How do you define success?

Success conjures up many images, and is not defined in the same way for everyone. When racing, success, in its most basic terms is measured by your result. But is that really success? Some of the times that I feel the most accomplished is not necessarily when I have done well in a race. If the competition was not there, and it was an easy win, then it is not as satisfying as when I have overcome mental blocks, or pulled myself back from negative thoughts or a dark place.

We all have different circumstances and lives, measuring yourself against other people is at best futile, and at worst damaging to your mental health. So how do you measure your own success? or find ways of celebrating the small things? First you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. It may be, a PB, it may be, just finishing a race in brutal conditions (I’m thinking Ironman Wales this year!), it may be, managing to balance your life, so you have time to do the things that you really want to, or overcoming a fear.

All of these things are valid ways of celebrating what you have achieved, and if things don’t go well in a race there are always things to take away from it, there will have been some success somewhere, you just may need to look for it. Find a way of being proud of yourself, and you will be successful.

If you did race Ironman Wales at the weekend, then here are some stats about the race and the amount of DNF and time differences to other years that you may find interesting. I’m sure when looking at them you will find something to be proud of!

Ironman Wales 2017: Age Group Results and Kona Qualification

New Year and all that…

Looking back 2013

As its the New Year I have been thinking about the past year and what I’ve achieved, putting it into words affirms the successes of 2013 and gives me something to build on for next year.

Firstly I upped my hours.

Hours and distance completed in 2013

I came 5th in The Slateman, and was then ill for a week after!

I completed my first 70.3 on Exmoor in poor conditions, came 6th in my age group, 21st woman overall, and in the top 16% overall (men and women)

Completed my first 50 mile Time Trial, ouch….

I won’t talk about Bala again! But if you want to read what happened its here

Now that I have reflected on 2013 its time to put it away. I’m not going to compare myself to last year. I will be the best that I can be in 2014.

2014

So for 2014, I have only entered 2 races, Half Outlaw, and Ironman Wales. I will probably do a bit more Time Trialling, and strangely would like to do a 50 mile one again, (my memory of the last one must be failing me!) Also I have entered The Tour of Pembrokeshire, and I’ll probably do part of the long course weekend, so I’m looking forward to a good year ahead.

New Year is traditionally a time to make resolutions. Personally I don’t like making resolutions in the New Year. I can make a resolution any time that I want to, and I think a lot of people set themselves up to fail with unrealistic, and unsustainable goals, which are often negative e.g. “I’m going to give up chocolate, alcohol, smoking etc”. Then when they fail they give themselves a hard time for failing, instead of creating a positive sustainable goal, for example, “I am leading a healthier lifestyle”. Its not something that will happen overnight, and every day is a step towards the goal, but gradually we can make changes in order to become that goal.

Sometimes I look at where I am now and realise it is because of these small changes that add up to the big picture. Its a great feeling.

Happy New Year