Adopt the pace of nature, for her secret is patience

I am back.

A few weeks stepping back, some liquid iron & a B12 boost and my energy levels have returned and my body feeling as it has done for the many weeks, months in fact, of winter.

Considering the circumstances behind the start of my indoor race season I’ve had a pretty good start.

Two runs out over 200m and both indoor personal bests, and just .04 outside my best over 60 m.

I can’t complain.

I shouldn’t complain.

But as you know we are our own biggest critics and after my first race out I was left feeling deflated. 

Having only missed one training session since October I felt “what’s the point?” 

I am nowhere near where I was in the outdoor season.

But, as with most sports, particularly athletics, it’s about “peaking” at the right time.

No sprinter wants to come out and peak in the first few races of the season only to bomb out when it matters.

Our training plans are phased.

Base fitness

Hypotrophy

Power

And power conversion as I like to call it.

I’ve not long started my power phase and as I enter the next phase over the next few weeks I have to remember this and the fact I’ve only raced a handful of times indoors EVER. 

Patience is required.

After all we know Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will my bestest, fastest self be.

I have to be patient AND trust the process.

The same goes with any health and fitness goal.

You have to be patient AND trust the process. 

But our inner child wants it all NOW.

That washboard stomach that will turn our lives around when we get it.

That number on the scales that will make us happier.

That new body in 4 weeks we are promised by the latest fitness craze.

Those supplements that promise you strength & progress in record time. 

But the reality is there is NO shortcut to getting fit.

But there are plenty of shortcuts to feeling crappy, like you’ve failed and that “nothing will work”

In a world where everything is becoming “instant” patience isn’t easy.

There’s no overnight fairytale success to hitting those health and fitness goals.

It takes commitment and consistency working on a set of clear goals.

Think tortoise, not hare when it comes to winning at your health and fitness.

So if you’re finding that you’re losing that patience with your 2023 goals, and it’s only February, remember that 2023 has 12 months like any other year.

But if your finding your patience is getting in the way of your focus and killing your motivation then …

1. Remember your why? Have a clear set of goals that motivates you! 
2. Stay real. Life “stuff” will always happen. Life will get in the way at times but make your own rules. That might be doing a recorded class later in the day because a face to face or virtual class in the morning just isn’t working for you. It’s your path, and you have the right to change the path you take to get you to your goal. 
3. Don’t doubt yourself or let those negative voices of yourself or anyone around you get inside your head. Stay focused on you, your goal and your why. Your success and dreams ARE important and much more important than any negative opinions of any so called “friends”.
4. Stay in your lane. Stick with what you believe in, your path and if something doesn’t align with your vision or affects your end goal then just don’t do it. Stay connected to your vision, stay in your lane and show up each day. Your way. 

AND remember change not only your pace but the pace of your expectations to the pace of nature, because her secret is patience and after all her beauty doesn’t come overnight.

I too have changed my path this week, I am playing the long game, although I am keen to race again I’ve decided not to race this weekend but instead focus on my training, good recovery, and a weekend at home.

Because I too am still learning to be patient, but it comes a little easier knowing my why, by keeping it real, refusing to let any negative voices take over and staying in my lane.


Doing me and doing what I love.

So here’s to finding that patience this February that allows us 12 months of 2023, not 1, to reach those health and fitness goals and most of all patience with ourselves.

Love 

Karen and the team