Hobbies other than cycling.!

[peter jenkins]

I used to run .... and run .... and run.

I think the great thing about running is that you can do it any weather (in Australia, anyway) and if you have to travel for work it's easy to pack running shoes and gear so you don't have to miss out while you're away. In addition, it's very time effective fitness training compared with cycling.
I managed 3 marathons during the 80’s and about a dozen half marathons and in 1999 a group of 7 of us ran a non stop relay from Melbourne to Sydney to raise funds for spinal injury research.

Over the years I had meniscectomies on both knees, but the injuries weren’t solely caused by running. It was the running that exacerbated them to the point where they needed surgery, though. All my running was on hard surfaces.
 
I really enjoyed my running, but I think the difference between cycling and running is that while you can cycle home after a race or an Audax ride, not many people run home after a road running event.
To anyone thinking of taking up running, I echo Doug’s advice regarding appropriate shoes, starting slowly and building up distance. Also, try some duathlons if not triathlon events.

Mrs. and I now do a fair bit of walking and try to get to the UK every couple of years to walk there. Last year we did Wainwright’s Coast to Coast walk and we’ve done a lot of short walks. Dartmoor is particularly good and we also enjoy walking in the Lakes, Wales, Scotland…. All of it really.

I can’t say that walking complements cycling as running can, but it’s very satisfying and is somewhat akin to cycle touring in that you have a goal to aim for and some mild adventure and a lot of fun on the way to achieving it. Compared to Australia, the UK is long distance walking heaven: Rights of Way, marked walking paths, towns closer than 100 km’s apart and even baggage services on the more popular routes. I thoroughly recommend it.

Cheers,

pj

[energyman]

I make compost for the garden !
It's very calming  and can get very physical at turnover time.

[Relayer]

Thanks expr, Doug and Peter for the advice.
I will get back to it very very soon, but will take it easier this time.  I think my problem was I have a fair bit of cardio-vascular fitness from cycling which made me feel I could run more than I should have, but I think the impact of running on tarmac and perhaps some different pressures/impact on muscles and tendons caused the discomfort.
I note the advice about getting the right shoes, I will maybe look into that if I get settled into it better next time.  However I got a pair of Livestrong shoes which seem to be very comfortable and make me feel I have contributed to a very worthwhile cause (and they look great too!).
The big attraction is it is something my wife and I can do together, and it isn't as time consuming as cycling.  I will let you know how I get on sometime ...

[doug]

Go for it Relayer!

Expect to pay £70-80 for a decent pair of running shoes and not a bad idea to buy a pair of socks at the same time, about £10. 

When I got my first pair the shop advised me to replace them after about 600 miles - which I thought was just sales talk.  That was until my joints were starting to ache a few months later by which time I had run about 600 miles! 

My first couple of shoes were Saucony and more recently I've tried Asics.  Both very good indeed.  Not much between them with price but I think I read Saucony have better credentials if ethical trading is important but I'm not completely sure on this.

Good luck!

Anyone else enjoying running alongside cycling?

[julk]

I enjoy running, but only as short sprints during a game of tennis.
I use Asics shoes and find them a quantum leap in comfort over previous generations of tennis shoes.

[jags]

ah running is not for me ,but i do like walking .other than that i love music folk mostly i play the guitar, im really brilliant how im not a star is beyond me  only jokeing  i'm crap really but what the hell i enjoy it.
you might find this a bit of the wall ,but i love well enjoy cleaning my bike to perfection and keeping it that way ,weirdo i guess 
anyway have a great cycling year folks enjoy it while you can .
cheers
jags

[julk]

Jags,
Yes, fettling bikes is great fun, shame the Thorns are so darn reliable, just have to keep cleaning mine as well
Julian.

[expr]

expr,
sad that the robin deserted the nest, unusual if it was already used to your presence, maybe you had an animal visitor, fox etc.? I understand they evolved to follow animals like pigs rooting in the ground for food so like to follow humans gardening
I find that the blackbirds nest in the daftest places in the garden and end up leaving the nest.

I use fixed 8x30 binoculars of a standard prismatic design. Anything bigger than 8 magnification will be difficult to hand hold steady enough for good vision of the feathered fraternity, anything bigger than 30 lens will be too heavy and expensive although better in low light.
I carry my binoculars and hand hold them, you will likely need something to support them on (fence, tripod) for bigger ones or the ones which zoom.



Julk, just to let you know the robins came back this year and around three weeks ago 3 little eggs appeared, she sat on them this time ans stayed even though i was coming and going in the garage. She has used the same storage bin in the garage to nest as well. even better around a week ago 5 little robins have come out, the mum and dad have been feeding them frantically since and they are now quite big with tiny feathers appearing. its been great following their progress.

Dave.

[JimK]

t i love music

I am fascinated by the mathematics of music, or at least I explore to see what I can do, e.g.:

http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=7607461&q=lo&newref=1

Here is a long explanation:

http://interdependentscience.blogspot.com/2011/01/twisted-arpeggios.html

Enjoy!
Jim

[julk]

Dave,
Good to hear that your robins are back and successful.
I had one following me recently as I dug the veg patch, it must be nesting in the next garden as it kept flying over there with beakfuls of grubs.
Julian.

[neil_p]

Whilst walking round my local RSPB reserve (Pulbrough Brooks), I noticed a robin following me, and remembered that they used to follow wild cattle/hogs around the forest, looking for worms that had been uncovered. I started kicking the dirt around, and straight away the robin was by my feet looking for worms.  I then found a worm and it took it out of my hand with very little encouragement!  I'm sure it is very tame because of all the visitors to the reserve, but still a nice thing to happen   

[Danneaux]

You mean there's something other than cycling?!?  

To answer the question...lots!

For fun (which hobbies are supposed to be), I maintain a network of 22 computers, most running as virtual machines with various operating systems.  I truly enjoy photography, mostly of the landscape variety.  I'm a hobbyist framebuilder and bike painter, and I enjoy auto mechanics and repair (which I used to do for money, but only practice for myself these days).  Don't write for pleasure so much these days, but do enjoy it.

Geocaching has caught my fancy this last year..  I'm rubbish at finding 'caches, but much better at hiding them and dreaming up clever hints and clues and hides and building camouflaged containers for others to locate and then getting their reports by email.  I maintain a string of 25 in a little "trapline" I check and maintain on my daily 5-mile walks.  Orienteering by compass and GPS is all part of that and so is photography; lots of outdoorsy pursuits.

I also enjoy travel in general and trip-planning in particular, usually spending ~3 months in advance researching my bigger tours and learning about the places I'll see.  Pleasure reading figures in there and of course, online research, which I dearly love.  I'm also a committed DIY'er and enjoy making much of my own camping gear and equipment.  Despite owning what must be the heaviest Thorn Sherpa ever to hit the road, I particularly like ultralight gear.

I enjoy listening to music and have far-ranging tastes from Tuvan throat-singing to the latest pop, but alas, have no talent to make it myself; all I can play is the radio. No language skills beyond English, but I love the lilt of spoken French and collect accents in my head.  Don't run 'less something larger is after me.  Enjoy a lively email correspondence with friends across the globe.

C'mon!  Let's hear from other Forum members and give a little new life to this thread; lots of new members since the last post...

Best,

Dan.

[in4]

In the springtime one of my greatest joys is it combine cycling with a spot of birdwatching. My 'banana break' turns into a wonderful bird-watching session when all the migrating birds have arrived and are warbling away to their hearts content. This is one of my favourite places: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=burton+point+neston

[Danneaux]

I realize it isn't UK-specific and most of the birders here are, but you might still enjoy the photos posted on http://www.birdpix.nl/ , showing birds in The Netherlands.  I've never seen so many birders "out and about" in one place as when I toured there; it seems to be a national pastime.  And, of course, they're all equipped with cameras and the results posted on the birdpix site are spectacular.

There's a nesting pair of Anna's hummingbirds in my backyard (western Oregon) as I write this, and they're feeding now.  Remarkable little things, they seem attracted to red Ortliebs, as much as the feeder.

Best,

Dan.

[stormdog]

Hi,

I enjoy mixing cycling with seeing wildlife and bird life. Living where we do I am very lucky that the lanes are quiet and encourage wildlife.

I also love the mountains and have done so since a youngster. For many years I was involved in Mountain Rescue and trained and worked mountain rescue dogs for over 20yrs. I still get out regularly, mainly in Wales with the odd journey to Scotland and the Alps.

I have had a love of dogs for many years and am still involved with them now. We also have dogs of our own and love walking them in the forests.

Gardening is a hobby I share with my wife, with her doing the growing and me doing the grafting.

Winters evenings are spent reading, anything of interest or on the internet sitting by the log burner with the dogs at my feet.

At present I am updating my website during these dark winter evenings

www.conwy-valley.org.uk

I cannot sit around doing nothing and do not find much to interest me on the television.

I also enjoy reading the postings on here

That's about it for now.

Al the best for the new year

John