The Secret.

I read a quote some time ago, ages ago.  But it is something that has stuck in my head.

To be brave and courageous doesn't mean you are fearless.  It means you feel the fear and act anyway.

I found myself pondering over this little gem I have been hoarding in my mind as I see news of Nelson Mandela's health on the news. It cropped up in my mind bright and shiny when I was sitting on the couch, having the internal whinge that comes with preparing to go for a workout.

" I don't want to. It won't matter. Sigh. Frump. Whinge. Whine."

So why did this quote pop up then?  Going to gym is not a courageous thing, I'm not afraid of going to gym or working out, I don't think my life is in danger or zombies will overrun the place and eat our brains, or vampires in cool cars are going to rock up....

( note to self, go easy on the Joe Hill and Stephen King books. One needs to sleep at some point without all the lights on)

Then my maze of a mind figured it out.....DISCIPLINE.

To be disciplined does not mean I am motivated. To be disciplined is to act WITHOUT motivation. To do it anyway even though a snuggly bed listening to the rain on the roof is a far better proposition than going out to an over bright, over loud and over man filled gym. Reading a book is far more attractive than running 8 km of varying interval speed and hill sprints on a treadmill that goes nowhere.

But discipline....that is the 'strength' in self respect, the iron bar that holds your head up high, the means to get the job done. And that, my friends, is the Secret.

This was an important thing for me, to come at just the right time. You see, after my long run of almost 16 kms yesterday the endorphins hit hard and I was flying.  What a brilliant run.....starting in pre dawn, running along the local river, out behind our zoo and historical mansion......watching the dawn light up the windows like the Mansion was on fire and hearing the lions waking, roaring at the sunrise.

 Running through farmland with the hawks in the air and the rabbits on the ground, then back along the river seeing it burbling over the rocks, carrying ducks lazily along the banks. Supreme bliss and soul restoring.  Add to that a gorgeous friend to chat to as we ran and it was perfection (thanks Theresa!)

So blissful and so perfect in fact that while I was still in my run induced endorphic state, I committed myself to a very scary prospect.

I will be running a full marathon this October. 42.2 kms. All based on a glorious 15.5 km run.

I will need discipline to achieve this. I will need the discipline to stick to the training plan, to keep running when my legs feel like lead and all of me hurts. To not go and have that 3 drinks too many on a Saturday night, given that the next morning I will be running anywhere from 20-36 kms in training.

Discipline and courage hand in hand, to line up at the start line and run it.

My new motto: Determination and Courage....

 pertinacia et fortitudo