Despite the recession being officially over, things keep getting a little sadder for those of us who have worked on Fleet St – the Mirror Group announced it was shedding 200 staff as it consolidates traditional printed media with its digital operations.
One friend of mine, Roger Love, who left papers a couple of years ago, has re-trained as a personal trainer and I’m glad to say he’s going great guns. You can see his website here. A really nice bloke and, having done a session with him, a bloody good trainer to boot.
Roger has actually been a shining example to me in life post a newspaper staff job, he had his redundancy all planned out as it happened and I’m glad to see it bear fruit.
One thing it has done is spur me to also take a PT course. It doesn’t mean I’m giving up journalism, rather hoping to combine the two and adding another string to my bow. I spend much of my time advising friends on running and fitness now anyway, so I may as well start getting paid for it. I’m also hoping that it will open up new avenues of writing for the health and fitness industries too.
It’s a part-time course I can do at my own pace too, but as I learn some of the concepts, I’ll share them with you on here.
One of the first things I’ve been asked to look at on the course it the concept of total fitness – that being fit is not just the physical but also a person’s mental state and well being. It’s got me thinking who is actually the fittest: someone who stays in shape but has a miserable demeanour or someone who is less fit but happy. I guess things lie somewhere between – but it has been proven that exercise can help release happy endorphins that will brighton your mood.
When it comes to me, I guess, in the right now, things couldn’t be going better. I’m getting enough work shifting at various newspapers, writing articles, corporate writing, media training – heck I’m even on the Travel Channel’s Holiday Show this weekend and next week, my first forays into TV.
I’ve also got a lovely wife, home, the two kittens, twins on the way and am embarking on a new challenge later in life… totally fit. It certainly feels like it.
Click to link to Garmin Connect for a route map and full details of the day’s run
Miles today: 3
Target: 792
Miles to date: 1,037.32
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