fecund nature

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The UK General Election : a fine example of all parties appealing to the lowest common denominator

The above strapline, composed in June 2024, was intended to head my next blog, following on from the previous one in April 2024 (no-one can accuse me of being prolific). I’ve decided to retain it because I feel it’s a fair comment and this current Labour government continues to run scared of populist right wing criticism and bigotry.

The removal of the winter fuel heating payments for previously eligible pensioners and restricting the allowance to those entitled to pension credits, was badly handled and the rise in National Insurance contributions for employers resulted in a spectacular, well organised backlash. Add in the own goal of Starmer and others accepting gifts and freebies and the hostile press and social media had a field day.

The UK Labour government clearly feels boxed in by an aggressive right wing agenda and is being targeted by the openly neo-Fascist duo of Trump and Musk. It is such a dangerous time. Populist politicians and rabblerousers with no moral compass have learnt they can say anything they like, however damaging or untrue, without consequences but with the intention to harm. The truth becomes what you believe or what you feel. The UK government has to negotiate this terrain.

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My running is going okay. No further health problems since my last April 2024 blog with the exception of an episode of high blood pressure. I’m already on cardiovascular and anti hypertension medication so this was a disappointment. The sense I made of it revolved around getting too cold, both in the cottage and out running. I have now remedied this and also apply some simple breathing techniques to relax.

I’m currently running 25-30k a week which seems to suit me. I have given up going to a gym unfortunately, so upper body strength work has taken a hit. Perhaps in the future.

How lucky am I to have access to a polytunnel? Very lucky and profoundly grateful. I’m able to grow flowers and vegetables from seed and overwinter tender plants. I lead a little gardening group, Green Minds, and if the weather is poor we can sit inside. It’s in the middle of a small allotment which is situated in a field. So many people do not have access to a garden or a nearby park or green space which are recognised features substantially contributing to good mental health and reducing stress. To non gardeners sowing seeds, tending to their care and watching their growth may strike them as uninteresting, boring or irrelevant. Or the activity of old people. That’s a pity because they miss out experiencing a sense of wonder and achievement. Don’t miss out on the the feelings and emotions that accompany creating living plants and observing nature work.

Breaking news: Elon Musk has just posted on X stating Nigel Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead the Reform UK party, presumably in response to Farage distancing himself from Musk’s support for Tommy Robinson, a far right “activist” who is presently in prison. What a crew!

 

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Aliveandrunning August 20 2014

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Victoria plums, grown on an actual Victoria plum tree, near the cottage. How fecund nature is! My tomatoes are doing reasonably well despite having their branches splayed all over the place and mainly on the ground. Apart from drinking enough water to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool, they also need industrial scaffolding to hold them up. Too fecund by half.

Out with the running club last night. I opted to do the fartlek  around Granchester Meadows rather than the 8 x 1 minute with 3 minutes recovery time between each minute running. I’ve done this before off track. It doesn’t sound like much running but I found it demanding. However, out of choice , I usually prefer distance to pure speed work and fartleks combine both. This particular fartlek requires courage and faith. At this time of year we frequently meet a herd of cows blocking our path. Yesterday the coach asked if anyone was fearful of cows. No one admitted to a specific fear so we ran through them. These cows, living in the shadow of the University, are very intelligent and thankfully familiar with idiot humans rushing towards as if they were as insubstantial as vapour. They simply stepped out of the way (on this occasion) rather than scatter in all directions you don’t expect them to go in.

We do plenty of warm up exercises and plenty of stretching exercises post run. This contrasts with me typically forgetting to do warm up or downs after a long run. I do them occasionally but there is no correlation between lack of excercises and injury or cramp. At least on runs up to 10 miles. I had some calf problems at mile 12 during the Edinburgh half marathon a couple of years ago but apart from that, I’ve been injury free. Except when I’ve decided to lift something heavy in the full knowledge that I’m taking a risk. I dare myself to do it and I’m the loser. It’s so difficult being super sensible all of the time.

Adult parkrun on Saturday and junior parkrun on Sunday. I only need to do 9 more adult parkruns and I’ll have completed 200 since I had my heart attack 5 years ago.