The Walker With Heart

8000 people are running with the Olympic torches, a smaller number are running with the Paralympic torch... In between the previous Olympians and annoying celebs there are people who do take the Olympic spirit, those who push themselves beyond the realms of the possible and into the realms of the incredible. I know some of them, on both relays - they're the people who do so much behind the scenes to make the world a better place, do things that no one asks them to, or pays them for.  They try, and strive to go beyond. They live the Olympic Creed - "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." They fight well, and are faster to help others, reach higher to hold others hand and provide the strength that sometimes other lack. They look to others like a spirit in motion, that consta

Ok, this is a plea, a begging letter from me... I'm not exactly known for begging, but I am now. I need you to share the picture below... And not just to those of us in the Congenital Heart Defect world - this is a message for all new parents.  It is not there to scare them, its there to give them power to stand up to those who'd call them neurotic, that they're imagining things and all the other tales of horror I heard from parents around the country at the Children's Heart Federation Heart Forum and especially at the reception we had at the Palace of Westminster. All babies should (in the UK at least) go through a number of types of screening that should pick up heart conditions:- Pre-birth - ultrasound At birth - the physical examination At 6-8 weeks - another physical exam. The last two form part of the Newborn & Infants Physical Examination - http://newbornphysical.screening.nhs.uk/public - it specifically mentions the heart, and checking it.

Asked the fairly cute archaeologist/historian (she was young enough to be my daughter, so none of what you were thinking)... Well I said... I run - that's not fun! I do my OU course - that's not fun! I do my charity stuff - that's not fun! I then engaged her in a discussion on the nature of leisure... The ancient philosophers viewed leisure as the pursuit of excellence, or self-improvement and especially divine insights.  Being a hard-core atheist the last bit doesn't count, but the principle stays the same. My fun comes from doing things I enjoy - and although I groan and moan about pulling the trainers on (the running starts again next week) gives me a sense of pleasure that's hard to describe and the benefits and afterglow of a good run last me through a couple of days of work. I may moan and groan about the essays and submissions deadlines (and marks) on the OU course,  but the challenge is good for me.  The topics are things that intrigue and make m

Rather hard... No marathon is ever going to be easy You train on the terrain you can, in the weather you get.  You don't flinch the cold days, you don't duck the hot days and you learn to relish the wet days.  You seek out hills to test your legs, you look to match the surface you're running on... But very little can prepare you for a sodden, cold day in May.  And the hills, oh the hills... The green line is the elevation... Yes it felt worse than it looked, it was so wet that coming down I couldn't do my normal hell for leather and let gravity assist me as if I had I'd probably have gone proverbial over wotnot! For those interested in reliving the full glory...  All this sounds a little down, and its not meant to... It was a long, cold very wet run, and the prize I was after of a PB was acheived.  I fear I may have a touch of post-marathon blues, its a big target, I trained for it and I did it, and now I know I've got to do it again, with k

This is just about it... 700 miles of training, 2 pairs of trainers worn out, countless hours in the gym, at the climbing wall and on the streets pounding away. Test runs are run, kit is checked, carbs are loaded, motivation is loaded so must be about time to go out and do it. And that's where the Nottingham Ultra already has done its job, the other marathon's I've done I've been focused on them to the exclusion of most over things.  This time is different, its a job to be done - a hard, best part of 6h solid job, but a job. So my plan for the weekend... Tomorrow - long lay-in, late breakfast, travel to airport, late lunch - fly to Belfast, crash at Youth Hostel - use the kitchen to get some light carbs. Sunday - off to the Expo, pick up race number 216, and then get my supplies for the run - fortunately I can use most of the brands out there, so a tour of the shops will be fun. More light pasta meals, generally try and get loose and stay loose Monday -