So yesterday I made my TV debut on ITV’s This Morning show on a feature called Run for your Life where I am coaching 3 ladies to face their fears and run a 5k in just 5 weeks time. It was an amazing experience going on live television to the nation, having hair and make up done and of course meeting Phillip Scofield and Amanda Holden.
But it was also a little scary
- What if I look terrible?
- What if I look silly?
- What if I talk rubbish?
We all have fears, some rational and some irrational, but even when they are crazy thoughts like “what if I fall off my stool knocking poor little Nell McAndrew off hers too” they still feel very real inside and have you thinking the worst.
So how do we ensure the fears don’t consume us, or worst still prevent us from doing exciting or challenging things all together?
It’s simple really…we just have to experience the fear and do them anyway.
Kerry, Shirley and Francesca did exactly that when they applied to take part in this programme and furthermore they are now under scrutiny as they attempt to learn to run under the watchful eye of the nation.
As many of you will know I often talk about whats going on in your head when you run over and above whats going on with your legs, so yesterday before getting the women to run a single step we headed to the London Marathon store for a workshop around Facing your Fears.
We spoke about the things that REALLY hold us back…not the things we like to tell ourselves, or the things we laugh and joke about with our loved ones, NO we got to the real crux of the issues.
Fear is no laughing matter. a recent government survey revealed that 76% of women didn’t play sport because of fear despite wanting to, which means that in the UK 2 million more men than women play sport.
So let’s think about that…
Women are putting their health and happiness at stake because they are scared about what other people think of them, being rubbish at sport to start with and consumed by concerns about their appearance…it is so sad. The ladies yesterday confirmed all of these
“I’m scared of my teenage girls taking the micky out of me” said Shirley, and “I’m scared of falling over and people laughing” said Fran, we even had a few tears from Kerry as the realisation of what we were about to undertake become too much “I’m scared of being last” she said wiping away her tears, and we can all relate to that right?
We have to overcome these fears thought ladies, we have to…we can not see improvements in our health and our confidence until we learn to acknowledge our fears and then conquer them, and the only way to do that is to be brave, bite the bullet and just get on with it.
So at about 3pm yesterday the 3 ladies headed outside and managed to run for just short of 20 minutes, and in the middle of central London too. OK so they didn’t run consistently and at speed for the duration, but they ran more than they walked and they did it with their heads held high and regardless of the people watching them as they were followed by the film crew and me whispering encouragement.
So if you are reading this and coming up with all kinds of reasons for why you can’t get involved, I beg you please to just sit down and write a list of the things that you are worried about and then play the so what game…
I am scared of what the neighbours might think….so what? Do you really care what they think? Why? but Why, but why? until the initial fear disappears or at least becomes a little less scary.
Phillip Scofield asked me yesterday whether people should just simply head out and go for a run or whether you need to build up slowly, and of course building up slowly makes sense….but ULTIMATELY you have to get your shoes on and get out of your front door and go for that first run…that is THE ONLY WAY TO START.
So come on ladies, just face your fears head on and just get on with it…we can deal with all that other stuff later….just commit to the first run. YOU CAN DO IT
To download the FREE 5weeks plan as featured on ITV’s This Morning click here