Believe Me Now - ELO

Lyric:- 'Can you hear me?' - Lynne

Song Choice:- ELO have come up trumps for me today as I whittle on about belief.

Well, it's a bit of a broken record but it's one that crops up so regularly it's too valuable a thing to ignore.

There's good belief, like one Nicky Chrascina whom with my help won the 24hr Cotswold Challenge at the weekend. She did ALL the hard work - I just gave her the belief that she's actually a bloody good runner. Best part is she uses the two ears one mouth principle really well and just gets on with the training. It's amazing how far she's come on in just 6 six weeks.

Then there are some whom say they want to believe but sadly never will. Yes, you probably know if I'm talking about you but Youare the ones I really want to wake up and show that there's a way to a better life, better fitness and better you. Not me...You.

Some think I'm harsh and yes I am but I only highlight the areas that folk ignore. Sometimes for their whole life.

Losing weight, running marathons, climbing mountains, making a new start it's really easy if you BELIEVE...if you don't, sadly your buggered.

Maybe today, be a Nicky or one of the 000's of people I've helped reshape for a better future. Don't give up START and today's a good place to do it.

Excuses, I've heard 'em all and don't please me - please YOURSELF eh?

Rory Coleman - 915 Marathons - 235 Ultras

12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

Two Way Street - Kimbra

Lyric:- 'The slumbers of my head' - Johnson

Song Choice:- Just spot on for today's message. Take a listen as she's a proper legend...

Anyway, a little soapbox item for those doing MdS 2016 - IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP AND GET YOUR ARSE INTO GEAR!!!!

I've been running a 42.2 with a client who is taking her MdS seriously and she found it f'kin brutal on her legs, butt and hip flexors today and she's a pretty fit, slim fitness professional.

And for those of you yet to get started - Yikes - Man up and get running in the sand. Richmond Park is like a flat tarmac marathon in comparison.

Have I made myself clear? If you can't run 5km yet without a Cardiac Arrest, defer your entry and come and see me.

In fact meet some of my #bigmoose #average2awesome runners who bashed out more hill reps on Mount Coleman tonight. They'll show you how to get your backside in gear.

I'll get off my soapbox now but PLEASE stop worrying about MdS Kit, Food and Shoes and do some training - it will make your 'Running Holiday' a whole lot more fun...

Rory Coleman - 915 Marathons - 235 Ultras
12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Rory Coleman - The UK's Leading ULTRAmarathon Coach

Location:Cardiff

When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin

The green bits are Levee's

Lyric:- Cryin' won't help you, Prayin' won't do you no good - Plant

Song Choice:- Only because it was playing in the gym as I put Gary Wyn Owen through his paces and I want it to be an anthem for his journey of fitness we started together today. Oh ok...and as it's a bloody good song too...

Anyway, not saying that the cryin' reference was for Gary at all, he's actually a lovely guy and was in fact a total joy to train...He got my way wavelength of thinking before we'd even started. 

It was the lyrics in Gary's Anthem that I've always loved the most, especially when I've been in the later stages or dark hours of an especially long race....My thoughts are that no matter how much crying and bitching I'm capable of, it's always down to me how I get on and how I succeed at something. 'Toughening up Buttercup' is a good undercurrent but actually it's all down to me...no one else.

I'm sure Gary will succeed in his quest for fitness - but he's going to do it, not me and that's important. I'm just a catalyst to make it happen.

More tomorrow from Merthyr Mawr and my bigmoose guys post Mounting Coleman...Oh er!

Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi

Lyric:- Sometimes you tell the day by the bottle that you drink, and times when you're all alone all you do is think - Bon Jovi & Sambora

Song Choice:- Well if we are in the 80's (86 to be exact) for a while a bit of Bon Jovi won't go amiss. I did see them live in '92 and mighty fine they were too, especially lead guitarist Sambora – he was the star of the show as I remember. Forget the grainy pimped-up-ness of the video and enjoy the solo – it’s ace. It must have been a fashion as Gun’s and Roses Sweet child is just as Black-and-Whitey-Grainy.

Anyway, I like the ‘I’m a Cowboy’ lyric as it has that sense of freedom and adventure that only being in the middle ‘Wild West’ of America could possibly bring. U2’s Joshua Tree album has the same feel and maybe it’s the desert in me that connects with both artists. This hit my headphones mid-hour on yet another treadmill outing. My aim is to keep my heart-rate under 110bpm and build up my base level of endurance as much as I can for the rest of this year. It ain’t fast but I’m feeling the love -

Just like my Guys at #bigmoose and #GoCompare, I’m working on getting lean, mean and F****** Awesome - smashing the kilos is working right now and a couple of 42.2kms will help that no end.

My focus now is to be that Cowboy, feeling free and alive and enjoying life and what it brings.

Are you a Cowboy?

Jump - Van Halen

1983 - Jump!

Lyric:- You say you don't know, You won't know until you begin - Roth

Song Choice:- This is from 1983 and I nearly wept when I googled this classic and saw it's 32 years old. It doesn't matter though as the synth intro is still one of those immediately recognisable songs. The Eddie Van Halen guitar solo is pure gold - I've just listened to it again and it's a piece of genius - try it for yourself here.

Yep those 32 years have just zipped by...and there are so many parts of life that have grown, flourished and departed during that time. If I'd started guitar or swimming lessons back then and kept up the practising no doubt I'd be a Eddie Van Halen playing Triathlete by now - but I didn't so I'm still well out of my depth on both.

You see we have choices. Choices that won't affect tomorrow...They will affect a tomorrow 000's of tomorrows on from now.  The reason we fail is that we don't know when that tomorrow is.

What we do know is that it's a good idea to BEGIN...Funnily enough we are brilliant at putting things off  until tomorrow. The more dismissive-avoidant amongst you will identify with this I'm sure and rather than staying safe in your own worlds, why not find out by making a beginning...

Tackle something massive tomorrow...or something tiny. It doesn't matter just do it and not say you'll do it.

Might as well JUMP!

More tomorrow my Lovelies...

Running up that Hill - Kate Bush

Yikes she was awesome!

Lyric:- Oh there is thunder in our hearts - Bush

Song Choice:- Another great song but I've cheated as it's from the 80's but it's my tune of the day in honour of my GoCompare Bigmoosers whom are well on their way to Cardiff Half-Marathon success especially as they Shook their trees so violently yesterday to maintain their focus on Fitness and Fatless Training.

Now, I've always loved this track and Kate's words speak volumes as she's right in that there is thunder in our hearts, it's just that sometimes it gets muffled or we get used to its rumblings and fail to hear the electricity deep inside us that sparks our everyday lives.

I'm hearing some real Thunderclaps today as I start to plan my months ahead, knowing that I have to up the ante in August to get me in the right place for my New Year Challenge. A lot of hard work in December won't be enough and a gentle approach in for the next four months should see me in great shape for 2016 - well that's the plan anyway.

With that in kind I've just started to drop a few 10kms into a very busy marathon schedule and I'm already feeling a whole lot better. It's amazing how restless one can get taking it easy. I think it's why classics like this song really push me on and enthuse me and get my thunder clapping!

The Real Mount Coleman

We'll see eh? How's your thunder? Are you muffling the sound?

Do you need to Run up Mount Coleman - don't ask! But maybe you do...I know I need to.

Rory Coleman - 914 Marathons - 235 Ultras

12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:Caerdydd

Shaking the Tree - Peter Gabriel

Lyric:- Turning the tide, you are on the incoming wave, turning the tide, you know you are nobody's slave - Gabriel & N'Dour

Song Choice:- There's no excuse in a week of 1990's hit's needed to use my ALLTIME Favourite Song EVER - Shaking the Tree... The Live Version .

Gabriels's stage presence, Paula Coles Vocals, Rhodes Guitar and Levin's Bass make this such a Coleman Classic. I love the feeling this song erupts in my inner soul. The lyrics contain the great line 'Changing your ways, changing those surrounding you'...it would make a fitting epitaph for me perhaps especially as I’m great at shaking my very own tree. 

Yesterday I was asked for my name at a Starbucks and I thought I’d just say ‘Awesome’ as I’m still surfing a wave from last weekend’s Race to the Stones and yes I not surprised that I was accused of blowing my own trumpet when I posted it on FB. I always think that if I don’t shake my tree, who else will. My reply was to ask what others might put on their own cup only to have the quality of Starbucks Coffee questioned and not a single sensible answer.

The opportunity to Shake was missed, sadly by those that need to Shake the most. I Shake a lot of other people’s trees each and every day of my life…It’s my job and it’s my mission.

Last night, I drove 200 miles in the early hours on the quietest, darkest roads listening to Shaking the Tree the whole way. The night gave me such an overwhelming calm feeling of freedom I feel so lucky.

Over the weekend, why don’t you Shake your Tree and start to feel Awesome too or whatever your word is – All you have to do is to ‘Open your Heart’ and start Shaking.

More tomorrow…

Do you feel loved - U2

Lyric:- 'Take these boots they're going nowhere' - Clayton, Evans, Hewson, Mullen

Song Choice:- Coming in at #5 in the top 10 U2 songs of the 90's it's actually one of my all time U2 Favourite Songs. U2 are right up there in my 'Desert Island Bands' and their brand of 'Oirish Christian Rock' based on just one riff has always pleased the Coleman Eardrums. Try for yourself here .

I love the driving drums and bass of the track and the lyrics speak volumes. To me the song is about love and determination...and yielding to someone else's desires: those of God perhaps...anyway you'll have to ask Old Bono himself where the heck he's coming from on this one but he does talk about how he feels...lots.

And maybe that's what he's really trying to convey and it's why the song means so much to me. I get totally how I feel. How I feel about everything. I meet so many folk that let other people do the feeling for them letting the world wash over them until one day, in a cold sweat they wake up, smell the coffee and seek to make a change.

We tend to live in kind of dream worlds where we change creeps up slowly on us and a 37hr week for so many bucks becomes 55hrs for the same buck. Our home life becomes a daily drudge and boringly functional or we wake up one day, weighing 120kgs and can't remember passing the 100kgs mark...

It's because we aren't loved or in love with what we do, our surroundings or whom we are. We lose the energy to change and if we're not careful we become unlovable or as Bono sings your 'Boots start going nowhere'.

Are your boots stationary? My boots have been in the past, but my boots are definitely made for running.

Do you feel loved?

She's a River - Simple Minds

Lyric:- I've found my new direction - Kerr & Burchill

Song Choice:- This weeks blog are based on some of the best songs of the 90's...and what better song than the Simple Minds Cracker, She's a River. Take a listen here if you've forgotten it or even haven't ever clocked your ears on it! It's a great long forgotten classic I reckon and I love it! So does Pauline my neighbour...it must be the plinky guitar parts and the wonderful female chorus that tickles my musical tastebuds, well that's my excuse anyway.

OK it's got a bizarre Video but it was 1995 and the world was a lot different way back then. I did the London Marathon on April 2nd 1995 in a very easy 3:54 some 912 marathons ago. There's been a lot of River under my bridge since then!

The River is actually a good life analogy, starting with just one drop of water that grows and grows...gathers speed, joins other Rivers and then flows out into the Ocean ready to start it's life over again.

Kerr's lyrics go on with, 'They say that every heaven's got a thousand rooms, so take me on that freedom ride' and that's the part I love about this song. It's the flowing from part of your life to another enjoying the freedom that life brings along the way as everyone needs a new direction now and again.

My Dixons Carphone Guys have got just that during their 12 week #Average2Awesome Journey with me. Are you looking for a 'Freedom Ride?'

More tomorrow...

Vital Signs - Rush

Lyric:- 'An Ounce of Perception' - Lee, Lifeson & Peart

Song Choice:- Well it's the last of the 'Moving Pictures' set of Blogs and I love this line as well as lots of the lyrics in this 1981 ditty from the Canadian Hard Rock Trio.

Sometimes an Ounce of 'Anything' not only 'Perception' can make a huge difference to ones outlook on life. It's far too easy to give in and blame the world when in fact an ounce of personal honesty would make the difference between a living heaven and a life-long hell.

A small change can make a huge difference to how your life pans out. Wonderful daily stories of success for Coleman Coaching Commandos underlines just how much we change people's lives,

Make the change today - You know you want to...

Rory Coleman - 914 Marathons - 235 Ultras - 12 Marathon des Sables
9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:Cardiff

Witch Hunt - Rush

Lyrics:- 'Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand' - Lee, Lifeson & Peart.

Song Choice - It's the penultimate track from my series of blogs from the 1981 Rush Album, Moving Pictures.

If you read the lyrics, I'm sure we have all felt that we've been part of a witch hunt at one time or another or have been part of the pack looking for victim's blood. Those in the world of professional Athletics and Cycling will know exactly how a Witch Hunt feels I'm sure...it's amazing in the UK how much we make such instant decisions and follow the crowd.

Understanding is a Vital Part of our daily communication set of skills and we often read things into short emails, known for their curtness, that simply haven't been written or even inferred. I recently did a visual test with 20 items projected onto a screen and then asked questions about what I'd seen. It was amazing what I'd missed and the difference of what I saw against what the other people had. Our 30 second opportunity to take in the visual information proved to be just a general snap shot of what was actually in the picture.

Asked what time it was on the watch...Well I didn't even see the bloody watch! We see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear. 

Don't be surprised, it's ingrained into our DNA from primeval times - however Witch-Hunts on Facebook etc. is only a recent phenomena. So maybe be Slow to Judge, Slow to Anger and Quick to Understand in the future...

More tomorrow my lovelies...we've nearly made it to Friday!

The Camera Eye - Rush

Lyric:- 'Pacing in rhythm, I feel the sense of possibilities' - Lee, Lifeson & Peart

Song Choice:- An Eleven minute song of two very different paces connected with a lot of drums and a 'Z-Car like' anthemic tune of a driver all rolled into one. I just love it! Listen here .

I listened to it during the second day at the awesome Race to the Stones on Sunday last...(where did the last couple of days go eh?) 

Anyway, I'm back on 'Planet Coleman' endeavouring to make a difference to my clients, especially my #average2awesome trainees.

It's amazing how much small groups can help and encourage their members to achieve great things, overcome 'life's white noise', lose weight by the bucket load and get incredibly fit in such a short period of time. My Dixons Carphone mob are testament to that but so are BIGMOOSE Jeff's Average2Awesome Posse...I'm just loving it!

I think they kicked me into gear during the last 5kms of RTTS and got me running like a man possessed through the Stone Circle at Avebury and onto a very white frothy mouthed final finishing dash. Even though I feel pretty destroyed right now, I do feel very energised.

All I need now is some good quality extended sleep so if you have some to spare please drop by Cardiff and I'll be glad to take it off your hands!

More tomorrow...When I've paced my rhythm and sensed my possibilities...Rush's Geddy Lee has a point!

Limelight - Rush

Well I've been running the Limelight today at the totally awesome Race to the Stones #RTTS15. I mean awesome too as it's got 200 runners and boasts itself as being the top ultra in the UK which it is by miles.

I know I always have a thrashingly good run at it and beat myself into a 6:13 for a 32 mile day one of the two day affair.

I'll see if there is any gas in the tank tomorrow for a second 50km of the weekend :-)

More then...

Rory Coleman - 912 Marathons - 234 Ultras

12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:B4494,Wantage,United Kingdom

YYZ - Rush

This is a rare Rush instrumental but it has some really aggressive chords, drums and a brilliant breakdown that always sets what hair I have on end! Have a listen here.

It's also a version played on a Hammond organ by an 11 year old here which although it's a remarkable achievement to play solo, it just sounds wrong.

It just goes to show that there's nothing like the real thing.

We all know when we are undervalued or when we are undervaluing others. So why cheapen ourselves or others when we don't have to.

I'm at Race to the Stones this weekend looking forward to seeing 2000 people crack out 100kms. On Sunday evening, they will know the value of their training.

More tomorrow...after my first 50kms.

Rory Coleman - 911 Marathons - 233 Ultras

12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:Pembroke Road,Cardiff,United Kingdom

Red Barchetta - Rush

Lyrics:- 'Then run like the wind as excitement shivers up and down my spine' - Lee, Lifeson & Peart

Song Choice:- If only everyone had a Red Barchetta hiding in their garage eh? We'd all be like running like a small boy possessed!

Then again, I still feel like I'm a small boy running like the wind when I'm out there on my own listening to this classic Rush track. It sort of finishes where it starts and as a song it repeat plays quite nicely. I love Lifeson's Harmonics and Lee's Bass line and Peart's telegraph poles of drum sticks hitting every drum possible. Yep, it's a RUSH classic!

Anyway, wouldn't it be great to have that run like the wind, cycle down a hill no-handed, carefree 14 year-old brain later on in life. When was the last time you air-guitar to Purple's Smoke on the water or Boston's 'More than a Feeling'...

Yet, we did and we did it with 'Gay Abandon'...Well, you could in the 70's!

If I'm honest, I still do a few air-bars of my favourite tunes during a race and still run like a carefree 14 year old with 39 years' experience so why don't you?

Give it a go and 'Let the excitement shiver up and down your spine' too.

Tom Sawyer - Rush

Lyric:- Catch the Mystery, Catch the Wit, Catch the Spirit - Peart

My next Album Choice set of Blogs is from Rush's 1981Album Moving Pictures.

Now I'm not the biggest Mark Twain reader and Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn are a million lightyears ago in a primary school lesson of 1971 BUT as a song it's right up there with the best IMO and is one of the greatest album openers ever recorded. There's still a great rush for me as that first power chord, cymbal crash and drums hits you firmly right between the eyes.

I like that about this song and I like it as it suits my character. I hit most things running and what you see is what you get. If I say I'm going to do something I will and I always try to deliver on my promises.

There's no mystery, lots of wit and an abundance of spirit. There has to be in my line business. It's amazing how liberating it can be for others when they let down their defences and live life a bit more freely when they've been coached. My guys doing the 100km Race to the Stones at the week are a testament to how much folk can change if they are prepared to listen.

Those of you I've coached might now enjoy that freedom you've always longed for. For those of you that haven't maybe you should and for those who've been there and got the T-shirt but have lapsed back into a previous world maybe you need a Refresher Course!

Please come and see me...You never know, you might enjoy it!

Rory Coleman - 910 Marathons - 233 Ultras - 12 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Location:Pembroke Road, Cardiff

Secret World - Peter Gabriel

Lyric:- 'Oh the wheel is turning spinning round and round' - Gabriel

Song Choice:- Well it's already the Track 10 and the last Blog from the 'US' album and time for my favourite Gabriel Song. It's one of you ever get to see him live, provides everything a song could ever want to deliver IMO. It's a love song, it has great lyrics, cool breakdown and brillaint bass playing PLUS his lord and master Sir Peter of Gabriel's unmistakable voice (can you tell I love it?).

Anyway, don't take my word, have a look here. It's just the best song, I've ever heard...Sledgehammer ain't in the same street! BTW this blog entry is taking ages as I keep going back to watch the above video...

The 'Wheel is Turning' lyric really rings true for me as I so often watch the wheel turning on my iPhone, iPad or Laptop as I get 'Bufferface' watching the virtual world up there in hyperspace catches up with mine or so it seems as actually I spend my whole life catching up with the present. Technology of the 21st Century has made this a whole lot harder it feels. It's immediate. It's quick. It's NOW!

From the outside our worlds look calm and collected, mine included but then underneath as Gabriel so rightly says, there is another 'Secret World'. A place where we can be on ourselves, a private peaceful place for reflection. Where there's no guilt and no shame, no sorrow or blame.

We spend a lot of our days, pleasing other people and trying to do the right thing and forget to have time on our own, in our Secret World's

My 'Secret World' is a pretty cool place, is yours?

Kiss that Frog - Peter Gabriel

Lyric:- 'Dive down in the deep end' - Gabriel

We'll miss the obvious song connotation here and focus in on a great song, even better live with the awesome 'Dive down on the Deep End Lyric, as let's face it sometimes there's only one way to find out if your up it.

Too often I meet folk who are an all 'Systems Go Yes' and then for a variety of reasons become a 'Cold Feeted NO'.

Mostly it's down to confidence and self-worth and I do all I can to make their dreams come true. Luckily this weekend, the folk on my MdS Training Camp in Wales were all good confirmed 'Yes People'. All from different strokes and all abilities...

Even better than that, we were all lucky to get off Pen-Y-Van before a thunderstorm struck a couple of people on the mountain where we'd run only a couple of hours before.

Maybe their luck's in and they've 'Kissed their Frog'. Are you scared to Kiss yours and see what happens?

More tomorrow...

Rory Coleman - The UK's Leading ULTRAmarathon Coach

Location:Pembroke Road, Cardiff

Fourteen Black Paintings - Peter Gabriel

Lyric:- 'From the pain come the dream' - Gabriel

One of the lesser known songs but one with very powerful lyrics and wonderful floor rattling bass.

I think Gabriel's right in that dreams come from pain. That's a good pain though in my book as real pain is the body's way of telling you that you need to 'Stop'. As much more of a 'Go' kinda guy, pain has become more of a manageable friend or pleasurable sensation.

Now, I'm not some kind of masochist, I just know that the pain won't last for ever and that the dream is well worth the effort and any current discomfort.

I believe it's far too easy to give into the 'Pain Demons' in my experience - Are you a Pain Quitter?

If the answers Yes, maybe you don't want your dream enough.

Rory Coleman - 910 Marathons - 233 Ultras - 12 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 21 Years' Alcohol Free.

Rory Coleman - The UK's Leading ULTRAmarathon Coach

Location: Cardiff

Digging in the Dirt - Peter Gabriel

Lyric:- Something in me, dark and sticky, all the time it's getting strong - Gabriel & Ibsen

Song Choice:- As we continue deeper in Gabriel's US album, we find the brilliant 'Digging in the Dirt'. There's a brilliant video which accompanies the song which if you haven’t seen, I suggest you do here.

Anyway, after a week in Madeira, I'm back in Cardiff and I now have time to reflect on a very positive journey to a very special part of the world. A place I'd never previously experienced or explored and one now that I've merely discovered less than 1% of its magic and majesty as there's so much to drink in on this incredible island. Funnily enough there's no 'Digging in the Dirt' out there as there's not a huge amount of soil as it's a volcanic island but metaphorically speaking you can go there and go 'Digging I your own Dirt' and do some self-discovery and investigations on YOURSELF instead of others.

It's amazing to me just how much folk will dig into EVERYONE ELSE'S dirt and use social media to troll people in a kind of 'Gang Trolling Warfare'. If you are Mo Farah or Julia Buckley this week and are innocent or guilty or not of whatever folk think, you'll know where I'm coming from. Faceless people have so much opinion on Facelessbook...

In Gabriel's words, 'The more I look, the more I find'. Yes, about yourself and it's a question of being able to stand tall and be who you are, know that what you stand for is true and what you've done is honest, to YOU. I will continue to endeavour to live up to my own expectations. Madeira gets you thinking like that...If you haven't been there, you might want to. 

The 'Madeira Island Ultra Trail' MIUT might well be a good way of doing just that.

Now there's a challenge...