Can I share someting with you...

Can I share something with you?... Sometimes I hear Voices in my head!

Now before you all think I'm strange, and start closing you browser... they are the same little voices that are saying to you right now "I knew he was nuts, now he's hearing voices"
Not often, but sometimes as I did yesterday, I have a real battle going on in my head between the two voices. One wants to get out and put in the training miles, and the other one comes up with all the reasons not to.
As I drove home yesterday I had made the decision to do an 8 mile road route, which would take about 1 hour 15 if my toe held out, but as soon as I left the house it started raining and the wind picked up, and then the battle started.

"I told you this was a bad idea... not only are you tired because you had a restless nights sleep, your toe hasn't healed enough for this pace yet, and now your gonna get soaked to the skin and be freezing all the way round, you should have listened to me, you've got plenty of time to put the training miles in before April... you should have just chilled out with a beer and cosied up on the couch. I mean look, there's not another soul out running, never mind dog walking they're all too sensible, and everyone passing in their cars think your mental, Its tipping it down and the wind will be driving it hard at the top of the hill, lets just call it a day"

"I'm not giving in to a lazy attitude, I'll be buzzing after the first mile, and now I'm taking action I'm not tired, my toe feels good, and anyway I've got water proof skin and I'll have a nice warm shower when I get back after having put another 8 miles into the training week... then I'll have some grub, cosy up on the couch and have the beer anyway, so I'm doing it and that's the end of it!

Well, I finished the run on time, but as I was having the mental battle as I ran, It occurred to me that everyone must have the same dialogue running through their thought process. How many new years resolutions have slipped already?... How many allow the negative voice to win... worse still, how many allow the negative comments or views of others to affect their decisions?

What makes the difference between achieving the goal you set yourself or not?... is it making the decision to take action?... is it determination to follow through? is it will power? is it the fear of getting outside you comfort zone?... for me It is the fear of pain.
I know if I don't put in the mileage, if I don't keep my commitment to train, I'm going to be in a lot more pain during and after the events that are my goals.
It's that simple, short term pain for long term gain. That and the fact that hopefully one day the negative voice will just give up trying, because all the time it was arguing I was running anyway...job done!