The Walker With Heart

I've said bits of this before, but a month after submitting my last assignment is about right for some more serious reflection. I'm a scientist whose pretty much worked in science for the last 20 years. I'm not a bench, lab or field scientist (though I've dabbled with all of them), I'm an applied scientist. Sometimes working in my specialty, sometimes working from first principles. So why do a course in religious controversies... A332 is it's code number. Why not? Is my first response... My more considered, with that wry smile my friends know and fear, is I'm doing this OU degree for the challenge, the fun and to regain some of that love of learning that it's so easy to lose. I'd also classify myself as a confident, but not overly strident atheist, frankly I don't care what you believe, I do care if you foist it on others or make people live by your rules. I'm by inclination and training I'm an analyst, but I'm an extrovert wh...

Well, the race strategy worked, and my ability to judge things was tested and didn't fail.  The Rock and Roll Marathon Weekend in Liverpool was many things but flat and cool it wasn't. A great fun 5K, racing a quintet of Disney Princesses and a large number of Elvis', complete with a stupendous arena finish with black lights and pounding rock music... It doesn't get much better than that! Apart from it does... Because after the 5k comes the main event - for me a half marathon... Liverpool Half Marathon's have a couple of interesting elements - mostly the hills, definitely the parks (and the humidity) and the headwind along the prom.  And yet, with bands blasting out at regular intervals, well stocked and volunteered water and fuel stations it was fun - and my fastest half in Liverpool by 5 minutes, and 10 minutes faster than the flatness of Cambridge. What a difference training makes :-) As an added bonus there was a pint of cider and the best, blin...

One of the great things about the Rock and Roll Marathon series is they genuinely cater for all runners, unlike some where the half marathon pacers go 2:15 or faster they have some out to 3:00 and back markers as well - http://www.runrocknroll.com/liverpool/news/2015/05/cep-pacer-gallery/ .  Which gives me a dilemma: Start and try and stay with the 2:30 pacers (Ange and Helen), or Start with the 2:45 pacers (Guy and Robbie) and try and have enough in the tank for a fast last 5km along the river... Partly it will come down to the day.  Partly it will come down to how the horrendous first hill goes, if I'm moving easy and keeping steady up Upper Parliament Street then I'll keep with the 2:30. Worst case scenario is blasting out (for me) with the 2:15 pacer and then watching the 2:30 & 2:45 go past... Why not go for the PB?  Basically, cos to do that I'd be running faster than I have in the last month.  I should, being a race tart, get a bit of a...