Field trip and family trip to the American West (21 April -4 May)

As the DTI supports Imperial College geology research into Transgressive Reservoirs, three spots on a fieldtrip were offered and I was one of the lucky winners. Despite five long days in the field and total submersion in the arcane jargon of sedimentology, it was fantastic... as if days walking through remote river-eroded canyons looking at cliff faces could ever be bad? The other corporate sponsors of the research came from New Zealand (!), Germany, Houston, California and the UK - really interesting people, all expert sedimentologists, who were patient with answering questions. Despite snow one morning, a bit of sunburn (and windburn) was the worst hardship we faced, and we managed to fit in a bit of culture as well as rocks.

We had a tour through the Pueblo Bonito ruins in Chaco Canyon, the centre of native American Indian trade and worship from 850-1200AD. Archaeologists have only theories about the use of the many kivas (round rooms) and other tiny rooms in the 5 story palace. We then moved on to examine the cliffs near Mesa Verde and wondered at the agility of the people that lived in the cliff houses perched high on ledges (wave ravinement surfaces, actually) in the sandstone.

Jet lag made early morning runs easy, so I explored the back streets of Albuquerque and Gallup, New Mexico before leaving for the field. Farmington was a bit too industrial for a run, but the last hotel in Cortez CO backed on to the mountains and I surprised a herd of elk, who joined my run for a few incredible moments. With only a few weeks before the half-marathon, I'm glad I could keep to the training schedule while travelling.

Then I flew to Pueblo Colorado to see my step-mother, Jewell and meet up with my sister Linnie, who was just out of surgery for her shoulder. We ate fantastic Mexican food with Jewell's sister, brother and his wife. Jewell put me to work in her garden, reminding me how I was neglecting the one at home! Her house is lovely and its good to see her settled in with family nearby. Jewell is working too hard as the Admin Mgr for a Charity for the Homeless, but finds helping people, particularly children, makes her feel it is worth all the stress and long hours.

Then back to Denver to meet up with Billy, his parents and niece, Lindsay. Bill and Sally bought a house near Washington Park where we met to walk, roller-blade and walk the dog... simultaneously! Curt's friend, Wendy had just returned from Washington DC where she testified at a congressional hearing on the care of cancer patients. She's a very cool lady!

We also got to see Quang Ho's Studio and he and Nancy, his wife, took us out to a trendy restaurant with fantastic wine. Bill and Sally treated me to a decadent massage and facial for my birthday - shopping, spa, lunch, more shopping - what an indulgent day!

So finally, back home for the Spring Bank Holiday and I managed a 10 mi run along the Chess Valley.

The trip was great, but its nice to be home! Nick, Ali, Tanya and I are planning a weekend in Matlock for the White Peak Half Marathon, with Billy as photographer - 19 May 2007.

Off to the beautiful Lake District for Easter. An early start got us to the National Trust campground in Great Langdale by 1pm and we climbed up to Stickle Tarn, soaking in the sunshine and scenery. With a prediction of Easter crowds arriving on Good Friday we pressed deeper into the mountains to the Wastdale Head NT site.

Nelly and I set out to run around the lake and discovered that the "screes" labeled on the map were not just loose talus, but gradually increased to car-sized boulders, at which point we finally gave up and retraced our steps back to camp. 4.2 miles in 90 min - ARG! Not exactly an aerobic pace... but my heart was beating fast and Nelly was spooked trying to pick her way through the boulders. I worried about her breaking a leg!

Billy had made good use of the time, taking photos around the lake. The nearby pub offered a selection of local brews, so we enjoyed sitting beside the stream soaking up the sunshine.

The next day we climbed up to Black Sail Pass and had a picnic lunch in the soft dry grass, then began the long decent. Why is it always so much easier to climb then decend? Or does that just come with age? Over all only about 8 miles, but over 4000 feet relief.... not sure how to equate that to running miles in my log.

Finally Nelly and I got our chance to run and we followed the road along Wastwater and into the woods at the south end of the lake.
Then for a change of scene we headed to the coast the next day and walked on the beach at St Bees before scouting a field with just a few campers, where we stayed the night outside of Santon. Finally the last day the weather changed and we took an 8 mi walk through fog and rain from Eskdale up to the Hardnott Roman ruin and back, before the long drive home.

The South Downs and Brighton were the sort of places you'd like to visit... if it was just a little warmer. Under an ominous sky, we were turned back on a planned walk along the South Down Way near the Jack and Jill windmills by horizontal rain.
OK, we should have just turned around and put on rain gear, but we decided to go to the pub instead... as you do.

And a lovely pub it was - the Dog and Shepherd. Geoff, the publican said we could stay in the car park, next to the garden with a stream gurgling all night.

The 6 mi walk the next morning up onto the Downs was a bit of a trudge with limited visibility and a cold wind, so we headed into Brighton to explore. Out on Brighton pier, the Brits proved to be a sturdy lot. The cold wind did not deter families and packs of teenagers from having a fun day out. We arrived back in the Nat Park at the remote Devils Dyke car park at dusk.

The walkers cars left one by one, and we popped the top to settle in for the night. Then the strange visits began... cars would drive in, stay only for a minute and leave. We began to recognise some - a flash BMW and a big brown van. All men and they sat in their cars and did not greet each other. So we went to bed, and listened to the comings and goings until midnight when Billy climbed down to try to figure out what was going on. He was pretty spooked when he looked out the window and saw a huge man looking in.... and then another man at the other window! He described zombie like men all milling around the car... ARG! "Toni hand me my clothes!" So we got out of there in a hurry. Not sure what we were witness to, but it was not a cool place to camp wild. We were both pretty shaken and didn't get much sleep when we found a safe pub carpark. Sorry, no photos of the scene, but I'm not sure we would have gotten out alive had we taken their pictures!


I enjoyed telling Adam Tinkoff all about it as we ran together again (without Nigel, again!) around Hyde Park, where Adam seems quite at home.

I'm finally back to running again after the chest cold that wiped me out when I visited Mom in Seattle. My sister came too. Linnie had a shoulder injury from karate, so the two of us lounged around and had Mom take care of us. We loved every minute of it! I forgot the camera at home, so sadly no photos. It was great to see both of them.

Met up with Adam Tinkoff and a fellow Burning Twenty listener, Duncan, for another run around Hyde Park. What a character Adam is! He truly wanted Duncan to follow his dream and write... breaking free of perceived barriers. And he gave us a summary of Chi running. I'm not sure I really get it, but it proved a great distraction to the running and we carried on until after dark.

The next day Billy and I headed off for a long weekend in Exmoor on the north Devon coast. Beautiful area, if a bit blustery. It was hard to sleep at night with gale force winds buffeting the campervan. Finally the second night we moved at dawn down into the public carpark in Lynmouth, popped the top and crawled back into bed to sleep...just in time for noisy cranes to arrive to move sailboats!

How to I equate hiking miles to running? We took a beautiful walk along the coastal path and into the National Trust Watersmeet river basin one day and the next we started near Cloud Farm, the site that inspired J.D. Blackmoor to write Lorna Doone, which led to at least ten movies and miniseries, and the biscuits (I didn't remember the book, but I did remember the cookie!). We got lost up on the moors... everything looks the same!

Anyway, I've translated my walking miles on buckeyeoutdoors.com as 50% running miles? Surely one can't be expected to run after a 10 mile hike up and down the moors! The last day we started at at a great pub, Hunter's Inn, and walked the coastal path down to Woody Bay. We're going to have to come back when its warmer!

After a night in a monstrosity of trailer park in Brean (but blissfully quiet!), we walked on the beach and out to the National Trust point. We took Ali out for lunch on the way home in Bristol. She's broke, smashed up the Polo, but is happy. So back to work again and a resolution to run further and faster!

Travels with Emily (the GPS navigator's voice)

We've lived in the UK 15 years now and we've never seen Hadrian's wall or the Eden Project or even Blackpool! So that's all to change now when we start exploring on alternate weekends in the new campervan. Here she is on a frosty morning where we spent the night in a Forestry Commission carpark near Battle(as in ..of Hastings) after walking through the low hills where in 1066 the sound of clashing arms rang out as Norman and English soldiers met in battle to decide the fate of England. Billy's supposed ancestor, William the Conqueror, and his Norman invaders killed King Harold (as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry), and now we live near Chesham Bois.

The weekend before we found ourselves in 40mph horizontal freezing rain in the carpark of the Brecon Beacons National Park visitor centre in Wales (seen in the clump of trees in the back of the photo) trying to get the training miles in. My feet were totally soaked! And the campervan smelled like a wet dog all weekend. Fool hardy? Perhaps a mite bit...

The weather is not looking good for the planned walk in the Cotswolds this weekend... we've had over 6 inches of snow, which is the most that Billy and I can remember ever having! It was pretty chilly working in the studio while Billy wandered over to Roughwood Lane to see the farm. I'm lucky I had planned to work from home today, commuting into London would have been a nightmare! Nick and I went out to feed the horses some parsnips (well. we were out of carrots...I hope that parsnips are OK for horses?) and they were as excited as we were about playing in the snow.

Wow, I got to meet one of my heroes today - Adam Tinkoff of the Burning Twenty podcast!

It was initially a bit strange. I know so much about him, yet I'm just a lowly fan, but he was incredibly warm and engaging and soon we were chatting like old friends meeting up after a long absence!

On a beautiful cool sunny day, we ran for a hour stopping off to do the tourist thing at the Albert Memorial and Diana Fountain in Hyde Park... but I barely noticed the 5 miles.

Adam has boundless energy but approaches life/running/business with a very relaxed and human view, his optimistic outlook was infectious and I understand why people perk up when he's around or they listen to his podcast. A very genuine guy.

Happy New Year!

Well, its that time again. Resolutions....

1) Train for the White Peak Swift Half Marathon in Matlock on 19 May 2007.

Copying Steve Runner from Phedippidations podcast, I'm trying a modified Hanson training plan, which has over 500 miles to run over the next 20 weeks. Starting at 6 mi/week and peaking at 37 mi/week in week 17. It is an ambitious plan, with almost twice the weekly mileage of the WWH plan we used last Oct, so I'm going to allow myself to miss one session per week....but just one.

2) Make sure I use my leave time for adventures.

Billy is keen on purchasing a camper-van, so I need to stop using my leave to putter around the house and the pottery studio.

3) Eat sensibly to lose 10 pounds.

Hopefully, with all the running, I can skip rigorous dieting, but I still need to watch portion size, skip Hagen-Daz and avoid refined carbs and sugar. (Now 125 lbs and BMI 23. Target 115.)