Inspiration AKA I'm a lucky sod :-)
I'm a lucky sod...
In the space of four days I've been with some of the most inspirational people I know from the two parts of my life that people have the most problem reconciling...
Starting up the BT Tower, I was part of a stunningly brilliant group of people. A select group of disabled network leaders and organisations that get disability in the work place were at the launch of a very important book - for the first time someone has done some research into why people do, or more likely don't, tell their employer they have a long-term health condition or disability.
That someone is Kate Nash, one of the few delightfully mad people I would cheerfully walk on fire for, she has a quiet determination born of fighting the good fight and knowing that sometimes that annoying as it is the quiet, long game wins... Leadership comes in many forms, hers is one I wish I could emulate more as I charge at the next windmill...
So, if you have a minute have a look - this is important stuff for all people who interact with other humans. http://katenashassociates.com/disabled-employee-networks/news/blog/celebrating-launch-secrets-and-big-news-enabling-people-be-them
And the BT Tower gave us a cracking view over London for the launch... Including a view over to Parliament Hill where the second session of inspiration...
I got through to the selection day for the Berghaus / LED Lenser / Torq Trail Team - with the dream of heading off to Chamonix to run on the trails there... There's not a trail runner on the planet who hasn't dreamed of the UTMB. And this would be as close I would get.
The environmental centre was resplendent in sponsors colours, and soon resplendent with a collection of runners that anyone would be pleased to be in. I know due to the dickey ticker I'm never going to be a front of the pack, good for age, runner. One of the reasons I love fell running is that it doesn't matter, every trail running loon I've ever met just loves that someone else gets it. Now imagine a room of 30 of us who just get it... People I've run with in Rivington, people who I queued with at the Fellsman kit check, people I've read about with awe...
Non-pushy talks from the sponsors - I use a fair amount of Berghaus gear (it works, it fits and its not bonkers prices), I've LED Lenser torch that is often my back-up but Torq were new to me and may be found - Apple Crumble flavoured gels were excellent... but the Rhubarb & Custard were magnificent. I confess to stuffing a pocket with freebies... not as many as some, but enough to get me through a couple of runs:-) I also liked the approach, the science made sense biologically (a diabetic with a biology degree and a couple of friends with biochemistry PhDs has a good idea of these things)...
The three other speakers were inspirational in different ways - like most fell runners I love the wild places, the sense of wonder when you jog around a corner and see a deer, a mountain hare or a large bird of prey. So when two of the speakers have that love, combined with a love of running and take it the entirely logical conclusion of running the length of South America I'm in heaven...
http://www.5000mileproject.org/
Ultra Stu is someone who I've read about - he's won the Lakeland 100 and he's a thinking persons runner... He draws on some of the best running writers out there, and uses them by adding his own impressive pedigree and common sense approach... He may be an elite, but he writes and talks for and to all runners souls...
http://ultrastu.blogspot.co.uk/
I skipped the run, I wasn't sure of my thigh and I wasn't going to keep up with the "conversational" pace that was being set... So I strolled up to the top of Parliament hill and in one of those "circle of life" things looked back at the BT Tower and reflected on just what a lucky sod I am...
Do I want to get chosen - yes. But I also want all of us to get chosen... I spoke to as many as I could, and we are all as mad, loony, wild eyes lovers of the hills and running in them - and to a person we're nice people.
A long, long, coach trip back (National Express has improved greatly, but its still 5h... then again the trains were utterly screwed!) and a gentle day buying new road shoes (ouch!) a rucksack (no I don't need it... but it's preeeeety) and a trip to the gym to test the shoes over a longer distance, and to test the thigh out - couple of km at varying intensity and gradients, a hard & fast 5 min on the cross trainer and a couple of hundred feet on the evil stepper and all seems good. So five miles tomorrow... for the Rock and Roll Marathon isn't far away.
So as I reflect on being a lucky sod, thank you all for making it possible.
TTFN
Paul
In the space of four days I've been with some of the most inspirational people I know from the two parts of my life that people have the most problem reconciling...
Starting up the BT Tower, I was part of a stunningly brilliant group of people. A select group of disabled network leaders and organisations that get disability in the work place were at the launch of a very important book - for the first time someone has done some research into why people do, or more likely don't, tell their employer they have a long-term health condition or disability.
That someone is Kate Nash, one of the few delightfully mad people I would cheerfully walk on fire for, she has a quiet determination born of fighting the good fight and knowing that sometimes that annoying as it is the quiet, long game wins... Leadership comes in many forms, hers is one I wish I could emulate more as I charge at the next windmill...
So, if you have a minute have a look - this is important stuff for all people who interact with other humans. http://katenashassociates.com/disabled-employee-networks/news/blog/celebrating-launch-secrets-and-big-news-enabling-people-be-them
I got through to the selection day for the Berghaus / LED Lenser / Torq Trail Team - with the dream of heading off to Chamonix to run on the trails there... There's not a trail runner on the planet who hasn't dreamed of the UTMB. And this would be as close I would get.
The environmental centre was resplendent in sponsors colours, and soon resplendent with a collection of runners that anyone would be pleased to be in. I know due to the dickey ticker I'm never going to be a front of the pack, good for age, runner. One of the reasons I love fell running is that it doesn't matter, every trail running loon I've ever met just loves that someone else gets it. Now imagine a room of 30 of us who just get it... People I've run with in Rivington, people who I queued with at the Fellsman kit check, people I've read about with awe...
Non-pushy talks from the sponsors - I use a fair amount of Berghaus gear (it works, it fits and its not bonkers prices), I've LED Lenser torch that is often my back-up but Torq were new to me and may be found - Apple Crumble flavoured gels were excellent... but the Rhubarb & Custard were magnificent. I confess to stuffing a pocket with freebies... not as many as some, but enough to get me through a couple of runs:-) I also liked the approach, the science made sense biologically (a diabetic with a biology degree and a couple of friends with biochemistry PhDs has a good idea of these things)...
The three other speakers were inspirational in different ways - like most fell runners I love the wild places, the sense of wonder when you jog around a corner and see a deer, a mountain hare or a large bird of prey. So when two of the speakers have that love, combined with a love of running and take it the entirely logical conclusion of running the length of South America I'm in heaven...
http://www.5000mileproject.org/
Ultra Stu is someone who I've read about - he's won the Lakeland 100 and he's a thinking persons runner... He draws on some of the best running writers out there, and uses them by adding his own impressive pedigree and common sense approach... He may be an elite, but he writes and talks for and to all runners souls...
http://ultrastu.blogspot.co.uk/
I skipped the run, I wasn't sure of my thigh and I wasn't going to keep up with the "conversational" pace that was being set... So I strolled up to the top of Parliament hill and in one of those "circle of life" things looked back at the BT Tower and reflected on just what a lucky sod I am...
Do I want to get chosen - yes. But I also want all of us to get chosen... I spoke to as many as I could, and we are all as mad, loony, wild eyes lovers of the hills and running in them - and to a person we're nice people.
A long, long, coach trip back (National Express has improved greatly, but its still 5h... then again the trains were utterly screwed!) and a gentle day buying new road shoes (ouch!) a rucksack (no I don't need it... but it's preeeeety) and a trip to the gym to test the shoes over a longer distance, and to test the thigh out - couple of km at varying intensity and gradients, a hard & fast 5 min on the cross trainer and a couple of hundred feet on the evil stepper and all seems good. So five miles tomorrow... for the Rock and Roll Marathon isn't far away.
So as I reflect on being a lucky sod, thank you all for making it possible.
TTFN
Paul
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