The Saturday before Commando’s 2013 Run To The Beat half marathon we were exploring Greenwich. Once we’d had our fill of the Cutty Sark we made our way to the riverbank to get up close and personal with the Thames and, from there, to the world famous Observatory and the line that tells everyone in the world what time it is. Continue reading Time and navigation, the Greenwich Meridian – first published 8 September 2013
The morning of Saturday 8 September 2013 found Commando and I setting off for a little London adventure on the train. Normally a London trip means the West End, shopping or museum visiting, unless it’s a Moonwalk extravaganza but this time we were off to unchartered waters, Greenwich, for Commando’s Run to the Beat half marathon. Continue reading A little London adventure – first published 8 September 2013
May 2013 seemed to be all about London for me, what with auditions and the Moonwalk. Less than a week after my epic nighttime walk around the big city, I was hopping on a London bound train again. It was time to meet Arabella for the second round of auditions. At least this time I knew exactly where the Music Studios were and what to expect. At least I thought I did. Continue reading another London jaunt – first published 17 May 2013
The waiting was finally over. The Moonwalk I’d trained so hard for had begun and I was off into the dark, Wind and rain in Battersea amid a sea of wet bra wearing women. We were women on a mission, not just to walk twenty six point two miles, fight tiredness, cold and the elements, but to raise money for breast cancer charities, it was going to be a long, long night and, as usual, I was walking alone even though I was surrounded by people. Continue reading walking in the dark and marvelling at the bright lights – first published 11 May 2013
Moonwalk day had finally arrived and, for the second time in a week, I was off to London. This time it was in the car with Commando. We had a hotel booked in Putney but only one of us would be spending the night there and there was the small matter of actually getting to it. Driving in London is not as simple as you’d think… Continue reading All the fun of the big pink tent – first published 11 May 2013
It isn’t often I go to London although it’s only seventy miles or so away and just over an hour by train. Twice in one week is unheard of. The week of the Moonwalk though, that was exactly what I’d be doing. The first of the two trips was rather exciting, if a little scary as I’d be all on my own and liable to get lost. Arabella and I would be meeting up at a studio in Marylebone to audition some musicians for the ship. Obviously I know nothing about classical music but Arabella thought I would be able to get an idea about the musicians themselves. It was heartening that she trusted my judgement. Continue reading a London adventure, auditions and a gift – first published 9 May 2013
26 July 2015
If the first part of our London adventure was mostly about graffiti, the second half was going to be mostly about flowers. The graffitifest was a sweetner to stop CJ complaining too much about what was to come. Chelsea was next on the agenda, a certain physic garden to be exact, and I wasn’t entirely sure CJ was going to find it as exciting as I did. Although he didn’t know it, my itinerary was fairly ambitious distance wise too. CJ walks a fair bit but I thought a half marathon, plus some, might stretch him a little so I’d broken it down into segments, “just over three miles to Chelsea, are you OK with that? We can always get the tube?” So far he was fine but we’d walked less than four miles. Still, the rain had turned to drizzle and, being London, there was plenty to take our minds off both rain and miles. Continue reading I don’t want to go to Chelsea
26 July 2015
Saturday night and I was feeling quite despondent. The forecast was for rain over the next few days. I could see my planned walks evaporating before my eyes. To cheer me up Commando went on line and booked two tickets to London.
“You can go exploring with CJ while I’m doing my fifteen mile marathon training. Even if it rains you’re sure to find something interesting to do.”
A couple of hours later after a lot of Googling and poring over maps, I had a plan that would keep CJ interested and take us to some of the more unusual sights in London. If it rained too much we could always seek shelter in a cafe. Continue reading Waterloo, Westminster, toilets, coffee and graffiti
26 April 2015
Once I’d left Cutty Sark and crossed Deptford Creek, it was a relief to be away from the crowds and walking along the empty embankment. The creek, I found out later, was the site of the Battle of Deptford Bridge, the last battle of the Cornish Rebellion, on 17 June 1497. Created as a Royal Dockyard by Henry VIII, in the sixteenth century, Deptford Dockyard gave employment to many shipbuilders until its closure three hundred years later. In fact, in 1580, Queen Elizabeth I knighted Francis Drake there on board the Golden Hind. The ship remained moored in the creek until it broke up. It seems it a pity it couldn’t have been saved and restored because I would like to have seen it. Continue reading The Thames Trail, a catalogue of errors
26 April 2015
Training for a marathon is a long, slow process. It takes fortitude, courage and a dogged determination to get out and run, no matter what the weather, when your mind and muscles are screaming at you to stop and stay in bed. Running twenty plus miles is never easy, even if you’ve done it before many times. Anyone who thinks it is should go and and try. Sometimes doubts creep in. Why am I doing this to myself, maybe I should just turn for home now moments. Only the determined succeed. On our way back from Portchester, CJ and I bumped into Commando on one of his last ever training runs. The end was in sight. Continue reading London, marathon day has arrived