Celebrate the wins, then ask what’s next? – Keep’er Fit

Congratulations to everyone who participated and helped to organise the Omagh Half Marathon this weekend. I’m writing this article ahead of the event, so I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable run.

Take today to sit back and reflect on your achievement. You may have entered the race to hit a new PB, or it was your first ever race. No matter your reason, just take the time to review what you achieved. Think as far back as the decision you made to sign up, followed by all the training and sacrifice you made.

Sometimes we just think about the event itself and forget to look back to see how far we have come. Starting with a one or two-mile run, running 10, 11 and 12 miles as part of your training. Feeling more robust, faster and looking awesome in the mirror is always a bonus.

That’s just your physical achievements. Do you ever reflect and remember how good it felt after your big runs, maybe not physically but psychologically? That buzz or sense of accomplishment when someone asks you, ‘Did you do much today?’ and you casually respond with ‘Yeah, just ran 10 miles’ as if it’s natural.

Reflect on the daily disciplines that got you to where you are—sleeping better, making better food choices, acquiring new knowledge because you had a keen interest.

One of the big things I love about competing in different events is the friendships you make. This is one of the major positives of the Run for Enda Foundation while preparing people for the Omagh Half. I was delighted to speak in front of a crowd of over 200 people, all coming together with a collective cause to better themselves. The amount of energy that the Foundation brings to one place is fantastic. In that energy, there is a cluster of bonds of friendships, some new, some old and some that have grown stronger.

I always look at my mum’s own journey. Almost seven years ago, I remembered that she ran her first 5k with me, which was a considerable achievement. Fast forward a few years, with the massive help of the Run for Enda foundation, she has been training to run the Omagh Half – the sad part is that COVID hit her at just the wrong time, so it’s touch and go if she will race. Nevertheless, she spends her Saturdays running 8-11 miles with a group of friends whose friendship goes beyond running. Coffees, weekends away, support and families coming together.

This is just one story of the thousands of people who compete in any event.

Hopefully, this first part has helped you realise that it was more than a race. You must ask yourself, do you want to stop this? The answer for most of us will be ‘no way’, but it is easy to fall into the trap of: ‘I achieved my goal, and that’s me’. If you don’t plan for the next event, you may not have the same focus or desire to get up and go for that run, make better food choices or have that coffee with your friends after you train.

Just start the process by exploring what’s next. If you didn’t enjoy running but loved everything else about it, try a different event like swimming, hiking, or play a sport. Don’t take too long to make this decision. If you see something that you would like to do next, just book it. Purchase the ticket and write it in your diary. Once you have made the decision, then the rest will follow. Never worry about how you will get it. Just have faith, and know with desire and daily discipline, you can achieve anything.