Soooo, I have to admit a shit storm of bad decisions on a run week before last, left me with a foot injury that we haven’t quite been able to definitively diagnose. We hope it will hold out for the race, but I know it’s likely to hurt!.  It’s a scary place to be, that extra element of the unknown of whether the body will hold up. So I’m doing all my rehab and hoping for the best. By this time next week we will have the answer! In the meantime, here’s some thoughts on inspiration…  

“Inspirations in the air, everywhere I look around…

Inspirations in the air, every sight and every sound…”

Now that I’ve put that smooth old school tune in your head let’s talk about inspiration!

Who inspires you? What inspires you?

For me, inspiration comes from so many places and people. There are the people close to me, who have my back and help me be the best I can be. Those same people inspire me daily in the wisdom they bring and the challenges they face and overcome.  There are those special pivotal people who really have changed my life by their example and strength (hopefully you know who you are!), and without whom I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Then there are the people out there whom I don’t know, who inspire me.  Often these are people on social media. Brave people who share their stories, people out there living their best lives and being authentic, people who put themselves out there to connect with other people and to make a difference in the world by sharing their lives and views.

Then there are places and nature. The mountains, ocean, stars, trails… I know you know what I mean!! These places inspire me to get out and explore, nature itself provides such inspiration.

When I set out on this challenge and ‘went public’ I said I wanted to inspire people.  Maybe I didn’t really know what that meant, but it’s been humbling to see and hear stories over the last few months from people who have taken up running or made changes in their lives because of what I’ve shared.  The private messages I have had from people responding to my blogs have blown.me.away, and I feel privileged to have been let into your lives.

So I wanted to say thanks and…YOU inspire ME.  From the genuine stories to fun and banter! I appreciate the support and have enjoyed the journey so far.

I feel a little like Kermit the frog sitting on a log singing “the rainbow connection”…maybe it’s the pre-race feels (better than the pre-race crazies from last week!! eekk!!), maybe it’s just the genuine gratitude for the journey so far and everything I’ve learnt?

Whatever it is, I’m gunna roll with it as I try to keep calm in the final few days before the next race, as I look to the people and places who inspire me and feel the gratitude for the journey so far!

NB: I’ve been told that Kermit and ‘the rainbow connection’ isn’t a global learning that is taught to *every* person once they reach a childhood age when they are no-longer terrified of talking frogs…..so, for those of you who think I’m crazy and have no clue what I’m talking about, I give you this….