| Two weeks ago today I dramatically pushed | | | | the run). But above all my mentor ran every |
| back the limits of my running. In one morning | | | | step of the way with me. Having someone tell |
| I went from a best distance of 12km in an | | | | you that you can do something that you |
| hour and fifteen minutes (done on a treadmill | | | | previously thought impossible, and the person |
| in my gym), to running 12 miles round a Welsh | | | | telling you this being qualified to do so is |
| lake, at a better pace than I have done in | | | | very powerful. You have no excuse for not |
| the gym, and without stopping.To achieve this | | | | pushing your boundaries. When this person |
| is used several personal development | | | | then goes every step of the way with you, |
| techniques. How did I do this, and how can | | | | advising and encouraging you it is even more |
| you use these same techniques to achieve your | | | | powerful. Having a mentor can be one of the |
| exercise goal?Inspiring Health and | | | | most powerful tools for personal development |
| FitnessKeeping me going was my overall | | | | you can use.To Do: Find someone who is |
| inspiring health and fitness goal. This goal | | | | qualified to take you one step further |
| is to run the Flora London Marathon 2007. I | | | | towards you health and fitness goal, and ask |
| realized if I could not run the 12 miles, how | | | | them to take that step with you.Score Keeping |
| could I run 26? I also realized that if I | | | | |
| could achieve this leap in distance then the | | | | |
| marathon should be mine. It was my desire to | | | | I kept score at regular intervals along the |
| cross the line next April that kept me going | | | | run by checking my heart rate on my heart |
| every step of the way. Besides, twice round | | | | rate monitor. One of my aims was to run the |
| the lake would be a marathon! If I could do | | | | distance within a set heart rate range. I |
| one lap, surely I could do two laps?To Do: | | | | congratulated myself every time my watch |
| You need to have a health and fitness goal | | | | showed I was within that range. In this way I |
| that is achievable, but sufficiently high to | | | | was scoring myself to achieve a regular pace. |
| excite and stretch you.Mentoring and | | | | I am glad to say I got a perfect score by the |
| EncouragementOne of the biggest things that | | | | finish line.To Do: Decide on a way to score |
| helped me to achieve this breakthrough was | | | | yourself, and stick to it. Celebrate every |
| the encouragement and advice of an | | | | time you win!. |
| experienced marathon runner (my mentor for | | | | |