Know your limits

Ever wondered how far you can push yourself?

I did. 

I was curious to find out if what we think our bodies and minds can handle is really, in truth, the extent of what they can achieve. Or whether you can push yourself further than you ever thought. 

Last year I applied for the London Marathon but I didn't get a place. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise but I decided to run a half marathon instead and so signed up for the Bath Half. 

I'd been training since October, saving my longer runs for the weekends. I even manged to fit in a 10k race as part of my training.

Race day seemed to be upon me before I knew it. 

I knew I felt prepared. As prepared as I could be for something I had never done before. But I was nervous, worried about how my body would cope and conscious about running it in a good time. 

In the end, it didn't really matter. I completed it!! My time I can improve on and I've learnt a lot of things that I can take with me to future races/marathons (once I've recovered from this one). 

Main things I learnt:

Train more: You really need to get those hours/minutes under your belt

Wear gloves: God it was so cold. I know not all races will be the same but I've learnt to at least start the race in gloves. You can loose them half way through if you get warm.

My official race time was 2 hours and 44 minutes.

So often do people think, 'I could never do that' but really when push comes to shove and you have no other choice but to handle it, it's amazing how you can find a way through it. 

(I don't have a bath at home and I'd heard the best way to get rid of aching muscles is to have an ice bath.....so I had no choice but to ice each part of my body in this!).

It's interesting to think that many of us continue on that path until a curve ball throws us off balance or something in our routine questions our purpose and happiness. How many of us change our lives before we are forced to move outside our comfort zone?

I'm not suggesting that everyone should go out and run a half marathon or physically push them self to the limit without due practice. But next time you wonder whether you can or can't do something.....have a go, try it. Even if it doesn't work out the way you had planned, I guarantee you will learn a lot about yourself.

I like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has sponsored me, supported me and cheered me on. I ran for my Auntie Renee who we sadly lost to Dementia last year, who is sorely missed.
And a huge thank you to the person who was there every step of the way...you know who you are.

You will never know your limits until you push yourself to them.