RUNNING & RIDING (waves!) UPDATE May June 2012

 So…last month I enjoyed a brief week in Berlin 
revitalising my love for electronic music and back in Kent saw me complete race 5, this time with my cousin Richard puffing and panting with me! After a week of poor sleep it was a struggle I have to be honest, my legs feeling like anvil's for pretty much the full 10 kilometres. Anyway, completion means I am now 48 km into my 100km. Oh why did I have to start with that odd 5 miler (8 km) race! Anyway, 52km to go! Please keep your pledges coming, I haven't received anything like the amount I was hoping for so if you have any friends or family who might like to support my charity efforts & give me added motivation. Just 1GBP or 100Y per km would amount to 100GBP or 10,000Y payable at the end of the year.

To remind you, I am raising money for a new centre to provide relief to Multiple Sclerosis sufferers in Kent, some of the money will go to my continued efforts to beat my cancer through alternative means (I am continuing the intravenous vitamin C when possible, plus various other things & my original fund is basically finished), plus small portion to a foundation providing special days for terminally ill young people. The money raised from Japan will mainly go to the Ashinaga orphanage, giving a home to the many displaced by the tsunami.  

PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY!

In other news I have finally started surfing proper this week. I had a lesson last week in Kent & for next 2 weeks I am based at a gorgeous converted farmhouse in Devon by the world famous Croyde break, though I am sticking to the tamer Saunton Sands. The surfers at Croyde the other day were most impressive! So far, so stiff! Really working some muscles I didn't know I had, but I am absolutely loving it. My acupuncture doctor recommended it above all other sports for being the ultimate Taoist sport and I can see why. There is no option but to go with the flow as I discovered yesterday.

No sooner had I reached surfable waves (swallowing my own body weight in water on the way) paddling through some heavy whitewater, was I pushed back by 8 or so waves to the point that I was back where I started! Had to re-think my game plan a little after that! Highlight so far was yesterday when I headed back for my 2nd session of the day in the bucking down rain, changing in heavy rain then getting out to light rain and total peace out on the water. Few people, small, clean waves & incredible light dappling the rain-splashed water. Actually, perfect! Looking forward to weather like the first day of course but once you're wet, it really doesn't matter.

Busy few months of moving about for me. Now Devon (via Costwolds to see my cousin Cat - thanks C&C hiking Factory!), then Wales to the ashram for my Yoga Teacher Training interview, then a small festival in Hay-On-Wye, then back home for a week. Friends wedding, then California for a month of beach bumming and tree-hugging ;-] then back to UK. I am also planning 3 weeks in Japan again in September for my event Mariana & my beloved Labyrinth festival. Phew! I figured in the spring I have some savings so why not do the things I most want to RIGHT NOW. We can never know what lies just round the corner & I am especially keen to meet those ancient trees & see what I can learn from them…