Home
>
Success
>
Success Lessons From Marathons - Start Slow And Get Slower But Make Sure You Finish

Success Lessons From Marathons - Start Slow And Get Slower But Make Sure You Finish

A good laugh can help in a difficult or tough situation like running a marathon.

Bob Hope describes the power of laughter well:

"I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful."

I was interested to hear a stand up comedian describe his experience in the London Marathon. How did he manage to see the funny side? Can his experience teach us anything useful?

In 2004, Jasper Carrott spoke to an audience in Birmingham. At one point he described his experience in the London marathon. This is roughly what he said:

"A few years ago, I ran the London marathon. It seemed a good idea after about 6 pints of Guinness. And then I woke up and realised what I had committed myself to.

And its 26 miles?26 miles!! And I thought the only way I could contemplate running 26 miles would be to involve a nude chase with Pamela Anderson.

The best piece of advice I had was to 'start slow and get slower.'

Everybody warned you about the wall. I wasn't worried about hitting the wall. I was worried about hitting the road!

They put the elite at the front, then the club runners, then the tossers and at the back all the people dressed up as ostriches etc

I'm wearing a body bag to save time at the other end. It took me 7 and a half minutes to get to the starting line.

All sorts of people took part - London cabbies - I didn't know they could run and all these old people of 85 and 90.

One bloke ran the whole marathon playing a trombone and after playing the same tune over and over again he hit the wall a lot sooner than he thought.

At 19 and a half miles I hit the wall and became a daddy long legs.

At 22 and a half miles all the old geezers and old women overtook me. This woman said "Are you alright young man?!"

Anyway I finished it. I finished in 4 hrs 37 minutes."

Another comic, Jo Brand, is running in the 2005 London Marathon. Her target is anything less than eleven and a half days.

Jasper completed the run but had a good laugh either at the same time or later as he reflected on the experience.

Seeing the funny side of the marathon helped not only him but all who have listened to his description of the run since.

Can we learn anything from his experience of the Marathon? Definitely!

Jasper was ready to laugh at himself and his own inadequacies. This attitude can help anyone relax and do better when they are faced with a huge challenge.

He was not embarrassed by taking a long time completing the marathon. He was prepared to do something he was not good at. Many people will not do anything that they cannot come first in.

The elite runners seem to be sprinting in a marathon. The others seem to be jogging and the great majority are just staggering along. The less talented runners could easily get jealous and embarrassed and give up. However, they usually accept their limitations and keep going.

This can happen in any walk of life. Some people streak ahead in business and start making money almost immediately; others take years. The slow ones just need to keep on putting one foot in front of another and not get too depressed by the smart alecs who seem to know everything after a few days.

Above all, Jasper finished the marathon. As Marlon Sanders, the great internet guru from Texas says: "If a thing ain't done, it ain't done!" You can't sell an unfinished product. An incomplete website is no use to anyone.

Even if we start slow and get slower and even if we hit the wall and are overtaken by others, and even if we take eleven days, we are still champions if we can manage to finish a difficult and challenging task.

Remember the tortoise and the hare.

John Watson is an award winning teacher and martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams. They can both be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a daily motivational message.

The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now!" The book can be found at this URL http://www.motivationtoday.com

You are welcome to publish the article above in your ezine so long as you do not alter it and keep the resource box as it is.

house refresh service Lincolnshire ..

In The News:

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.