Thursday 27 March 2008

Rain didn't stop play.... 26th March

At Chris F's request this evenings walk was longer than usual at 9 miles...

Despite the rain there was a good turnout- me, Andy T, Chris F, Steve B, Matt M, Paul J, Will D and Rich H.

Will worked out a route merging two previous routes - Bourne Woods and Crooksbury Hill - and true to form something 'interesting' was discovered en route (well, I call these things interesting but I'm not sure if anyone else thinks so!). Most people in Farnham know that the Bourne Woods and Alice Holt Woods are often used by film crews (Gladiator, Harry Potter to name a few) but not many people actually get to wander aimlessly across the middle of a film set...!

Walking through Bourne Woods we came across a series of generators (still humming away), lights, trailers and an artificial road.... ten minutes later headlights were seen some distance away in the woods quickly followed by the light from two very bright torches pointing directly at us. It seems we'd walked straight through an area of the woods where Sir Anthony Hopkins was filming his latest film, Wolfman and the security gaurds on duty were wondering what eight people were doing in the middle of the woods in the dark.

The rain soon eased off and by the time we'd gone about half an hour the evening was drying up. Total time was just 2 1/2 hours for the 9 miles and as most people peeled off it was left to me and Andy to take up the opportunity of last orders (or two) at The Mullberry... well someone had to!

Monday 24 March 2008

Solitude on Easter Monday

Nobody was up for an Easter Monday jaunt in the cold this morning, so I left Hindhead car park on my own at 9ish, determined to get my first 10-miler under my belt. It was quite good in the end, Hindhead to Black Down and back, not too many navigational issues and some good views along the way (or they would have been if the weather had been clear). I didn't even need my waterproofs!

Once I work out how to generate the snazzy Google Earth pictures that Leigh has been doing, I'll post a route.

If there is something these walks are demonstrating, it's how much walking-specific fitness I need to develop. I still have a long way to go before I'm going to take proper hills in my stride.

Hope to see some of you Wednesday evening. And that my first-time blog entry looks reasonable...

Wednesday 19 March 2008


Tuesday 18th March - Evening Walk 4 - 5 miles

Finally back on my feet after last week's misery of Man-Flu. Almost two weeks of training lost so I'm feeling very sluggish and the fact that no-one except Chris & me could get out tonight was going to keep me from goig somwehere!

Met at 8pm as ususal and hung around until ten past to make sure no-one had had a last minute change of mind. Nope, just Chris and me it was then!

As Chris didn't do the very first walk back on 20th February, this time trying not to get lost on the way! No map tonight so playing it by ear which actually seemed to work this time altough there were lots of times I thought "hmmm, not sure this is right at all....". I'll try and retrace where we went and add a map later.

Only thing of note this evening where the strange glowing lights in the middle of a field some 200 yards away which kept changing shape and moving around, hovering close to the ground.....

Having decided it was probably a reflective nose band or something on a horse we took the brave decision not to investigate further but to move on, picking up the pace....

Finished in a record 1hr 25 mins, some 25 minutes quicker than the first time! Training seems to be working then!

Tuesday 18 March 2008

SPONSORSHIP

Andy's managed to sort out the justgiving website link so fundraising can now begin in earnest.

Just go to www.justgiving.com/standrewssch/supportus to make a general donation to Project 2010 but if you wanted to sponsor someone individually you will be able to find their details on the just giving website, for example;

www.justgiving.com/leighbrooks

Thanks everyone!

Sunday 16 March 2008

Saturday 15th March, 10 mile walk - Are we there yet?


9.00 am on a damp, grey Saturday morning and we gathered at the Devil's Punch Bowl car park for the Squad's first daytime walk. This was my first time on a Squad walk, and the first time I'd worn my boots outside the house; what state would my feet be in at the end?

Those who made it: Michele and I, Adrian and Alison Lamb, Shawn, Dave, Rich, Nick.

There were already quote a few cars in the car park. Whilst getting ready we watched a group of Scouts march off towards the Bowl with rucksacks stuffed to the brim and karimats wrapped in flapping bin bags.

Most of us were expecting to complete this walk in about 4 hours. Imagine our surprise when Adrian arrived saying that he'd recently taken over 2 hours to do a third of this route! Undeterred we set off on the loop around Grayshott at a brisk pace, keen to complete as much as possible of the route in the allotted time.

It soon proved to be an excellent route and took us to areas around Hindhead that very few of us had been to before. Adrian regularly provided updates on our location relative to local villages and the A3 etc, and comment on our surroundings. All positive stuff.

Even more positive were his occasional pronouncements that "we're going much faster than I expected and are making excellent progress". We liked that and stood slightly taller.

The weather began to brighten, get warmer, and occasional breaks in the cloud afforded distant views - much better than we expected. We were also able to test our skills at using the layer principle of clothing. Most of us gradually shed layers, or occasionally added another one in wooded areas. Dave rapidly got down to a t-shirt and stayed in that.

We continued to make good progress, this route was well-suited to our needs with a few fairly steep climbs and descents. Crossing the busy A3 near the intended southern opening of the Hindhead tunnel, we made our way around towards Gibbet Hill, observing some magnificent properties nestled on the sides of a valley beyond Bunch Lane.

After about 3 hours it started to rain and looked likely to settle in. Most of us reached for outer layers and waterproofs etc. Dave reached for his brolly, still sticking with his t-shirt - a valiant attempt at a Mary Poppins impression.
The rain eased off and we made it to the top of Gibbet Hill and took a couple of minutes to take in the surprisingly distant views - some making a mental note to return here with the family. Then down the track and before we knew it we were back at the car park.

We'd done it! 10 miles in less than 4 hours, all feeling this had been a very worthwhile exercise. We took our boots off (good news - no blisters!), broke into some stretching routines, then headed home.

Thanks to Adrian for plotting this route and then taking us around it with no wrong turns despite numerous 5-way junctions and, most impressive of all, without once consulting the map!

Monday 10 March 2008

Monday 10th March - Rain Stops Play...

The howling winds and storms of the last 24 hours have put a dampner on everyone's enthusiam to go wandering through the woods tonight...

Everyone except Steve Bishop. Having been unable to make the last few walks due to work commitments Steve was all up for tonight but no-else could be persuaded out (me included, in fact I was one of the first to drop out!)

Still, weather looks set to improve for Saturday morning at Hindhead and I think we should have a good turn-out. I'm even going to take my new walking poles with me to give them a try-out.

Must be finished before 3pm though as need to get back and settle down in front of TV in pub for the Six Nations final day..... Simon Hall and Paul Jameson can't make it as they've got tickets to Twickenham (I've told them I'll go in their place if they insist but no joy....

Thursday 6 March 2008

Thursday 6th March - Evening Walk + 6.26 miles = 36 miles

The 3rd of the Squad's Evening Walks. A mild night but overcast and no moon so particularly dark as most of the walk was through Runfold Woods, over Crooksbury Hill and along Greensand Way.

Those who made it; me, Rich, Chris, Shawn and Will.

The next walk is on Monday so perhaps we can get a better turn out then!

Tonight's total distance was a little over 6.25 miles completed in 2 hours dead. The yomp up to the top of Crooksbury Hill (thanks to Shawn for the alternative route to the top via Smugglers Way avoiding the death-trap that is Crooksbury Road....).

It seems that we always come across something interesting... At the southern end of Greensand Way is a very large cave complete with wrought-iron decorative gates (nearly 5 metres high) and bats! Suitably spooky given it was pitch black and in the middle of a wood...



Monday 3 March 2008

3rd March: New Blogger - Is this thing on....?

Thanks to Leigh for creating this blog and I hope this will be the first of many posts. I'm new to this so please excuse any basic errors!

Yesterday, 2nd March, was my first run for 2 weeks and I was feeling lardy so it had to be done

My current route is almost 6 miles and takes in the hills of Firgrove Hill, from The Fox pub to the Bourne crossroads, along/up Burnt Hill Road (short climbs, fairly steep) and Wrecclesham Hill (long and tedious gradual ascent). My previous run had been my best time so far, 54 minutes; reason to celebrate. More reason to celebrate that day; whilst chugging along Burnt Hill Road I passed a horse and rider, a genuine first for me overtaking a horse. OK they were hardly galloping but it was still a horse.

Yesterday morning my gasping for air must have scared off all wildlife in the area as I plodded around in 56 minutes. It made me realise, yet again, the effects of slipping out of the exercise habit - but I'm sure it won't be the last time. Less excuse this week as Michele being Down Under means I'm a house-husband, so the plan is to do some form of training each day while Millie is at school - what hope of that happening?!

Now that the ground is getting firmer again I'll return to running up and around Farnham Park. I did that last year and the paths offer a combination of tarmac, gravel and grass, there's a variety of slopes, and on a clear day the views are spectacular!

Am still without walking boots, the guy at Breaking Free has ordered some wider fitting boots for me to try so hopefully I'll have them in time for Adrian's Punch Bowl 10-miler.

Signing off