Last Wednesday at about 10pm at night I found myself perched on a large wooden post, in silence, in the dark, in the tropical biome at the Eden Project, thinking about stuff.

It’s not something I’ve done before, nor am I likely to have the opportunity to ever do it again. However for the 90 minutes I was there and thanks to the previous 24 hours of lead in, I was able to stop, take stock and work things through in my head that I would never have the space to do otherwise.

Pukka Herbs, who I work for, have a close partnership with the Eden project and are sending all 100+ ‘Pukka People’ on a 4 day course @ Eden in groups of 15 or so. I wasn’t sure what to expect, previous groups have, like I have now, been sworn to secrecy.

It may sound a bit hippy-ish (well a lot hippy-ish in fact) but somehow you just roll with a slower pace of being, and a lot of sharing of stories and suddenly you find everyone has stripped away their work ‘veneer’ and your dealing with everyone’s ‘true’ self.

All stimulated with a lot of connecting to nature, including walks in ancient woodland, by waterfalls, into mine tunnels and being told to go “play” on a beach for an hour. (This was mainly spent watching a Grey Seal that was playing in the waves 4m offshore)

I didn’t have an epiphany but I did come to terms with myself and perhaps I have a slightly different lens that I am viewing the world through at the moment (or maybe I just need to clean my glasses)

Whilst I was at Eden we stayed in the rather cool YHA Snoozeboxes – converted shipping containers, they were very comfy and not at all what I was used to from my experience of the last time I was in a YHA in 1982.

I got a couple of short runs in around the site during my stay, new places to explore with the help of the OS Maps app, meant I added the Saints Way to the list of trails I’ve run on.

The Snowdonia training hasn’t exactly ramped up in October, I did a 20 mile run 2 weeks ago. I was at my In Laws in Horwich and snuck out early on Saturday and weaved my way down to Haigh Hall parkrun, where I got to meet up with a couple of running acquaintances who I’d met when they came down to Hawkesbury for the 401 run (#378) over a year ago.

Haigh Hall PR is a mix of path and trail and is broadly half downhill and then back up so pretty good training for Snowdonia. As with every PR they asked if any tourists were present, 3 of us waved and I said I was from Chipping Sodbury, the other couple looked rather surprised and said they were also from Sodbury – what are the chances?

Twelve miles last weekend and a series of hill reps yesterday bring me up to date on the running front. I’m looking forward to getting up to Snowdonia, seeing all you lovely folks and of course doing battle with 26.2 miles once more.

Which of course means I must leave you with the Buzzers homage to Men of Harlech

Realbuzzers, run to glory,

Victory is hov'ring o'er ye,

Bright-eyed freedom stands before ye,

Hear ye not her call?

At your injuries she seems to wonder;

Rend the sluggish bonds asunder,

Let the war-cry's deaf'ning thunder (CCCCHHHHAAAARRRRGGGGE!)

Every foe appall.

Echoes loudly waking,

Hill and valley shaking;

'Till the sound spreads wide around,

No Buzzers courage breaking;

The hills on every side assailing,

Forward press with heart unfailing,

'Till 2017 learns with quailing,

Buzzers ne'er can yield!

 

Cymru am byth