I've had one of those weeks. One of those weeks when things just go right. My new running groups are tremendous, popular and just, well, fab. New people popping up at classes all over the place. And I got a new job too (not a fitness one, so I won't bore you with details here...). And, to cap it all off, I have been told by five different people this week that I am an inspiration to them.
So I thought I'd share with you, my loyal readers (both of you <grin>), some people that inspire me. In case anyone was wondering.
The boyfriend and I used to refer to C from our spin class as 'the amazing shrinking woman'. I have no idea how much weight she lost, but it was *very significant*. This is not why she inspires me (but hey, you knew that right?). She inspires me because she always came along to classes full of enthusiasm and determination. Why's this in past tense though....? C got ill. Which messed stuff up. But (and here's the thing) she keeps going. She's still trying to get running again, she's still out there doing stuff. She refers to her running technique as the 'three legged dog'. But she's still going. She's still trying. She's damn resilient.
B came to one of our beginners 0-5k groups. She didn't find it easy. But she carried on with quiet determination, never moaning, never complaining. She came to every single session - rain, snow, ice. She got there. She did her 5k with us and was delighted. Now I spot her every so often on a Sunday morning running round the village with her daughter. She's still out there. She's still doing it. And she's doing it on her own.
And finally, L. L got diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago and beat it. She has the most positive attitude of anyone I think I have ever met. Nothing is impossible, it's just about finding out how to make it happen. She overcame something astonishing. I wish I could have a fraction of her positivity and determination.
These aren't their real initials. Because these aren't the sort of people that make a big deal of this sort of thing. But if you're reading this, C,B or L, you should recognise yourself. I hope that makes you smile.
And yes, there's a recurring theme here. Overcoming adversity? Resilience? Perhaps. We're all just normal people, getting on with our stuff, dealing with our crap we have to deal with. When people say that they're inspired by great athletes, or great politicians, or great activists, I get it. But perhaps real inspiration lies closer to home. Showing us what we can all achieve if we try.
Real people. Real lives. Real challenges. Really inspirational.
So I thought I'd share with you, my loyal readers (both of you <grin>), some people that inspire me. In case anyone was wondering.
The boyfriend and I used to refer to C from our spin class as 'the amazing shrinking woman'. I have no idea how much weight she lost, but it was *very significant*. This is not why she inspires me (but hey, you knew that right?). She inspires me because she always came along to classes full of enthusiasm and determination. Why's this in past tense though....? C got ill. Which messed stuff up. But (and here's the thing) she keeps going. She's still trying to get running again, she's still out there doing stuff. She refers to her running technique as the 'three legged dog'. But she's still going. She's still trying. She's damn resilient.
B came to one of our beginners 0-5k groups. She didn't find it easy. But she carried on with quiet determination, never moaning, never complaining. She came to every single session - rain, snow, ice. She got there. She did her 5k with us and was delighted. Now I spot her every so often on a Sunday morning running round the village with her daughter. She's still out there. She's still doing it. And she's doing it on her own.
And finally, L. L got diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago and beat it. She has the most positive attitude of anyone I think I have ever met. Nothing is impossible, it's just about finding out how to make it happen. She overcame something astonishing. I wish I could have a fraction of her positivity and determination.
These aren't their real initials. Because these aren't the sort of people that make a big deal of this sort of thing. But if you're reading this, C,B or L, you should recognise yourself. I hope that makes you smile.
And yes, there's a recurring theme here. Overcoming adversity? Resilience? Perhaps. We're all just normal people, getting on with our stuff, dealing with our crap we have to deal with. When people say that they're inspired by great athletes, or great politicians, or great activists, I get it. But perhaps real inspiration lies closer to home. Showing us what we can all achieve if we try.
Real people. Real lives. Real challenges. Really inspirational.
RSS Feed
