“Progress begins the moment you stop letting fear set your pace.”
So last week I was full of “I am not afraid anymore”… then something switched.
As I warmed up for my first indoor 200m race in 2 years I felt good, then just 20 minutes before the start I found out my lane draw.
Now you would think “why does that matter?”.
An indoor track is very different to an outdoor track, whilst an outdoor track is 400m with flat bends an indoor track is 200m with banked, tighter turns and fewer lanes, and the outside lane you have to deal with the undulations that the transition from bends to straight create.
Too much speed and loss of control has seen many an athlete end up tumbling off the bend and that’s without adding in the memories of a torn Achilles and calf from lane 6 3 years ago.
That was the game changer, my friend Debbie, who was there supporting me on the day, saw me go from happy go lucky and excited to serious and thoughtful. My face said it all.
It’s the kind of fear that only athletes understand — the one that sneaks up not before a big final, but when you’re standing in a lane that holds a memory.
As i stood on that start line with a whisper of doubt in my head I knew this race wasn’t about anything other than enjoying being back on a 200m start line, taking the start and bends cautiously, as I came round the final bend my smile returned, just grateful of a chance to run these turns again and enjoy the moment.
That’s the thing about experience — it teaches you that courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it tiptoes in, cautious but determined. Not to prove anything to anyone else, but to myself.
A race that was measured, mindful, and full of gratitude. Every stride was a quiet celebration of being back, of moving freely, of daring to do what once felt impossible. It wasn’t about chasing a time or a podium. It was about reclaiming joy.
“Progress begins the moment you stop letting fear set your pace.”
Just 5 days later I was back on the 60m start line, (alongside some nerve pain, because let’s be honest, 2 hours sat in traffic was never going to serve my spine well).
Continuing to enjoy just being back racing something clicked. One of my fastest runs over this distance at this time of year ever. Proof that courage, even cautious courage, builds momentum.
So the takeaway today is whether, like me, you’re stepping back onto a track, into a gym, group class or facing a new challenge, bravery doesn’t mean ignoring fear. It means respecting it, learning from it, and moving anyway. Wisdom and boldness can coexist — in fact, they make a pretty powerful team.
And that’s exactly what training with us at Elite Conditioning is about,
Not perfection, but progress.
Not fearlessness, but fear managed with strength, humour, and community.
Every session — from personal training, Shred 40 to ladies that lift is a reminder that courage grows in connection, and that every comeback, big or small, deserves to be celebrated.
So Train smart. Live strong. Laugh often. And never let fear set your pace.
Love
Karen x
