Nijmegen Vierdaagse - Asthma UK

Today is World Asthma Day and therefore the perfect moment to unveil my (not very momentous) plans.  I've decided to use the opportunity of taking part in the Nijmegen Vierdaagse to try and raise some money and awareness for asthma research, via the charity Asthma UK.

Some of you know, probably a lot of you don't, that I have asthma myself.  Most people won't have seen me use my inhaler, because I hate using it in public.  My colleagues may have seen me sneak out of a meeting for a quick break, but you probably wouldn't have known that that was the reason why.  Asthma does interfere with my life on a daily basis.  On a good day, it's nothing more than remembering to stop and take my medications, even though I may be running late for work, or exhausted after a long week and a Friday night choir practice.  On other days, I could spend the evening on the coach struggling to breath, and putting my running plans (and everything else) on hold.   And then, after a disrupted night's sleep, having to get up for work again in the morning.  

But on the scale of asthma, I'm one of the lucky ones.  A bad day means I'm struggling, but it doesn't put me in hospital.  Asthma might slow me down sometimes, but for others it can limit even the most basic physical activity.

And that's why I want to fundraise.  Not for the people like me, but for those who can't gain control over the condition with the medications currently available, and who battle constantly, not only the disease itself, but from the side effects of the drugs they need to take.  Deeper understanding of asthma could transform their lives.

So, anyone that wants to offer support, you can do it in the following ways:

• leave a comment on the post so I know you read it :-)
• ask me how the training's going, and I'll be glad to bore you about it!
• take a look at Amy Anaruk's compilation of peoples' stories at A record of breathlessness
• and best of all, donate something to the cause via my fundraising page

Rupert

It's official, he's had the wire removed from his jaw today, and my big bundle of stripey misbehaviour has been signed off as fully recovered.  So, now that the ordeal is over, some photos of the whole experience:

Day after the accident: just home from the vet's after an overnight stay.  You can't see it, but he has a wire fitted around his jaw.
 

Two days later, after another overnight stay, this time to have a feeding tube inserted.  As a result, he had to wear the annoying collar.

For a week, feeding involves mixing up formula, and giving it through the tube. After a couple days when he started to become interested in food again, I was able to feed him fancy moussey stuff off a spoon. Either way, it was all messy.

Finally feeling like playing again, despite the annoying collar. By this point he was desperately chasing after the kittens in the hope of a cuddle, but they were terrified of the collar, and ran away faster.

Tube and collar finally removed, he went straight after his favourite toy.  Very relieved to see he can still carry things around in his mouth, despite the missing teeth.

Nearly 6 weeks after the accident, the final visit to the vet's today to get the wire removed. As you can see, he is restored to health, and also to his bad habits! After a day without eating because of the anaesthesia, he's getting into everything try to find more food.

Venlo Bloesemtocht

Second training walk today, this time in the town of Venlo, in the province of Limburg and on the German border.  I had a hard time finding the starting point of the walk (the price you pay for writing down the wrong street name, and not simply printing out the map), which ended up adding almost 5km to the total walking distance.  Getting directions wasn't helped by the fact that I sometimes had a hard time following the Limburgs accent.

It wasn't a great day to be outside, and as a result I got drenched in a couple of heavy rain showers.  Despite that, it was a pleasant walk, which had the novelty of crossing the border and taking me into Germany (meaning that suddenly everyone I came across greeted me with 'Guten Tag' instead of 'Goede Dag').

As with last week's walk, everyone I spoke to along the way was very impressed that I'd traveled from Delft to come to their corner of The Netherlands.  The organizers were so pleased to have someone travel from so far, that they gave me a special memento of the day, and also very kindly gave me a lift back to the train station at the end of the day.

This week's walk certainly felt easier than last week's, helped in part, I imagine, by the fact that it was less hot.  At the end my feet were less sore, and I was pleased to find that I'd also kept up a faster pace.  Still a long way to go before I'm walking 40km, but things are going in the right direction.

Choral Evensong - 1st May 2010

• Introit: Ave Maria, Stravinsky
• Responses: Neary
• Office Hymn: Sermone blande Angelus, Pt. II     
• Psalm:    119 vv. 33-48
• Canticles: Short Service, Morley
• Anthem: O how amiable are Thy dwellings, Vaughan Williams

Oostvaardersplassen - April 2010

Since today was a public holiday (Queen's Day or Koninginnedag), I went with Arie to the Oostvaardersplassen.  Unfortunately the weather was very dull, and there was too little light for decent photography.  Still, we had a nice walk around, and enjoyed watching the wild horses from one of the hides.

Waterland Wandelmarathon Volendam - 23K

Amongst all the emails that I received whilst I was away, was one from the organizers of the Nijmegen Vierdaagse, telling me that I have managed to get a place in this year's event. For those not in the know, this means that come July, I need to be ready to walk 40km, 4 days in a row. Time then to start training more seriously.

In order to spice up the training, particularly on the longer runs, I've decided to take part in some organized walking events, of which there are quite a number each weekend, scattered around the country.

Today took me up to the town of Volendam for the first one, the Waterland Wandelmarathon. Volendam is in the province of North Holland, on the shore of the IJsselmeer (former Zuiderzee), which meant that I took the train up through the bulb growing area this morning whilst they are at their best.

The walk started out with a long trek through the polders, taking in a couple small villages, before following the dyke alongside the IJsselmeer for 6km to Edam and then back to Volendam.  As I started at about 10.30, I think most of the walkers on my route had already left.  In any case, whilst there were always one or two other walkers in sight, the route was never crowded.  Only once we reached the final kilometres and the harbour in Volendam did it get incredibly crowded, due to the huge numbers of tourists visiting the town.  By that time my feet were pretty sore, and I wasn't too impressed at all the people who kept coming between me and the finish!

All in all a good walk, though one that's left me slightly terrified of the final 40km distance!

India (16) - Home again

After all the build up, a very uneventful flight, in which I somehow managed to get one of the prime seats.  Arrived in Amsterdam this morning, to deliciously cold air and a sunny sky.  By 9 o'clock or so I was home and reunited with Rupert, Zephyr and Rasha, who looked very pleased to see me.  Rupert looks fantastic, and it's hard to believe he's the same cat who was wearing a nose tube and lampshade not so long ago.