Derval O'Rourke: How to stay focused on your goals

Watching championship racing is a reminder about digging deep when things are not going your way, says Derval O'Rourke.

This summer has been a big summer for athletics. In normal years there is one championship per summer but the knock-on effect of postponed events due to Covid has meant there has been three major championships. In the past five weeks there has been a World Championship, a Commonwealth Games and a European Championship.

This year is the first time I’ve coached an athlete at a high-performance level, this means I’ve been watching athletics with a different hat on, the coaching hat. My main learning is that there is so much we can all do that elite athletes do at the highest level whilst competing. This week I’m sharing some key lessons from the competitive racing season that may help you with your own wellbeing goals.

Dig Deep

Watching championship racing is a reminder about digging deep when things are not going your way. It’s tempting to give up on your goal when it’s really difficult but that might just be the time to dig a little deeper to get to where you need to go. Scottish athlete Eilish McColgan had an epic win in the women’s 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games, with one lap to go she was grimacing and it looked like victory was gone but with each stride she dug deep. Eilish won the 10,000m title, fittingly 36 years after her mother had won the same title.

You don’t know people’s story

A story that emerged during the championship season was that of British athlete Lina Nielsen. Nielsen revealed that she has multiple sclerosis and has kept the diagnosis a secret throughout her career. Nielsen, now 26, is a world-class 400 metre hurdler. She explained that she didn’t want to become known as the athlete with MS but has decided that her story might inspire others and is worth sharing for that reason. Knowing her achievements and now knowing the context makes her all the more impressive. You often don’t know other people’s stories and people don’t know yours. Be kind with your expectations of yourself and others.

Communication is key

This year I started to coach an athlete called Joan Healy. Joan is a 100 metre runner. We ran together towards the end of my career, and I’ve always admired her tenacity. The main lesson I learned from this and what became even more important through the racing season was that communication is key. No matter what you are doing, whether it is trying to be a world class 100 metre sprinter or be the best version of yourself at work or at home, communicating with those around you is so important.

Where you are might not be where you want to be

There were so many athletes that finished at championships way off the pace and nowhere near where their ambition lies for their career but that doesn’t mean this will always be the case. The lesson here is that progress over perfection is important so if you have started a fitness journey and are not where you want to be, don’t get disheartened. You are progressing and getting to where you want to go often means working through where you are.

Match your goals with your support structure

A goal without people to help you achieve it makes it far more difficult. Every successful athlete thanks their team and support structure. This type of support isn’t just for the elite. Find your person who is aligned with your health goal and ask them to help you. They might help by meeting you to exercise, doing a weekly chat about your progress and challenges or by helping you identify a goal.

Wellness Tip: Keep a diary — this is such a great way to see value in everything you do every week. It can be a lovely record of years gone by to read over and it can also be a beautiful memory of funny moments captured. Try keeping a journal for the next few weeks.

Exercise Tip: Burpees — yes the dreaded burpees! But if you want to get a sweat going quickly, and get a quick workout in, these are a must! Standing position, go down into a crouching position, placing your weight on your hands, kick your feet back out so you are in a push-up position. Bring your legs back in and jump back up. Repeat for a rep of 10 and do it three times. Please modify this if you struggle with your joints.

Tuna pasta

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

An easy, healthy recipe ready in 10 minutes.

Servings

1

Preparation Time

 2 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 12 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 80g wholegrain pasta

• 112g tin of tuna in olive oil, drained

• 2 tbsp pesto (good-quality shop-bought works well)

• a small handful of chopped scallions

• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan

•  

Method

1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

2. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the tuna, pesto and scallions and heat through. (If you don’t like tuna, you can use chicken or turkey).

3. Scrape the pasta into a warmed serving bowl.

4. Sprinkle over the Parmesan and serve without delay.