My 9-year-old wrote a beautiful poem, a song, about finding himself by looking at the ocean. It's perfect and resonates deeply.

What surprised me wasn't that he did it, but the sudden realization that I stopped writing songs and poems a while ago—for some unknown reason. The same reason I stopped singing, dancing, and expressing joy in simple, natural ways.

And I suspect I'm not alone.

Yet, at festivals or concerts, you witness people stepping out of their routines, singing, dancing, moving freely. It's liberating—a momentary escape from life's treadmill, responsibilities, and everything else, just being in the flow.

Reflecting on this, I now recognize the melancholy I saw in my parents' eyes at times when I was growing up. Similar sudden realizations must have hit them too.

I won't give up easily without a hard fight. Instead, I'll get uncomfortable and follow the inspiring examples of my younger son and my past self to keep that light and fire burning.

​Over the years, I've had the privilege of standing alongside remarkable individuals who've achieved incredible feats of endurance as a running coach – from 10km races to marathons or even consecutive marathons, and from 100km and 100-mile ultras to crossing the vast expanse of Australia.

In moments of struggle, doubt, setbacks, occasional "failures," all the way to inevitable triumphs, I stand tall and proud, cherishing the audacity and hard work these individuals bring to the table. They are my tribe. This collaboration and the relationships forged make me feel a part  (albeit small) of their journey and important.

Will stands out among these extraordinary individuals, having dedicated himself to running across Australia last year. He pursued this challenge in his unique way, driven by personal reasons and a quest for growth. I'm hopeful that his story of Unbreakable Will can serve as an inspiration and a reminder that sometimes the obstacle is the way. 

​As I officially embark on pursuing my 2024 goals and commitments, I am excited.
I recognize that to sustain this initial drive and intention beyond the first couple of months, I must cultivate new habits and align my environment and daily routine with my desired outcomes.
This entails restructuring my daily plans and schedule, and, crucially, learning to say NO — both to myself and the tempting call of FOMO. Saying no comes hard for me. But I understand is the foundational step towards achieving anything.
In 2024, my focus shifts to longer-term goals, extending beyond athletic endeavours. Certain aspects of my life that have lingered in the background are ready to take centre stage.
Athletic pursuits are and have been a convenient escape. I can work hard for them because ultimately I do enjoy the process.
In 2024, I am drawn to do "hard things" beyond just the realm of running and body work.
It's time to spice things up.

"Progression not perfection” - This is the running quote and everyday mantra of a dear friend of mine, and I couldn’t agree more.
This is the recipe for kicking goals, seizing the moment and moving forward.

The most successful individuals and companies have realised that "Perfection is the enemy of action”, so they choose constant progression instead.
It doesn’t translate to being sloppy in what they do or lacking effort or attention.
It means not hiding behind excuses and self-imposed “high regards" because ultimately:
- we are never going to be perfect, we are human after all
- we can always adjust things as we go and discover better ways of doing things
- while those whose opinion we respect, won’t judge us for not being perfect
- we will certainly regret not having tried because we were waiting for the perfect opportunity or for the fear of not being perfect

In running this means taking the chance, turning up, doing the hard work in training, at home, with dignity, compassion and grit.
The most successful runners I know, run almost every day, can race every other weekend. Sometimes they win and sometimes things blow up on their face.They are totally comfortable with failing, they don’t race only if things are perfect, if the sky is blue and the temperature is a perfect 15 degrees.

I have a long way to go to fully embrace this attitude.
I am obsessed by the details, in my training, in my races, in my work and in my life. And I can always find reasons why things are not good enough.
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I am sure I am not the only one.
But I am slowly getting more comfortable in letting go of a utopian perfection and instead, focusing on progression.I must admit it feels good… almost like compound interest. You find yourself ahead without knowing why.

This blog is an example. Sometimes I manage to say something of value, other times not so much.
But I keep moving forward and that’s all that counts.