Believe to Achieve

So I promised myself that I wouldn't enter next years VLM ballot, and as difficult as it was, I kept to it. Twitter was going mental this morning with many of the VLM family having entered the ballot, and more, it bought back good memories of two years ago when I entered the ballot, keeping it secret from everybody until October when I got the Congratulations magazine. Completing VLM2012 was the best day of my life, not because I completed the marathon, but because I said no more, no more just getting by, no more just completing races and no more looking like I shouldn't be there.

Since then I have changed my life, I am not finished yet and have a long way to go but I am stronger and both my running speed and style has changed. I finally got that sub 30 5k and am now working on that being consistent as at the moment 31 is consistent. I've learnt to swim, and got back on a bike for the first time in over 20 years, which is  good job as my first triathlon is only 2 weeks away!

So back to ballot day! I didn't quite end the day without entering a race........with a crazy target......

I couldn't help myself and it just kinda happened, I specifically promised myself NO MORE HALF MARATHONS! But I guess it's too late now as I made up for not entering the ballot by entering Brighton Half Marathon, and by accepting the challenge from @TheIron_Bear I'm going for sub 2 hours, this is also spurred on by the fact that I've been promised chips at the finish from @DanRunning, who wouldn't run faster for chips???

This target from @TheIron_Bear got me thinking about the rest of the year and my goals. I have never thought I would run a sub 2 hour half marathon, but why not? Why can't I? Surely if you put in the effort, then you will get what you want, get what you are training for? You have to believe to achieve, right??

So, to the rest of the year. Triathlons aside, I have a few races booked. Some for fun, such as the Zest Challenge and the Olympic Park Run but a couple where I have a specific time in mind. Stratford 10k will be my sub 60 10k. I only have 16 weeks to train for this and knock off 7 mins from my 10k time, not a great deal of time but as my training is starting to step up with swimming and cycling this is good cross training and will be kinder to my knees and shins, so should help me to stay relatively injury free and not pounding the pavements constantly in the process, plus with the continued strength training on the glutes and hip flexors it will make me a better runner, without having to run every bloody day, who wants that?? Getting this sub 60 will really put me on track for that sub 2 hour half marathon, and now I have said it, it means I have to achieve it! It will be a full 35 minutes off my PB so it won't be easy, not by a long chalk but like I said, if you put in the effort, you get what you want, which is exactly what I plan to do.

Now, going back to London Marathon. I'm planning on returning to the race and showing the Isle of Dogs exactly what I am made of in 2015. This will be the year that I become an Ironman (what a goal!) so my goal is to knock off at least 2 hours off my PB and go for 4 hours 15. I was reminded by @TheIron_Bear that I might as well go the full hog and go for sub 4. I'm not agreeing to this, but I think it will end up being the goal. If I'm going to go long with triathlons to Ironman distance then anything but a sub 4 won't really be acceptable so I may as well set goals now that may seem ridiculous to me, and probably to you lot too and work my big but rather nice arse off to get them!