Blog
Planning Races without Setting Yourself Up for Failure
In 2022, I got a bit carried away signing up for races totally unrelated to each other. What happened? Somewhere between marathon training and sprint triathlon training, I got injured.
Not Running: dealing with illness and injury
There’s nothing like a few injuries and illnesses to derail an entire year of races.
Book Review: Behind Ocean Lines
Working on a luxury yacht isn’t the same as being a guest on one. This memoir reveals one young woman’s experience of the horrendous conditions and implications of working in luxury.
Blenheim Triathlon 2022: Race Report (+ Video)
Considering racing the Blenheim Palace Triathlon? I finished the race in 2022, my first open water triathlon and this is how it went!
Walking the Isle of Wight's Chalk Downs
The Isle of Wight lies off England's southern coast and is the perfect place for hiking and cycling. I explored its magnificent chalk downs in May.
If You Got Medals for Getting In Your Own Way
I'm gonna keep this simple because people like you and me don't need more facts. We need some cold hard truths about running.
Running the Grizzly Cub 2022 at Seaton
After training for Seaton's Grizzly 2022, I upset my Achilles and did the Cub race instead. It was hilly, chilly but super fun. Read all about it!
7 Family-Friendly Walks Near Newton Abbot
There's a big population in the Newton Abbot area and many of us love the great outdoors. I know plenty of you have kids who also love running along muddy forest trail, but planning hikes can be tricky, so I've done it for you.
Running 15 miles from Exeter to Dartmoor
I signed up for a 20-mile trail race so I figured it was time I started increasing my running distance and including big hills. Rather suddenly, without much planning...
Book Review: Coastwise by Peter Firstbrook
It's hard to describe just how fascinating this book is for anyone who loves the British coastline. From sea stacks and estuaries to avocets and the dreaded quicksand, Peter Firstbrook has made room for everything you might want to know about the British shore.
Review: Decathlon Winter Leather Hiking Boots
For years, I thought that the fluff on the top of boots was a fashion thing. It wasn't until I bought my first pair of fluff-topped hiking boots back in 2006 that I realised there's a lot more to it than wanting to look like you've wandered out of Dr. Zhivago.
Review: A Spotter's Guide to Countryside Mysteries
A Spotter's Guide to Countryside Mysteries is the new book from naturalist John Wright and reveals the secrets by a multitude of countryside oddities.
Just a Little Bit Further — the joys of trail running
I don't need to aim for a time of a distance to motivate me when I'm trail running, curiosity is the driving force and it so often rewards magnificently. I don't think I've ever had a 'bad' trail run. Even this one, complete with skittish bulls and a 34% gradient, was a true joy.
Snoozing in a Cornish Bell Tent: a review of Higher Pendeen Camping
Only in the morning could I see the full extent of Higher Pendeen's wilding. The field is lined with unmown grasses and wildflowers and large central chucks of land are the same. It's basically accommodation managed by bees, butterflies and all the other creatures that see a blade of grass as quite a long journey. It's glorious.
St Mawgan's Japanese Garden: getting Zen in Cornwall
Deep in Cornwall’s steep valleys lie plenty of secrets but none perhaps so extraordinary as the Japanese Garden in St Mawgan. I came here on book research and felt like I wanted to stay forever.
I Did a Go Tri Triathlon and it was Excellent
On 25 July 2021, I did the Torbay Triathlon's Go Tri event. It was the perfect blend of Type 1 and Type 2 fun and I highly recommend it, even if you've never done a triathlon before (I hadn't either).
7 Ted Talks for Adventure Inspiration
There's nothing quite like a bit of adventure to shake us out of our routines, to blow the dust off our habit-forming brains and remind us that we are not only bursting with life, but that we are capable of extraordinary things. Of extraordinary endurance, mental resilience and determination.
How to Get Involved with Women's Festival of Cycling: 17 July – 1 August
The Women's Festival of Cycling is back and better than ever. Running between 17 July and 1 August, there are tons of virtual events, sessions and workshops to get stuck into whether you haven't cycled since childhood or you're two-wheeling every moment you get.
Sitting Down with Nature: the sound and the silence
I sit down in a deserted woodland and wait. Of course, it's only humans that are absent apart from me, because I'm soon visited by other creatures.There is much to be gained in the sound and the silence.
Alcohol vs the Bike; or, and how does that make you feel?
Aching muscles, mysterious bruises and a dehydration headache are all familiar to me. Except now I've been sober for three years, they come not with regret and anxiety but alongside satisfaction, pride and a stronger mind.