Faith - George Michael

Here’s a clear thought for the day.

Belief in the people you surround yourself with is a quiet act of trust. You give your time, your loyalty, and your care, hoping it is met with the same reliability and love you offer. 

 

Some people rise to that standard effortlessly; others reveal themselves only when tested. It’s worth asking whether those closest to you show up consistently, speak honestly, and protect your wellbeing as you protect theirs. 

 

Belief should not mean blind faith. The right people steady you, challenge you kindly, and stand firm when it matters. Mutual belief is where real connection lives and lasts.

Who do you have faith in?

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 10 GWR - 18 MDS - 1 Mind

Reach out I'll be there - Four Tops

2026 is already shaping up to be a pivotal time in a lot of the lives of the I’m working with – people that have simply REACHED OUT. People that have been STRONG enough to acknowledge that some guidance and different thinking might be all they need to get things straight in their lives once more.

I say STRONG because REACHING OUT is all too often thought of as being WEAK or FAILURE. I know only too well myself as I felt totally defeated and ay my lowest ebb when I REACHED OUT for help myself all those years’ ago. The funny thing was that as soon as I shared my predicament – my world took a turn for the better and it felt like the light started to shine on me once again.
 
In general Men want help becoming STRONGER and FASTER whereas Women want to be VALUED and HEARD – a very PHYSICAL:EMOTIONAL equation. Maybe it’s down to a confidence issue in both sexes. Men need the uplift in times and performance to give them the edge to take on the world and Women need their confidence reinstated after years of Male suppression. Every Woman I coach is STRONG, CLEVER and AWESOME – it’s just a shame they find it hard to ACCEPT, ACKNOWLEDGE and ANNOUNCE and when they do, I find it most refreshing (YOU know who you are).
 
I also find it refreshing when Men REACH OUT publicly and announce that they are in fact MORTAL and are finding life tough (YOU know who you are) as it’s cool – VERY COOL in fact as PEOPLE LOVE to help other PEOPLE. You might find that LOVE comes from the PEOPLE you might least expect and not from those nearest to you. 
 
But then, LIFE is FULL of SURPRISES and you might SURPRISE yourself and those around you if you feel lost and about to give up because your best just ain't good enough.
 
And your feel the world has grown cold and you're drifting out all on your own…
1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 10 GWR - 18 MDS - 1 Voice

Three Little Birds - Bob Marley and the Wailers

Every little thing is gonna need alright - Marley

With 60 days to go until the 40^th Marathon des Sables, your focus should now shift from building endurance to refining your training. Your level of fitness is largely in place and what matters now is to sharpen the things that will carry you through the desert when things get tough.

Firstly, prioritise your exercise specificity. Long back-to-back runs will mimic race conditions as closely as possible. Running on tired legs with steady pacing, and time on feet is more important than chasing PBs. If possible, train in heat, but do it sensibly. This is about adaptation now, not about being a hero.

Secondly, lock in your kit choices. Shoes, socks, pack and gaiter choices should now be made. Practice packing your rucksack exactly as you’ll race with it and get comfortable moving with that weight on your long runs. Small annoyances now can become big problems in the Sahara.

Thirdly, work on fuelling and hydration. You should know what you’ll eat, when you’ll eat it, and how your stomach responds under fatigue. Test, test and test again.

Just as important is your mental prep. Visualise low points and rehearse how you’ll respond. Break stages into bite sized chunks and decide in advance how you’ll talk to yourself when things get hard - it will.

And finally, protect your body. Sleep well, manage niggles early, and respect recovery. Fitness gained now is minimal, fitness lost through injury could cost you getting to the start line.

Sixty days out is about confidence, clarity, and consistency and most of all ENJOY this time - it’s meant to be fun.

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 18 MDS - 10 GWR - 0 Worries

Are you experienced - Jimmy Hendrix Experience

I'm tired of wasting all my precious time - Hendrix

There's something philosophical about getting older and birthdays only underline how time passes us by but in a moment.

 

As a boy or even as a younger man, I never considered what life might be like or what I'd be doing when I'm sixty-four let alone what I'd look like or even think about. We never do, do we?

 

All I do know is that with age comes clarity and a sense of calm. One of my goals this year is to continue running as much and for as long as my old body will allow me too. That way I can continue to believe I'm thirty years younger setting PBs and living the early years of Ultramarathon running in the again.

 

Yes, those were maverick years and I never thought 1200 marathons and beyond would even be a possibility. But then life's what you make it and being sixty-four shouldn't make any difference and for the record, I'm not old, I’m just more experienced.

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 10 GWR - 18 MDS - 63.9 Years 

Afterimage - Rush

This is something that just can't be understood - Peart

Sometimes things aren't what they seem, and magic is a perfect example of this - we see one thing but in fact we are being distracted by what we believe and have no perception of what is really happening right in front of our eyes.

Well, it might not come as a surprise, but it happens all the time in everyday life. At home, at work, every time we log on, and anytime we interact ask yourself, where am I being deceived?
 
The simple answer is, for someone else's gain. It's easy to be stroked as I call it, and over the years I've gotten pretty good at reading situations and noticing where I'm being scammed. Not in a massive money laundering type kind way, just where I’m being played.
 
Now, I'm not writing this out of anger or betrayal I'm just saying watch out as your generosity and goodwill might just be taken in plain sight whilst in reality, you are being manipulated by those you trust.
 
So, see if you can spot a traitor in the midst of your faithful’s as they do exist and funnily enough might even be working together. Believe me, the folk nearest to you might just be wearing a Traitor’s cloak.

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 18 MDS - 10 MDS - Faithful or Traitor?

Take a chance on me - ABBA

I'm the first inline - Anderssen/Ulvaeus

Sometimes things just don't turn out the way you'd planned. You didn't get the job, or you simply didn't fit in with team - so what?

It just wasn't for you. There were people that were better qualified, interviewed better or were more suited in someone else's view - that's down to opinion and there are many times I've felt overlooked or robbed by folk I've been trying to impress.

 

But again, I say, 'so what'. You can't tick everyone's boxes and be it's good sometimes to rejected to realign your strategy and nine times out of ten - it will come as a blessing that your deepest wish didn't happen and that your second option came true. That's a common theme in every success story - take it from me.

 

And if you are stacking all your options on Black and Red comes up well that's life, but there's always a second chance of success.

 

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 18 MDS - 10 GWR - Never looking back

 

Design for Life - The Manics

For a shallow piece of dignity - Bradfield

The price of aspiration

Changing your lifestyle, is more than just purchasing products or things. It’s more about health, image, status, and identity. It’s not about owning a pair of designer shoes or driving a sports car, it’s about embracing a fresh set of life values.

Lifestyle mechanics

Your lifestyle encompasses the way you live. Your habits, your interests, activities, attitudes, and values. It reflects what you prioritise and how you wish to be perceived. And often you’ll be drawn to people you admire and wish to be like.

Brands recognise the power of lifestyle marketing. Companies like Apple, doesn’t just sell phones; it sells sleek minimalism, creativity, and innovation. It’s all about being connected. Consumers don’t just buy a product; they buy a piece of a lifestyle, hoping to signal to themselves and others who they are, or who they wish to be.

Lifestyle psychology

Why do people buy into a lifestyle? It’s about identity. We humans are social creatures with an inbuilt desire for belonging, status, and self-expression. Lifestyle brands tap into these needs by offering symbols that communicate such markers. A Rolex watch, for example, may signify not just wealth but also sophistication and success. 

Psychologists suggest that aspirational spending (the tendency to buy goods that reflect an idealised version of yourself) can be driven by self-discrepancy. People perceive a gap between their actual self and their ideal self, and spending becomes a bridge to close that gap. 

When we feel insecure about our social standing, appearance, or achievements, and purchasing something associated with the lifestyle we admire can temporarily soothe those anxieties. Hence, we feel more confident and more ‘ourselves’.

This is compounded by social media, where images of lifestyles are constantly featured. Instagram influencers, YouTubers, and TikTok creators portray a perfect life filled with luxury travel, flashy clothes, and designer homes. Viewers are bombarded with videos suggesting that happiness, success, and social acceptance are only attainable if they buy into the right lifestyle. 

The financial costs

Buying into a lifestyle doesn’t come cheaply, both financially and emotionally. Many people find themselves trapped in a cycle of aspirational spending, purchasing goods and experiences that stretch their budgets in order to project the perfect image. Credit card debt, financial stress, and dissatisfaction follows. You can accumulate designer handbags, gadgets, and an expensive gym membership, but if these purchases aren’t aligned with their true value, the results lack value.

Moreover, lifestyle purchasing can perpetuate feelings of inadequacy. No matter how many symbols of success one can accumulate, the ideal lifestyle always remains tantalisingly out of reach. There’s always a newer model, a trendier style, and a more exclusive club to join. 

This cycle erodes self-esteem and mental well-being. We become trapped in a game of comparison, constantly seeking external validation through material symbols. 

So, how can we navigate the allure of buying into a lifestyle without falling into its many traps? One approach is to adopt making choices aligned with your personal values, needs, and long-term goals rather than succumbing to external pressures or fleeting desires.

Potential consumers should ask themselves questions like:

• Will this purchase align with my core values?
• Am I buying this to fulfil a genuine need, or to impress others?
• Can I afford this without compromising my financial situation?
• Will this truly enhance my life, or will it quickly lose its appeal?

Buying into a lifestyle is a powerful concept shaped by personal aspirations and psychological dynamics. It reflects a desire to align one’s external identity with an internal ideal, to bridge the gap between reality and wishes. Whilst lifestyle consumerism offers moments of confidence and belonging, it often comes at a price.

And rather than being swept along by aspirational marketing and social media illusions, we can make a lifestyle that authentically reflects who we really are, without succumbing to the pressure of buying an identity. 

Your own identity and one that comes from true fulfilment and not from the accumulation of status symbols.

A design for life.

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 18 MDS - 10 GWR - 1 Life