IN WHICH WE INVENT A NEW FORM OF TRIATHLON, WITNESS SOME REALLY SERIOUS RUNNERS AT WORK, AND PONDER ON SOME WEIGHTY TOPICS… I may accidentally have stumbled upon the best way to workout. It could indeed be the new triathlon. On Saturday, our local parkrun was celebrating its eighth birthday. Alas, celebrations were a little … More Run, bun, run
The first fire of the season smoulders in the grate. My brother is over for the week, neatly coinciding with our Mum’s birthday, and he and I made short work of the last few logs which needed sawing, splitting and stacking. It’s next year’s firewood (unless we have a horrendously long Winter!), and the best … More Making tracks
So eight years ago, I set up this blog. On this very date. Just had a look at the first post I published, and it’s mercifully short. Indeed, I am sure many of you would prefer if I could embrace that brevity once more. Not going to happen 🙂 The eagle-eyed amongst you might also … More Happy Anniversary to me
“The true meaning of life, Wesley, is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”Nelson Henderson According to the internet – our modern-day oracle – the Henderson family left Ireland during the Great Famine (1845-52). One of the offspring, Wes, wrote a book about his life, and you can find a … More Meetings with remarkable people
The weather continues to taunt and tease. I don’t mind the teasing so much, but the taunting seems unnecessary. May is my favourite month. We gamely soldier on through the Spring, patiently waiting for the rains to cease and the winds to run out of steam. It seems like it will never end. And then, … More Ne’er cast a clout till May is out
They say you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, which is also true of photographs, it turns out. I snuck in a quick 10k during the week, before work, and as soon as I reached the top of the hill, I could sense some regret about not bringing the phone. It had been … More Schrödinger’s photos
Most of you won’t have heard of IMRA. It stands for the Irish Mountain Running Association. You can find them online here. I joined up recently, and last week, I had my first race, and yesterday was my second. It’s a great organisation. Membership is ten quid a year (yes, ten quid*), and each race … More Welcome to IMRA
My running rehab continues. Yesterday, Mark dragged me out of bed (albeit by text message, suggesting we go for a run), and we managed about 4 miles in the local park. Neither of us were feeling particularly feisty, but it’s always good to get out. No hot chocolate, alas, to bookend the activity, as I … More Mountains between us
My Dad died on 24th January. It’s very raw. I am writing some thoughts down, but it’s really for personal reasons, for now. It was never the purpose of this blog to get too caught up in personal ‘stuff’ anyway. The idea was to have a space for me to riff about running, and other … More Run to the hills
And you, my father, there on the sad height,Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.Do not go gentle into that good night.Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Do not go gentle into that good nightDylan Thomas I write it out in a verse –MacDonagh and MacBrideAnd Connolly and PearseNow and … More The Old Man
unironedman 