B U R N

I can’t quite figure out what it is exactly, but there is something about Rapha that draws me in as if I’d never heard of the concepts of ‘marketing’ and ‘consumerism’ before:

A passion for road riding means Rapha is more than just a product company. In addition to its online emporium of performance roadwear, accessories and publications, Rapha also boasts an ever-expanding archive of news, features and events, all celebrating the glory and suffering of road riding.

Take a look at the website and see for yourself how beautiful it is, from the colours on the screen through to the products and services. Also, the short films are in a league of their own.

And then take a look at the price tags…

The future of high-end brands in this bracket no doubt belongs to small, highly specialised outfits that are what they sell. Perfection as such doesn’t exist, but like the Higgs boson it may be created temporarily if you know what you’re doing.

At £20, becoming a member of the Serpentine Swimming Club does not cost the world. It is one of the few places in London where triathletes can train in open waters. The membership application form suggests there might be another ‘fee’ to pay, though:

Tests over the years have shown that without chemical treatment bacteriological contamination can occur in the Serpentine. We are advised that swimming in contaminated water such as untreated Serpentine may render the swimmer open to such diseases as:

a) Salmonellosis or Shingellosis – at worst typhoid but more generally stomach upsets;
b) Amoebic dysentery;
c) Poliomyelitis;
d) Infective hepatitis;
e) Sore throats, noses, ears etc. caused by streptococci psdeudomonads or staphylococci.

These are only some of the possibilities; there are others, including Weill’s disease and botulism.

It has been agreed that members of the swimming club may continue to swim from the Lido between 06.00 am and 09.30 am when the water is untreated, but any club member who chooses to swim does so at his / her risk. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will not be responsible for any injury or infection caused by contamination of the water.

I have read and understood the contents of this application form / letter. I realise that the water in the Serpentine may be untreated, contaminated and unsuitable for swimming. I accept the risk of injury or infection if I choose to swim there in spite of this warning. I understand the rules of the club, swim times and permitted areas.

My colleague tells me her friends always finish off a Serpentine swimming session with a glass of Coke, apparently it sanitises the system…

Speaking of fitness regimes, this is seriously interesting stuff: Evolutionary fitness.

There is nothing like an early morning run in Holland Park while the city is still asleep. This morning the paths were covered in crisp, yellow leaves, flanked by carved-out pumpkins that had barely survived the night. Not a single person in sight, it was raining cats and dogs, with bitter leaves still being hurled down from above. There is but one appropriate soundtrack for an excursion like that:

Next time I come there, it will be for the Belvedere and the tune will undoubtedly be different.

If one day they decided to organise themselves in unions, my life would become much more difficult.

Despite swearing that all those lonely hours on the bank of the Thames were a thing of the past. Despite reaching the conclusion that there is absolutely nothing worse than passing the 38-kilometer mark on foot. There is only one way forward, and that is Boston.

London Marathon would, of course, be the obvious choice, but it is only open to runners who can raise at least £1K for charity. This makes it the largest annual fund raising event in the world; the 2009 race alone raised more than £47.2 million. The runner in me thinks it is rubbish that participation is virtually restricted to wealthy people or those with generous friends (I find it incredibly embarrassing to beg for money for something I love doing). On the other hand, it is great that so many charitable causes come to benefit so much.

Aside from the unique summer light and the fit people, one of the great things about Norway is the unspoilt nature. People tend to asume that Scandinavia is all pretty much the same but unlike Denmark, Sweden and Norway are packed full of mountains and forests - and not so much people.

Along the mountaineous fjords outside Stavanger and beyond, the landscape is dotted with cabins within walking distance of each other. Many of them unstaffed, the door is never locked and everyone can enter anytime. They are clean, tidy places equipped with wood burners, food and all reasonable amenities. Best of all, they are run according to an ‘honesty principle’, whereby people leave the place as they would like to find it and pay for whatever they have consumed. And that is it. (more…)

Overheard on the tennis court. A couple packing their bags getting ready to leave, both of them clearly uncomfortable.

She: You just have to focus on what he told you to practice.
He: But, baby, you know I can’t return your serves.

Thanks, Remco.

Thank god it is over! Berlin was yet again a wonderful backdrop for the 35th marathon; with brilliant weather, excellent organisation, one million spectators, 60 bands and a new world record, what is not to like about an event like this?

My own race plan, or lack thereof, brilliantly thought out en route, consisted of tagging on to a fast, unsuspecting Swede, who ploughed his way through the runners ahead at breakneck pace, along with my brother. He did probably wonder why his shadows were a) multiple; b) blue, red, white, and black; and c) sweaty and huffing and puffing, but nevertheless he did not charge us for his services. At the outset, we thought we would stay somewhere in between the 3:15-3:30-hour ‘balloons’ (there are pacers running at a fixed speed, and they come with a big, orange balloon attached to them), but the Swede overtook the faster of them after a couple of minutes only.

Thinking and running like a terrier rather than a (clever) owl, I should probably have let go of the postman’s Swede’s leg a bit earlier, but at the 30-kilometre-mark I started to feel a bit like a snowman in late July. So, for lack of legs to keep up with Eeeemil, my next ‘strategy’ centred on identifying the ‘weakest’ looking runners, getting behind them, and repeating, ad nauseum, the mantra: “If s/he can do it, so can you” (R.I.P. Scatman John). And, of course, even the 70-year-old-prosthesis-wearing-fibre-androids would outpace me in a matter of minutes.

My deep-felt gratitude goes out to the guy who at 38 kilometres shouted at me: “Christian, du musst laufen!” I do not know what he was sinking about, but the remark was spot on.

In conclusion, I would not recommend anyone to follow this ‘plan.’ In fact, in most cases, I think it is a jolly good idea to invest a few seconds of thought before doing silly stuff or, um, speaking in public.

Lastly, I think Murakami’s and Stuff White People Like’s thoughts are utterly brilliant and strangely complementary takes on the same topic; Murakami describes in clear, unassuming prose why running is as much an intellectual endeavour as a physical one, whereas Stuff White People Like had me chuckling about the ridiculousness of the whole thing (the comments make it even more hilarious).

Click.

Please, please, please.