So here it is, Merry Christmas

           And another delayed post! Although a lot of people won't be surprised - some may even be impressed I managed two in ten days. This time my excuse is Christmas and my brother coming home for it as a surprise. Lots of business, no time to blog. Time for diet? Time for gym? Time to Drogo? Yes, yes and yes.

            I managed to hit the gym today after being generously offered a half day at work. As the tail end of a challenge I've taken part in I (with more blasé and confidence than I truly felt) recently boasted to a fellow gym goer that I could run further than her in an hour, or something to that affect. I can't remember exactly what I said, but my intention was to imply I could run further than she could in the same space of time. This morning was full of trepidation and doubt, culminating in my confidence nearly breaking upon mounting the treadmill.

            Fortunately it didn't. The challenge was five miles (8km) in an hour. A fifty-five minute run and a five minute cool-down later I had achieved my goal.

            Just. BUT I truly, honestly felt I could have kept running. I hit my second wind around 20 minutes and after that I think my body gave up complaining. I really felt I could have run and run and run. And I almost did; thankfully I called it there. I was a little off balance as I walked to the weight machines but that passed after my legs had a rest.

           

            I won't lie, I was tired but not exhausted. I was pretty damn impressed with myself for managing it - my normal runs are at a slightly faster pace but only for 20-25 minutes - and from now on I am approaching the gym with a new challenge: Never plateau. This wasn't a direct challenge (although nor was the last one, I just took it as one) since I've never met the man who put forward that exercise philosophy. He's also dead, so sadly I won't. However, Bruce Lee was an incredible person and the perfect inspiration for any work out.

            Now, I know some of you are going to be laughing at the idea that I want to reach his level of fitness. If you are one of them you have failed to read my intention correctly. Of course I don't plan to be the next Bruce Lee; by the age of 25 he had already made a name for himself. While I would like to be that incredible, he did die in his forties because he went beyond the level of fitness his body could sustain - not the goal. He is my inspiration and his attitude and technique can be applied to anyone's situation:

• As you think, so shall you become.

• A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.

• Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential.

• Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.
  
  
• If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.

           

            Nothing in the above says you can not achieve great things. Everything there tells me that I can reach new levels and gain new strengths. When someone says something is beyond their reach I can now say, "Not out of mine." If I truly want something I can pursue it; even if a goal is not reached I will have gained knowledge and experience from the pursuit.

            Except flight. Having made the boast to my youngest brother that I taught Clark Kent everything he knew about being Superman I will have to admit that unaided flight is perhaps outside my current or future capabilities.

            Having said that, staying standing proved too much while stretching and having the reaper horn (first couple of seconds) blare into my headphones while my eyes were closed. Anyone who has played Mass Effect will understand why the flight-or-fight mechanism panicked and I say giant red lasers in my minds eyes. I fell over onto someone else and I'm not sure I hid my expression of confusion that well. Fortunately she just assumed I'd collapsed from (hopefully manly) exhaustion and made sure I was all right while laughing it off. I can't say I was at my most eloquent but it was as embarrassing as it could have been. I think it was more a conditioned response to the sound effect rather than actual exhaustion but explaining it could have been difficult....

            And lastly, Merry Christmas! Or Happy Channukah! Or an enjoyable whatever you celebrate - and if you don't, enjoy the time off. If you don't get any of that I hope the festive season treats you well. Regardless of what you do, have fun! Otherwise it's really not worth it, is it?