With the Ealing Half-Marathon just a couple of weeks away I hope your training has gone to plan and that you're 'good to go' as they say.

As you have probably gathered over the last month or so mine has gone totally off course, and I haven't been running at all.

My foot still doesn't feel right and I certainly don't want to cause any more injury so I definitely won't be running the 13 miles. I'm in two minds as to whether I should even walk/run it - perhaps I would be bettter if I volunteered to help this year?

I'm unsure what to do for the best, and probably won't actually decide until the very last minute.

I want to take part, and having watched some incredible sport with some amazing athletes in both the Olympics and Paralympics, I have never felt more inspired.

It's been a fantastic summer, and although I didn't manage to get tickets for any Olympic events I got several for the Paralympics (including seeing Oscar Pistorius) and have never felt so in awe. I have written more about the whole experience here.

These elite athletes were all totally remarkable and have put my rather pathetic exercise efforts to shame.

What they did show me however is exactly what can be done, as opposed to what can't - if you believe.

I shall stop this before I begin to sound like some gushing motivational personal trainer, but it has made me recall that often quoted Henry Ford line.

'' “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”

 

Onward and Upward...

Annemarie Flanagan

 

13th September 2012