Dear reader, OK, so I've been away with the fairies for some time, but I'm back on Earth at last. Sam Fanshawe is hinting that you and I should be thinking of a bit of training in a couple of months so I immediately showed her some respect by giving some thought to a training programme.  I counted the days to go and made it 49, 182 and 376, depending on whether I had used my head (once) or a calculator (twice).  I instantly dismissed that 49 – if that were so I'm done for already – it takes me that long to find my passport, let alone do anything else.  The 376 sounds nicely comfortable, but there's a cell in my brain (I call it my 'cautionary' cell 'cos it's always at me with "Are you really sure you should be doing this?") which warns me against accepting that figure simply because of its capacity to give comfort.  So do I work with 182?  But then my 'logic' cell kicks in (maybe more than one - perhaps a whole group of cells, 'cos I get quite a strong feeling on this point) and suggests that if two out of three figures must be wrong, why not all three?   Back to 'cautionary' cell, which is a bit resentful at having to do some more work, and it eventually agrees that the best thing is to PANIC NOW!   So, will do!  Well, tomorrow anyway.  But hang on – it's still remnants of Christmas time – lots to do ... I'll try to fit in a minor panic sometime next week ... so watch this space!   Maybe I should hope that you're having such a good Christmas that you won't have time to read this anyway.  Ah, well – c'est la vie!

 

Well, OK good people, I've been out of it for so long! I guess I got too close to the 2008 event with the continuous flow of news and sometimes hourly e-mails. Result - at the end of the event I was as exhausted (spiritually and mentally at least) as the competitors, and it has taken me until now to come up for air and feel normal again. But what drama during the event! I am seriously re-considering withdrawing my offer to grace Atacama 2009 with my presence, unless Mary can guarantee an equal level of excitement for next year. After all, folks, and I know you will all agree, it's no use taking part in such an event if, whenever we seize the chance to talk about it afterwards, (showing no false modesty about our personal, thrilling battle against whatever the desert can throw at us of course), we nevertheless suffer from the constant and debilitating fear that someone will put their head around the door and say, utterly deflatingly, "Ah, but you should have been there in 2008!" So, over to you Mary ... in the meantime, until I hear from you, I shall hope you can organise something a bit special (but definitely survivable of course) for 2009 and will begin my preparation for the event ... and about time too .. so WATCH THIS SPACE .. (if you're in doubt, good readers, I hasten to assure you that you are allowed to grab a night's sleep occasionally) ... Laurie Brophy

OK, so I haven't yet got over the fact that I went into a 'Running' shop and asked for new trainers.   Was it T S Elliot who counted his life in coffee spoons?  I'm not suggesting a comparison here - since I started buying serious runing shoes, about 15 years ago ... well, let's just say, with regard to such events, that one hand and it's accompanying fingers, and maybe the thumb too, would probably be adequate.

You see I can never get over the cost of REAL shoes ... but, if you had read my previous blog, you wil know that I make my trainers pay their way. I occasionaly see references, in advertising literature or in the advice pages in running magazines, to a certain "Do 500 miles and then get a new pair".  Well, subconsciously at least, I am convinced that such advice, printed on all those pages, is the result of a mis-print that has spread like a contagion throughout the known world - they have all clearly left off the third 'zero'.

Just over a year to go and time to get serious.  To prove my commitment to my reader (IS there one out there?) I have purchased new trainers.  Useful hints that the old ones were past their best were:-  a) I couldn't remember their original colour; b) one or more of the laces were beginning to rot; c) they would sneer at me if I dared to mention cushioning in their hearing.  Mind, no complaints, they had served me well for two or three years, ( that, too is uncertain).  They had survived the daily wet grass (dew or rain according to season) of the daily castle-opening I perform every day, beach litter-picking, gardening, hill-walking, creative writing, table tennis, blackberrying, indoor decorating, theatre visits, badger watching, gym work, cycling, bat detecting, story-telling, library visits, nature walks, coarse badminton, dog-walking, dining out, (in the less classy places where trainers aren't even noticed), oh, and, I suppose, some occasional running.  What a full life, you may or may not think!

I suppose swimming and weddings are the only occasions when I have worn other than my trainers.  Well, all right, there was a funeral, too.

A few days ago I promised myself I would try to get to Chile AND try out the Atacama.  In 2009, mind, so there's plenty of time to prepare, but isn't that a danger?  I admit to strength AND weakness in my usual style of preparation.  I'm extremely poor at creating a training programme - my real strength lies in the ability to find reasons why I shouldn't go out on any particular day, assuming that I had some vague sort of exercise in mind.

My New Year's resolution was to run the 5 miles up to Coity Castle and back (a twice-daily journey anyway) every other day. Otherwise, cycling.  1st of Jan. was the first day and the run was completed.  Today, another run was due, but a really REALLY bad head cold persuaded me to stay in and miss out.  Of course, I was devastated.

You might be a little baffled at my lack of ambition - I should point out that I am a senior citizen, 75 years old, hoping for a cure for arthritis and waiting for my second hip replacement - I mention this in the hope of much sympathy.  You will all be queueing up to carry my pack for me in Chile in 2009?   See you!