Everwhere There Are Lessons

The last post might have been about a bike but the theme was enthusiasm and how the love of an activity (and it could be any activity) makes people more alive. We respond to the bright eyed look of someone talking about their passions, even if the subject is remote from your own interests.

Horses are a case in point. For me they are an alien world but my sister, who is a physiotherapist, has developed an interest in their use for therapy and has recently bought her own horse. We visited the stable and watched her groom and ride her horse and could see the enjoyment. She also introduced us to two of her friends, her riding teacher and another physiotherapist who has her own stable, both of whom were brim full of an energetic enthusiasm. They loved everything to do with horses.

We even went to a horse show (called the Mane Event - I even managed to overcome my distrust of punning titles!) which was a trade show with display arenas. It was another glimpse into this new world. It was a bit like a running expo with different smells. One clear overlap was the focus on injury - there were a number of stall offering ointments and therapies. You can start up a conversation with any runner by asking how their injury is going, perhaps you can do the same for riders.

The other thing that struck me was the number of people selling dvds of training programmes and their approach to horsemanship. We saw a display by Jonathan Field that opened my eyes to what could be achieved. I didn’t know horses could be that obedient, for example he would point to a spot and get the horse to stop there, walk away and then call the horse to follow - it was almost like dog training.

He took his horse through a number of challenges such as weaving in and out of cones or playing with a Swiss ball. The idea was to keep the horse interested at all times. His approach came from a moment of insight when he had been trying to train a particular horse but was making no progress. The more he tried the worse things became. He then realised the horse was bored and he needed to think more from the horse’s perspective and engage it so it became as interested in him as he was in it.

To do this he rethought his routines so that he made sessions a series of challenges rather than an endless repetition of exercises. He also made sure that each sessions had a clear objective and once it was done it was over. It seemed as if the key quality was clarity. The horse had to know precisely what was expected and be prepared i.e. nothing was suddenly demanded. Importantly there was also the concept of rest, of taking a break so that things remained fresh.

As he talked I had a moment of insight and thought that the principles of clarity, challenges and rest could be profitable applied to my own training sessions. Training a horse might be thought of as similar to training your own body. Although there should be a closer relationship between your own brain and body than there is between a horse and a human, there is still a gap between part of the brain that holds the hopes and dreams and part of the brain and the body that has to execute the plan. One can think you are being sensible and realistic with your own training programme but the body might still rebel by breaking-down or sticking on a plateau of weariness, and be as intractable as any horse.

As I watched the horseman ride in such a fluid, easy manner I compared it to some of my forced and laboured runs. Could it be that he actually pays more attention to the needs of his horse than I do to the needs of my body?

Perhaps I need to rethink.

Brompton Talk

This is the latest piece of public sculpture in Hemel beside it is my 8 year old Brompton. Of the two I know which gives me the most aesthetic pleasure.

One is brilliantly conceived with the form following its function. Every part is designed for purpose, with nothing redundant and no superfluous decoration to distract attention from the principles of the design. The other claims to be a point of reflection but is curiously random in its representation.

Bromptons please me in all sorts of ways so I was really pleased to meet their chief designer this weekend.

He was in his fifties, medium height, trim, white haired with bright blue eyes that were full of life. He talked with great enthusiasm about design and the ideas he was developing to improve the bike. Many of these are little things like a clip to attach the rear triangle to the bike so that it does not fold under when you lift it (his idea is to incorporate it into the rubber suspension bung, which can be be twisted to lock the back of the bike). Others are larger like a new hub-gear with a wider ratio. The underlying principle is to take the classic Andrew Ritchie design and gradually evolve it - incremental improvement that always looks at the weak points, like the cheap saddle, to see what can be done (apparently there will soon be a new Brompton saddle designed so it can be used to lift the bike). I can think of very few other products, designed in the mid 70s, that have remained essentially the same except for gradually getting better.

The conversation moved to the enthusiasm of owners and how most people use their bikes very frequently so that large mileages are built up. (I have done about 25,000 miles on mine just by making regular short journeys). Some people take them to extrodainary places, Simon Calder for example is famous for taking his all over the world. Talking about writers he said Will Self had visited the factory and written a lovely article. (It is true; it is well worth the click through).

The World Chamionship was a great success (as can be seen from WarriorWoman's rather wonderful account). Apparently it was tagged onto the Blenheim Palace Bike Event almost as an afterthought but generated so much interest it became the main event. There are however diplomatic problems. The race was invented by the Spanish distributor and they do not wish to usurp his role so it is possible there will be two events in the future: a World Championship and a European Championship. Honour will be preserved.

There is nothing better than talking to someone who really loves what they do, enthusiasm of any kind is infectious but it is even better if the infection is already shared. In that way it felt just like a running conversation.

Fishing

Before I started running I never gave any thought to fishing.

Buried in my memory are a few days when I was 10 and my father took me fishing at the gravel pits. He was no great fisherman, having only just been introduced to the sport by some friends, and I was no natural so we never did catch much apart from tiddlers. As a hobby it was short lived but I enjoyed the outings, being in the open, searching for good spots (which had more to do with hiding in the rushes rather finding somewhere the fish would visit), and just generally messing about. The memories have little to do with fishing. They are about my father, relaxing, trying new things, involving his son. All the things I could only begin to appreciate when I was older and had children of my own.

But running often makes me think of fishing. When running by the canal I pass so many fishermen (and I think they are almost always men) I often wonder about their hobby. What is the attraction, especially when it is raining and they sit motionless in their waterproofs? It takes dedication to be out for so long in bad weather so there must be a deep level of satisfaction – but I don’t know what it is.

There are some (limited) similarities with my sport. Firstly there is the pleasure of being outside, the simple but profound feeling of being closer to nature and enjoying the direct sensations of the wind, sun or rain. There is also the pleasure of paying attention to your surroundings, watching and listening. Finally there is the refreshment of non-work, of escaping the to-do list. That much I can relate to but I understand little else. But maybe I am missing the point because canal fishing is a particularly sluggish form of the sport.

When running alongside the Vedder I saw something that made me realise that fishing could be physically active and challenging. A man had hooked a large strong fish and was attempting to reel it in. He was running along the bank, pulling it in little by little, whilst his fishing rod was bending mightily. The struggle lasted for some time before the fish was landed. When it was over the man showed the fish to his companion and threw it back. I began to understand some of the satisfaction he must have felt. He was at least physically engaged.

For me all sports must have a strong element of physical engagement. Above everything else that is their point.

Children Running By The lake

There is something magical about the stillness of lakes.

Our visit to Cultis Lake was off-season and it was deserted. The shops in the plaza were shut, there was nobody on the beach, and no boats on the water and of course no one jumping off the jetties into the water. All was eerily calm but it was not empty.

Around the Lake are a large number of houses and cabins. Some of them are used just at weekends and for holidays but there are a fairly large number of permanent residents. As we walked along the path there was the sound of hammering and drilling as a few people were working on their buildings as if preparing for the winter.

As we were walking we met a group of junior school children running the lakeside path. At the front were the fast kids accompanied by an adult who was obviously a practised runner. There was quite a gap and then the larger gaggle of kids in the middle, also accompanied by an adult and then after a long time came the stragglers, also accompanied. I thought it was quite wonderful to see this way of encouraging exercise. The kids were allowed to go at a pace they could manage but there was someone at hand to encourage and help them.

I like the idea of teaching running at an early age with someone running alongside to encourage and support. I don’t know if it is common in today’s schools but it is unlike anything I remember. We had no instruction on improving running efficiency or finding a rhythm to run for longer, or run for enjoyment. It was assumed we all had the basic skill and you would no more teach running than you would walking.

Now I don’t think we make those assumptions. We are worried about the lack of exercise in the population as a whole and are making more effort to develop good habits. Encouraging all kids to run could be very important.

An Ideal Running Path

This path by the Vedder River is near my sister's house. It is flat, smooth, well maintained, and perfect for running especially as there are marker posts every kilometer. A small thing perhaps but it makes the path even more useful for training.

Another good thing is that dogs must be kept on a leash. There is however a nearby field with a designated pound where the dogs can run free. In effect this is an informal club as the owners chat with each other whilst the dogs also socialise and run around in groups. It is odd but whenever I see dogs on leashes pass each other they bark and jump and have to be restrained by their owners. Here, without the need to show off, they seem to get along fine.

Recreation facilities do not have to be ornate – opening up access to beautiful areas is enough

Appreciating the landscape

My sister lives in the Fraser Valley. It is flat, rich agricultural land in the huge flood plain but wherever you look you see mountains. On clear days the light is crisp and clean with blue skies over an open landscape. There is a beauty and grandeur here.

Although this is a running blog I often talk about landscapes. This is because being somewhere stimulating, noticing new things on familiar routes, seeing how everything looks different in different light, being aware of changes in the seasons is an important part of the experience. It is a necessary counterbalance to a tendency to be too absorbed by your own body: how you are doing, how you are feeling, whether you are flying or struggling. You have to look out as well as in.

My sister has a wonderful landscape to run in. The mountains never look the same; the light and shadows are always changing and the pattern of clouds is always shifting. The picture at the top is a bit of a cheat because it is not from a run (it was taken a few miles away, looking over the Fraser at Mission) but it shows how sometimes, on a clear day, strata of clouds can make the view a peep show.

You can never tire of such sights or take for granted your ability to enjoy them.