doc cotton
When I started my massage business in 2012 I decided joining a running club (Heaton Harriers) would be a great way to get new clients. What I never expected was, I started just enjoying running. Very soon after I started the free to enter, weekly 5K Parkruns that many of us are familiar with.
That was 12 years ago. Now, bearing in mind, they are every single Saturday at 9am, I have done HUNDREDS of them now……. in my HEAD!!! Wow! Clients would come in and I would frequently proclaim about how I was DEFINITELY gonna do Park run that saturday. etc etc
The reality? Up until last January I’d done less than 45. in 11 years! There was ALWAYS an excuse. Up late the night before. Hungover, lying in bed, farting about too much in the morning and being too late to set off, setting off too late etc etc etc. Excuse Excuse Excuse.
That was the Old me. From last January I decided to make it a ‘Non-negotiable’ – by this I mean, there had to be an absolute solid reason for NOT doing it. Work, illness, being somewhere out of reach etc.
A Non-negotiable is a rule you set yourself that you will NOT break. For instance, you wouldn’t make a habit of leaving all your lights and TV on every night when you go to bed. Or you wouldn’t go swimming without taking your towel. Basic examples, I grant you, and yes, some folk probably buck those trends!
Im now up to 63 park runs. Mainly due to repeated calf injuries the last 18 months. And usually hitting me at….my local Penrith Parkrun. Hmmmm. Like today! I’m taking it steady away and by the end, my left achillies is tight as hell. This must be the 5th time now? And keeps bloody happening!
After finishing in a still respectable time of 21’26” I did my weekly planning session in Booths cafe – accompanied with a Latte and a Sausage & Bacon sarnie. Thus negating any benefits of my run. Then I took a walk around the ruins of Penrith Castle And I thought to myself – WHY? What am I doing wrong? And you know what? I KNOW the answers, but choose to do nothing to solve the problem. Sound familiar?
If nothing changes – then nothing changes.
I gave myself a frank and honest talking to over this repeatedly occuring problem
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• I haven’t being getting massages as regular as I was over a year ago Answer : I have TWO perfectly good sports masseur pals who’ll happily massage me for FREE and keep reaching out to me!!! So see them! As a masseur myself, what the hell am I thinking here!?
• Im using Fast, lightweight, barely cushioned running shoes, because my regular pair, one is here, the other foot is in Aviemore! Answer : You have the money – buy some more trainers!
• Ive been told to do some strength work on achillies and calves. Answer – so DO them!
• This happens most often at Penrith Park run. Other courses seem fine in the main. Answer – go elsewhere or run off road!
• I don’t run anywhere near enough and so going park run to park run is probably too much. Answer : Run more!! Try with just ’12 minutes Daily’ (you know Micky… that thing that you keep talking about!!!)
• Maybe my calves aren’t strong from not riding the bike. Answer – Ride your bike more then.
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OUCH!! There you go. Nothing more brutal than giving yourself a good telling to in public and laying yourself accountable. I’ll keep you all updated.
Whats your own Non-negotiables that you MUST do? Who else has been ignoring doing what they actually know they should with repeated bad results? Lets hear from you all in the comments section. Enjoy your weekend guys.
PS …. 22 mins this one! My running and fitness is very important to me. It burst the 12 mins. But I needed to give myself a shake today.
PPS – Penrith Castle is pretty cool. Looks much better on site than from the roadside. Richard III used to live there for a spell. Bit of nice historical heads up for you there.
