GETTING HILL FIT (The Fenlander Way)

I have tried standing on one leg whilst cleaning teeth and eating my breakfast.

Tore out a filling, ruined the carpet, slipped on spilt milk and sprained ankle.

So I am now using another method

Obviously the top statement was not true and was just for effect.

BUT... After weeks, and I mean WeeeeeeeeeeeeKS of doing BUGGER ALL what with colds and antibiotics and sore throats and all manner of nasty viral interlopers in my once healthy body.

OK it was healthy back in 2004 as far as I can remember.

I got back to some proper bloody exercise this week.

Well, that is when I was not being a taxi service,

or trying to catch up with the backlog of work I have to do.

So today was the first real day.

Started with an early rise at 8.00, ok, ok it is not early but it is a Sat.

Went out for a 6 mile run at 9.00 round the fenland trail that you will have seen before.

Came back and watched a bit of the Tennis, but it was two screeching women

(that is not sexist, it is the ridiculous bloody screeching that does my head in),

so I turned over to watch the Cricket.

Excellent, England had got the last wicket earlier before my run and then only had 145 to get.

Well Imagine my horror................................

I am with Boycott on this.

It was a disgrace.

How half the England team can say that they are middle order batsmen and then get out like they did is an insult to people who play cricket.

And as for 'Kevin I am the greatest bloody Peterson' (apart from spin, I really hate spin)

 

SHOCKING! 

But I digress!

I am not sure what I did after that. Home stuff I think, and then in the afternoon, having been given permission or maybe just going, I cannot remember, I went for a little 30 mile ride.

Now, if I lived in the lakes I could have done a slightly shorter ride to get the same benefit.

Say Ullswater to Ambleside and back via the Kirkstone Pass and then the Struggle.

Now THAT is a damned fine cardio session!

It was not the clearest of days, but we managed to get down to -5m out on Burwell Fen.

That's the Munroist equivalent of a Complex Number that is!

Burwell Fen (-5m)

The View along Burwell Load

And we saw Deer and Highland Cattle. I say WE, but just ME!

The Deer were too fast to photograph.

And Seagulls by the hundred. Which means that the RSPB comments regarding Wind Turbines being no threat to them because they stay near the cliffs is utter bollocks.

But then they do seem to like the bloody things.

Rather like the truely hypocritacl Friends of the Earth,

or should that be Fiends of the Earth

The Hide near Wicken Fen

View from the Hide towards Wicken

Just over the bridge between Burwell and Wicken Fen there is a small hut used as a hide.

The second picture is the view towards the wetlands on Wicken Fen from the hide.

The little dots on the water on the right are hundreds and hundreds of assorted birds.

Swans, Ducks, Geese, seagulls and a lot more.

None of which I know the names of.

Another view from the hide looking further left towards Wicken Fen

I can say, that progress along the track was slow and arduous.

Mainly because of the 4 inches of sticky mud and reeds that most of it consisted of,

and that managed to snarl up my wheels and brakes. Not that I needed brakes at that speed.

And this was after I dunked it into the Lode

Reeds along the side of Wicken Lode between Wicken and Upware

In recent years, they have introduced a lot of Konik Ponies to the area around Wicken.

They are a very hardy breed and are now thriving.

Konik Ponies along the river

 

More Ponies (you'd worked that out hadn't you)

Yeah I know! But I liked the reeds in the foreground ok!

The Ponies were at the far end of the track from Priory Farm
just on the other side of the Lode in Wicken Fen

You can read more about the Ponies (should you feel so inclined) HERE!

At Upware there are quite a few boats and barges.

 

If you happen to have a spare £45,550 spare one was for sale!

It was quite a nice one too

Sun starting to decend over the Fen

 It was not quite that dark yet, but I still had about another 10 miles to go, and I did not want to have to put my lights on.

View back along the River from the Large Lock at Upware

To be honest, I took this one a back in October, because it was too dark today.

I don't mean I travelled back in time to October to take it.

I mean if I could travel back in time, then I only needed to go a couple of hours, and anyway 'Time Travel' is hypothetical but unlikely.

I mean I dug out a photo I took back in October.

Now I don't mean I dug up an old photo, that would be silly.

What I mean is.. oh bugger it, you know what I mean!

And at that point it was time for the bike ride home, to see if England Saxons could actually beat the Irish Wolfhounds

AND THEY DID!!!!

So tomorrow I am off to Cheshunt to watch Olly play rugby, and hopefully after that I am going to try and get a hilly 10 mile run in.

I say hilly.

The steepest bit today was carrying the bike over the 2 bridges at Burwell and Upware.

Approximate totally ascent was about 19m, but that did of course involve the descent to -5m

So today's music?  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Well I was going to put Falling Like a Star by Cara Dillon here

because it is a very beautiful song

but I cannot find it on You Tube (you should try and listen to it though).

So instead of that.....................

THIS!

Stomu Yamashta & East Wind - Wind Words

I NEED A MOUNTAIN! And I Need it Noooowwwwww!

Well, as you are aware, it has been a few weeks now since I was fit for purpose.
I may never have been truely fit for purpose if truth be told.

BUT... My Mum loves me!  & Lucy puts up with me!

So I really, really, really need to get up a hill or three.
The way things are looking, I will not be going anywhere until the Snake Pass Reunion.
There is justs so much to do, and so much work and crap to catch up on.
I may just have to get Challenge fit during the first 4 days in May.

I was really hoping that I might be able to do something walky/hilly/runny  at half term,
but what with the backlog of stuff, I now only have 2 days that week that I am not committed to some work based thing, and in all honesty, I think I need to use one of those as well.

Ideally, I need to retire, before I die!

I'll need to get permission though, and I cannot see that happening.

So anyone off to the Mountains or any Hills or stuff?
I need a reason to get away, before I lose the will to live!

Harriet somewhere near the Top of Fairfield back in 2006.
It is quite scary how grown up she is now!

I am hoping she may be doing her FIRST Challenge on my 10th.

But I have to get to 10 first!

Olly back in 2006 in Caudale Beck

Olly 6 Months ago Northampton Saints U16's
AND NOW He is 2" Taller
and far more muscle.

Although I have always had a fairly eclectic music collection spanning all Gendre's 

from Folk, Classic, Opera, Rock, Jazz, Country, Punk etc, etc. 

I always come back to THE BLUES (that is where my heart lies)
Even though Calvin Russell is really Country, this is Blues to my mind

Calvin Russell - Crossroads
Off the album (Sounds From the Fourth World)
Still the Blues but a different Direction

NOW WHAT!

Having felt GREAT for a few days,

I have now managed to get whatever  


BUG 



My daughter and Sister in Law were circulating.

I suspect that this is because my immune system was so impaired by 14 days of antibiotics,
that it has NO idea how to combat anything.


So although my nose and Chest (at the moment anyway) are clear,
I have one Mother ******** of a sore throat.

Dr says ...... "See how it goes". "Back Friday if no better!"

"It goes all sore and painful, that's how it goes!"

So, I am going to give it a few more days to see if it gets better.

Then if not SOD IT!

I am getting fed up with doing nothing.
I can feel my life wasting away doing nothing.

Is it possible to have a cold for 4 weeks?


I guess based on the fact that everyone I meet,
and everywhere I go, there appears to be an epidemic,
I am unlikely to not get it.

Roll on the Spring and some chance to open the windows and get some fresh air into buildings.

The entire workforce of the country seems to have to work in a gigantic incubator with the germs piped round the never ending air conditioning units.

OK, 100 years ago, we did not have the same medical cover, and infections could often prove fatal.
I just read Roald Dahl's Boy again ,and his Father died of Pneumonia at 57.
This is a bugger because I am 57.
And my own Grandfather died of Pneumonia at 55!

My point being, that even though health care was nowhere near as good,
the survivers were far fitter than a lot of people now.

On a plus note ... they voted against the Allt Duine Windfarm!
(I don't really like the term farm)


How that will go in appeal who knows.
It looks like developers have Carte Blanche to appeal as often as they like.

Just a few images of those beautiful turbines to cheer you up!

One day all turbines will look like this.

Some already do!

AND NOW ................................................


Back to the Blues .....

 

Julian Sas - Blues for the Lost and Found

A SHORT WALK BELOW 10m

Sat 14th Jan 2012

And Lo It Came to Pass on the 7th day (well 6th in all honesty),

that all things did appear to have been completed and cured.

And He looked down on his work, and his well being,

and Lo it was Good.

And the day was bright, and the Sun shoneth down upon all creation, and the frost dids't glisten, and all shone forth, and the Black Hound at his right hand did smile and looking longingly at the portal .

And so they set forth upon their lowly walk.

For it was good.

And they heedeth greatly the words of the Good Angel Louise,

and the Fallen Angel Sloman,

and dids't walk in a leisurely manner that dids't befittest their state.

BUT....

It came to pass that the Devil did tempt them

and whispereth in their ear with words of great wonders.

"Thou cans't go for a run."

"Just a little one eh? ...."

"For  thy knowest that thy wanteth to"

"And are thy not thy own man!"

And lo, though we did resisteth, the words of the tempter were great.

And we dids't weaken, and become to those words.

And our will it dids't wain

And we did fall short in the great goodness that would be our well being.

And we did Jog-eth a smidgen,

and latterly a smidgen more.

And ..................   

And tho we dids't feel good upon the great deception

And tho we dids't know that we had sinned,

We careth not,

for we had succumbed to the great deceivers words

And Lo we shall see what dids't happen at the second reading

The Fall of the anti..............................................biotic

Or Not....................................

So , there you have it.

We went for a lovely walk around the flatlands of the Fens.

And to prove to those that do not consider walking takes place unless there are mountains,

this is the beauty that we saw....

Down the track parallel to the old railway in Lode

One of the two old Clunch Pits
Clunch is a hard chalk used as a building stone
Many years ago these were excavated manually to collect the clunch for local building

A new pond build on Quy Fen

Old tree on the edge of the Fen on the way to Horningsea

The second and bigger of the two Clunch Pits.
Now used as a nature reserve area

Natural Pond on one of the meadows

So, what is wrong with Flat??????

Jasper resisting tempation on the track up to Allicky Farm

Sun through tree along the track

View across Quy Water

Quy Water river walk

The Bridge near Anglesy Abbey

Lode Mill

Sadly despite all this beauty, there is still the problems that are caused by people that should not be allowed to go outside the probably squalor of their houses.

Canus beerus wankus discardus

twatus discardus arse-us

And then there are the people that take their £fucking dog for a walk.

It has a shit.

Discardus Canus Shitus Areswholeus

Then they pick it up in a bag, and then lob the bag into the side of the path.

If you you are going to do that you 'utter fucking moron', 

you might as well not bother with the bag, 

and in all honesty it is doubtful if you should actually have the dog either.

TWAT!

Sorry about that! Rant over!

(All photos where done with Galaxy S2 phone - Nothing Fancy)

And today's music is Phone call from the Moon by Adrian Belew

WENDY'S BACK

OK, I haven't got out yet, because I now have to catch up with 3cwt (old measure) of work and also every time I get home it is dark.
So when I do get out finally, the scenery and views are on the dark side of bright.

That's the Moon that is (Picture Galaxy S2)

The fact that somewhere in that picture is a BLACK Labrador, tells you of the logistics of dog walking at night.
In all honesty we go out together, park the car, go for a walk (we never see each other) and then miraculously we arrive eventually somehow back at the car.

Spooky! It is.

Down Wandelbury way ,it's off the old Roman Road (Icknield Way), they say that on a dark and foggy night, you can still sometimes hear the Roman columns marching along.

They are not so loud though if you are wearing trainers instead of big leather boots.

Coincidence or?

ON A PLUS NOTE.......

Week 2 of medication, 3 days to go and I am feeling way, way, way better!
I am therefore tempted to go for a run,
and I
SHOULD RESIST the temptation!

I MUST RESIST the temptation!

BUT...............CAN I?

I will report back on this, OR NOT, depending on the outcome!

So where was I?

Oh yes, WENDY'S BACK.

She is all patched up, her pole sleeve repaired and she has 3 new ties at the back,
One at the top and 2 midway down the sides, to attach the support guy ropes.

I cannot thank Sean at Oookworks enough.

Bloody Top job!

I need to attach the guy ropes now, seam seal the repair and rope attachments,
and also put the new rear pole together, and then she will be as good as new
I will post a before and after picture at a later date so you can see what a good job it was.

So anyway, since I am better (much better),
Harriet (No 1 and only daughter), who is meant to be running in a County Cross Country race today, is now...... ill with.......

A bad cough .... blah, blah, blah........

I am considering putting her in isolation.. 

I DO NOT want another bloody cold!



Which brings me to the music bit.

Always necessary to try and introduce people to something new.
I say new, but I mean new to them.
Of course it might not be the case for everyone, but today's number is by
John Petrucci and Jonathan Rudness off their solo album.
You may or may not know them from the band Dream Theatre.
This is my favourite off the album

Next post will be something from Adrain Belew (you'll have to wait).
You may prefer to wait...
You may not be reading this and you'll never know.

Such is life!

 

From Within - By John Petrucci and Jordan Rudness

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY or IS IT?

4th ~ 9th Jan 2012

The problem with antibiotics is that although they cure the infection.
For the first couple of days you often feel like $hit.
In particular when the dosage (as in my case) is quite high.
I was hoping that by the end of day three I would feel considerably better.
I am a bit on the side of impatient as it happens, which may also be why my recovery period is often longer than it should be!

Later that same week......

So , by day 3, I was feeling a bit better, and by day 4 better still.
Looking good you might surmise!


But woe alas, days 5 and 6 showed a marked decline, and increased chest pain.
Them's antibiotics are just not cutting it.
So by medication day 7 when I ought to be fighting fit, I am fit for nothing. 

And it is now doing my head in BIG TIME! 


Now, this lot goes back several weeks to that Typhoid Mary £uck!ng woman on the course I ran just before Christmas, who treated everyone in the room with a fount of festive bloody germs.

THANKS FOR THAT!



So today back to the Dr again, for a different regime of medication.

This time I have a weeks worth of Prednisolone (steroid) 30mg a day, and a different antibiotic for a further week.

The old antibioticis were interesting .....
Amidst many of its legion possible side effects to watch out for and report back to your doctor are tight chest and wheeziness, which are the exact bloody symptoms I already have.
Hmmmmmm! Might struggle to spot that one then..

The steroid is interesting too.....
The other possible side effects are erratic behaviour, minor psychosis mental disturbances and miriad other assorted neurological symptoms.

Some people I know (you know who you are), would probably say that I would never be able to spot that, because it is natural behaviour.

The actual list of known issues and possible side effects, along with DON'T take this if...
run to about a side of A4.

The way things are going I will soon be on as many drugs as Sloman (impossible!)

So, with all this, should I still go out for short walks with the dog, or just lay about inside?
You know what I did eh... Took the dog out! WALK mind, no running.

Too late now now anyway.

So here are a couple of pictures of memories from 2011.
Let's hope for some good memories for 2012 as well.

Now where are my pills?

That Bloody Coffin at Inverness

How long did it take him to get across that bit?

So much for the High Route

Loch Mullardoch (North Shore) before it rained [Again]

On the way to Cannich

The coffin on Loch Mhor

Pools of Dee (It's a FWA!!! Lol)

Loch Callater

Sunday Evening at Loch Callater

A little stream on the Monday

Windy?????????

Al shares a secret beer, by the waters of solitude

Damn! It's all over again!

Denis's brilliant painting

And just before we go, I must mention Lucy.

My wife. 

She is wonderful, kind, beautiful, sexy, and the love of my life.
But NO BLOODY SYMPATHY at all.

And yet I still love her.

Love is truely blind!

So in the meantime

THIS

A Blast from the Past - You Know You Know - Mahavisnu Orchestra & John McLaughlin