Last weekend we went to Siem Reap for the Angkor Wat half marathon. Siem Reap is one of my favourite cities in the world. It is full of history. There are amazing monuments built hundreds of years ago that defy logic. Beautiful, happy people with beaming smiles greet you at every turn. It has bustling markets and great restaurants. It is a simple place, but feels alive and vibrant.
What made this weekend even more special were the people that we went with. A group of us traveled from Hong Kong to Siem Reap to run either the 10km or 21km race and conquer our own personal goals. Some were hoping to beat their times from last year, some doing their first race and some just there to enjoy the experience and soak up the atmosphere. It was inspirational to watch everyone set their goals months before and slowly work their way towards this moment. I have talked before about the power of setting goals, and this for me was a perfect example of why it works.
Registration opened in April this year, and we all signed up straight away. From that moment, the expectation was set that come December the fitness levels would high enough to accomplish the desired results. Not everyone started training straight away, but by August it was all go. Quite a few of this amazing group hadn’t done much running before, it was outside of their comfort zone, yet they downloaded training programs, pushed through the aches and pains and stayed on target.
We spent the day before the race resting, getting massaged, eating well, and trying to keep the nerves under control. Race day dawned clear and bright and at 6.30am we lined up outside of the magnificent Angkor Wat temple. The course is relatively flat, and a canopy of trees ensures you are shaded most of the way. Children of all ages line the streets with their parents, holding out their hands for a high five and shouting encouragement. We ran alongside a group of elephants for about 500m, just before we ran under the ancient South gate that marks the entrance to Angkor Tom temple. It is a beautiful course and there are enough glimpses of the temples to tantalise and encourage you to come back and explore. A few hours later we had all finished and a sense of relief and excitement filled the air. Everyone was really happy with their results and it was time to celebrate. What was so uplifting for me, was to see the pride, happiness and sense of achievement that the entire group was feeling. Im sure along the way there was moments when they questioned their sanity at the challenge they had set for themselves, yet not one of them gave up. They are my heroes.
Setting a goal for yourself is a powerful way to encourage you to succeed. The sense of achievement when you reach that goal creates self-confidence and belief in yourself. The journey along the way teaches you dedication, perseverance, and that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.
Have a think about what you would like to achieve, set your goal and go for it.