30 years – somehow a vital connection is made.

Probably in my top three Britpop era tunes is Connection by Elastica.  (Riff?  Oh yes sir.  Here’s your riff…)
Although I’ve never really thought too long and hard about the lyrics, I just assumed it to be a bit of a song about taking a gamble in Love and grabbing at the chance when it comes, in case it’s the right one.   Maybe it’s not about that at all, but it happened to come on the radio yesterday and hearing the lyrics “… but somehow a vital connection is made” went right through me and made my spine tingle.   Here’s why…  Continue reading “30 years – somehow a vital connection is made.”

The Bob Graham Round

It’s been a long path to here. When I first heard about the Bob Graham Round in my teens, it was the type of thing that was simply something that other people did. Special kinds of rare people. An immense, fantasy-level tour of the most beautiful hills in the country. I started to do a bit of fell racing in my late teens and occasionally I met someone who knew someone who’d done it. Wow.  That’s all I could say. It was just incredible

Continue reading “The Bob Graham Round”

Sauze D’Oulx family ski holiday 2018

Sauze D'Oulx

Another family holiday definitely of note. These things define and mark important times in childhood and I am happy to build up the year’s work around affording great memories for the children.   Skiing is not cheap – especially skiing overseas in half term, but each time we do it seems incredibly good value for money in terms of unforgettably good memories Continue reading “Sauze D’Oulx family ski holiday 2018”

2017 Three Peaks Cyclocross – a family affair

A stellar year for the Haygarths

It’s a fixed date in my diary. My 20th start in the 3 Peaks Cyclocross was, like other years, just another year of ‘of course I’m doing the 3 Peaks‘.  But this year’s 3 Peaks stands out in a lovely way in that it not only saw the return to the race of my brother Phil after a 5 year absence, but the next generation of Haygarths took to the race. My nephew Matt was what I think was possibly the youngest of the 650 entrants and I was gushing uncle-pride when he’d entered … never mind actually competed. A real landmark for me. Continue reading “2017 Three Peaks Cyclocross – a family affair”

Running through life with thanks to Charlie

Charlie 'Ven Der' Craig photo by Andy Whitehouse

I’m not really wanting to make a big things on social media etc about my planned Bob Graham Round. I’ll be setting off at 7pm this Friday and aiming to cover the 42 summits / 66 miles / 27,000 feet in under 24 hours. A feat achieved by plenty of people, and an incredible challenge to the man/woman-on-the-street, but just a personal goal I’m capable of and very keen to achieve. Continue reading “Running through life with thanks to Charlie”