My period as an NHS trust volunteer governor is nearing an end and now is the time to write a few words about the experience. This first of two or three articles describes how I became a governor and some of the processes by which governors hold the Trust to account. I will reflect on …
For 9 years I was Governor at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BHFT). This is one of 3 or 4 pieces in which I have shared some of my experiences. All governors are different – this is one of the joys of belonging to the team at an NHS Trust. The level of participation varies …
Many runners focus on speed. The main target is to get faster, right? I used to think like this, always hopeful on each training run that my kilometre time would be a few seconds less than before. But as you get older speed becomes more difficult. It was only when I heard about the different …
Coming to running: on the heart-rate – getting into zones Read More »
Aged 57 or 58 I looked at the results from my first public run and I was astounded to discover that everyone over 40 is considered a ‘veteran’! The running fraternity used to discriminate against women; is ageism also rife in the sports community? The London Times newspaper is fond of health and fitness articles …
The Running Age – Coming to Running at 40, 50, 60, 70! Read More »
[In this report you can click on most images to enlarge them. Any maps can be zoomed and panned by click on the + or – signs or pulling around with the mouse.] The Northumberland Coast Run comes early in the running calendar. The end of February can be icy cold. On this run over …
Coming to running: The Northumberland Coast Ultra 2022 Read More »
For all runners, but especially older runners I’m an advocate of ‘long and slow’. There are plenty of events to challenge you, from 10k, marathons and half-marathons, 50k, 50 miles, 100k, even more. Training for distance running requires some special considerations. The body adapts to what you do. Run 10k over and over again and, …
Coming to running: ‘That’s Lyth’ – Going the distance! Read More »
It is rare to escape foot injury on a multiday walk. Some soreness on the top of my toes made me reach for the moleskin which, secured by leucatape, was all I needed. There’s a ridge that begins near Milton and over about 18km rises up to the top of Cairngorm – this was my …
A couple of days earlier I was with the famous TGOer Andrew Walker who quoted an even more famous (now deceased) TGOer Andy Howell regarding my day 5 plan as ‘the armpit of all TGO routes’ or some similar discouraging remark. I’d planned a line towards Drumnadrochit with pathless stretches joining one or two tracks. …
Martha and Andrew were heading for Cannich, whereas I wanted to get up high now the weather was improving. My route took me alongside the loch to Monar Lodge; then north on a made track, before veering off to the right up onto the ridge. It is pathless here but the line is easy to …
TGOC – The Great Outdoor Challenge – is a common theme on these pages. Originally described as ‘The Ultimate Challenge’ in the pages of an outdoor magazine in 1980, it involves a self-supported and individually planned multi-day walk from the West Coast of Scotland to the the East. Of course there’s a website where you …