Perseverance!

I love long-distance physical challenges. I just have limited opportunity for them (unless, that is, I neglect my work or family!).

On which note, I am in awe of Richard Hendron, who last Saturday (together with Jim King from the army) won the Devizes to Westminster 125-mile (non-stop timing!) canoe race for the third time. The previous two times it was amazingly by a minute - which if you all started together (which you don't because you have to choose your time in order to meet the tide in London) means that after 201 kilometres of river you could still be seen by the crew behind. But this time the competition was blown away by 70 minutes - which is about 8 miles! I have a dream that one day I'll paddle the course with one of my sons, but it won't be in the race unless they move back from starting Saturday (which means they finish early Sunday) - and I'm in the wrong country to train or attempt so it may have to remain a dream!

Today I enjoyed myself running because I beat my 5-mile record from had stood since September 2007. (That journal entry actually says I wasn't really trying so hard which I definitely was today!). This was the first personal running "record" I'd set since that day. It's been long! Stress fractures, runner's knees, moving country, adjusting to altitude. The 5 mile record (as opposed to 7.1, 10, half and full marathon which are the others I "race" myself at) was the softest target, but it feels good all the same. I could never have guessed it would take so long; only with a lot of perseverance have I got back to and at last overtake where I was. Which must be a lesson for the rest of life! I wonder how many things I've given up at and haven't achieved in family, work or other areas because I didn't have the needed single-mindedness.