Up level

How many times on Instagram have I heard the dulcet tones of Ciara informing me of someone’s self-improvement through her viral ‘Level Up’ challenge? Countless. Be it dance moves or better contouring, there’s a whole lotta up-levelling out there. Just the 5.1 million tags from those keen to take themselves to the next step in whatever aspect of their life.

So I’m following the herd. I’m bleating my way along to Ciara and hailing September as my month of self-development; the start of my betterment. This is a new chapter in the book of this Unyoung Mum. I am about to embark on several changes that I hope will make me healthier, happier and more positive.

Don’t you worry – like I’d be going on this journey alone. I’ve shared everything with you from my inability to trampoline to my tragic attempts at hair dye. As if I’d leave you out of this journey of enlightenment!

You’ll be party to everything: squats, miracle mornings, magic, colour-coded bucket lists, new projects… All will unfold right here on my blog. I know – you can barely contain the excitement!

September 1st

Such a refreshing date in the UK. Less pressure to perform than New Year’s Eve. Less onus on resolutions.

September. When the seasons shift. When the schools return. A new year in many ways.

So I’ve decided to go hard. Today… I booked myself on to a half marathon in March.

This isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve completed the Reading Half twice (last few miles are soulless). I’ve completed the Plymouth Half (the hills still haunt me). And I’ve run the Royal Parks Half (G’day your Majesty – a regal run indeed)

So why now? Why when I’m still reliant on Tena to get me through 8km? Because I need to level up my fitness. To level up my motivation. To level up my focus. Because at 44 and now a mum, I still want to be able to achieve what I could before my pelvic floor was used as a trampoline and sleep was a distant memory.

Oh, that and the fact I’m signing up with my best friend for 13.1 miles of chat. And that we are going to book in to a spa hotel for the night afterwards.

Goal Setting

I’m not aiming to do this in record time. If I don’t come in under 2 hours I will be neither surprised or bothered. But I am going to relish the 6 months of prepping: those feelings of satisfaction as you increase your distance; that feeling of physical fitness as you see your body changing; that enjoyment of running in the cold and dark over winter… Right, maybe scrap the last one.

It’s a bold move. But an exciting one. I started my training today with 8km around the forest. I hope to push it to 10-12.5km by the end of the month.

So here’s to levelling up y’all

What are you going to commit to? (And I highly recommend the lure of a spa. It’s my driving force!) And what do you predict will be my next up-levelled action?

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