My 50th marathon

Yesterday I completed my 50th marathon as part of my 60 by 60 campaign. Now that's something I never dreamt I'd type!

This was another of Traviss and Rachels excellent events but this time it was the sort of event I prefer - off-road and undulating rather than the flat, fast courses Traviss prefers. What a lovely venue it was too; Ranscombe Farm Nature Reserve in the North Downs just minutes away from the M2 motorway yet it felt as if you were entering another world. It covers an area of 560 acres

The day before I received an email asking everyone to park off-site as some stupid person had superglued the locks on the gates and whilst they had managed to free up the main gates they hadn't been able to open the gates to the parking field. This meant I parked about 3/4 miles away so it was a nice leg-stretcher before and afterwards (although I had difficulty crossing the road on the way back as it was so busy!).

I'm always pleased to discover places like this where flora and fauna are left to flourish in their natural environment (or, as natural as possible in an area that is farmed).

The day before the temperature had been high and I was quite relieved that the sky looked overcast with the threat of rain. Although it was still quite humid there was a nice refreshing breeze to keep us cool. Some of my photos didn't come out very well because there were spots of rain on the lens but there are enough to show here to give a flavour of this beautiful place. I did actually remark to Rachel that it was a good job that the sun wasn't out or I'd have spent even more time taking photos of butterflies as well as the flowers!

I'll let the photos do most of the talking:

The views walking form the entrance to basecamp. bright dots of poppies shone out on a dull day, with Field Scabious in the margins.

Is that the River Medway in the distance?

Oh my goodness, look how those poppies shine out amongst the different grasses!

Time to collect my race number

I always like a palindrome!

The obligatory portaloos. The young man with his back to us is James and he ran 2 ultra marathons there over the weekend. Yes, 2! On Saturday he ran 50 miles and then knocked out another 53.7 miles on Sunday looking fresh as a daisy - what a star!

An assembly of runners, many of whom are legends and inspire me to push myself harder. Far too many superstars to mention but I was especially delighted to meet up with Karen Summerville fresh from running 10 marathons in 10 days. There was also a celebration for Clive who has just completed 52 marathons in 52 weeks.

This was a timed event with a 12 hour cut-off during which time you could run as many or as few loops as you liked. Each loop was 3.8 miles so you had to complete 7 loops for marathon distance. Lots of people ran many more than that. It was a 7am start and I wanted to get back home to watch the Wimbledon tennis final between Djocovich and Federer so I knew I'd be sticking to marathon distance.

After the usual race briefing we were off and I started to drink in the fabulous views, oohing and aahing as I spotted some beautiful flowers en-route. I'd only gone about 500 metres when I started taking photos.

The undulating route encompassed chalk/flinty paths and passed through fields and woodland where you had to watch your step as the tree roots had the potential to trip you up. A few people were caught out by them but amazingly I only managed to trip over on a flat bit, thankfully with no-one around to witness my loss of dignity!

The small white flowers are Chamomile and when it warmed up later the smell was divine.

The terrain was flinty and chalky.

I loved the red splash of poppies in a band across this field and the way the Chamomile follows the curve at the far end.

The mixture of Sow Thistles, Hawkweed, Poppies and Chamomile was intoxicating!

A more moody view with the clouds low down

View from a bench in a woodland clearing

A summer patchwork made even more vibrant as the hay had been cut in some of the fields.

Friendly moos - Belted Galloways

I won't bore you with all the photos of wildflowers that I took so here are just a few which everyone will have noticed:

Chamerion angustifolium (Rosebay Willowherb) is often found standing in clearings around woodland. This plant is a very successful coloniser as its silky seeds are dispersed by the wind but it also spread by means of rhizomes (roots).  It's common name is 'bombflower' or 'fireweed' after WW11 when it colonised bomb sites - the ideal place to establish itself. The pith inside the stem is known to walkers/foragers as a pick-me-up as it's full of carbohydrate although I've never tried it!

Agrimony. I love this little plant. If you get up close it smells of apricots! In olden days it was used as a remedy for all sorts of things from snake bites to dysentry. Today it is used in preparations for catarrh and digestive disorders.

Wild marjoram. I smelled this little beauty before I saw it.

Wild/hoary mustard - it has wonderful seedpods.

Common Mallow - the young shoots were eaten as a vegetable in pre-Roman times.

Convolvulus avensis (field bindweed). This is a much more dainty version of the larger flowered bindweed you see scrambling through hedges. It has the most amazingly robust system of roots which can extend up to 5 metres below ground!

OK, enough of the vegetation. 

How was my marathon journey? Excellent thank you. I loved every minute of it despite my nose running more than I did (hayfever - which is rather unfair for someone with a love of gardening isn't it!) and my little tumble early on. I walked some of he uphills and was cautious on the downhill bits - for anyone who doesn't know, I have a fear of going down hills or down steps. I was, therefore, very pleased that Caroline posted this photo of me on Facebook, taken after the steps, rather than the coming-down-the-steps-sideways version! Thanks for the photo and your support Caroline.

I chatted with many people on the way round and high-fived some of the speedy peeps. Every 2 laps I heard the metronomic footsteps of Joe Hawkins approaching from behind which meant I had to move aside on the narrow sections to let him pass.

After each lap we returned to basecamp to receive a wristband, to indicate how many laps we'd done, and to refuel with water/squash/biscuits/crisps. As always we were looked after very well so thank you ladies. It's easy to forget that all the helpers give up their time to stand around for hours on end whilst we runners are off on our adventures.

On my last lap I ran part of it with Karen and we were having a good old chat when Mike phoned up to check I was OK. That's when I realised I'd taken a bit longer than I expected probably because of all my photo opportunities. Well it was never going to be about a time when there was so much for me to see………...I didn't mention all the photos that I took of tree bark and I can't wait for Rachel's Ranscombe Ramble next Spring when I'll see all the early Orchids and Bluebells in the woods. Oh my!

I think my finish time was 6:15 something. Rachel gave me my lovely medal (isn't it pretty) and goody bag then Karen remembered that it was my 50th marathon and told her.

Traviss wasn't around so Rachel went to find a new badge that they'd just created for people celebrating their half century. I was the first person to receive one and it felt really nice and has joined all my other medals.

Then Traviss reappeared and congratulated me and we had a chat about how inspiring it is to meet all the amazing people who do his events - him and Rachel are included in that. He then announced that as it looks as if I'll be at 57 marathons by the end of 2015 then I'll probably be getting to 100 marathons before I'm 60 in June 2017! 

Although it's unlikely, I'll definitely be doing something extra special for ARUK in my 60th year as I've already started scheming………. 

The Summer Exhibition & something exciting

My birthday is always celebrated with a visit to either somewhere arty or a garden followed by a special curry and a bit of fizz. This year was no exception although our plans had to be changed from the garden visit to something arty at the last minute to cut down on the walking part as Mike was feeling a bit wobbly following a fall, poor love.

So it was that we headed off to visit the Summer Exhibition again. Same venue, the Royal Academy in central London, but with different exhibits (although some were very similar to last year and decent paintings were in rather short supply this time much to Mike's annoyance).

This is a very photo-heavy post, even though I've left loads out, so apologies in advance. I'll let them tell the story with a few words thrown in occasionally:

An adventure always starts with a coffee at Bistro@thestation

The train was on time (hoorah!) on the outward journey but was delayed on the return sadly due to a fatality on the line. A young woman had jumped from a bridge onto the railway line and a 74 year old man had gone onto the track to save her but lost his life in the process. She survived but was in a critical condition. So sad.

I was trying to capture the enormity of the work going on at London Bridge station but most of it is hidden behind huge barriers

A moody shot of the Shard

The grand entrance to Waterloo station

The milennium wheel and a purple cow thing (what is that??????)

The traditional pose outside Charing Cross station (notice I've managed to get THE hat again!)

I was looking at rooftops on our walk to the exhibition and the cuppola atop the National Gallery caught my eye because of the way it's weathered with shades of grey

As we were there bright and early there were hardly any people about so I was able to snap this section of Trafalgar Square.

The latest display on the 4th plinth is a skeletal horse by Hans Haacke. It's entitled 'Gift Horse' and is derived from an etching by George Stubbs who was famous for his amazing paintings of horses some of which are held in the National Gallery. The round thing on the horse's front leg is an electronic ribbon which displays a live feed from the London Stock Exchange. This is supposed to link power, money and history.

Fairy-tale turrets

A sit down for coffee and cake at Caffe Concerto on Haymarket. We played at people-watching which is always fun.

Another glorious cuppola; copper this time.

Were were walking along Piccadilly and I loved the shades of grey

I think this is my favourite of the day

We were still a bit early for the Exhibition so we popped into St James's Church which was consecrated in 1684. It was designedby Sir Christopher Wren (who also designed St Paul's Catherdral).

The magnificent organ

This fabulous carving is by Grinling Gibbons who also carved the font seen below. As always there is symbolism and he has used the traditional image of a pelican pecking its breast to feed her young which represents God who though Christ is said to feed all people.

The poet William Blake was baptised here.

The highly ornate ceiling

Our final destination!

Each year there is a different installation in the courtyard. This one is entitled 'The Dappled Light of the Sun' by Conrad Shawcross.

I loved the shadows it created…...

...….and looking at its shape against the blue sky

Looking back at it from the entrance steps it looks as if the artist in the statue is conducting an orchestra!

The staircase to the exhibition had been decorated with strips of tape. You can read about it in the notice below. 

It made my eyes go funny on the way down!

There were many interesting sculptures this year.

Sheep heads with a goat on the end which I couldn't fit into the photo.

This pile of tat made me cross - how can that be classed as 'ART'?!!!!!

These 2 chairs caught my eye because I love things with holes in (as anyone who's seen my pottery work will know).

This one had mirrors inserted into the holes which gave distorted reflections - I appear to be upside down and on my side!

This is the sort of sculpture I'd love to have in the garden

Just imagine that with the light shining through it.

These 3 abstract figures were glorious and I really wanted to touch them but it wasn't allowed.  I didn't make a note of the sculptor unfortunately. I always admired Henry Moore's ethos that sculpture should be enjoyed by all and he loved people to engage with his pieces rather than them to be shut away in a gallery.

This was an interesting piece which refracted light and images as you moved around it

There were a couple of Bill Jacklin's paintings to keep Mike happy but overall he was disappointed by the lack of good paintings this year

I liked this piece entitled 'Origami A - Z'. It was paintings of origami animals and was quite charming.

These lights caught my eye 'cos they looked like bubbles…….

……just as they were supposed to!

Something very similar to this was exhibited last year by the same artist and we saw lots of items that were very like things artists had produced last year which seems to go against what the exhibition is supposed to be about - ie fresh and innovative ideas. We must be getting old and grumpy!

A striking tapestry by Grayson Perry - detailed photos below

This sculpture is entitled 'Darwin accelerated' and I liked the idea of a shell being divided into a sort of honeycombe.

Finally we have a photo from the Concept room,  where architects produce amazing avant garde designs, which we always enjoy.  I loved this quotation 'The art of landscape is tricking nature into improving your design'. How true; it's what we gardeners try to do all the time!

As we left the exhibition we spotted a sign for the Society of Antiquaries' collection for a free exhibition about Magna Carta throught the ages so we popped in and it was really interesting. Well worth a look if you're in the area.

After that it was time for a jolly good curry nearby in Albemarle Street and then home for some champers. Perfect.

The Exciting news

2 bits of excitement actually:

i) I received my DNA sample kit for the PROTECT study . Of course, I have said categorically that I do not want to know if I am going to develop dementia but am quite happy to take part in the study as someone "who has not received a diagnosis of dementia". 

It's so important for researchers to be able to monitor a large group of people over a number of years to learn more about how the disease develops and who may be more at risk. 

Research is they key to unlocking the secrets of dementia and I urge everyone to volunteer to help learn more about this devastating disease so that future generations don't have to experience it.

My 'spit-kit' as I call it

ii) The lovely Wendy Mitchell, who I've mentioned a lot recently, will be accompanying Piers Kotting to the House of Commons for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Research's 2015 Summer Drop-In to promote Join dementia research. 

How fab is that?!!!

I shall be contacting my local MP to pester him, politely of course, to attend to find out more about JDR.