There aren’t many books where a tree is one of the main protagonists. Normally, I’d find that kind of anthropomorphising a bit childish, but this is no Whomping Willow. The fig tree speaks mostly as a genuine actor in the story. Occasionally she dips into being a contrivance, but I didn’t mind those parts too… Continue reading The Island Of Missing Trees – Elif Shafak
Author: theleadlesspencil
I started blogging to practise using that writing 'muscle'. And it's made me realise that I keep banging on about the same subjects: mainly 'running', sometimes about what I'm reading, and, even more occasionally, where I'm going.
Breaking The Hour
At no point during today’s run did I ever feel comfortable. I knew my breathing was laboured but I concentrated on filling my lungs as deeply as possible with each intake, and trying to simultaneously keep my posture tall while relaxed. No easy feat. I definitely felt like I was in a race. When the… Continue reading Breaking The Hour
10K Training and the Borders League
I’ve been off the blogging boil lately as there is a deadline for my coursework coming up. But, I haven’t stopped running. I’m in the final week of my 8-week 10K training plan and out of the seven weeks done, I’ve managed to follow the plan faithfully on three of them. On the surface that… Continue reading 10K Training and the Borders League
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Soft thudding stomp on the grass.Crackle and rustle through the autumn leaves.Snap on twigs in the woods.Clattering spikes on the tarmac paths.Slip slop and squelch in the mud.Wade through a dark mirky stream. All this can mean only one thing. Aside from the fact that poetry is not my strong point, it is also Cross… Continue reading The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
The 300th Birkenhead Parkrun
Today, on a damp, drippy and occasionally downpoury morning, Birkenhead Parkrun celebrated its 300th event. Perhaps it would have been nice to have had the balmy warmth of last Saturday’s run but despite the cooler and wet conditions, there were still almost 400 participants running or walking around the two laps of the course. I… Continue reading The 300th Birkenhead Parkrun
Catching A Wave
The defining word for this morning’s run is probably ‘bracing’. Ensconced, as we are this week, in a little holiday let in Trearddur Bay, I did expect a few rough winds. It is the final week of October after all. When we popped out to this little corner of Wales back in September, the waves… Continue reading Catching A Wave
Pulling A Fast One
Yesterday: Standing in the crowds at two minutes to nine, I have very lumpen legs and I’m wondering if I have enough energy to pull me around the 5K Parkrun distance, never mind in a good time. But it’s a beautiful day, with the deciduous leaves glistening like fire in the sun, and crackling underfoot.… Continue reading Pulling A Fast One
Are The Wheels Falling Off Already?
The wheels on the bus goround and round,round and round,then fall off at week 3… Well, okay, they’ve not quite come off, but the nuts are somewhat loose. This week I did not do my Monday run or my Monday strength and conditioning exercises. I did manage a run with the club on Tuesday that… Continue reading Are The Wheels Falling Off Already?
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle – Haruki Murakami
I think that Murakami is an acquired taste. If you like surreal; if you like David Lynch movies; if you like Kafkaesque craziness, then you may like this. I’ve read a couple of his fiction books before: Norwegian Wood and 1Q84, and I remember the second one in particular being very strange indeed. It begins… Continue reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle – Haruki Murakami
Riding to Delamere Forest
I think I will sleep well tonight. I have that all over physical tiredness that isn’t painful at all. It is just settling in around my shoulders like a heavy blanket. It’s no surprise really. I was turning those wheels around for over 56 miles today. A great day's work How on earth did I… Continue reading Riding to Delamere Forest
theleadlesspencil 