One of, if not the last time I ran 10k was the 14th of December 2016. Here is an extract from my journal the day after:

"I reached the meadow and stepped through the screeching metal gate.

It was chilly, but in the fading winter light I took a moment to breath deeply and enjoy the view that gets rather ignored during these runs. In front of me a wide circular expanse of grassland, surrounded by water. Only the loud hum of the A14 taints the atmosphere but even this was dulled by the soggy earth and low lying mist.

Around the edge of this eerie field, following the course of the water, the ground is worn from human, canine, ovine and bovine feet that share this grassland depending on the season. Judging by the scars we all seem to use it in a formulaic manner.

I walk-jogged the 400 metres or so from our front door, after stretching at home, but still the first steps were stiff and uncomfortable. I slapped heavily on the wet ground. My stride lengthens then finally shortens a little, as I find my range and the warmth from within spreads, then I settle into my pace. It is one I feel I have known since I was in my teens and it is like the embrace of an old friend. As I completed the first circuit I really felt I could run forever."

I am not amazingly good at it but I love running.

The rhythm. The metronomic feeling of control. The illusion of perpetuality. The shattering of that illusion and the digging deep to rebuild it. Step by step by step.

I love running. I have always loved running, probably because as a skinny youth it was one of things I could do quite well. In truth I have never run more than 19km in one go. But, unlike other outdoor activities, I never completely abandoned running.

The trance. The pounding, slapping or bouncing of feet. Each side with its minor difference in sound. Right foot. Left foot. Right Foot.

I like the feeling of invincibility (albeit illusory) which comes with the comfortable use of the human machine. People use phrases like "in the zone" or "being at one with oneself" to describe this quasi-automatic ease of motion. Like controlled floating, I imagine. I think if you haven't experienced it, it might be unimaginable.

It isn't constant and it doesn't last. But there are moments - waves of it - that make running for me one of the most relaxing of pastimes. Beyond the obvious physical benefits of raising one's heart rate, it clears my head and invigorates my spirit.

Last week I ran 5km on the treadmill. Yesterday I did it again. Something I have not done (walking or running) since early January when I decided to prepare for an ultra marathon. Pain, first in my right, then in my left knee has seen me cut out running completely from my fitness "regime", if it can be called that.

Following some self-diagnosis, then professional biometric assessment, strength and conditioning program and regular physio sessions it seems as if I may be running across a muddy field again soon. My joy is unbounded at the thought of it. So much so that I tweeted this uncharacteristic drivel, in my endorphin-fuelled euphoria, replete with douchebag Trump-style hashtag.

F**k yeah! This knee just ran 5k - maybe there is a God! (There isn't, but there is science) thx @Theinjuryclinic #winning pic.twitter.com/jX6DJanQEF
— Armchair Mountaineer (@ACMountaineer) March 29, 2017

So, I may have to wait until next year to realistically get ready for an ultramarathon but at least I hope I can start to enjoy the outdoors on foot again. This week I am in the Azores enjoying some not too strenuous walks; pictures on Instagram and Facebook.

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Cleveland Way - Scarborough to High Hawsker

In October 2020, my friend Dave and I walked a section of the Cleveland Way in Yorkshire over a couple of days. We started from Scarborough and walked to Ravenscar (18 km). The next day we walked to High Hawsker (15 km).

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Packrafting the River Tamiš

In July 2020, in a brief respite from the worries of the covid pandemic, I had the good fortune to be able to escape for a little adventure, spending 3 days paddling down the Tamiš river in northern Serbia, in my packraft.

Interview with Emily Woodhouse - Founder of Intrepid Magazine

I recently had the pleasure to interview Emily Woodhouse, someone who is well known and someone who has been somewhat of a pioneer in giving a voice to many women in the adventure / outdoor sports world.

In this interview Emily gives me some insight into her whirlwind entrepreneurial journey and how much there is to learn from diving into a (business) adventure.

Not only has Intrepid Magazine provided something that was missing in the outdoor space but it is doubly satisfying to know it was the vision of someone who cares passionately about the subject matter, saw the importance of it and had the courage to go through with it… although I am not sure Emily herself see it as “courage”. As she says in the interview: “I looked at the hole in the magazine world and thought: I can do that”.

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Three Men in a Boat (to say nothing of the wallaby)

The loch was like a mirror as we set off from Luss on Friday to explore. Having walked to the high point on Inchtavannach to admire the views, and paddled around Inchmoan, watching the deer come down to the water’s edge, we agreed to spend the night on Inchconnachan for no other reason than it appeared absolutely idyllic as the sun began to sink and the evening light bathed the lake in a silvery light.

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Weekend Adventure - From lying in the sun to crying on a plane

I have mentioned a few times that my daughter is neither naturally sporty, particularly active or indeed fearless. She is perhaps the opposite. So I was especially proud that she decided on the Saturday morning, as we dithered whether to have an hour in the water at Buzz Active Cuckmere, that this was indeed the ideal opportunity for her to go solo in a kayak for the first time.

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Canoeing the Wye: Happiness V Social Media [Video]

I had so much fun this weekend that I didn’t tell anyone about it. Imagine that! The moment was way more important to me than broadcasting about it. Yes, I know it should be, but if we are honest with ourselves, it isn’t alway, is it?

I spent Friday and Saturday canoeing down the Wye with my 7 year old daughter, from Hoarwithy to Symonds Yat. It is the first time either of us has done this kind of trip and to share this adventure together was the sort of experience that makes me go all mushy and emotional…

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Wild Night Out 2019: The Whining

Travelling in ultra lightweight style (we only carried four cricket stumps instead of the full compliment of six) Emma and I marched along the coast path, over the dunes and onto the vast sands of our beautiful coast for a perfect Wild Night Out 2019, until the high-pitched whining started…

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30 Days Wild: Suburban Springwatch

One thing I decided to do this year was leave one corner of the garden wild. I don’t know how long it will last as pressure builds from within the family to “do something” with that corner but while it does last it has had a positive effect in terms of wildlife.

Perhaps the best aspect of this experiment is the fact that every night around 9pm we have a fat hedgehog who comes through our front gate, wanders through the garden to this unkempt patch of land and roots around for a couple of hours before waddling off to check out what the neighbours have to offer.

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30 Days Wild: Freshwalks: Networking in the Outdoors

This filthy-wet month, I am trying to spend time outside in nature during my working day as part of the Wildlife Trusts 30 Days Wild. I cannot pretend it has been as easy as last year’s sun-drenched June when gently swaying flower meadows and deserted Norfolk beaches called out to me.

However, recently a client of mine drew my attention to an innovative and inspiring initiative getting business people into the outdoors, for Freshwalks. The benefits of which might surprise a few…

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30 days Wild: Welcome to my office

“Can you repeat that please sir?” I could hear a slightly exasperated tone on the other end of the line.

This morning, a few days into June and woefully short of what I hope to achieve during 30 Days Wild, I ventured out into the meadow to make a few phone calls. I took my office outdoors! The helpful assistant from Barclays Business Banking went off for a few minutes to find out some information, and probably to curse me as my microphone was buffeted by the breeze, that bent the tall flowers surrounding me and repeatedly flicked my hood over my head.

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30 Days Wild: Switch off with Nature

We are just a few days away from June and the start of 30 Days Wild; the Wildlife Trusts amazing initiative to get people outside, enjoying and appreciating nature.

This year, as part of 30 Days Wild I will be focussing on how nature can help alleviate the stresses and strains of work and how to get more of it into the working day.

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Do you want to live more adventurously?

The decision to change my life and live more adventurously was utterly instinctive, borne of exasperation, a last resort. I was burnt out, suffering from anxiety, depressed.

How I got to the point of changing the direction of my life was a couple of years of mental wrangling and torture, until I stumbled across some inspiration.

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