Claire Londos’ Post

I don't tend to post about my personal achievements and ambitions, but I do think it reflects who we are. I like to run, have for about five years since I hung up my cricketing boots, and it breaks me so often that I can't help but love the game of it. A really challenging HM race yesterday, and for anyone who doesn't live in SE Asia, races start at 3am, humid and zero support. I put the work in, much like any job, but rewards are not always given- also, much like any job. It got hard, also much like any job. But I persisted, grinded and beat my PB by 15 seconds, but missing my goal by 30. The time is utterly meaningless to others, but to me it is forward progress, if not the goal I wanted. To me it is proof that hard work gets results. Like any job, there will be a time when we soar, and a time to flounder, regroup, go again, but progress will happen, even if not visible. I tell you one thing, whether it is running or work, being knocked down 100 times, means I will get up 101, because no matter the results, only we can define and refine our character.

🧠 Mindset Monday: What ALL runners can learn from Walmsley's UTMB journey I think it can be hard to find elite runners relatable, but I believe that ALL runners can learn from Jim Walmsley's journey to finally winning UTMB this year. Jim is arguable one of the best ultra runners in the world and yet he DNFed UTMB in 2018 and 2021, placed 5th in 2017, and placed 4th in 2022. He just couldn’t seem to nail that race and reach his goal of winning. Even after 4 attempts of not reaching his goal, he kept at it. It takes a lot of resilience, determination, and openness to potential failure to continue attempting hard goals. Accomplishing hard running goals does not happen overnight. It is important to keep the long game in mind and recognize that we grow as runners year after year, not just within a short training block. It’s easy to give up, but it takes a lot of strength to fail, get back up, and keep trying.

What is your why? I'm Ronnie Wells, Member Support Manager here at LAPS. As a former athlete with over 12 years’ experience in elite sport (first Bristol City Football Club Academy, then England Athletics, and finally with British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association), I woke up every single day with a clear purpose – to constantly drive to be ‘better’. To run faster, to lift heavier, to compete fiercely for the sole purpose of achieving success. Reflecting on my sporting career, two vivid memories remain in my mind – enjoying the 30 degree heat in sunny Tenerife and the bone-chilling -22 degrees in snowy Latvia. Yet, amidst these diverse conditions, my ‘why’ remained unwavering… to be the best version of me. It’s a personal journey, and your best version may look vastly different from mine. However, the beauty lies in having a purpose that drives you forward. My journey was far from flawless, I encountered setback after setback. Yet, armed with the resilience to persevere, I drew strength from my ‘why’ and battled on. It was in these moments of adversity that I grew. As I transitioned out of sport into a new career, which promises to be longer than my time sliding headfirst, I carry with me the invaluable skills and experiences I acquired along the way that can’t be taught anywhere else. The commitment to being “better today than I was yesterday, and to be better tomorrow than I am today” is not confined to the world of sport’. Businesses that can connect their employees with their purpose will also outperform their rivals. #lifeafterprofessionalsport #lifeaftersport #careerinspo #purpose #socialgood #athletes #sportingvalues

Over the past few years rowing has been part and parcle of our home. Stroke, bow and engine room are a few terms we have learnt during our family chats. Watching the Royalists and Thomians going all out at the 52nd annual regetta on the 21st Oct 2023, taught me a few corporate lessons. 1. Rowing requires teams to work seamlessly together. For a rowing team to be successful and make winning strides, they have to work together. No questions asked. Often, employers and leaders allow indifferences and conflict among teams to fester, causing teams to be broken and out of sync. In rowing, conflict is not acceptable. 2. The hard work on land gets reflected on the water.  Often the hard work and conditioning on land and in the gym gets reflected with some amazing results on the water. Prepare...Prepare..Prepare is the the solution for superior performance in the corporate world as well. 3. Rowers always pull more than their own weight. Often in the workplace, if a team member has to do more than their fair share, they are quick to complain or throw in the towel. But in rowing, teams know they will be carrying more than just their own weight. They feel and embrace the weight of the entire team. "The oars gave me power, but also taught me humility"

It's the time of year when we're planning for the next 11 months. Note that you don't have to say yes to everything that excites, but you do have to respond. Learn more, ask around, decide if it's a thing for you. And if something resonates, go for it. And if not, let it go, knowing that whatever it was that excited you about that, will come back to you. #teamgobig #gobigcoaching #triathletecoach #bopo #haes #youareenough #yesallbodies #athenastrong #allbodiesaregoodbodies #endurance #clydesdale #swimbikerun #startwhereyouare #bodypositivity #triathlon

Proud father moment: My daughter Gracie won two silver medals at her National Qualifier swim gala yesterday. Not only that, but in all but one of her events (the last one of the day😴) she PB’d. This has been down to her consistent and sustained EFFORT over weeks and months training Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night, every week, even when she hasn’t felt like going. Each session she has done I’ve praised her effort, discipline and commitment, and not once have I PUSHED her to do anything she didn’t want to do, she has ultimately pushed herself. That is what has led her to these priceless moments. Just like many things in life: 1. Focusing on the journey, consistently praising ourselves or others for the effort and growth… 2. Will lead to greater motivation and drive to push ourselves… 3. Which in turn, leads to results and wins we can enjoy and celebrate! Keep turning up. Keep putting in the effort. Keep praising…and the results will follow. #goals #hardwork #proudparent #dedication #commitment #investing #finance

Performance plateaus are a common occurrence in everyone's life and career, but they can be conquered with the right mindset and strategies. Learn how Patrick Farran broke through his own plateaus and successfully completed a half Ironman! Ad Lucem Group https://hubs.li/Q02jyRd30

Embrace the wisdom in shifting perspectives! Let's journey beyond challenges and explore the possibilities that lie ahead. #PerspectiveShift #OvercomingObstacles #Inspiration #foodfactfridays #teamgobig #gobigcoaching #triathletecoach #bopo #haes #youareenough #yesallbodies #athenastrong #allbodiesaregoodbodies #endurance #clydesdale #swimbikerun #startwhereyouare #bodypositivity #triathlon

For my son, Yesterday was your last race of your high school career. I know this, because you reminded me countless times, in an effort to see, in your words, “if you could make mom cry.” Which I didn’t. Those moments, you cannot plan. They are the ones that hit you at times you least expect them to. Instead, I watched with bated breath. Breath that I saved to scream your name and Ben’s name, as you both raced 4 strategic laps of your final 1600 high school race, at the New England Championship. “Ding…ding…ding…” The bell lap rings. “LET’S GO WALSH! LET’S GO BEN! LET’S GO COLLIN! LET’S GO BEN! GO…GO…KICK…KICK!!!” Your family screamed as you rounded the final 200 meters with the lead, looking strong, fighting for the win. With the final straightaway left, two runners remained on your tail, then at your side, challenging you to continue to fight with everything you had left inside of you to cross the finish line, or rather, dive into for… 2nd place. I know how much you wanted the title: “New England Champion of the 1600.” And, after all of the years I have watched you run, I also know by now, the only thing I can do in the aftermath of those moments, is to be your mom. No inspirational words, no life lessons, nothing left to say, only hugs to give. Only time and grace to lend, to give you the space you need to process it all. I have learned this is not something I can do for you; this is something you have to do for yourself. It is these tough lessons from all of those 2nd place finishes, that will take you far in life. The 2nd place finishes, especially the ones that are just a matter of seconds apart, (or less than in this race) that tend to sting more than the abrasions left across your body from the track that you dove across. But when the pain subsides, both the physical and mental, something else becomes everlasting. Everlasting will be your mindset. Your ability to cope with pain, conquer self-doubt and summon the inner-strength and resilience needed to overcome setbacks in life. These are things that cannot be measured by a stopwatch or fleeting title. So, when you jokingly reminisced about all of your 2nd place finishes on our car ride home from the New England Championship Race, I knew then you are truly winning in life, by making all of those 2nd place finishes really count. And, by the way, in case you didn’t know by now… You are ALWAYS #1 in my heart. 💚 . . . #track #highschooltrackandfield #trackandfield #trackmom #runnermom #lifelessons #resilience #mindsetiseverything #winningmindset #godisgood #diligence #workforit #personaldevelopment #winning