A Guest Post from Tina Death - NUCLEAR RACE

Facebook - I’d been tagged, "anyone up for this?"  A fun day, in aid of the Danny Green fund, a little boy who’d died from a brain tumour.  Of course I was up for it, it’s for charity.  I replied, "yes I’m in."  [from Everdayfolk - When I received this guest post, I wasn't familiar with this charity, but having looked it up, www.thedannygreenfund.org.uk and the condition Posterior Fossa Syndrome, I want to give a big thumbs up and thanks to Tina for doing her bit for these children, thank you] 
 

I was committed now, for what, I had no idea, it didn’t matter, every penny is going to help suffering children.

Immediately, I tagged my friend Jane, she didn’t know at the time but she was in too, I made sure.

A few days later details of the event were posted.  12^th September, noted in my diary. Suitable for all fitness levels. Great, I’m not fit.  Course consists of obstacles and lots of mud.  Mud!  I can’t do mud, I can’t even walk on wet grass.  A direct message arrived; having t-shirts made for the race, what size are you?  I panicked.  Did she say race?  Race!  I haven’t run in years. I’m fifty four, I can’t run. I didn’t even own a pair of trainers.

One week before the ‘race’ I decided I’d best go and buy some trainers.  The cheapest ones I could find, well I’ll never wear them again.

(some of the younger ones)

Jane and Tina

‘D’ day arrived and everyone had gathered in the car park at the Nuclear Race Centre; twenty-two acres nestled amongst woodlands and farmlands in Kelvedon, Brentwood.  We were a group of thirteen, most were young and fit looking in their tight Lycra.  Even at this point I had no idea what challenges were ahead. 

Lisa and Tracy - volunteers

There were three event leaders; Tracy, Lisa and Scott and they informed us that we had to register and sign a disclaimer form.  I signed my life away and I don’t mind telling you at this point I was extremely nervous.  

After a quick safety talk we were told we had to warm-up.  Stretching, I thought.  Wrong. We had to jog around a course that snaked through the woods following our team leader.  

Three leaders had been assigned to our group, front, middle and back who kept cheering us on.  I couldn’t even complete the warm-up without stopping. Jog, walk, jog, walk, already I was puffed out, and felt so unfit and totally out of my depth and we hadn’t even started yet.

I will not bore you with details of every obstacle as there were thirty in-all.  This is just a snap-shot of my experience. 

Jane exiting the tyre challenger

Tina mid human wringer

Deep in the woods we were stopped by a wall of lorry tyres, about twenty across, two high and threaded onto a large pole.  Each tyre varied slightly in size.

I thought we’d have to climb over them, wrong we had to scramble through them, like a human wringer. No problem.  I watched others disappear into the world of rubber.  It was my turn.  Gritting my teeth and with my head down I pushed myself through expecting to see daylight.  How wrong was I, it was dark, tight and immediately I began to panic.

The tyres were five deep, I tried desperately to pull myself through but as the tyres varied in size I kept getting stuck, my breathing quickened and the stench of rubber that clogged my nose was overpowering.  Over and over I kept telling myself to calm down.  I could hear everyone on the other side laughing and calling out words of encouragement.  I began to use my feet, pushing myself forward but every time I pushed down the tyres moved it was slow going but eventually I saw daylight.  My head was free, I smiled calling out to Jane for help.  This for me was the worst challenge being trapped is and has always been one of my worst nightmares.   

The next few challenges were mainly climbing up and over rope nets and were I suppose more about coordination and technique, I found these to be awkward but not difficult.

 
After we’d finished this section of challenges we had to jog through the woods until we came to a freshly ploughed field then continue to the other side.  To say I was out of breath was an understatement by this time my body was hurting.   

We arrived at our first water challenge and had a small lecture about mud.  The mud being our worst enemy as it was prone to sucking your trainers off.

We were led to a steep dirt bank at a guess about fifteen feet high, with no vegetation to grip.  This on its own was difficult, my legs killed, I’d used muscles I’d forgot I had and was relieved to see hands reaching down to help pull me up.  So a big thank you and thumbs up to those hands .

On the other side of the hill there were several wooden boards’ side-by-side, about ten inches wide that stretched out over a lake.  We had to walk the plank.  I froze as I saw everyone jump off the end and disappear.  Slowly, I walked to the end and looked down I can only describe what I saw as a floating mattress.  We had to jump onto it then into the lake.

This was it, I was about to jump into the brown muddy water and wade across to two lines of floating steel barrels.  I was nervous, I hate water, I can swim I just don’t like it.   

Without hesitating further I jumped down and straight into the lake.  It was freezing.  I had to catch my breath before wading over to the drums.  

The challenge, to dive underneath the barrels.  The first one was ok, as I came up everyone was applauding me, shouts of, "well done Tina," echoed around the lake.  It made me smile.  It made me feel good about myself so thanks and thumbs up to everyone who encouraged me.  It worked.  I dived under the second row of barrels but as I went to stand I lost my footing and fell head first swallowing a large amount of stinky, muddy water ending in a coughing fit but help was at hand from Jane and people I didn’t even know, one person helped me to my feet whilst the other patted my back. Thanks again .

Composed and very grateful I made my way over towards the wall of tyres, where some were already climbing up and over.  It seemed to take me forever.  Mud with the consistency of clay was like quick-sand. With every step I sunk down to my knees, this is where we had to make sure we didn’t lose our trainers, I gripped my toes as tight as I could but with nothing to hold onto every step was arduous, I didn’t want to lose my footing, the water at this stage was thigh high, my strength began to wane as I had to use my body weight to pull my feet out of the ever sucking mud, over and over.

I made it to the wall of tyres and surprised myself that I managed to climb over only to jump back down into the muddy waters. Mud attacked my trainers, again.  


By this time my legs had gone, they were hurting bad and every step was a struggle.  Eventually, I managed to haul myself up onto the bank and collapsed.  I still had to face a twenty foot dirt bank with lengths of rope, the problem was I was smothered head to toe in mud and couldn’t get a grip with my hands or feet.  Not bothering with the rope I dug my fingers into the soil determined to reach the top.

 

As I was one of the last ones to complete the task there was no time for a breather, Tracy, Lisa and Scott had us on our way.

My body had had enough.  I told Tracy that I didn’t think I could do anymore, she was sympathetic and told me that the next few challenges were not as difficult; these were the fun ones:  Zip wire, death slide and a balancing challenge over another lake. 

"Is there any more mud?" I asked.  She smiled at me and said, "no.  There’s no more mud."

Still my body was saying no, but I knew in my heart of hearts if I were to give up I’d be really annoyed with myself. A failure. 

The tenacious side of me kicked in, I was not going to give up. I won’t give up. 

Tracy was right; the rest of the challenges were fun although the tight rope across the lake took all my concentration against jeers of laughter and threats of rope shaking it didn’t work.  I succeeded.  So thanks again to Tracy and Lisa for keeping me going

Finally, after two hours and forty five minutes I had completed the 3.5k Nuclear challenge.  Boy did I feel good, invigorated and very, very proud of myself but it was when the parents of Danny Green came over and thanked all of us that every aching muscle, every bruise, every cut that I’d sustained was truly worth it. So a thank you to Danny's parents, Lisa and Chris, for thanking us . Also a special thanks to my dear friend Jane, not only for being a great sport, but for her encouragement and support throughout the challenge.  Thank you .
    

For me, the best bit was the burger at the end, a welcome treat.  It was delicious and devoured within minutes. And, I received a fantastic medal. 

Would I do it again?  Yes.

Am I going to do it again?  Yes.  May 2016, only this time I will have to train as this next challenge is 6.5k and it is a race.  

[from Everdayfolk - When the page is set up for donations, it will be added here]

Helen

If you’d like to see more pictures of my Nuclear experience you can see these at YouTube YouTube/NuclearJuiceDay - and I would like to add a big thanks to Helen for all her hard work organising the event, t-shirts etc., it was great meeting other JP members, (Juice Plus is all about clean, healthy living.  If you'd like to find out more you can contact helen via facebook - www.facebook.com/helen.chaplin.5?fref=nf - Helen Juice Plus Chaplin.  She'd love to hear from you). 

Also, if you are interested in taking up the Nuclear experience yourself go to you can find them atwww.nuclear-races.co.uk and, finally, but most importantly, if you would like more information or to donate to the Danny Green fund please go to www.thedannygreenfund.org.uk/donate    

 
Tina Death is an aspiring author,
 she can be found on twitter @novelbird

A Personal and a Public One

I haven't written a post in far too long, partly as life events had taken my time and partly because no single incident had struck me as sufficient to warrant a post.  There was one really nice guy on the tube making commuters smile with his help but I didn't have time to get his name and/or picture.

However, in the last couple of weeks or so I have had reason to explain the whole idea of the blog to a couple of people, (if you're not familiar with it, rather than restate it all here, have a look at the first couple of posts from July 2013 - http://www.everdayfolk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/an-idea-for-blog.html ) and it reminded me how much the looking out for everyday people doing something nice makes one more observant of the good around us, rather than just focusing on the bad, all the time, as we, or certainly I, am wont to do.

But then I also thought, it's my blog and I could go off page for once and rather than thank someone out there, I could use this to thank someone closer to home.

I don't want to go into too much personal detail, but just to say, in opening my eyes to what's going on again I was struck by the good deeds my husband regularly does for others. 

Circuit of Ireland with David Holmes

Daily Telegraph - 8th August 1977

So, rather than delving into our home pics, here are a couple of pictures of my derring-do man from some old newspapers and the web.

Marion-Bermuda race 2003 with David Holmes

For those who want the video relating to this newspaper clipping, you can see the 1,000 Lakes crash at youtube
 

So the first half of today's post is simply a thank you and thumbs up to my bloke on this, the anniversary of our meeting in Paxos.



The second half of this post is however more about what I really wanted to do with this blog, thank people who are just doing their job but give that little bit extra that make your day.

This particular thank you is to Steve working at the ticket office at Cannon Street station.

I had booked some tickets via the Trainline but wanted to buy a new Network Rail Card.  The first thing Steve helped me with was to ask if I had an annual season ticket or had a friend with one as it would bring down the cost from £30.00 to £10.00 - http://www.network-railcard.co.uk/partner-card/
- I didn't have one but what a good saving tip.

Secondly he advised me that booking via a train companies own website, in this instance, Southeastern Trains, rather than Trainline, usually saved you money as there were less booking fees and often special offers available direct.  Another good tip.

But perhaps the tip I liked the best, was Steve told me where did the best coffee in the station!  Thank you, Steve, and a big thumbs up .

I would just add, that I'd never used Cannon Street at the weekend before but was trying it rather than Charing Cross or London Bridge and I was so happy I did.  Look at this picture of "civilised" travel rather than the hoards the other main line stations.  So a thumbs up to Cannon Street Station.



That's it for now but as always, if you would like to send in a post to tell us something nice that happened or to say thank you to someone, just get in touch and we would have great pleasure in putting up your stories here.  Thanks.

Circuit of Ireland photo courtesy of Joe McCabe from Flickr -JoeMcCabeFlickr 

A Guest Post from Ann Patchett - DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS!

Don`t talk to strangers ! 

Did your Mum ever say that to you when you were a child?  mine did, it put the fear of God in me, I looked upon strangers as if they were all bad people, who would snatch you away from your loving family and do nasty things to you.....it was surely done out of pure Love…but sadly it stayed with me and just as sadly I said the same to my two children years later!

I find it very sad that we live in a time where nobody communicates with each other, not even our very own neighbours, grumpiness on the bus, train, in the street, you name it, people seem to be in their own cocoon.

And yet now, many years later, I have to say that I talk to a lot more people, even if it is just a “Good Morning” or even a smile….it doesn`t cost anything does it? And I am also mindful that for some people that might be their only interaction that day or possible week!

I am a keen walker, and recently I have also taken up cycling.

This week end I have met some lovely strangers, yesterday I went to Hebden Bridge which is not too far from where I live, I decided to go to Stoodley Pike which is a historical monument on top of the hills, I call it my “spiritual home” it is so quiet and I regularly meditate up there to clear my head, on a clear day you can see for miles across the Pennine way, across the Calderdale valley, it is very beautiful and is by far my favourite walk.

Although I started the walk at about 7 in the morning, I saw so many runners and cyclists and walkers, and most had a “Good morning” to say, some kept their headsdown, but most had a cheery smile or a nod. I find that most people will answer back if you make eye contact.

On the way back down from the hills I went for a coffee on the canal at the locally known “Bike Den”, initially this is a bike shop, repairing bikes and selling them, for each bike that is sold, the owners give £10 to their charity, which is great, and some bikes that they can`t sell are sent to Tanzania …isn`t that great that there are people who think about people across the world? (From Everday folk: if you want to know more about The Bicycle Den and their work for charity, take a look at  thebicycleden.co.uk  and their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheBicycleDen ) They make great coffee too! So a big thumbs up  and thank you to Jo, Toby and everyone at the Bike Den.    

Jo and Toby

I sat outside and by the time I had finished my coffee, there were five of us “strangers” just talking and putting the world to rights, it was stressless and effortless….I hope those people went away as I did and thought it could be a lovely world if everyone just spoke to each other, or even smiled.

Incidently, before I commenced my walk, I parked my car up and got my bag out of the boot and decided that I was parked too far away from the kerb, so I put my rucksack on the path and got back in the car to straighten up, I saw this young girl running towards me who saw my bag on the path and thought I was leaving, Bless her if she did n`t run up the hill at the side of the car waving and shouting, was funny but lovely that a stranger would do that for another stranger, some folk would have just left it and carried on with their business.  So another thumbs up and thanks to a that girl, and although I didn't get your name, hope you see this so you know your efforts were appreciated. 

Today I went on my bicycle ride. I went on the canal at Saltaire which is 10 minutes away from where I live. I cycled from Saltaire to Apperley Bridge, again there were so many people about, who prompted a smile or a “Good Morning” at one point I was pushing my bike as unfortunately I was saddle sore, (somethings have not changed from my childhood!) and a lovely young man got off his bike and asked if I had a puncture? Bless him I had to come clean…but this young man was ready to help me…yet another stranger. Another nameless thanks and thumbs up .     

By the time I got back to Saltaire I was ready for my second breakfast, I locked the bike up to a railing and a lovely lady stopped and chatted, apparently she was a very keen cyclist in her day but due to ill health she only went out occasionally, we chatted as if we had known each other for years, so much so that I asked this stranger if she wanted a coffee, quite clearly she did but alas she had made plans to meet someone else.

I guess the moral of the story is, is if we all made an effort to speak with strangers…. our fellow man, than I am sure that this would be a better world to live in.  So I would like give thanks and many thumbs up to "strangers".

I aim to speak to at least five different strangers each day…is that something you could do?

Ann Patchett

Florist

twitter @annpatchett

A Guest Post from Lora Fountain - JE SUIS CHARLIE

The following was not written as a post but as an email to friends and colleagues, including myself, but is reproduced here by kind permission of Lora:

Dear All,

It’s hard to write to everyone about the last week’s horrific events, and so far  I’ve just been replying to the e-mails as they have come in. Now I think the best thing is to send a group mail so you can try to understand what it has been like here.

“The sign reads ‘I am Charlie, I am a Cop, I am Jewish, I am French, I am Liberty, I am Humanity, I am, I exist!’ ”

The events of Wednesday and Friday affected our neighborhood because they took place within an a couple of kilometers of each other and less than that from my office, the XI Arrondisement it is a traditionally Socialist arrondisement, as well as being an historically Jewish part of town. It affected me and my husband in particular because, as some of you know, he is a cartoonist,  [from Everdayfolk - Lora's husband is the wonderful cartoonist Gilbert Shelton]

Gilbert Shelton's Bastille

 and as the community of cartoonists in France is pretty small, both he and I knew several of those who were murdered in the Charlie Hebdo attack.

Whether or not you agreed with the editorial content of Charlie, the magazine was in keeping with the long French tradition of taking the mickey out of everyone who took themselves too seriously. The editors and artists took pleasure in taking on every holy cow that crossed their path and had been doing so since 1969. Many of the cartoons were in questionable taste, but they could make you think about the subject, whether it was the Pope, a politician or whatever, and the artists and writers were not racists or islamophobes. 

Lora Fountain 

Like most of my friends, I was on the street yesterday afternoon. Appropriately enough, the demonstration went down Boulevard Voltaire, which is named after the writer who said “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.”

 In the part that I saw of the nearly two million people on the streets yesterday, the sense of fraternity and tolerance was very clear. We rubbed shoulders (literally) with people from all over Paris and beyond who felt the need to show their solidarity; there were spontaneous outbreaks of the Marseillaise and applause several times for the police (first time THAT has ever happened in living memory), especially for a group marching behind a banner reading “Police in Mourning”. It was very moving, and I am glad to have been part of it, even though some of the heads of state who attended were not particularly to my liking. But they were just a few and were totally overwhelmed by the numbers of people who really represented France. 

"Charlotte, at five months, was the youngest participant that I saw"

Attached are a few photos.

“Alex, wearing signs ‘Je suis Charlie’ and ‘Je suis Juif”, celebrated his 17^th birthday on Sunday in the streets with two million other Frenchmen and-women.”

 



The past week was terrible, but all the kind messages of support from friends from all over the world made it a little easier to bear.

I wanted to reprint this email here that in all this, Lora wanted to reach out and say thank you - so from Everdayfolk a big thank you and thumbs up to Lora, everyone on the march and cartoonists all over the world who help give us perspective and make us laugh at the same time.

Lora Fountain is Managing Director of

AGENCE LITTERAIRE LORA FOUNTAIN & ASSOCIATES

You can read their blog at http://lorafountainagency.com/

or reach them on twitter @AgenceFountain @Lora Fountain

or Facebook: facebook/Agence-littéraire-Lora-Fountain-Associates