Pip and Rebecca get me back on track

By Virginia Winder
Met an amazing woman in Centre City yesterday.
I was waiting to have lunch with daughter Clementine, a couple of Tank salads before me, when I got chatting to a woman beside me.
Right this minute, Pip from Waitara is biking around Mt Taranaki - 150km.
She's been doing 40km training sessions four times a week and a longer one at the weekends, but today she is out there, head down, biking in a fierce and changeable southwesterly wind.  
At times there have been showers, but not many on the northern side of the mountain.
I thought of this 40-something woman at first light because this, she said, is the biggest thing she's ever attempted.
She was determined yesterday and I know she will be today.
People like her make me feel incredibly humble and inspired.
In the short time I chatted with her, I recognised an indomitable spirit; gutsy, vivacious and just a little bit naughty. Yeah, a kindred spirit.  
As I'm writing this in the comfort of my warm home, I am mentally pushing her along, gritting my teeth for her and sending her strength, telepathically. I have no doubt she'll make it, but on a wild day like this it won't be easy.
"Go Pip!"
There's another woman I want to tell you about.
Her name is Rebecca and she has also succeeded in returning to place of health and fitness.
But she admits that it takes ongoing discipline and hard work.
Her three key words to success are: Structure, discipline and endurance.  
Rebecca’s yoga teacher says it is easy to improve but difficult to maintain exercise.
“I’ve noticed this because currently I no longer have a goal and have become lazy again. Previously, I was learning how to run and then running a half marathon.”
Now, she is focused on another project that is not exercise based and says her life is out of balance. “I have a natural inclination to focus on one project at a time. Some may call it having an addictive nature.”
Aware of this, she is now back those three key words:

• I STRUCTURE my days so I can have it all. Delete the frills and focus on the big picture.
• DISCIPLINE. My alarm is set for 6am. If I don’t exercise in the morning it never gets done. Also I feel better during the day, especially if I’ve gone for my walk, run, swim or cycle meditation.  Some like to sit – I like to physically flow while I’m meditating. Discipline leads to routine, which leads to habit.
• ENDURE. I just have to keep going and ignore my body saying no and the mind saying I should sleep in and all the interruptions that can easily lead me astray.

Thanks Rebecca, I needed all this myself because I have got myself out of sorts because I am missing ROUTINE, which you have called STRUCTURE.
With everybody on holiday, the strange weather and odd, intermittent working hours I’m keeping, my training has been up and down too. I think I’ll go for a bike ride and then a raging storm will happen. I plan a walk-run and a thunderstorm rumbles in and as for swimming, well my physio has strapped up my shoulder and strictly banned me from the pool for now.
With that my food intake has gone to pieces a wee bit too.
Just a wee bit though and it’s not showing on the scales – no increases at least and down 1kg, so that’s not so bad.
So thanks Rebecca, I will be adding all these things in to my programme, putting up big words by my desk and starting over today, with Pip from Waitara fresh in my mind.
Go Pip!

Today, I:

Refocused myself completely!

Went for a 40-minute walk-run

Went for a 40-minute bike ride

Drank 3 coffees

Drank heaps of water

Worked for 5 hours

Ate three incredibly healthy meals!