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Seven habits for success…
Goals, milestones and big dreams
So what are your plans, your goals, your dreams?
We tend to write ours down using images to drive
the vision. Statistics, measures and milestones are
helpful whether it is for health, a personal challenge
or business. I find this useful to make the dream a
reality dealing in facts and what changes need to be
made to succeed.
Tracking your progress is key to succeeding and is a
great way to see how far you have come. These
elements help to drive the mental aspects of the
challenge. Another aspect of dreams and change is
being comfortable with who you are and what you
stand for? What are you known for? For me now this
is completely different to who I was before.
Training plans
Our training plans are specific depending on what
challenge we are building up to, most of our
challenges have involved either running or cycling
or a combination of both. The Sunshine Challenge
involved learning kayaking, a new skill and sport. I
needed to build the mental confidence and muscle
memory to allow me to cross the English Channel
safely in a sma ll boat!
Our major challenges have taken place in the longer
daylight hours of mid summer, consequently
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requiring us to start training during the winter
months which can again be a mental barrier to
getting out when it is cold and dark.
I try and enter events and races to benchmark my
performance and provide milestones on progress. This
helps combat the negative thought patterns and
doubt that can creep in. These tester sessions help
prepare us by experiencing the pain of consecutive
daily marathons or 100 miles on a bike for consecutive
days. I need to also understand the impact of fatigue
and also sleep deprivation. We tend to build these into
a plan with one day, two day testers, two to three
months out and then reducing training prior to the
event so we can be at our peak. I should say we have
begun to understand our engines better and whilst it is
good to maintain a high level of fitness, we also feel
the benefits of taking time out, recovering and
repairing and getting a good night’s sleep.
Lots of people find it difficult to deal with injury or
illness, missing weeks of training and losing fitness.
It becomes a psychological barrier and feels like a
massive road ahead. We have found little steps,
recognizing smaller goals can soon regain the
training buzz.
Nutrition and diet
I am now more educated about well-being and
nutrition than ever before and have joined a mini
revolution trying to break the bad habits I was locked