All weekend, I've been blown away by friends pushing themselves out of their comfort zones and achieving great things.
When I talk about achievements, I really mean achievements. Two of my fellow "Maids of the Loch" Linda & Lesley travelled to Nottingham to tackle the Outlaw Half. It was brilliant to track their progress and brought back so many memories from my own trip there last year. Another crazy maid, Mary, was cycling Coast to Coast. My ultra-running pal, Karen, took on a mega training day, running goodness knows how many miles along the West Highland Way. Friends were making tri debuts, and setting PB's at the Stirling Triathlon too. Topping the big mileage, Super Maxi, the guru of endurance advice, raced the mind-blowing iron-distance event - City to Summit. A race which goes from a swim in the Firth of Forth, a cycle to Glencoe and a marathon which takes in the UK's highest mountain - Ben Nevis.
There's a quote somewhere about surrounding yourself with positive people. I couldn't agree more. I know so many like-minded people. People who don't see obstacles as walls, but as challenges to find a way around.
Last year, when the Maids of the Loch came together to take on the challenge of swimming the length of Loch Lomond as a relay, we were quite an unlikely bunch of candidates. Not only to take on a long distance swim, but to try to set a record by achieving what had never been done before. We all had varying degrees of fitness; varying levels of swimming ability and for the most part, very little experience in what we were trying to achieve. What we shared though, was a commitment. There were a few wobbles along the way. Doubtless, more than a few nights of meltdown and self-doubt for each of us as individuals. But, whether it was a commitment to the team effort or a deeply ingrained competitive spirit that simply refused to quit, it didn't matter - we were all in it together.
That challenge took us all well out of our comfort zones at times. For me, it was the cold. Swimming the distance quickly became achievable. I was confident in my ability to complete my legs of the relay - in a wetsuit. But strip away that thermal layer and I was vulnerable. Getting in and out of that loch proved a challenge week in, week out. Boy, I had many, many nights, worrying that I wasn't going to be able to hack it. I can be mentally tough, but when you're in that loch in nothing more than your swimming costume, and you're trying to swim for an hour, it's a challenge beyond mind over matter. For the most part, apart from a few particularly warm days, the whole time I was in the water, my body was screaming: "Get out, you're freezing!" When I did get out, the violent shivers as my body tried to recover, were horrendous. If anyone thinks a couple of hours swimming without a wetsuit is no big deal, I challenge them to get into that water and have a go!
But surrounded by the 'maids', we formed a wall of amazing team support for each other which got us all through our own parts of that challenge.
I'm proud to have been part of that team.
I'm also proud to look at what each of us has achieved since then. While three of us have gone in search of varying levels of Iron, the indomitable Granny of the group, Mary, is knocking out one challenge after another. Long distance cycling, being next on her bucket list. Morag, the water-baby of the group, has stepped well out of her comfort zone and tried a triathlon. As for Emma, she has a serious case of wild-swimming-itis. She goes were others fear to tread. Plunging into icy waters, sans wetsuit, all year round!
The thing is, when you've tested yourself. When you've stepped out of your comfort zone. There's no going back. You simply can't live a 'normal' life any more, whatever that is.
Mix with those who do and you will find yourself doing. In the wise old words of a great champ, Muhammed Ali:
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given, than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
With that thought in mind and with the knowledge that I've just celebrated my 48th birthday this weekend, it's just a number, it means nothing more than that. I'm ready to do battle with the brutal programme lying ahead of me for the next few weeks. I can do it because I'm surrounded by people not only willing me on, but willing to come and keep me company for a few miles on the blisteringly long runs and bikes I've got lined up.
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