Seasons changing...migrating birds...charity walks..

Velvet falling from antlers

After the recent excitement of professional cyclists speeding through Richmond and Bushy Parks, Nordic Walking has resumed its more relaxed pace.  The seasons are changing and the weather has an Autumnal air about it.

Cygnets racing

Walking regularly in London's parks as some of us do, enables us to observe the subtle changes in the seasons.  Young creatures, new to the world this year, are growing up, leaving the nest, or even the country in the case of skylarks, cuckoos, etc

Testing wings

Family portrait, Hampton Court Park

 If you are interested to know where migrating birds go when the leave the UK, then the British Trust for Ornithology has recently tracked 5 cuckoos back to Africa.  You can see their remarkable routes and destinations here -
BTO Cuckoo-tracking

Will they return next year?  How do they find their way here?  Amazing!

Nordic Walkers negotiating deer herd near Hampton Court

Other signs of Autumn include prolific mushrooms, with the recent damp weather.  Also noticeable is the subtle changes in the parks' deer.  The velvet covering the stags' antlers is slowing peeling off, in readiness for the rut!  The stags are bulking up and some are beginning to attract females, which will no doubt be noticed by their rivals....

Velvet on antlers

Watching the walker

If you would like to walk (Nordically or normally!) in the 3 Royal Parks that often feature in this blog, then a local charity, Shooting Star Hospice, is organising several walks around the parks in September.  There are 3, 8 and 15-mile options, so suitable for all.

It's for a worthwhile cause, so if you are interested please go here and sign up!

http://www.shootingstarchase.org.uk/support-us/our-campaigns/three-parks-challenge-and-family-walk%20

If you want to get fit for a specific walk, please let me know.  I have helped numerous people get in shape for the Race for Life (Cancer Research), McMillan's Nurses Walk 10, Princess Alice Hospice Hike the Hill, etc, etc, as well as more famous hikes like Mt Kilimanjaro.

Whatever your health and exercise requirements, Nordic Walking can usually help.  Why not give it a try?  Taster sessions are only £5, and regular sessions usually around £10.

To find a Nordic Walking instructor in your area, go here -
http://www.nordicwalking.co.uk/

Peter
07703-404-931

PS - If anyone is wondering where my brother has got to in the Round the World Clipper race (see "Live the Dream"), you can find out the latest news below.  King Neptune has just paid his boat a visit!

http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/index.php/follow/race-viewer/

Olympic Cycling preparations in Royal Parks

The peace of Richmond's Royal Parks was shattered yesterday as 148 cyclists sped through the area, in a rehearsal for next years Olympic Cycling Road Race.  (Apologies to anyone seeking information on Nordic Walking. This is a slight digression...  Lots of information on other blog entries).

Bushy Park resident

Deer drinking, before the crowds arrive

As crowds gathered in Richmond and Bushy Parks, and in the streets of Twickenham, Teddington and across Surrey, an army of workers had overnight built roadside barriers, and removed road humps and pelican crossings.  Roads were closed.

Warning of one of the few remaining pieces of road furniture

 Thousands of spectators flocked to parks to cheer on the athletes.   Picnics were consumed, and the best vantage points were grabbed.

Heading for the race

Either way round Diana fountain!

 Many people, including myself, had also gathered to cheer on one of England's greatest ever cyclists - Mark Cavendish.  A superstar in world of professional road racing, he has been relatively unsuccessful at the Olympics, despite being a member of the all-conquering GB team.  Next year, Cavendish hopes to remedy that gap in his CV, and is preparing seriously for victory in the Mall.

Just a blur...

 With the help of 4 colleagues, Cavendish did win this rehearsal, but next year's race will climb Box Hill 9 times, rather than just 2 for this year.  And Cavendish is not renowned for his climbing.....

Entering Richmond Park for the second time

 The organisers will have learned valuable lessons from this rehearsal, and next year's events will include a women's road race (on the same route) and an individual time trial, along 21 miles of roads around Hampton Court Palace.

The chase is on

 So, expect some more traffic disruption next year, but also enjoy the spectacular, close-up Olympic action which is FREE, and on many Londoners' doorsteps!!

80 miles in 3 hours takes its toll

Peter

Live the Dream! ... with help from Nordic Walking

Have you ever wanted to sail round the world?   Or climb the highest freestanding mountain in the world? Or cross a vast desert?  Nordic Walking could help!

Edinburgh sailing past HMS Illustrious

My brother, John, has recently set sail for Brazil on the racing yacht, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital.  It's one in a fleet of ten which is racing around the globe over the next 12 months.  The skipper on each boat is an experienced professional, but the crews are all "ordinary" people, with little or no sailing experience - just a desire and determination to enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Jostling for position

Like many of us, John has long harboured thoughts of doing something out of the ordinary.  In his case,  sailing beyond the routine weekend trip, or gentle Mediterranean escape.  But without a boat or a crew, ocean-going was out of his league, until he heard about the Clipper races, devised by Sir Christopher Knox-Johnson, the first man to sail solo, non-stop around the world.

The start of a 40,000 mile race

John had always kept fit - mainly by badminton or squash, and mountain-biking.  He knew he'd have to be fit to enjoy the rigours of a 6-week crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.  The crew work a 4-hours on, 4 hours off rota, so there's no time for a relaxing doze as you surf the waves!  However, during the 18 months of preparation, John cracked some ribs after his bike made sudden contact with a tree.

The boats head for the Channel

So, in order to keep exercising, he took up Nordic Walking in the hills around his home.  When his ribs healed, he was able to increase the intensity of training and found it as good as any regime he'd used over the years.  He also noticed that it was gentle on his knee joints, unlike the running he'd tried for a while.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I (and several thousand others) watched the fleet set off down the Solent, for the start of a BIG Adventure.  They are now somewhere off the Canaries, after surviving the Bay of Biscay.  If you want to follow the race, the Race Viewer is updated every 3 hours.

http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/index.php/follow/photo-galleries/?start=36

As to the highest freestanding mountain, that's Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

 Many people attempt to trek up it every year, and Nordic Walking is an ideal preparation for the climb.

And recently, another of our Nordic Walkers crossed the Jordanian desert, using Nordic Walking as part of a training regime.  Obviously, successful people have determination and talent, but Nordic Walking has contributed to achieving their goals.

Sailing around the world...climbing the highest mountain...walking the Great Wall of China...getting into that new outfit for the wedding next year....!

Whatever your aims are, Nordic Walking can help you achieve them!

Live the Dream - try Nordic Walking!

Peter
07703-404-931

Summer Nordic Walking, and the Green Jersey!

Summer weather in the south-west borders of London has been patchy of late, but Nordic Walkers in Bushy Park have rarely had to rely on rain-wear to keep dry.

In fact, last week, there was more danger of suffering from heatstroke and sunburn!

However, the enthusiastic walkers enjoyed an energetic walk, keeping mainly to the shade.

The park is in full foliage, with bracken above head height in many places.  This also has the effect of hiding the deer.

The park also has a number of activities during the summer.

As well as open air films   (for details, go here > http://www.whereisthenomad.com/royalparks/ )
next Sunday (14th August) will see a full-blown rehearsal for the Olympic cycling road race.  It will come speeding through Bushy Park and on surrounding roads, down to Box Hill, before returning through Richmond Park to finish on the Mall.

There are many traffic restrictions over that weekend, and Bushy Park and Richmond Park are particularly affected.

Several sites have information about the impact on road users, but few places with comprehensive details.  These sites should give you an overview -

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/20027.aspx

http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/bushy_park/event.cfm?id=2349

One late piece of news is that Mark Cavendish, the recent winner of the Green Jersey in the Tour de France, should be competing in the cycle race.  Mark is the first Briton to win this coveted jersey, which signifies that most consistent finisher.  He is the supreme sprinter, and is on track to win the most number of stages, by any cyclist, in the sport's most prestigious race.   If he can keep up with the climbing specialists going up Box Hill (9 times!) next Sunday, he may have a chance of winning the sprint outside Buckingham Palace!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cavendish

In step at Diana fountain

But whatever the weather or other activities, there are no plans to curtail Nordic Walking.  If you would like to try the sport, please do get in touch.

It's a fun, relaxed way of keeping, or getting, fit and staying healthy.

Peter
07703-404-931