The perfect kick start

Two miles this morning but boy did I find it hard to drag myself out of bed, force myself into my running gear and push myself up the drive to get started. But as always it was exactly what I needed to kick start my day!

I think I've said before that no matter how many times it's been a real struggle to get out there and run, I can't remember one single time when I regretted the run once I was back home.

They used to say "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", but I think a mile a day is far more beneficial and keeps the doctor, psychiatrist and a number of others away.

Screw Work, Let's Play

I can't believe it's been a week since my last posting on here.

Three early morning runs before 6.00 a.m. this week, I've completed my 6th month and started month 7, and today was my 183rd consecutive day of running, so definitely over half a year under the belt.

I received my latest book from Amazon yesterday, it has an interesting title, "Screw Work, Let's Play". I'm looking forward to seeing what gems it contains.

One family birthday lunch party followed by a BBQ and then listening to a band in some private woods tomorrow. Sounds like a fun day.

Now if I can just squeeze in a mile or so in the not too early morning...

Turn off the GPS

Ah Friday. The weekend is here.

My GPS device clocked that I took 36 minutes to run 1.34 miles this morning. Actually, it thought I'd run 1.39 miles. I really must remember to turn it off after I've finished my run and before I water the plants in my back garden!

I'm loving the heat, I have to say.

It's been a good week with cheques in the bank, meeting a couple of new coaching prospects, catching up with several old colleagues and clients, school governor stuff, a potential gig for my new band and even England squeezed through in the World Cup to torture us again this weekend in the next round.

My older daughter will be here in about an hour for a belated Fathers' Day visit.

The weekend is looking exciting.

Thanks for the compliment

Apart from a "just over 4-miler" on Sunday, I'm still languishing at running the minimum one and a bit miles most days.

I accompanied my Mum to a flag raising ceremony yesterday to celebrate the start of National Armed Forces and Veterans Week. She has become quite a local celebrity since the article, on her involvement as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park in the 2nd World War, came out in the local paper a week or two ago. She jokes that it's only taken her 85 years to become famous.

I find it interesting that my Mum's reaction is very similar to that of several participants in a workshop I ran last week, feeling uncomfortable when being complimented or acknowledged. The old conditioning of "you mustn't show off" is firmly ingrained in our psyche.

However, playing it down or refusing to accept a compliment is a bit like refusing a gift that someone has gone to the effort of choosing and buying for you. Accepting the gift is not only polite but also makes the complimenter feel good for pleasing you.

This is also a reminder for myself, by the way.

THE most important skill

As predicted yesterday morning was my earliest ever mile and a bit, which preceded a very long day in London, running a workshop to a great group of people.

Back to normal sort of hours for this morning's mile and a bit.

I had an excellent meeting with the organiser of the UK Design for Change schools contest this morning. I'm looking forward to helping him promote and support the project.

I'm still having to climb in and out of my car through the front passenger side as a result of my entanglement with the oil tanker on Tuesday. Tomorrow I get to swap my car for a courtesy car from the body shop, so that will be good.

On my run this morning, my thoughts went back to yesterday's workshop, and how THE most powerful thing I have learned and used (no, not always) is focused listening while suspending my own agenda. It really is the one skill that could make the biggest difference to all areas of the world today.