Make your why bigger than your excuses …
I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and are enjoying whatever Twixmas means to you. 
Whether your working out and running as normal or you’ve chosen to kick back and put those feet up your probably still reflecting on 2022 and thinking about what 2023 will mean for you.
I’ve had an outstanding year on the track and if I am being honest I’ve still not really had a proper chance to reflect or let it sink in. A British record holder, 5th and 3rd placings at the World championships, Double GB champion, Track athlete of the year for my club Reading AC and Winner of the Mayor of Reading special award at the Reading sports personality awards.
A huge Year and just writing it down I still can’t believe it.
I’ve continued on my track journey through the winter this year with the aim of completing both a full indoor season and outdoor season. A first for me.
It’s been tough, juggling work, the changes to life that my 3 children bring as they get older and other life “stuff”, it’s meant I’ve had to become more flexible with my training, training at various gyms, mixing my track coaching between the lovely Shreddette Leanne’s group at Marlow track and my track coach Nathan at Palmer park, ad-hoc sessions with a different PT from Move HQ to learn how to use the rocket run on their indoor track when it’s been icy and the tracks have been closed. Changing my usual PT sessions to group sessions whilst life was “busy”.
I am a creature of habit when it comes to my training, I like routine but the last few months I’ve had to become more flexible and adapt.
Even the other week when I was on my restorative retreat weekend I took myself off on Sunday morning to the nearest track at Eastbourne whilst the group “rested”, it was freezing cold, 9 am and the track was isolated. I was the only person there and a horrid session to tick off.
Even i questioned my sanity that morning and after a few tears and a pep talk from Leanne I got the work done.
It was a friend who later commented on my post on social media about this “hard” session that got me thinking about my why.
Quoting Anne, of Mindflow coaching “Now that’s the very definition of your WHY being way bigger than any circumstance.”
And she’s right my why is bigger than any excuse.
Not because I am chasing positions or medals but because athletics is “my thing”, sprinting brings me so much joy, the training, the purpose, the groups, the camaraderie, the fun and of course the friendships it’s brought to me.
Being an athlete doesn’t define me but its the one thing for “me” I make my non-negotiable because it makes me one hell of a happier mum, a mum that can give the best once I’ve blown away those cobwebs and had that moment to just be “Karen”, a better trainer for knowing when and how to push clients and overall the best version of me for me and all those around me.
It’s my happy place. And I am happier from being there (even if it’s not shown during a tough session).
So if you find yourself continually missing commitments you made to yourself, making excuses on why you can’t get the commitment done, using excuses like I don’t have enough time. I don’t have enough money. This person or that thing is holding me back.
Then the simple answer is your WHY isn’t big enough.
It’s not bigger than your excuses.
So if your looking to 2023 over the next few days and setting those goals don’t just write a list of random goals that you feel you should be setting, be honest, write goals that mean something to YOU and write down what and WHY you are doing it.
Then make it BIG.
BIGGER than your excuses.
Make it your non-negotiable.
Make it about YOU.
Make it about being the best version of YOU.
And then make it happen in 2023.
And of course get your team ready to help you!
The Elite Conditioning Team are here, ready and waiting.
Whether it’s Debbie on the trails to bring that fun back into your running.
Lisa to blast your way into Mondays with her virtual studio classes at the start of the week.
Leanne to whip you in to shape on a Thursday with her new upper body day lift lean and Shred 20 core workout.
Or myself and Kristy in the virtual studio, face to face in our PiYo, Pilates or Shred 40 sessions or working more personally on our Project Personal training programs or running coaching.
We are ready to be part of your team and help you make it happen in 2023.
No excuses.
Have a fabulous New Year all and do share your goals and more importantly your WHY with us. We’d love to hear from you.
Love
Karen and the team