Advent Blog. Racing to the finish

It's already Christmas day, and I've hardly any time left to tell you all about the person who sparked the idea. I was playing one of my favourite Beach Boys songs to Fox and I realised why I love it so much.
At school, in what we now call year 5, I had a teacher named Sheelagh Williams. She was different from the other teachers, she wore short hair and casual clothes and she played the guitar. I thought she was great. She was a good teacher.
 At the end of the day, she would often gather the class to sit on the mat to sing a song about going home, which she accompanied on her guitar . It was the song "sloop John B" by the Beach Boys

The song makes me feel comforted and happy to this day. I recently learned that Sheelagh had died young. She brought such happiness to me and my classmates, I'm sure she did the same to those close to her, and is missed. Thinking about her, I realised that people had influenced me by their actions, and I thought writing a blog about some of them would be a good idea.
Merry Christmas one and all. May your ships always find safe harbours.

Stay tuned for a Boxing Day Bonus...

Advent Blog December 21st: Viv Slack

Viv has the dubious honour of being the first Twitter person I met in real life. I marched up to her at a race and said "hello you're Viv ". Thankfully,  she was.
I admired her clear sense of adventure,  and her running prowess (very very close to a 3 hour marathon!)  and her commitment to her running goals.
Since them she's gone from strength to strength,  working to help people in need using her many skills. She started a group which was called 'get out and give' where people could take part in outdoors fun and donate to charity. This group has now become "freedom runners". I've joined with them for a few adventures, my absolute favourite being the 3 day run along the West Highland Way last autumn.  she has recently been working hard on a project to help Manchesters homeless.
I think I've written about her before, she's a solemn and thoughtful presence melded into a fun loving,  energetic and strong person. She's made the decision to work mainly on things which really mean something to her, which is very brave,  and very laudable.  The world needs more like her.

Advent Blog 20 December: Sam Yates

I met Sam on the first day of my job at British Council.  I was employed to cover his leave as he went away to Africa.  He went there to spend time working on a project for a charity he had founded with a friend.  That charity is called LivLife.

Since getting to know Sam better, I have been impressed with what he has put into motion with LivLife,  and by the fact that he has managed to do this alongside having a career,  and lately being a father.  He's also completed some pretty gruelling fundraising challenges for LivLife.  He walks it like he talks it, he's been through plenty of ups and downs for his cause,  but he can be satisfied in knowing that what he has created is really changing people's lives for the better.

Footnote: how about this for "small world"after working together for some time, Sam and I discovered that we had a mutual friend. My brother's best school friend met Sam at Uni and is still great mates with him. 

Advent Blog 19 December : Jasmin Paris

I think a lot of people will own up to being inspired by Jasmin this year, given the fantastic set of achievements she has laid down. I am lucky to count her as a friend, and she inspires me for two reasons. First is that she does what she does for the pure joy of it, well we all know that challenges like the big Rounds are not joy joy joy the whole day, but you know. For fun, and because she wants to see what she can achieve, when she pushes herself. I hope I can be like that as I continue to have adventures in the outdoors.
Secondly because she is not just a runner, she is talented in her chosen career, she bakes fabulous cakes, and is pretty handy with a pen and brush. She's humble, supportive to others who run crazy stuff, and really funny.
I am excited to see what other runners will set out to do next year , now she has lit the touch paper, never mind to see what she'll do herself :) 

Advent Blog 18th December : Ollie Williams

Another person of recent years, from Twitter, who has expanded and enriched my enjoyment of sport. @OllieWilliams He also opened my eyes to the journalistic possibilities of social media.
Ollie is the man behind the sadly now defunct Frontier Sports. I used to look forward to reading the posts on that site on my morning commute.  The site covered all the Olympic sports. I didn't realise the sports I liked to hear about had such a handy classification til I started following Frontier Sports! It made a refreshing difference from the sports pages in the popular newspapers/sites, with their heavy bias toward men's football. I also liked the way it had a separate section for Doping news, which appealed to my nose for scandal but also proved how well researched and committed to covering everything warts and all they were.
Ollie moved onwards and upwards, and now resides in Yellowknife in Canada, still works as a sports reporter and a media services provider. I always give him a little virtual fist bump when I see him working for the BBC :)

Advent Blog catchups

In an effort to regain, I'll be super brief for a few days worth of inspirational people:

14th December: J.R.R. Tolkein, or the works of. These inspired my imagination particularly where it came to being outdoors in the landscapes of the UK as a kid. I was taken on walks by my parents and used to imagine (or maybe was encouraged to imagine) that I was a brave hobbit when things got damp/hilly/grim.

15th December : Sarah Chambers, my first boss at the British Council. She led by example by the way she worked flexibly around the demands of her family, and enabled others to do the same in our team. I learned from her that having responsibilities outside of work needn't hinder being a respected and effective colleague.

16th December: Laura Mitchell, one of my oldest schoolfriends. She never ceases to amaze me with her positive outlook and sense of humour, despite life throwing some rubbish circumstances at her. I wish I had more time to write about her but hopefully, as she's also a mum, she'll cut me some slack.

17th December: Martina Navratilova : Female sporting star, tough as anything, enough said.  

Advent Blog 13 December: Dan Ellingworth

still running behind...but like any dedicated person I will not leave the job unfinished!

Dan is the originator of the Glossop Parkrun. That is all I really need to write here. What he started will benefit so many people in my town, and for that we should all be thankful. He pulled together a group of people, he sought startup funding, and most Saturdays he can be seen wearing a fetching high visibility jacket, cracking jokes and directing the run in Manor Park in Glossop. He is a fabulously down to earth chap, a dedicated runner, and bringer together of people. I, like many, want to help out at parkrun not only because I know how much it means to the people taking part, but because I want to support Dan. Thanks Dan, and keep it up.

Advent Blog 12th December: Lynne Taylor

Lynne is another person who welcomed me into the world of fellrunning,  she's a friend and she's been my personal trainer during pregnancy and in postnatal recovery  but they're not the only reasons she inspires me. Lynne is always seeking to make herself a better person, she's always learning,  always doing new things and finding new challenges. For example,  she recently went and worked a night at a local bakery,  for the experience,  and she is learning the piano.
She's also a straight talker. I've always got time for straight talkers.
I wish I could be more like her, though for a time my new thing is my baby son, so it'll be a while til I can even try to be as well rounded.  

Advent Blog 10th December: Andy Ford

Sticking with the theme of fellrunning again for another late posting. I wouldn't have done a Bob Graham Round if it hadn't been for Andy.  I first met him at the Long Duddon race, I think actually  on the way up the terribly named 'Little Stand ' climb. He knew some of my other running friends and we chattered away during and after the race. I continued to see him at races and I learned he was preparing for a BGR.
In spring 2015 we met at the start of the Teenager With Altitude race.  He was well into his BG prep and looking for an easy day out, so I suggested he pootle round with me. I had come to the race a bit unprepared,  I'd been offered someone's spare number.  I also wanted to take advantage of Andy's route knowledge ;) We had a really enjoyable day out and despite a lot of complaining and cursing, i surprised myself by getting round the tough course without major incident.
Andy completed his Bob Graham Round on 9th May 2015.
We chatted on messenger  and at some point he started suggesting I should do my own Round.  I say suggesting, it was more like heavy persuading and cajoling. I'd had it in mind since the beginning of the year but had sort of decided to wait. After Andy's encouragement, I thought seriously again, given that I was uninjured and as fit as I could hope to be. He gave me confidence in my abilities and helped me to think about the logistics of the day. He was a constant source of encouragement whenever I expressed worries. On the day , Andy supported me on legs 3 and 4, which was where I knew I would need the most help. He didn't disappoint - keeping my spirits up when I knew I was behind my schedule and always looking out for me. He was so committed , he ran the final leg with me too.
Here's to you Andy; Bob Graham enthusiast, excellent supporter and a fine athlete. I'm looking forward to hearing what you get up to next. 

Advent Blog 11 December : James Rebanks, the Herdy Shepherd

Another character from Twitter. My favourite breed of sheep has always been the Herdwick, which is what first made me follow him @herdyshepherd1. I loved tweets about the working days, months and year of a shepherd in the Lakes, reading them usually on the train or at the start or end of another day on the hamster wheel of office life. He also spoke eloquently about the need for greater understanding of the contribution people like himself make to the landscape, history, economy and culture of the Lake District.

Follow him on Twitter if you want to learn fascinating details about sheep farming, see some lovely pictures and be charmed by his simple, self deprecating yet proud writing. If you , like me, are hooked, buy his book and learn the life story of the man behind the @.
He has made me stop and think more deeply about the landscape which is often my playground, and given me a greater understanding of the livelihoods and struggles which shape it.

Advent Blog 9th December: Matt Dawson

Matt is the reason I am a fellrunner. I met him when I lived in South Manchester, through his partner Lou who I knew through the WI. He invited me to come on a training run with him. When I met him to start our run on the roads round Glossop, he'd already been out for two or three hours on the hills; I was gobsmacked that he had such stamina. After a couple of runs on roads and trails together, he encouraged me to try a fell run. He went out of his way to arrange to meet me from the station at Edale, and off we went. I was hooked after this one run. Not just because I enjoyed the feeling of being out in the hills and moors I loved to hike in, but because I felt supported and encouraged by him. It was after this that I decided to begin running regularly on the fells with Glossopdale Harriers, with whom I now train and compete.

I knew Matt had been further pursuing his passion for the outdoors and gaining experience as a Mountain Leader and I was pleased to see him developing a small business providing his services to the public. It was on a trip to the Highlands of Scotland further developing his skills, that he had a terrible accident which left him facing a long rehabilitation in hospital. His recovery and return to the outdoors is an inspiration in itself, but I will always think of him as a proper funny bloke from Leek, the spark who lit the flame, spurring me onto my great adventures in the hills and fells. 

Advent Blog 8th December: Kathryn Bertine

I'm a big fan of pro cycling. I love to watch the Grand Tours on TV, and like nothing better than to dissect the tactics and the stories with friends. I'm ashamed to say it took me a while to question where the female events were, to wonder why they weren't being shown on TV. Kathryn Bertine's excellent film Half the Road opened my eyes to the world of the women's peloton and encouraged me to seek out coverage of the big events. Woefully, some of these are still not screened on TV and can only be followed on social media (see @_pigeons_) or via specialist cycling news sites. The film isn't as preachy as you'd think it might be - it has a snappy pace and is very witty. It features some excellent interviews with pro female cyclists as well as other sportswomen. What struck me is how humble the riders were, how they weren't boiling with anger (and when they were, how funny and polite they were with it)

I've always been forthcoming when standing up for equality for both genders and this film stoked my fire and made me more aware of how one of my favourite sports needed to get its act together. Since its release, some progress has been made though there is still some way to go.  La Course by le Tour, and the Womens Tour of Britain are examples which have been adopted by the mainstream media.

Thanks Kathryn for showing me the way :)

Advent Blog 7 December: Aleks Kashefi

I shivered a little before getting into bed, and then thought of Aleks. He's been sleeping outdoors in the European winter, for the majority of the time during the past few months, so I should count myself lucky.
Aleks is running the length of Europe. I shan't try to explain why, have a read of his blog if you are interested. If you are impressed, donate to his cause, or help in whatever way you can.

I spied a chap in a big woolly hat and no shoes at a fell race a while back, and stared a bit, and then stopped staring. I mean, why not? It wasn't that bad a hat. I followed his journey later that year , from Lands End to John o Groats ,via social media and his blog and realised I liked his style. I liked his honesty and his direct way of writing. Earlier this year, he mentioned he'd like to run hills near Glossop so I arranged to meet him. Along with a few club mates I enjoyed a few hours in his company running over familiar paths on Bleaklow. He's energetic, gregarious,  humble and all too human. I confirmed that I definitely like his style, and his amazing downhill running technique in sandals.

This blog post of his is one of my favourites, written as he finished his job as a teacher and prepared to set out on his greatest adventure yet. His will to inspire young minds is laudable.

Hope that you're reading this Aleks, may the wind be always at your back. 

Advent Blog 6th December: Dr Ben Goldacre

Another Guardian newspaper inspired post today. That publication has a lot to answer for.
Dr Ben Goldacre's Bad Science column was the last vestige of my scientific past to linger on into my cultural life as a twentysomething. I have a degree in Biochemistry, not that you'd believe it.
However, Dr Goldacre's writing has had an effect in me reaching much further than science. His book also titled 'Bad Science'  is a cracking, witty and thought-provoking read. His message and campaign for evidence based decision making stands as a lesson on how we should all think.
What I take from his approach is: Challenge what is put in front of you, don't be a sheep. Ask questions, find proof and you will end up better placed to argue, to believe, or to trust what you see, hear and read. In this day of fake news and social media, it's as important as ever to question and to be a critical thinker.

Footnote: His column once mentioned some research my Dad had commissioned for Boots, to investigate the No7 'Protect and Perfect' product which he was working on at the time. I was immeasurably proud. He didn't rip Dad and his team's work to shreds either.

Advent Blog 5th December: Gerda from the Snow Queen

I loved reading Hans Christian Andersen stories as a girl. I read from what I saw as an old-fashioned edition (it didn't have many pictures) of his tales. They appealed to me because they were different from other stories I read. They were,  well, dark. they weren't happy ever after and princesses with big eyes and twinkly dresses. They were visceral tales of mishap and misfortune, and people getting what they deserved.
Gerda in the Snow Queen struck me as a proper heroine. She endured any amount of peril and discomfort in a wintry world, so that she could rescue her friend Kay from the clutches of the evil Queen. I think my protective feelings for my baby brother drew me to the story.
She carried on, and she didn't give up. she did it for someone she cared about. she could be an example to us all.

Footnote : my baby brother grew up to be an actor and appeared as Kay in a lovely production of the Snow Queen in Leeds in 2008. I think I had something in my eye whilst watching, thankfully not enchanted glass.  

Advent Blog 4th December: Adharanand Finn

A few years back, I became a fan of a reasonably regular feature in the guardian weekend review. It described a man's experience in Kenya as he attempted to learn what made them such great distance runners by living amongst them and running with them. I was training for my second marathon, which was the London marathon, and had begun to think of myself as a serious runner. The articles fascinated me. His writing was unfussy and personal, without being too sentimental. His approach was novel and exciting and he clearly had an enthusiasm and journalistic passion to discover what he could about the great running culture in Kenya . I found Adharanand Finn on twitter and followed him.  @adharanand
I soon discovered a friend of mine knew him through her work at the Guardian. The book launch of Running with the Kenyans came around, and thanks to her, I received a signed copy wishing me luck in the London marathon.  The timing couldn't have been better.  I devoured the pages on the train from Manchester to London.  I found myself thinking more deeply about running,  and recognising things about myself in his writing. Reading it made me feel more of a runner, if that doesn't sound too odd.
Adharanand is another regular user of Twitter and every now and then we exchange comments, it's great to converse with such a well travelled and knowledgeable fellow runner. Because after all, that's what brings many people together, a shared interest.  

Advent Blog 3rd December: Judy Howells aka @fellrunninbrief

On becoming a fellrunner,  I stumbled upon a twitter feed describing race results and sharing witty tales of the personalities of the sport (and its sister sports, drinking and silliness). @fellrunninbrief became a regular read. It encouraged me to take part in races, it introduced me to some of the leading runners and clubs that I'd later befriend and become familiar with.
Imagine my glee when I discovered the author was a lady. like many sports, female participation in fellrunning is low, about 15 to 20 percent in most races by my reckoning so I was heartened to find its roving reporter and raconteur was Judy, and a bit excited to meet her at my club's race, Herod Farm. Like most fellrunners
she is a throughly decent and friendly person, and loves a bit of a muck about (a hilarious almost-fail vault over a gate if I recall rightly)

She's the one captured mid vault! :) 

She provides this real-time news service for fellrunning for no gain, she's not in it for freebies or to promote anything other than the sport she loves.  people like Judy keep the grassroots participation going and for that I'm very thankful.  

Advent Blog Takeover

For December, I'm going to write on each day until Christmas,  about someone who has inspired me.  I hope you find it interesting. Christmas for me is a time to reflect and be thankful for the great people I know, so this is where the idea for this came from.

1st December : Kay Andrews

Kay was the headteacher of my infant school in Cardiff.  She arrived, replacing the Trunchbullesque previous head, when I was about 6 or 7. She blew in like a breath of fresh spring air. She was fashionable ,  warm and enthusiastic and gave great assemblies.  I was in awe of her talents. I realised that a young woman could have a successful job and still do cool girl stuff too. 

December 2nd : Zola Budd 

Sticking in the schoolgirl era, I watched the 1984 Olympics fanatically. Zola Budd drew me to her because her name began with 'Z' like mine, and she was a slight brunette who was a bit different to the rest. She seemed more natural compared to the painted gazelles from the USA and other teams . I wasn't into running as a kid but I dreamed of being an Olympian.  Even as a child I could see that she had such great ability but was somehow sad and frightened . On the day she fell in that race with Mary Decker, my heart was in my mouth. I was transfixed and devastated.