amilewithme

Mile-033-The Dream Inspires Part 1

amilewithme — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:30:38 +0000

Join us for The Dream Inspires, a run in Oxford as part of the World Wide Festival of Races

www.amilewith.me.uk fro show notes and contact details to leave me a comment or message.

All the best

Steve

Mile-032-Fit Christchurch

amilewithme — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:32:19 +0000

Join me at the Fit Christchurch event, as we find out what one English town with one of the highest life expectancies in the UK is doing to help maintain the health of it’s residents

Full show notes on www.amilewith.me.uk

Mail me Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/stevechopper @SteveChopper

Mile-031-The World in Union

amilewithme — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:37:16 +0000

Its 175 years this year since a turning point in the world of worker and human rights in the UK. This revolution led to the legitimisation of workers forming unions and led us on the path to wider access to the vote, and ultimately towards the welfare state and the National Health Service, which was 60 last year. Whatever your views of the NHS, its philosophy of “access to medical treatment based upon need and not the ability to pay” was revolutionary and a model for many other countries and of course this agenda is current in the US right now.

It is on the surface strange that this story was played out in the rural area of Dorset not the industrial midlands, however although the stone was metaphorically dropped into the water at Tolpuddle, the ripples were felt across Britain, Australia and Canada. Join Lybbe from the fiftycountingdown podcast (www.fiftycountingdown.blogspot.com) as she picks up the Tolpuddle Trail through to a cemetary in London, Canada (she took the pic above!)

Come with us then on this inspirational story in Mile 31, as we have music and atmosphere from the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival 2009, music from Billy Bragg and hear from Tony Benn, a stalwart of British Politics as he describes the importance of the Martyrs story through to today.

I also tell you about the Dream Inspires, a unique opportunity for YOU to literally follow in the footsteps of Sir Roger Bannister in October, and hear about how I will be following the footsteps of Pheidippidies by running from Marathon to Athens in Greece in November.

Excerpts from:

Paul Van Dyke - Time of our Lives

Graham Moore - Tolpuddle Man

Ladysmith Black Mambaso - Word in Union

Running Symphony

amilewithme — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:08:45 +0000

A modern C90 mixed for your running pleasure!

Mile-029-DawnChaser-Stonehenge-Solstice

amilewithme — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:25 +0000

Join Ciemon, Snowshadow and I as we chase the dawn as its first light runs across Sallisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England towards Stonehenge. Ciemon is a Pagan, so we find out on the DawnChaser run all about the close connection with the landscape and how he celebrates his beliefs through the act of running.

Its a beautiful area of the country and we take you with us as we run into Stonehenge for dawn and listen to ambience and interviews within the Stone Circle itself on Midsummers morning! Its a unique atmosphere and by closing your eyes and listening you can be whisked into the celebrations.

Check out Ciemon’s blog at www.plianrunner.com and follow him at www.Twitter.com/Ciemon

Todays soundtrack snippets are from The Beloved “The Sun Rising”, Spinal Tap “Stonehenge”, Muse “Feeling Good” and Asian Dub Foundation “Buzzing”

Mail chopper@amilewith.me.uk web www.amilewith.me.uk and follw me at www.Twitter.com/SteveChopper

Check out video from this run at Runcast.tv - search “Stonehenge”

Mile-028-Run to Pegasus - Project65.net

amilewithme — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:58:25 +0000

Just before midnight on the 5th June 1944, three gliders were released above the coast of France and drifted silently towards Normandy. At 00:16 on 6th June, the gliders crash landed and skidded to a halt. The complement of men poured through the doors and through rips torn in the fuselage and headed out on their mission. Theirs was among the first of D-Day, to capture a couple of key bridges, to stop the Germans bringing through reinforcements.

It was a great success and the bridge became named after the symbol of the British 6th Airborne,; Pegasus the winged horse.

65 years later following 3 years of planning an Ultra run took place to commemorate this with a run from the airfield in Dorset which launched the gliders down to finish on the Pegasus Bridge itself. Around 200 runners took part in the 65 mile run - all respresenting a specific individual soldier on the original mission.

I joined the run at the halfway point as the runners arrived for refreshments at The New Forest Hotel in Ashurst, Hampshire. Theres some interesting stories so join me with the runners to Pegasus.

Thanks to Danny Greeno, organiser of The Run to Pegasus and all the folks you will hear from in this episode.

www.project65.net

Music from the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com The Essentials - Bells of Freedom

Mile-027-White Peaks-A Swift Half Marathon

amilewithme — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:20:52 +0000

Join the fun at the White Peaks Half Marathon in Matlock, Derbyshire, England as some of the UK online running community got together to run a race. Hear us enjoying the day, plus the story of the trail the half marathon is run along and why its called the “Swift Half”

Phil Moneypenny www.runcast.tv

Gary Wall www.kinve rkid.blogspot.com

Steve Chopper www.amilewith.me.uk

Mark “Wheelo” http://mytimetorun.blogspot.com/

Toni Harvey www.drusy.blogspot.com

Petra Runs http://www.petraruns.blogspot.com/

Paul ”xjr4buddha” www.twitter.com/xjr4buddha

Also mentioned:

www.project65.net interviews will feature on the next edition!

Music, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network at music.podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (theme)

Dona Oxford - Change the World

Join us on 10th & 11th October 2009 for the 4th annual Worldwide Festival of Races at www.worldwidefestivalofraces.com

Follow me on Twitter “SteveChopper”

Mile-026-Born to Run- a conversation with author Christopher McDougall

amilewithme — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:04:58 +0000

“Born to Run” is the fabulous new book by Christopher McDougall, a journalist who has written extensively for Runners World and Mens Health.

Its in part “Boys Own” adventure story, part a guide to the ultrarunning phenomena and part anthropological exploration of how we as human beings are quite literally Born to Run.

Chris’s adventures take him ultrarunning with the remote Tarahumara tribe in Mexico, probably the greatest ultrarunners on the planet. We find out through the evolution of his story that distance running is what YOUR body was actually DESIGNED to do.. its its purpose!

Its a great book with the stories of some of amazing running companions, the greatest US ultraunners alive, who pit themselves against the Tarahumara in the Copper Canyons of Mexico. No less than Lloyd Bradley, author of The Rough Guide to Running describes it as “Quite simply the best book you’ll ever read about running.. brilliant and brilliantly life affirming”

I was lucky enough to meet up and run with Chris recently across central London and through the Royal Parks. Join us and share our conversation about the creation of Born to Run and some of his great running stories.

http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307266303/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242334532&sr=8-1

The version of Springsteen’s “Born to Run” was by Frankie Goes to Hollywood

http://www.amilewith.me.uk/

chopper@amilewith.me.uk

www.twitter.com/SteveChopper

Download this episode (right click and save)

Mile-025-Riders on the Storm

amilewithme — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:10:43 +0000

Mile-025-Riders on the Storm - the story of the OMM - the worlds first, biggest and most famous mountain marathon

The Original Mountain Marathon (OMM, formerly known as the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon) is the world’s first, biggest and most famous mountain marathon. An annual event since 1968, it is also widely regarded as the worlds first adventure race. From origins in the north of England, the team have since taken the event and philosophy all over the world.

Its a tough event comprising of 2 marathon distances over the most punishing terrain. Competitors must be highly skilled in navigation and survival skills as well as being athletes, and the event owners take no chances and run adventure training courses. Participants must also comply with strict equipment and basc skill rules. In 2008, the event was called off midway through for the first time in its history following torrential rain. The county of Cumbria invoked its emergency response protocol after being called by parties that perhaps had their own interests, who stated that 1000s of people were unaccounted for. This was the main headline on the national news and on the front page of all the main national papers.

On Edition 25 of the A Mile with Me podcast I’m joined by Mike Parsons, a member of the family who founded the Karrimor brand who has been involved in the OMM from the start and now owns the event, for a unique discussion. We talk about the history of the event, the innovations it has brought to equipment design and mapping globally, plus of course discuss the events last year. Its clear from Mike and the voices of particpants that they were all trained and equiped to take part, and that the response from those who were not close to the event was a big overreaction. Whilst nobody blames the emergency services and those members of the public who answered the call for assistance in good faith, there are still unanswered questions as to who called them in.

Join me as we hear the exciting story of the OMM, and the true strory of the event that knocked Obama and the recession off the headlines for a day!

www.theOMM.com

Mile-024-In Pursuit of Drambuie

amilewithme — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:04:56 +0000

Phil Moneypenny from Runcast.tv and I have lovingly recreated the video for “Take on Me” by “Aha” to aim to win ourselves a place in the famous “Drambuie Pursuit” event and we need your help!

We need your votes for our video at www.DrambuiePursuit.com/teams/ and vote 5 stars for our team’s video based upon the above song. Our team is called “Living the Dram“. The top 10 teams go to the event and we would love to be able to bring you the experience of that weekend on Runcast.tv and the A Mile with Me Podcast. The more of you vote for us the better our chances of getting in to the event! Our team and video should be at the site shortly so check back if its not there when you read this!

On mile 24 we also hear from Ciemon running across Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England and I also mention Krister from “Running the Narrow Path” podcast. This week I was on ForestFM http://www.forestfm.co.uk/ for an hour discussing running, the podcast and people I’ve interviewed whilst they played my favourite tracks.

Also I talk about the great interviews conducted by Adam at

http://lonewolf-runner.blogspot.com/

Music courtesy of the Podsafe music network at music.podshow.com is

Amb26 - Summers Day

Colie Brice - A planetary Lapse of Reason

DJ Nexus - Only in my Dreams

www.amilewith.me.uk

Twitter.com/SteveChopper

Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

Itunes: amilewithme

1 by 1 Edition 6 - The Wall

amilewithme — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:57:19 +0000

On today’s show I’m joined by friend of the podcasters and regular Extramile contributor Gary Wall, aka The Kinverkid. Gary was on holiday down here in Bournemouth, so (naturally!) we go for a run along the seafront and chat about our running and plans. We discuss the Swift Half Marathon, which Gary and I (plus a host of other UK podcasters and bloggers) have signed up to run in Matlock, Derbyshire in May. We also discuss brewery tours, “CSI Kinver”, the places hes visited in my local area plus the story of an amazing challenge Gary and his pals have set themselves; soon they will be running the 85 mile length of Hadrians Wall (think Great Wall of China on a smaller scale!). The wall marked the northern boundary of the Roman Empire and for them the end point of civilisation, but as Gary and I love the Scottish we dont draw any modern conclusions on that!!! ;o) Gary and his team are doing the event for a good cause so pop on over to www.kinverkid.blogspot.com and find out more. Todays Classic Run Track is Comfortably Numb from (of course) the terrific Pink Floyd album “The Wall” All other music is supplied courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network at music.podshow.com Chopper@amilewith.me.uk Twitter - SteveChopper@Twitter.com www.amilewith.me.uk

Mile-023-The Beach

amilewithme — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:37:54 +0000

Join me on Mile 23 of The A Mile with Me podcast as we have a special mix Ive put together for you. So lets take a run together along the golden sanbds of Bournemouth listening to some essential running sounds

Full details on www.amilewith.me.uk

Twitter: SteveChopper

Mail: Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

1-by1 05 - Another Avon Valley Sunda-ay

amilewithme — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:24:22 +0000

Around the Avon valley and alongside the River Stour - as I contemplate buying a road bike and we find out about Bailey Bridges!

Its a couple of warm spring Sunday afternoons so lay back with the Sunday papers and join me on the riverbank

www.amilewith.me.uk

Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

SteveChopper@Twitter.com

Mile022- Part 2 More Spirit of Adventure

amilewithme — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:04:52 +0000

Part 2 of the Spirit of Adventure as we tell the story of the “Helly Hansen Adventure Challenge”

I talk also about Matt and Stephanie who are running a marathon a day for a year to cover 11000 miles around the US and Canada. We spoke with Matt on The Runners Roundtable last week. I also discuss my training and upcoming events.

Links

The Runners Roundtable - http://runnersroundtable.com/

Matt and Stephanie’s web site - http://www.runforoneplanet.com/

Music. Some of the music in today’s show was courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (A Mile with Me Theme)

Fluid Boys - Melody of LIfe (1by1 Podcast themne and closing titles)

Dreadzone - Moving on

The Stone Roses - Waterfall

The Mantee Man - Paddlin my Canoe

web: www.amilewith.me.uk

Twitter: Steve Chopper

mail: chopper@amilewith.me.uk

If you enjoy the podcast please leave a comment on iTunes!!

We thank Jodi from Confessions of a Runner and discuss a couple of running related stories from this week

Mile022 Part1 Spirit of Adventure

amilewithme — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 22:45:33 +0000

The Helly Hansen Adventure Challenge is a Sprint Adventure Race that we took part in on 1st February. The disciplines of Run, MTB and Canoe were approached in a fun way by all 250 or so teams of 3. “The Village People” (explanation in the podcast) had ticked the box “have fun and get round” and thats what we did. So join us as we throw ourselves into these events.

Also on Mile022, we have a recording from the making of A Mile with Me that will shock! plus we discuss the history of Adventure Racing. I also pay tribute to the people of Iceland, Luxembourg and Hull .. how are they linked .. find out in this edition!

Also an update on the training miles put in during January

You can leave comments on www.amilewith.me.uk or ITunes “amilwithme”

Give me a shout on Twitter - “SteveChopper”

EMail - Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

www.trailplus.com for other Adventure Races

1by1 -004 - Stocks and Chairs!

amilewithme — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 23:12:43 +0000

I’m trading the “stocks and shares” of my regular work in investment banking this week, for “Stocks and Chairs”! .. as I take you for a trip around Christchurch along some of my favourite running routes.

We start at Christchurch Castle, built by the Normans in the 11th century and join me on the top of the “Motte” (a man made hill on which stands the ruins of the keep - see pic) as I survey the rooftops of the town.I avoid tomatoes and swedes, as we go past the old wooden Stocks. The chair is actually a “stool”, as we visit Christchurch’s Ducking Stool and tell you about the crimes that led to a Ducking in the past. One for the ladies!!

I also talk about Bob Wilson (Arsenal FC and BBC legend)’s book “Life in the Beautiful Game”. I met Bob last week and he recorded a message exclusively for YOU …the subscribers to this podcast. I talk about Burns Night, listen to a lone piper who I met in the High Street and discuss a Little sporting psychology. I also review “Slumdog Millionaire”. Its all on this weeks edition of 1 by 1.

Opening theme, courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com is “Melody of Life” by the Fluid Boys. “A man’s a man for a’that” by Robert Burns was performed by Lionel McClellend (from YouTube). There is a brief snippet from the fabulous song “Paper Planes” by MIA which is on the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack.

Bob Wilsons book is available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Beautiful-Game-Bob-Wilson/dp/1848310188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232836819&sr=8-1

Bob’scharity providing special days for seriously ill children http://www.willowfoundation.org.uk/Home

Please feel free to leave comments on my website at www.amilewith.me.uk, email me chopper@amilewith.me.uk, follow me on Twitter: SteveChopper@Twitter.com If you enjoy the podcasts please leave a review on iTunes.

1 by 1 - 003 - Beyond the doors of perception!

amilewithme — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:40:16 +0000

On edition 3 of One by One, join me as the weather thaws a little here in the south of England after the coldest December for many years

Training has been going well and the swimming sessions are starting to pay off pay dividends, but still a long way to go!

I discuss my training, some “interesting” observations on front doors and light bulbs and the dormant vigor that resides in all of us, so even if you are feeling like “January” right now, awaken your inner “June”!!

I also discuss the new Kelownagurl podcast

www.kelownagurl.blogspot.com

Further show notes and content at my main web site

www.amilewith.me.uk

1 by 1 Edition 2 - Christmas Tree Sized Goals

amilewithme — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:03 +0000

Some of my goals and events for 2009 to share with you! Join me on Southbourne Beach at sunset in Winter and find out about the Christmas tree thats too big for the house, in a story of ambition and achieving the seemingly unachievable!

Some of my 2009 Goals

Learn to swim properly and be capable of swimming 1000m comfortably with bilateral breathing etc

Complete my first Triathalon

Help add to the £70,000 we have already raised for Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare Trust through running Trailwalker the last couple of years

To “be here now” in the moment and not “multitask” so much

To complete another foreign marathon and head back towards by PB times

To be happy with whatever life throws

Heres a link to an article about the tree in my photo and description!

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/search/3980787.How_Bournemouth_Christmas_tree_raised_the_roof/

1 by 1 music is the “Fluid Boys” with “Melody of Life”, courtesy of the “podsafe music network” at music.podshow.com

1 by 1 - 001 Big Ben

amilewithme — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:30:59 +0000

1 by 1 - Episode 1 - Big Ben

Hi everyone and welcome to Edition 1 of One by One, the podcast that looks at achieving your goals, one mile at a time ! Its the shorter, more frequent podcast from me!

Click on the roadsign bright if you want to see more about this podcast Join me on a cycle as I talk about the podcast, the New Year and we hear from Big Ben, Gordon and Toni

Toni’s Blog: http://www.drusy.blogspot.com/

Gordon’s Blog: http://www.tiree.blogspot.com/

This podcast willhave its own iTunes channel shortly but in the meantime

http://1by1.mypodcast.com/

Mile 21 (Reloaded) One Vision!

amilewithme — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:47:41 +0000

Its Christmas and ignoring my “fake misery” and BAH HUMBUG hat (left) its the time of goodwill to all men .. and we have a packed edition of the A Mile With Me Podcast this time.

Join us live at the finals of “Helium Idol” where you can select your 2008 champion, Royson or Keith. Listen to them perform their songs whilst inhaling helium from a balloon! Send in your votes and/or your own audition “tapes” for 2009 to the mail address below.

Also find out some secrets from the host of this podcast as we have possibly the most insightful interview ever.

This edition is called “One Vision” and is dedicated to human beings collaborating to achieve more than they could individually. We discuss “synergy” and the roles of Chris Chataway, Chris Brasher and Franz Stampf as I tell the story of these unsung but very successful heroes in propelling Roger Bannister to the first sub-4 minute mile in 1954.

Chataway paced both Bannister to the first 4 min mile and also John Landy to 3:57.8 a few weeks later, he went on to break the world record at 5000m. Brasher won Olympic Gold in the Steeplechase in 1956 and set up both the “Sweatshop” retail chain and the London Marathon.

We also hear Christmas greetings in several languages and hear a clip from a conference call where we listen to carol singing from the incredible city of Mumbai, India.

Join me in the search for bagpipe music in my local area, plus hear as Christmas comes to Christchurch. Theres a lot going on, so please lace up your shoes and come a mile with me!

Music on today’s show

Amb26 - Summers Day (A Mile with Me Theme) Jerry Lee Surber - Try and Go the Distance Together! Jakki Jelene - Silent Night

Links

A great feature on the 4 Minute Mile http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/features/360/bannister.shtml John Bryants Book http://www.amazon.com/3-59-4-Quest-Break-Minute/dp/0099469081/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230070493&sr=8-14 Charity project supported by Chris Chataway and featuring him running with Haile Gebreselassie http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lS0i01gRfVQ

Email: Chopper@amilewith.me.uk Web: www.amilewith.me.uk Twitte r: SteveChopper

Mile 020 - The Power of Music!

amilewithme — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 08:03:12 +0000

Music can be a powerful motivational tool for runners. With the advent of small MP3 players (with no moving parts to jog about!) it is now very easy to take our favourite sounds (including podcasts) on the run with us. We make our own playlists of songs we like, or ones that have meaning for us. We can however now utilise the latest scientific research to help us to use music to its maximum effect. On Mile 020, Dr Costas Karageorgis from Brunel University in London explains how through his world leading research we can all select better music for our runs.

Dr Karageorgis (above) is one of the world leaders in this area of research and explains how his studies have shown that the correct music can increase exercise output by 15% at the same time as our believed exersion falling by 10%. Dr Karageorgis was also previously an accomplished athlete and has worked with many established and rising sports stars.

I discuss all this with Dr Costas, and also tell how (whilst I shelter from the rain during a run) you can link your pace to music. I also talk about some online resources that can help you work out what music will best fit you and check the BPM of your own music library.

We discuss what unexpected track Haille Gabrselassie uses to motivate him in training, some other famous uses of music in sport, and even if you dont listen to music during your run how you can still use music BEFORE a run to good effect.

We talk about Run to the Beat www.runtothebeat.co.uk a recent event in Greenwich London, that linked music and a 1/2 marathon. Dr Costas programmed the live music for this.

Music on today’s show courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com is:

Summers Day - Amb26 (A Mile with Me theme)
Secret of Sound - Polished Chrome
The Music - David Usher
Reasonings in Dub - Messian Dread

Links www.runtothebeat.co.uk Check out some of the science and register for next year! http://www.run2r.com/running-music-store.aspx - Running to Rhythm. Check out the BPM calculators and links to software downloads www.runcast.tv for the video showing where I run, the church in the pictures is where I am sheltering in the porch http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1731941 check out Pachelbels Canon sketch by Rob Paravonian http://www.robprocks.com/ … and other great satirical songs by Rob, at his website and blog

www.amilewith.me.uk my website SteveChopper - on Twitter Chopper - on Runcast.tv chopper@amilewith.me.uk Dont be shy to email me with any comments on this or other episodes!

Mile019b Where I Run (fixed!)

amilewithme — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:23:55 +0000

Hi everyone, here is the fixed version of a short video podcast with some clips and photos of where I live on the south coast of England.

Most of the pictures are from the cliff tops and beaches of the 8 miles of sand in the connected towns of Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch. Theres also a little video clip from the top of Hengistbury Head south of Christchurch, a favourite running spot, scene of the Ironman podcast. We pan round from The Solent looking across to the Isle of Wight, across Mudeford Spit -a sand bar. and across the quite harbour of Christchurch. Theres also a couple of pictures of Christchurch Priory and the castle and well as kite surfing in Poole Harbour .. the second largest natural harbour in the world.

I hope you enjoy, theres a bigger version on www.runcast.tv dont forget to check that site out which features great videos from runners around the world

Next podcast is out in a few days , with an interview with the world leading authority on using music as sports motivation.

Cheers

Steve

Mile 019 - Tommie Smith, The Sound of Silence

amilewithme — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:21:23 +0000

As any salesman knows, there is nothing as powerful as silence, and silence plus an image can convey more than many pages of text.

In Mile 019 of the A Mile with Me podcast, we will discuss the story of Tommie Smith who I met a few weeks ago at a charity event. Tommie took his platform and moment in time to make a stand for human rights, a stand for which he was to pay a heavy price. Olympic Champion and holder of 11 track and field World Records simultaneously by the age of 24, his stand at the 1968 Olympics led to a life of death threats. 40 years on there are many who hate him for this, but still more who have come to realise the importance of what he did and its resonance today.

Mile 017 - Reach for the Stars

amilewithme — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:08:24 +0000

The builders of England’s medieval cathedrals had ambition, drive and belief: all qualities of a successful runner! They felt that building tall brought them closer to god. Whatever sprirituality you have, there can be no doubting their endeavour and the sheer beauty that they left behind. Join me as I discuss how human beings have always “reached for the stars“, from the Pyramids of Egypt to the Burj Dubai.

Join me on a late evening run alongside the medieval walls surrounding the historic city of Southampton as we discover how the two most famous ships in history (separated by 300 years) both departed from the same dock as I run along it.

This week I was also in Salisbury, where the cathedral (above) is celebrating its 750th anniversary this year. Its the worlds tallest structure (built before 1500) that remains standing.

Another English church, Lincoln Cathedral, was the tallest structure in the world for 250 years from 1300 until its spire toppled in 1549. Its a testament to the amzing ambition of its creators that its original height was not surpassed for almost 600 years (the Washington Memorial in 1884)

People are still reaching for the stars .. its the old saying “Reach for the stars and you may hit the moon”. Join one person, Carole Loader, who has just done that and decided she would run the full length of Great Britain, 1250 miles, at the pace of just under a marathon a day for 10 weeks. Hear her incredible story and the planning that goes into it, as Carole and I run round a local golf course and talk about her achievement. Fidn out how she was fueled by sugary tea and the same special diet as Michael Phelps (on occasion)!!

Its all on Mile 17 of the A Mile With Me podcast

Music on today’s show, some of this courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (Intro and Outros)

Jerusalem - Billy Bragg

Antanas - Eastern World

Howard Jones - Building Our own Future

1250 miles in one Blog!! - More of Carole’s amazing story, and a link to help her cause!

http://endtoendrunner.blogspot.com/

“Bournemouth Joggers” Running Club

http://www.bournemouthjoggers.co.uk/public/index.html

Email: Chopper@amilewith.me.uk Itunes: “amilewithme” Web: www.amilewith.me.uk

Mile 016 -What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

amilewithme — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:14:16 +0000

“What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” is the new book by Haruki Murakami, the Japanese novelist which in my view is the literary equivalent of a running podcast. Murakami is not only a top writer but also a seasoned marathoner and triathlete. We join him in spirit on a “long run” as his book shares his life in running and thoughts with us. I talk about the book whilst travelling along the banks of the River Stour

Murakami feels he is in the Autumn of his running and I celebrate this season which reaches it equinox today (22nd September) by looking at the origins of the words “Autumn” and “Fall” nd how they diverged. Join me on an Autumn run to the local dump for the “Dump Runners Club” as we kick through the leaves!

I have a report from the New Forest Half Marathon on Sunday 21st September. It was a beautiful weekend, very reminiscent of the summer with a free hog roast and music festival afterwards at a pub. 12 of us from my department took part so it was a great day.

Also last Friday (19th) was “International Talk Like A Pirate Day” so I encourage (bully) some “landlubbers” (members of my team) to talk like pirates or walk the plank at appraisal time!

Its all on Mile 16 of the A Mile With Me podcast

Music and links

Amb26 - Summers Day (theme) Air5- Write my Story Antanas - Eastern World

Murakami’s book http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Talk-About-When-Running/dp/1846552206/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222117815&sr=8-1

Link to Rich Scott’s incredible running club http://www.sharedvisiontrackclub.org/

Mile 015 - Faster, Higher, Stronger!

amilewithme — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:20:13 +0000

Faster, Higher, Stronger is the motto of the Olympic Games and the theme of today’s show:

HIGHER: As we leave Beijing, follow the Olympic spirit to London, home of the 2012 games as we run the Nike+ Human Race from Wembley Stadium, London. This event is aiming HIGH - to get 1 million people running 10k on the same day. Listen to my report from a rainsoaked London (pics above).

FASTER: The worlds fastest self-propelled human being is Sam Whittingham, who has piloted his streamlined bike to 81mph (130.34kph). Sam joins me on the show and we talk about his records, the events he takes part in, the remarkable machines involved and the crazy way he has to accomodate his frame within the… er… frame! We also discuss his recent bike ride with Lance Armstrong and Gary Fischer.

STRONGER: I share my “Top 5 Olympic Oddities”, and the incredible story of Betty Robinson, the first ever female Olympic medalist and her amazing survival from near death, coma and disablement to mount an Olympic comback. Its a tale of immense strength.

As I run around RAF Coningsby, I talk about the Eurofighters that are based there, its one of the worlds fastest, powerful and nimble aircraft

All this on Edition 15 of the A Mile With Me podcast. Set your dial to 11 and off we go!

Music interwined in todays show, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network at Music.Podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (Intro / Outro)

Randall Cousins - Euphoric Aftermath

Klavar - Do You Believe?

uGene - Sunlight Euphoria

Peter, Bjorn and John - 100 Metres of Hurdles

If you have a comment on the show, then please leave it at iTUnes, on www.amilewith.me.uk or email chopper@amilewith.me.uk

Mile 014 Revolutions

amilewithme — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:11:37 +0000

There has been a revolution in cycling over the last 20 years, on edirtion 14 of a mile with me we explore how cycling training techniques and thinking can improve our running.

Im joined by Steve Moss, an ex international cyclist, who was a former team-mate of Laurent Fignon, 2 time winner of the Tour de France. Steve is now a cycling coach and also a committed runner - so we compare and contrast running and top level cycling training.

Come with me on a local cycle as we explore the revolution in literature in the last 150 years and how many famous authors who lived and wrote in Bournemouth, from JRR Tolkein and Robert Louis Stephenson to Thomas Hardy. Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein is buried here, alongside the heart of her husband, the romantic poet Percy Shelley. Wilde and Henry James also visited so we go on a literary cycle tour and I tell you about all these connections. Find out why the residents of Bournemouth are not today running into the sea like they did in the James Herbert book “The Fog”

Its a feature poacked edition of the podcast

Podsafe music courtesy of music.podshow.com:

Amb26 - Summers Day (a Mile with Me theme)

Scanlan - Bike Ride

Jeff Rosiana - Another Trip Home

website: www.amilewith.me.uk

Email: Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

Itunes: amilewithme

Mile-013 William Penny Brookes - Olympic Champion

amilewithme — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:08:46 +0000

William Penny Brookes has been widely recognised as the founding father of the modern Olympic Games, but surprisingly not that many people are aware of him or his remarkable life. Born in Much Wenlock in Shropshire, England in 1806 he was a local doctor, played a major part in bringing the railway to town and also introduced both a reading and an Olympian class into his newly created library. In 1850 he set up his first Olympian Games and 40 years later a visit to those very games by the French aristocrat Baron Pierre Coubertin was destined to change both their destinies. The Baron stayed at Brookes’s house for several weeks and inspired by what he had seen Courbertin went on to launch the modern Olympic movement in 1894. In 1994 the President of the IOC visited Much Wenlock to celebrate a century of the modern Olympic movement and in a moving speech said “I came to pay homage to Dr Brookes, who really was the founder of the modern Olympic Games” Find out more about his extraordinary life and the Much Wenlock Olympian Games as I chat with Helen Cromarty, historian of the Wenlock Olympian Society on Mile 13 of the “A Mile With Me” podcast. To find out more visit www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk

Mile-012 Digging Deep

amilewithme — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 22:29:50 +0000

**Check out my website at www.amilewith.me.uk**

Sometimes raw grit is what is necessary to get through!

On Mile 12 of the “A Mile With Me” podcast we look at digging deep, which is what the 2000 participants of Trailwalker needed to do to get through 100km of tough hills within a day. Hear my report from the event which will raise over £1m for Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare Trust. A few pics of me on the run are above. Find out one of the 1000 unusual uses for an umbrella!

Also hear me off the coast talking about how Bournemouth Council is literally digging deep in the sandy seabed off the coast to create the northern hemisphere’s first artificial surf reef. Bournemouth is sheltered from the Atlantic by the Purbeck peninsular and thats one reason why its beaches are regularly voted the best in the UK. Once the reef is open in the autumn it will provide an excellent 400 metre wide surf beach within 1.5 hours of London for the first time. Its even claimed it will be good for the local fish stocks. Hear about what you can see from the Bournemouth Eye and also about the designer developing the “best beach huts in the world”.

http://www.bournemouthreef.com/ http://www.pooleandbournemouth.co.uk/content/view/88/55/

I also explore how focussing on improving concentration can help when you need to dig deep at that crucial point.

Music this episode from music.podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (A Mile With Me theme)

Psychosoul - So Deep Orgasm Medley

Mangomad - Simple Theory

“Shafty” in his makeshift tent

Mile-011 Inner Strength

amilewithme — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:09:30 +0000

A conversation with Danny Dreyer originator of ChiRunning. Find out the programme that has been described by Toby Tanser, author of “Train Hard Win Easy” as “the most exciting and revolutionary book to hit the running community this decade”

Also join me in a couple of country and village runs and also at a party with 46,000 for Nelson Mandelas 90th birthday

**see main website www.amilewith.me.uk for show notes and pictures**

Mile 008 - Jurassic Forest Hills

amilewithme — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:40:13 +0000

Welcome to the Jurassic Coast, 190 Million Years in 95 miles!

On Mile 008 of the A Mile with Me Podcast we learn more about the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site on my doorstep and follow us on a 21 mile tough hill training challenge between Lulworth Cove and Weymouth.

Also join me on St Catherines Hill for some Hill Training practice where we explore the techniques for hill sessions and on Warren Head surveying the panorama of Christchurch Harbour in the Sunshine.

Lets explore The Mall on a lunchtime run from my office in The City to Buckingham Palace and Admiralty Arch

Find out more about the Pheddipidations Worldwide Half Marathon Challenge and how you can take part with others in the online running community wherever you may be in the world. Think Global - Run Local!

Links for today’s show:

http://www.jurassiccoast.com/ to find out more about this unique area

Music from the Podsafe Music Network at http://music.podshow.com/

Amb26 - “Summers Day” (A mile with Me opening and closing theme)

Mangomad - “So Pure”

Junction Pool - “Cheetham Hill”

Damh The Bard - “The Hills they are Hollow”

You can mail me at Chopper@amilewith.me.uk or visit www.amilewith.me.uk for more details

Mile006-London

amilewithme — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:17:45 +0000

This is London, home of the biggest fundraising event in the world, the London Marathon.

Join us on the A Mile with Me - London Marathon special as we tell the history of the London Marathon and how the 26.2 mile distance came about in London, exactly 100 years ago. Hear the story of Dorando Pietri, who drank wine along the way and was still the first man over the line in the 1908 Olympic marathon.

Also we are at the British Academy overlooking the finish line at The Mall and hear about the work of Oxfam in Liberia directly from Abraham, a local worker on the ground. We also hear a heart warming personal account of this year’s race from a lovely young lady called Alex, who ran through her tears to achieve the title of “Marathoner”!

Join me on the run along the Beaulieu River in Hampshire, and join “Team Pingu” on their Trail training on the Solent Way path. Also join my Trailwalker team as we get caught in a blizzard on an exposed headland in the Purbecks. The snow was blowing horizontally into the side of our faces. In direct contrast, join me for a gentle evening run on a Spring Evening. Its all in Edition Mile006 of A Mile with Me podcast

Music this time from music.podshow.com: Summers Day – Amb26 – The A Mile with Me opening and closing theme Arrival by Kalvar Walk in London by Null Device Marathon by Loving the Sun

I look forward to hearing your feedback on www.amilewith.me.uk or email me Chopper@amilewith.me.uk. If you enjoy the podcast then please tell your friends and subscribe via iTunes.