I bought my first running watch over a decade ago.  It was called a ‘watch’ but really was nothing more than a running computer mounted onto my wrist.  I put it on when I went on a run and it gave me numbers like current heart rate (via a linked heart strap), distance and duration.  However, this trusty watch recently got to the stage when the battery would no longer re-charge and I had to take the plunge to buy a new model (well actually I asked for one as a birthday present).  Continue reading →

On Sunday 7 October 2018, this moment happened.

Kielder marathon finish

It’s me at the finish line of the Kielder marathon – a marathon that involves a full circuit of the beautiful Kielder Reservoir in Northumberland.

It’s odd to say it but I can attribute my achievement in that moment back to my study of systems thinking.  When students start studying the TU812 module, there is an exercise in considering the personal trajectory leading up to the point of starting the module and what the student anticipates moving forward.  I would never have dreamed of putting ‘run a marathon’ in my trajectory beyond the module.  There are some things you don’t anticipate, don’t plan, but in retrospect you can appreciate how earlier events influence the achievement of later ones.

Continue reading →