being honest. I was at Art-School when I first heard the 'Lovedrive' album way back in 1980 and instantly loved the track, 'Holiday'. It fits my thoughts today perfectly and is a far more macho choice the alternative Madonna track I considered... Have a listen for yourself here and see what you've been missing all these years.

Anyway, with the 'Holiday' season in full swing and a bank-holiday (destined to be a washout no doubt) firmly on the horizon, I find a 'Holiday' time-out a great opportunity to get things straight and work out my life's next direction.

There's nothing better than making plans and then starting to implement them. 

Five year's ago on a scorching beach in Majorca, I decided I needed to write a book chronicling my 50 year journey including all the highs and lows and 'A Rebel and a Runner' was born. I'm not saying necessarily that you need to write a book but some basic thoughts and ideas jotted down can really help give you some direction and fresh impetus on your return.

I mean, why not make the best of an August Bank Holiday for once. It's something that I'll definitely be doing myself as well as enjoying a bit of late Summer sunshine - Well you can always hope eh?

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 997 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,631 Days' Alcohol Free - 479 Days' post GBS

Location: Cardiff, Wales.

Perspective - Peter Gabriel

'CARPE DIEM'

Lyrics:- 'Don't trust my eyes' - Gabriel

Song Choice:- Taken from his second 'Scratch' album released on 3rd June 1978 (Yep, I looked it up) I've always really loved the Perspective track and following yesterday's blog on Fear, maybe we all need some 'Perspective' when we are engaging with change and trying to make our mark on the world.

It's funny that a lot of my time is spent trying to get folk to see the bigger picture, the thing is, when they do, it's how they interpret it that can be confusing. I'm sure we've all been there over-encouraging someone else to see the 'Magic Eye' pictures or Stereograms that were so popular in the 90's. This one has the words 'CARPE DIEM' meaning 'Seize the Day' hidden within it to my eyes but you might see something different and if you do please let me know.

A lot is life is about how we interpret what we see but also how clearly and impartially we see it. Ask any Football Fan why their team lost and they'll usually blame the Ref and make lots of excuses rather than be honest and simply say their team were second best. Don't get me wrong, being impassioned and protective is one thing, self-belief and vision though are vital to success as is a more pragmatic approach.

Why not take a good long stare into your own 'Magic Eye' world today and see what's really going on. You never know, - you might see more than you'd imagined.

Trust your eyes and 'Seize the Day'.

Amen

Rory Coleman - 997 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,630 Days' Alcohol Free - 478 Days' post GBS
& 1 Sad Day for the World

Location: Cardiff, Wales.

Fearless - The Pink Floyd

Afraid your team won't win?

Lyrics:- 'You'll never walk alone' - Rodgers & Hammerstein

Song Choice:- Fearless is taken from the 1971 album Meddle. It's one of my early Pink Floyd favourites and includes the classic 'Echoes'. On this track, I've always loved the sensitivity of Gilmour's vocals, and they've always struck a chord with me, especially the line, 'They say the hill's too steep to climb', how appropriate  - take a listen here, if you haven't heard it in a while or are even new to the song or even Pink Floyd (If that's possible).

Anyway, how 'Fearless' are you today? Maybe try and score it on a scale of 1-10, with the 10 being totally 'Fearless'. I don't think I've got that much to be afraid of today and  believe I'm punching a near perfect 10 so I thought I'd look back at 21st August, 2016 to see how afraid I was then as a reference point.

The simple answer to that is that I don't think I was full of 'Fear' then either, as far as I can gather from my blog of that day. 'Fear' wasn't a consideration although I suppose I should have felt a little afraid at least, as I was still had a long way to go on my recovery.

Post illness, I know I don't get afraid of things at all...I wonder though what makes some folk quake in their shoes and others boldly go where no man has gone before? Maybe being a 'Cool Cucumber' takes practice or a life-threatening event to eradicate the behavioural trait. 

I do believe you have to do things in your own time and I'm a classic, 'And I'll climb the hill in my own way just wait a while, for the right day', kinda guy. I don't need pushing as I'm already at pushing at 113% if my latest VO2 test is correct.

So why not join me this week, and try not to be so afraid of anything? You might surprise yourself and if you share your 'Fears' - 'You'll never walk alone'... share them with ME if you want?

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 997 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,629 Days' Alcohol Free - 477 Days' post GBS
& 1 Sad Day for the World

Location: Cardiff, Wales.

Move on up - Curtis Mayfield

Christ College, Brecon - Not a bad place to train...

Lyrics:- ‘Just move on up, towards your destination’ – Mayfield

Song Choice:- I’ve always loved listening to this track in the car as it’s got such a great groove to it and it’s full of drive. It’s speeding ticket potential rating must be right up there with best but it’s the notion of moving towards one’s destination that really hit me for today’s blog.

You see, I’ve been coaching a group of people from all over the UK this weekend in sunny Brecon, who are preparing to run in the Sahara, Atacama or Gobi Deserts and I’ve been really knocked out by their enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. A room full of ‘Six-Day Racing Self-confessed Run-A-Holics’ is a very powerful place to be I can tell you and on a group run after the classroom sessions, it felt like we could’ve moved the mountain that we were running up.

BTW it was bloody steep and after my blast around the Merthyr Tydfil parkrun earlier, I didn’t have the oxygen to say much going up that baby. Note-to-self, run more hills!

Anyway, the thing is, it felt that these guys, ‘Moved on up’ yesterday - sat up and made huge strides towards their destination. Their chances of success at their races which in some cases are still 230 days away, hopefully have improved greatly with a new knowledge base. I certainly learned a few things myself from the other experts that spoke too, which is a good thing and I’m looking forward to leading a group training run around the sand dunes in Merthyr Mawr to complete their Desert Training experience this morning.

For you though, if you aren't running across deserts in the near future, if at all, maybe it’s worth taking some time out today to consider how you might move on up, towards your own destination whatever that might be. And like these guys get some help and guidance along the way to point you in the right direction as you’ll ‘Move on up’ a whole lot quicker.

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 997 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,628 Days' Alcohol Free - 476 Days' post GBS
& 1 Sad Day for the World

Location: Cardiff, Wales.

Barcelona - Queen

Lyrics:- 'Shaking all our lives' - Mercury & Moran

Song Choice:- Following yesterday's events in Barcelona, it only feels right to write about one of my favourite places on the planet. I'm not going to have my thoughts, memories and images tarnished by people who want to kill and main others and I'm only ever going to think positively about this amazing City.

I mean, it's no wonder that Barcelona draws in so many visitors. If you've ever been there, I'm sure you will have wondered at the Sagrada Familia Cathedral (left) and the genius of a certain Senior Goudy. I've also visited the Olympic and Football Stadiums and used their famous bus hop-on-hop-off tours to get a complete picture of a very 'bohemian' place to experience. There's always a certain sense of relaxed freedom and I've got great memories of Lady Coleman running a couple of 24hr races in the north of the City and enjoying her success at going on to be part of the GB team.

It's a special place.

So that's what I'm going to continue to think. I'm going to keep on enjoying the freedom that should be part of our everyday lives. Enjoy the FREEDOM that running brings and that has brought me an extra dimension in my life to be able to enjoy the world and go back to Barcelona and experience it again in the future.

I hope you also feel empowered to continue to live life to the full and not let things stop you doing the things that you want to do.

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 997 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,626 Days' Alcohol Free - 474 Days' post GBS
& 1 Sad Day for the World

Location: Cardiff, Wales.

You're the Voice - John Farnham

Lyrics:- ‘We have the chance, to turn the pages over, we can write what we want to write’ - Reid, Qunta, Thompson & Ryder

Song Choice:- This song is such an anthem and I’m sure lots of people have sung along to it at the tops of the voices especially when they’ve feel like they’ve not been listened to or even heard at all. Being such a Power Ballad, the song was famously used for The World Liberty Concert in The Netherlands on May 8th, 1995 to mark the 50^th Anniversary of the liberation of Europe. Not a bad accolade for a bloke Dagenham eh?

It got me thinking about what band or song I’d associate myself with part from Rush’s New World Man which has my book title ‘A Rebel and a Runner’ in it of course but thinking on a wider scale whether I’d be in a group, what I’d play or whether I’d be a solo artist. I’m sure I’d like to be in control, that probably goes without saying and the microphone is a very powerful tool. However, I would like the freedom and expression of having those lead solo breaks where I could show off my skills and get the ‘Wow’ factor that I obviously crave. I’m not sure how I’d cope with playing in a group though as I’m not a team player AND in my early life, I’d have probably had all the right criteria to get immediate membership to the ‘27 Club’.

So, my question for today is… If YOU were a band or a solo artist who would you be and why? Say of you were a completely out of control person that went on to clean up their life but now plays a lot of sport still liking the limelight, you might be an ‘Alice Cooper’ say… sounds kinda familiar eh? You might be someone that is just happy to play along with others taking the limelight, yet wanting the success it brings without all the hassle… Well you’re in Coldplay but no-one knows your name.

I’d love to know and ‘Write what you want to write’ as having a Voice is important, Making yourself heard - Well that's a whole lot harder and SHOUT if you need to.

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 997 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,625 Days' Alcohol Free - 473 Days' post GBS
& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir

Location: Cardiff, Wales.