The Dark Side?

I count myself fortunate in that I can be single minded.  To me it’s a gift but I can imagine it borders on selfish obsession to anyone who has to put up with it.   For example, I was never a good runner but my single minded make-it-up-as-you-go-along program meant I was good as my physiology allowed and this meant sacrifices had to be made.  For this read sacrifices other people also had to make.  If I wanted to go out, at night, in the driving sleet of an English January as part of preparation for The London (aka London Marathon) then that’s what would happen.  Other pressing matters could wait.  It was an almost religious fervour that drove me and a severe catholic-guilt would punish me if I didn’t go out.  We’ve a good Irish friend called Rose who was and still is dating a triathlete.   Having some experience of my devotion to running she asked me pretty early on how to best deal with her partner’s obsession to train religiously.  My response to her was not to even try to change him.  It won’t be possible and attempts will be resented.  I’m pleased to say they’re still together but I can imagine she makes many sacrifices for him.

Time hasn’t really tempered this passion to achieve and so the downsides are still with me.  I hold with the utmost conviction that if something is worthy of attempting then it makes absolute sense to do it to the best of your abilities and devote the time.  For the life of me I don’t know where this ‘gift’ came from.  My parents were neither sporting, academic, nor achieved things of note in my formative years.  Maybe I’ll never know who inspired me.  Light or Dark side, it’s still a gift.

   

The final race in the Lanzarote 2001 series: The 23k Trans-Island.  If there was one race that defined what I was aiming for in training this was it.  Towards the end of the race I clocked up my one hundred miles for the week and yet the stamina and speed didn't falter.  Never felt better in a race and never would again (not that the rest were crap but the elation I felt during this race went far beyond any others).