Talking to the past & a quick 10K
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The lovely Marshmallow (and also Aischai) has tagged me with this meme:
What’s something you’d love to say to your younger selves of 2, 5, 10, and 15 years ago? (Doesn’t necessarily have to be the same thing each time.)
2 years ago (August 2006), age 32
I was going through a rough patch two years ago. My department was being restructured and we were losing half our staff. I was relatively safe but the environment at work was pretty toxic. I’d been exercising pretty well and eating well but I used this situation as an excuse to give it all up and return to my bad habits.
My message to myself: “There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t give up.”
5 years ago (August 2003), age 29
Things were going pretty well in my life 5 years ago. I was engaged to be married. I’d lost about 35 kgs and was relatively fit and healthy all things considered.
My message to myself: “Don’t get complacent.”
10 years ago (August 1998), age 24
I was pretty lost about ten years ago. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or where I was going. I was massively overweight and used to eat extremely unhealthily. Exercise was a forbidden topic and in hindsight I was probably suffering from depression.
My message to myself: “Take action.”
15 years ago (August 1993), age 19
Life was pretty good at age 19. I’d fractured my neck the year before and had been out of action for a few months and sort of lost any exercise habit I may have had. I didn’t realise it at the time but this was where my weight gain problem started. I developed a sedentary lifestyle which didn’t help either.
My message to myself: “Eat less, move more.”
It’s always interesting reflecting backwards. Looking back there are always things you would want to change. Yet, if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t be where I am today or who I am today.
If I stop and realistically assess my life then I have to conclude that I’m truly blessed in life. I’m relatively fit and healthy. I have a loving, funny, brilliant wife. A darling daughter. A job I love. Relative financial security. If I had to have a do over I might avoid some of the unhappy years but I might not end up in such a happy place.
So I think focusing on the past is not the way to go. It’s helpful to reflect upon it and acknowledge the influence it has had on my life but the past is the past. There is nothing that can be done about it.
My future will be a fit and healthy one. That’s what I can control. Touch wood!
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And now for a return to our regular updates:
The rain was back with a vengeance this morning so I did my run in the gym. I wanted to do a tempo workout today so I decided I would try and do 10K in under 50 minutes. The first 6 km were relatively easy but by 7 km my mind started playing tricks on myself. I started telling myself that if I slowed down to my normal easy pace I’d still set a fastest 10K ever time and so forth. But I was determined to keep going and a huge part of that determination was the thought of writing this up on my blog! The blog is such a great tool for motivation I reckon.
Anyways, I met my goal. I did 10K in 49:58 which is under 50 minutes and my fastest 10K ever. 
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