Tag: Exercise
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Austerity
My wife thinks I want to be a monk. Or at least that I aspire to a monastic lifestyle. It’s a reference to some of my more austere preferences in life. As evidence, she would cite my obsession with paring down belongings in the name of minimalism (even if it means getting cold, wet and…
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Heart Rates – How Low Can You Go?
It wasn’t that long ago that I first got my hands on a heart rate monitor. I’ve never been sufficiently into the minutiae of fitness training (or dedicated enough?) to apply any kind of science to it, like using a heart rate monitor, but I do love a good competition. Particularly if it’s with myself.…
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How I Train For My Expeditions
I enjoy physically challenging projects and that is reflected in many of my expeditions and undertakings. The truth, however, is that I rarely train specifically for any given challenge. Instead, I just keep a general level of fitness which means I’m usually ready for whatever plans I make. However, since the purpose of this website…
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Can you help me gain weight?
I have recently started a new diet. Last year, Laura and I began swimming the Thames as part of our Greater London Triathlon. We would drive out west, put our wetsuits on then swim until I got tired or cold. And it was always me shivering or aching, not Laura. I’ve done one big swim…
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National Freelancers Day 2011
Today is National Freelancers Day. As someone who probably falls under this category, here are a few articles I’ve written around the subject of working for yourself… 10 things I’ve started doing since going freelance The dishwasher dash (and 9 other ways I squeeze exercise into my working day) 7 things that I like about…
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Cold Water Therapy (This Is The Serpentine)
Stupid. I should have known that late October was not a good time to go cycling in sandals but I’d come back from holiday the night before and hadn’t adjusted my thermostat. It is cold. To make matters worse, the first three miles are all downhill, littered with traffic lights and choked with commuters so…
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These Boots Are Made For Walking
The above image depicts my recently retired running shoes. I had been using them regularly since the summer of 2007. They were kindly donated by Decathlon Surrey Quays for my “real world” triathlon from London to the Isle of Wight and, after almost four years of use and abuse, they finally came to an end…
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London Flat to Essex Beach
Having read that you are never more than 70-miles from the nearest coastline in the UK, last Saturday I decided to try running from my London flat to the ocean. My route planning only extended as far as confirming that I wasn’t at the furthest point from the sea. This is how far it might…
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Running to the Ocean
It is said that in the UK you are never more than 70 miles from the sea. Consider that for a moment. That means that wherever you are reading this now*, you are at most perhaps two hours’ drive from an ocean. Or, if you own a bike, almost certainly within a day’s ride. I…
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Ankle deep in the Thames – Thames Diary #1
Starting in ankle deep water was never going to be ceremonious. We waved up to my parents who stood above us on the bridge at Cricklade which bore the sign ‘River Thames’ and marked our starting point, then began splashing down stream. Wading through a small river in rural England whilst clad in a wetsuit…
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Training for Life
It’s 7pm. It’s dark and I’m performing my 17th hill rep on the steep street of a quiet housing estate. It hurts. My lungs burn, my legs ache and nausea rises from the pit of my stomach each time I reach the top of the hill. I am alone. No one is making me do this…
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Running All the Tube Lines
Just a quick update for those of you that haven’t been following Stephen Wright‘s progress. Steve is currently running between every single Tube station in London. Unlike mine and Laura’s Running The Tube project last year, Steve is breaking the lines into chunks to ensure he visits every station (Laura and I missed about a…