Remembering my why

6 Weeks till go time, the first event and it's a Biggy out the block; The Ultra Marathon, 30 odd Marathons, a lot of hills and the Jurassic coast await. Slowly I'm getting there, to the point of being ready to go and boy do I need to be ready. A week later, it's the Ride London, a 100 mile ride. In the past, this event is not bad as century rides go, but a week after the Ultra.... that's a test. And I've not yet got to the fact that two weeks later I have a marathon and the Dragon Devil a week after that. So bless Em, she has indulged my relentless need to run, train, cycle to work and obsess as only I can over this training. I can comfortably run 18 hill miles and feel there is more in the tank, and my stamina is tolerating the cycling load too, so maybe I have a chance, but it's taken a while to get my head into this. Life when I let it can feel a lot and can be daunting, and I then feel silly and that I'm overthinking it all. A loss of a close friend recently brought a sense of perspective to proceedings and made me realise how luckily and blessed I am to just being able to enjoy the fact I can run, I can cycle and can spend time with my family. The video below is a reminder of why I do this, and just what I have achieved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=LL&v=ozPy03qfE8o

Watching it back, it makes me feel daft for doubting myself, for overthinking stuff, I've always found a way before. My resilience in the past has been responsible for taking me to places I've never thought possible and in 6 weeks it'll do the same. I'll get over that line at Weymouth and then I'll go again. I'm tired of doubting myself and I want to enjoy this and I will. I'll think of Dad, Bop and Michael while I do, privileged that I can push myself and my grief has never defined me, it's enabled me to show myself what I can do.

Now if you can please, please, believe in me, like I'm trying to and chip in a fiver to help either:

Winston's Wish:

https://2024fordridelondon.enthuse.com/pf/russ-brookes Or Weldmar hospice Care: https://www.justgiving.com/page/russ-for-bop