tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21822345001284793612024-02-25T06:44:36.649+00:00I Drink, therefore I RunJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-30329396208644782622015-10-12T23:45:00.000+01:002015-10-12T23:45:14.216+01:00Running and the seven year itch<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JWznyCaK4eiT9jqCs5r5CkxPRBr0stujoFbNxnK9Xxx6cH-RQGKqr_JZfddCDCJHxX0TFpJatseZbOmmWncTsNQtim7-DgB1RX-ucdV7X_EoCgc_47X5aCqSkxrUSceMVf5AH2dOP89Y/s1600/Marilyn-Monroe-in-The-Seven-Year-Itch-marilyn-monroe-20326927-1280-720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JWznyCaK4eiT9jqCs5r5CkxPRBr0stujoFbNxnK9Xxx6cH-RQGKqr_JZfddCDCJHxX0TFpJatseZbOmmWncTsNQtim7-DgB1RX-ucdV7X_EoCgc_47X5aCqSkxrUSceMVf5AH2dOP89Y/s400/Marilyn-Monroe-in-The-Seven-Year-Itch-marilyn-monroe-20326927-1280-720.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marilyn Monroe and Tim Ewell in "The Seven Year Itch" (1955)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They say that, no matter whether you take up running at 35, 45 or even older, you get between 5 and 8 years when you see improvement almost every time you run and race. Having taken up running again in 2007, about 20 years after leaving it behind at school, and initially targetting a local 10k, I can vouch for that. Within 3 years I'd dropped my time from 47:11 to a 'personal best' of 39:05, matched the following year on a tougher course - and I might have beaten it if I hadn't been knocked sideways rounding a bend on the final 100m by a corner-cutter! My weight fell by nearly 2.5 stone, and I completed several marathons, with my two best in 2010 and 2012. There's no doubt that between 4 and 6 years after starting, I hit my 'sweet spot'.<br />
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And then it all just got harder.<br />
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My first real lay off came from running two races on consecutive snowy, cold January Sundays, kicking off a chest infection that laid me low for several months. After this, I picked myself up and ran two good 10 milers, one in March as a 'sighter' and then a proper one in November, only marginally slower than 2 years earlier and, according to ‘age-grading' a better performance. So far, so good.<br />
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And then came the seventh year.<br />
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The plan started well, aiming for the London Marathon in April, with the target to get under that all-important 3:15 ‘good-for-age’ time. My training was solid, reasonably consistent, a few injury ups and downs, and maybe just a bit light on the long run mileage. In the weeks immediately prior to the race, work crept in and just took the edge off the final polishing. And, being honest, I did not feel entirely confident on the line. And so it came to pass that, whilst still achieving a very credible 3:27, on the day I just didn't have the right combination and motivation to wring out of myself the best performance.<br />
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Then it was obvious...here's the seven year running itch. Suddenly it's not easy, you have to <b>want</b> to push yourself. Performance has to be found, it does not just appear. Your commitment needs to go up, when in fact, it's likely to be going down.<br />
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To add to the challenge, right after London 2014, a change of role at work meant 4 days in London, and a harder trade-off between running, hotels, eating, colleagues, job. The biggest loss was the support system of my running club, and the twice-weekly training sessions and banter, now not available to me. It was very much down to me and my own plans. Anything is possible if you want it hard enough, yet the bar of difficulty had just gone up. The strength of your motivation needs to be double.<br />
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And it wasn't. I still managed to get out there and run, though less in the way of hard sessions. And, I let some other areas be a bit more free - eat a bit too much, drink a bit too much, nothing huge, just a bit..the net result of which is half a stone heavier and a fair bit slower!<br />
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Is the seven year itch inevitable? Maybe it is, maybe it ties in perfectly with the pattern for most people taking up running later in life, when you are fighting the natural challenges of getting older. It seems to fit. You need strategies to deal with it, and that's what I am facing up to now.<br />
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You won't be as fast as you were, but you can still train hard and achieve goals, and you can keep fit and trim too. You just have to accept that you can't eat what you like and run it all off! And you need a different mindset to make it all come good again.<br />
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So, here are my three commitments for the year ahead<br />
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Stop worrying about it. And remember that you can still surprise yourself.<br />
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Remind yourself of your motivation. Decide if you are still committed to your running or, be honest with yourself, have other things become more important? In which case, give it the right balance. It is still possible to achieve some of those targets, however the time and lifestyle commitment will step up hugely. If that's what you still want, great - just recognise that without making that commitment, it won't happen naturally any more (sorry about that!)<br />
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If you do still want to race, use age grading to set targets, not your 35-year-old self. I try to hit at least 70%, and if I do, then I know I am consistent with my former levels, even if the true time is slower. Age grading is the best thing for taking the monkey of absolute time off your back.<br />
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The running seven year itch is a phenomenon that, after 40, hits us all. You can't fight it. Embrace it. Understand it. Use it as an opportunity to change and establish a new plan for the future, not to be disappointed when measured against your former self. And, maybe, to try some new runs, where endurance (something that, strangely, seems to improve with age) is more of a factor than speed - trails, ultras - that may just give you a new sense of purpose.<br />
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I’m hoping that’s just what it does for me.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-5794538036739157742015-09-27T13:06:00.003+01:002015-09-27T18:46:18.380+01:0030 Weeks to the Brighton MarathonTwo events have encouraged me to start my running blog again.<br>
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One was meeting my dearest friend Jason, who, having emigrated to Melbourne, has really embraced the 'running life', and is inspiring me with his glorious 10k morning runs in wonderful places. Here's a recent photo from his trip to Paris, before coming across to the UK, and a morning run...<br>
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Secondly, the realisation that I have 30 weeks to the Brighton marathon, and the scales are tipping towards 172 lbs...about 10lbs over my fighting weight if I am going to do well. My running for the past months has been a bit sporadic - sufficient to keep a bit of fitness, but not in any sense 'training'.<br>
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So...here we turn over a new leaf - I am going to allow 4 weeks of running as I fancy, and then start a 26-week lead-in to Brighton.<br>
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Key to this is making running more fun, and re-capturing some running 'social', which I have really missed in my London jaunt. Also, making it less of a grind. With that in mind, this morning, I drove out of Romsey so that my 14-miler could be totally on country roads that I only see when I am doing 20+ milers. That's a great start - more is needed.<br>
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Of course, since this is the blog of a wine-drinking runner, I shall not neglect the wine news either. The weekend's best bottle is no doubt a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2003. A hot year, but not at all a baked wine. Very gentle, mid-weight, beautifully deep fruit and with secondary liquorice aromas. Beautiful! Alas my last one of 6. Still, I have the 2004, the 2006 and the 2010 to look forward to...<br>
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Toodle-pip!Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-64114169045131060082013-10-26T13:24:00.000+01:002015-01-25T13:24:44.146+00:00A run, a shoe and a wine..October 2013<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt54AuMC9MA9V5biy8HBCOBts_erEu_AY6QCP2FTfMAeRPn4oMkpXExhFZuG7VhVnEv0bmnBIFXd4BNDAPTqg8RqmA-Rz0N5NPCQiK1JRE8IlPe948OYbmSbopysqSSWczDuDrrfwQzN7X/s1600/king-lear-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt54AuMC9MA9V5biy8HBCOBts_erEu_AY6QCP2FTfMAeRPn4oMkpXExhFZuG7VhVnEv0bmnBIFXd4BNDAPTqg8RqmA-Rz0N5NPCQiK1JRE8IlPe948OYbmSbopysqSSWczDuDrrfwQzN7X/s320/king-lear-007.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a>27.9 miles<br />
Rain and hail<br />
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Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
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Till you have drench’d our steeples, drown’d the cocks!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzClsd1vVYp53qO91aj8qQ1-zgPIH8CwFzKncL6dTjITOhUBrLiew8vfGHMual86ot6u-FkB2XjGqjSbk878-9sxcu7vsbuwnfgl4pSHdvoiyxU6FnpP05_MWLSihaLEQ0f9ag0BoFS7Iw/s1600/asics-chaussures-de-running-gel-gt-2000-homme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzClsd1vVYp53qO91aj8qQ1-zgPIH8CwFzKncL6dTjITOhUBrLiew8vfGHMual86ot6u-FkB2XjGqjSbk878-9sxcu7vsbuwnfgl4pSHdvoiyxU6FnpP05_MWLSihaLEQ0f9ag0BoFS7Iw/s320/asics-chaussures-de-running-gel-gt-2000-homme.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><br />
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subtle shoes<br />
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MASI Campofiorin<br />
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Intense, deep, dark ruby red colour; very viscous with purple edges. Strong and attractive cherry aromas on the nose with a pleasing spiciness. Great power and balance on the palate, with aromas of ripe fruit, cherries in spirit and blackcurrants. Soft and well balanced tannins benefitting from good acidity; long aftertaste with hints of vanilla and cocoa, just like an Amarone. Semi-dried grapes were added to the young wine and a second fermentation started to produce a double-ferment lasting 15 days. This enriches the colour, flavour and body of the wine, which is then aged in oak barrels for 18 months. Campofiorin is built to last and has the potential to age for a further fifteen to twenty years, but can certainly be enjoyed now too<br />
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£12ish, Waitrose<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-43095858934425564752013-08-24T18:21:00.001+01:002013-08-24T18:21:50.336+01:00Gin and Tonic..<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGHvxuKds81wwvcelTCAjpxSQ5yD7whq2kty-JoT9kMlHjRcFclLHgWzOSZPJcd6RT_RDRCfv_8hpoM4QrHxpoUs_g4DB9J238ZJHOYOmv6nmKsDXuG4dKGMUE_LOqQZaC7tVzv9Tjl_r/s1600/macsab8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGHvxuKds81wwvcelTCAjpxSQ5yD7whq2kty-JoT9kMlHjRcFclLHgWzOSZPJcd6RT_RDRCfv_8hpoM4QrHxpoUs_g4DB9J238ZJHOYOmv6nmKsDXuG4dKGMUE_LOqQZaC7tVzv9Tjl_r/s1600/macsab8.jpg" /></a>Bank Holiday weekend...<br />
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7 miles this morning, 3 miles at tempo pace, through the woods..<br />
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Belgian GP qualifying..<br />
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Papers..<br />
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6pm...<br />
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Beefeater (all we had in..)<br />
Fever Tree<br />
Lemon<br />
Ice<br />
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Aaaahh!!<br />
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-1058548320414116452013-02-17T10:56:00.001+00:002013-02-17T10:56:27.635+00:00A beautiful wine experience, and my first run in weeks!Greetings all. It's fair to say that the last 3 weeks have knocked me for six, with the horrible week of the chest infection (and no wine), and a couple of weeks of steadily getting better. So, it was with some trepidation that I stepped outside of the front door today for my first Sunday run in a while.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoumkHDzPaNAu6Ftz6QzaVpYnsZkEf2CLFmIBOaaGrpNWdj-HRjLD_XE90GUg5f39Z-gao6CWU-vYQ5WHqiLUqn3iXVznPQ01PYn0pWfhNg0JLCnDDyLGXh77Fl-zMLk_w2Idt5V-fipl/s1600/Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoumkHDzPaNAu6Ftz6QzaVpYnsZkEf2CLFmIBOaaGrpNWdj-HRjLD_XE90GUg5f39Z-gao6CWU-vYQ5WHqiLUqn3iXVznPQ01PYn0pWfhNg0JLCnDDyLGXh77Fl-zMLk_w2Idt5V-fipl/s200/Logo.jpg" width="200" /></a>Before I talk about that, Saturday brought an altogether nicer experience, in the form of a lunch with Janet at Hotel Terravina in the New Forest (well, edge of..Netley Marsh). For those who don't know, this is the recent venture of Gerard Basset (formerly of Hotel du Vin fame, now a Master of Wine, a Master Sommelier and winner of numerous worldwine prizes for generally being a great and super-knowledgeable chap in the world of vino). I have written on Terravina before. Its real draw for a wine-lover is that food and wine get equal billing and importance in the experience. So, you have lovely food (tasty, not huge portions) and a really great time with the wine list, including the excellent recent addition of the 250ml carafe concept, enabling 3 wines to be tried and still only drinking a bottle's worth. So, after kicking off with a beautiful Manzanilla 'en rama' from Barbadillo whilst mulling the menu, to partner Salmon we drank an organic and natural Montloius (Chenin Blanc from the Loire valley, low/no sulphur, so flavoursome). Then, with Hake, Janet paired an Oz Semillon and with pork, I enjoyed a beautifully crunchy and stalky Cabernet Franc from Uruguay. Naturally a pudding wine to round off the selection, a botrytis riesling for Janet and a Pedro Ximenez (think Christmas Pudding in a glass) for me.<br />
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Hurrah for taxis. We stumbled across the threshold at 4pm, tea, papers and a snooze by the fire, then a bracing walk at 6 to shake off a bit of a hangover! I summoned enough energy to decant a beautiful Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel 2006 to warm up a light supper, half today and half tomorrow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKat2CBzsfCpwmubTo2i9Go4wOOUHxd6YK24KEl9QNrdkJ4mO-9y-fzilcYydqTHMHYVLZcisHlUliMopVC7iGTK2pSORsFYLAkZiEfhT4UDG9QLf6FFnKwT02OcsXJxBYiM2HYGNBpa-/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKat2CBzsfCpwmubTo2i9Go4wOOUHxd6YK24KEl9QNrdkJ4mO-9y-fzilcYydqTHMHYVLZcisHlUliMopVC7iGTK2pSORsFYLAkZiEfhT4UDG9QLf6FFnKwT02OcsXJxBYiM2HYGNBpa-/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a>And so, on to the running. Recovering as I am, I was mindful of the impact of cold air on my lungs. I have just invested in a marvellous piece of running gear - for a mere £12 - called the Original Buff that comes in a huge variety of colours (see <a href="http://www.sweatshop.co.uk/details.cfm?ProdID=10328">http://www.sweatshop.co.uk/details.cfm?ProdID=10328</a>). Essentially it's a tube of lycra, that can go from scarf (a 'running cravat' sounds a bit Victorian, I think, but it does feel strangely like that!) to mouth cover to headgear as the weather changes - very flexible, and just providing the right amount of cover. For me it was perfect, to ensure that I didn't suck in too much air at the ambient 4 degrees C, but a bit warmer. The lungs really thanked me for that. Though I probably did look a bit like a bandit out on my long run - still, I can't imagine many Wild West characters choosing a steady plod round Romsey though. Anyway, after 4.5 miles, that was enough - these are the runs that to do a bit too little is a much better idea than doing too much!<br />
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So - back to wine and running again. Happy days.<br />
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Pip Pip and a jolly week to you all!Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-70432855800415322352013-01-30T20:26:00.000+00:002013-01-30T20:26:20.227+00:00Neither Running nor Drinking...Hmm...have got bronchitis..hence no running and nothing to drink either. Bored rigid waiting for the 7-10 days to clear up (and expecting the same again before I really start running again)<br />
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So - little to report...<br />
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-16255528902877334502013-01-20T16:26:00.000+00:002013-01-20T16:26:02.373+00:00A 10k and a pint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The snowy weather has put many things off course in the past few days..but we runners are a hardy bunch, and need only the glimmer of a possibility of a run to declare that all is well. And so it was with the Stubbington 10k, a well-known course for local speedsters, with only 100m of climb during the race (limited to 2 sharp inclines) and a mostly traffic free, pretty and well marshalled course. As well as excellent facilities, plenty of portaloos and lovely home basked cakes afterwards at a staggeringly good value 30p, you could hardly ask for more. A really great event...which, in the dark days of last week, we whispered 'might it be cancelled?' We waited patiently...<br />
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However the good news rang out at 1pm yesterday, and so, this morning, slightly trepidatious about the journey down to Lee on Solent, I sallied forth into the cold and quiet morning on the M27, hardly a soul to be seen. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the commencement of the falling of the powdery stuff did dampen the soul a bit...and I started to worry that I was, in fact, barking mad to do this. On arrival all such worries were banished as the MAMILS (Middle-Aged Men In Lycra - several layers today of course) streamed towards the Community Centre. Warming up was bloody cold, and the legs scarcely kicked into gear after 15 mins of jogs and short sprints. Penguin-like we huddled on the start line, and then the off! Once I had worked my way past a few out-of-place lopers, it was time to put the gas down, which I did until the short hill at 8km just knocked the wind out of my sails a bit and forced me to trim down a bit and go into 'sustain position' mode.<br />
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They say that short distance runners hurt and long distance runners suffer, and you can usually be good at one or the other. I am sufferer, so this is what I can do - hang on when I ought to stop!<br />
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The end was in sight, a short sprint, and 39:48 on the clock. Under 40 mins, a very respectable performance given the lack of any specific training. Smiles all round, hands shaken, backs slapped, general bonhomie and an all round sense of delight at having partaken in this piece of mass madness (well over 1000 runners I'd say) and survived!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aB6cZoMOpEDemrGmeoZjW-76hq3rZxUT5C0wmTcF6tZsl7xKYvOyYdn1Udq1CFWI7By8CxiTwDrB7p_mZm3r8ddmQAImeOqPlhIGg5ouh_vBN8SXHdxzlphx2gxjRdItTjUh4VS_RR_6/s1600/ringwood_old_thumper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aB6cZoMOpEDemrGmeoZjW-76hq3rZxUT5C0wmTcF6tZsl7xKYvOyYdn1Udq1CFWI7By8CxiTwDrB7p_mZm3r8ddmQAImeOqPlhIGg5ouh_vBN8SXHdxzlphx2gxjRdItTjUh4VS_RR_6/s200/ringwood_old_thumper.jpg" width="174" /></a>With a spring in my stride, I headed for home, and with lunch, a bottle of the perennially excellent Ringwood Old Thumper - 5.6%, a dark, malty, sweetish beer. Think of a crackling fireside, a cold night in a dark, stone-built pub somewhere on Exmoor - and this is your perfect match. Yummy. Always have to limit myself to one, though, as 2 means nothing else gets done for the rest of the day (no Blog posts for sure!)<br />
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A great marker for the year ahead, both in running and beerish terms.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-65539152294496311072012-12-20T09:06:00.001+00:002012-12-20T09:06:46.231+00:00Why running makes you appreciate "terroir"...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yga6i2raTdKJDJRhVyvkL7olAgr1iQwxIMx1gpRehlSV00F8fYJDSqNviYUYNwf6fbZpWSfmY8JhnGQypxCWrA0M_077COeo4okQoL-7YM6fzL9iuxUahyphenhyphenyY5T4IaXobP0WV4Du06TqR/s1600/ws_Misty_Morning_1600x1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yga6i2raTdKJDJRhVyvkL7olAgr1iQwxIMx1gpRehlSV00F8fYJDSqNviYUYNwf6fbZpWSfmY8JhnGQypxCWrA0M_077COeo4okQoL-7YM6fzL9iuxUahyphenhyphenyY5T4IaXobP0WV4Du06TqR/s320/ws_Misty_Morning_1600x1200.jpg" width="320" /></a>Aha - a post today that neatly combines running and wine!<br />
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Went out for a steady 5 miles last night, nothing too dramatic. It was cool but not as bitingly cold as the previous week. Dressed in long top and bottoms, but no beanie or gloves. As usual, after about 10 minutes the extremities had warmed up and all was well.<br />
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After about 20 minutes I took the path by the park, which goes past a row of old farm cottages and an open field, which was shrouded in a very enigmatic mist, rising from the damp ground of the field. And, suddenly, within about 30 yards, the drop in temperature was immediately noticeable. Not having a thermometer with me (not being a critical part of a runner's kitbag!) I couldn't say if it was 1 or 4 degrees. However it was appreciable, and it got me thinking about what this might mean for the world of wine...and 'Terroir'<br />
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The word "Terroir" is a peculiarly French word, which encapsulates all of the factors that are special and specific to a piece of land. It is supposed to explain why this field, on one side of a road, is Grand Cru and thus £50 a bottle, and the field on the other side of the road is Premier Cru and thus £20 a bottle. Now, you can get all sniffy about this, and for sure, some of the decisions are based on the politics and loud voices at the time of classification - and yet you cannot deny that certain sites do produce consistently better wines than their neighbours. Just being at the right point on a hill, for instance, means you have the right drainage, the right sun, and just the right amount of breeze, which would not be the case further up or lower down.<br />
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Which brings me back to my run, and that cold mist. If my vineyard was in the misty field, my grapes would be wetter, colder, and take longer to warm up when the sun shines than those only 30 yards earlier. And that is a critical success factor for quality wine.<br />
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There you are then. "Terroir" is not bunkum after all!<br />
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In order to celebrate this discovery, I paired a lovely Alsace Riesling from Josmeyer, under the Wine Society's Exhibition range. Dry, flowery and beautifully balanced.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-47223025199995204042012-12-16T13:19:00.001+00:002012-12-20T09:13:27.763+00:00A run and a beer...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been quite a while since I posted, so I must apologise to my (small) readership. And, I fear that I will be a further disappointment today as well, as I shall be talking about a beer!<br />
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I have downloaded Blogger to my iPad, in the hope that it will encourage more blogging. So, today will be brief and we will see...<br />
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Today was a beautiful morning, cool but not cold, dry, and fairly quiet. I was a bit later out running than planned, as I was enacting a small DIY repair on the bathroom light (oh yes!). Today, the challenge was to tackle Toot Hill, a fairly beefy incline about half way in, and I motored up it with ease, most satisfying. All in all a gentle 9 miler, as I knew I needed to retain energy for the afternoon of <span style="color: red;"><b>The Decorating Of The House For Christmas...</b></span><br />
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For lunch, a glorious Trappist beer from the excellent beer shop in Bell Street, Romsey. I urge you to try both the beer and the shop out.<br />
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What I had failed to consider was that a 33cl bottle at 11.5% is more alcohol than a large glass of red. In consequence the afternoon could be interesting...<br />
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Pip pip till next time!Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05980052942981517700noreply@blogger.com2Romsey Romsey50.995505 -1.491483tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-29125501232390137142012-05-23T20:02:00.001+01:002012-05-23T20:02:49.140+01:00A lovely mid week wine..<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzdM4Yvu2UUXMzBtK4lUpcJJMEYIXg9D4LTdutlU8Xmi6xsQsMUXJeKZLjSJZr6joQX65XOyqzP-FUUatXfJSe1MzWhcKssAhwONBaITesSKGYv227VESEfJiPy1eyoSqelWwd_cYR5s7/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzdM4Yvu2UUXMzBtK4lUpcJJMEYIXg9D4LTdutlU8Xmi6xsQsMUXJeKZLjSJZr6joQX65XOyqzP-FUUatXfJSe1MzWhcKssAhwONBaITesSKGYv227VESEfJiPy1eyoSqelWwd_cYR5s7/s200/photo.JPG" width="150" /></a>What a glorious day! Time for something fresh to tickle the tastebuds. Out comes an old favourite, Gruner Veltliner from Austria. Do not be fooled by the thin bottle, it is a DRY WINE! And lovely too..real character. On the palate, spicy, minerally, fresh. Produced by Austria’s acclaimed Domäne Wachau estate from their beautiful terraced vineyards along the banks of the Danube. I shall be easting this with a chicken stir-fry, and that's a great match! (Waitrose £8.99)<br />
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<br />Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-86211784806165034382012-05-14T19:01:00.002+01:002012-12-20T08:52:03.110+00:00It's great when it does't hurt...Sunday was a good day. Went running in the morning. No more than an hour - I am still, after all, recovering from the marathon. I have been nursing a niggle in my right knee, and fearfully inching up the miles -3 ,4, 5 - to find the bite point when it hurts. So, what a pleasure it is not to find it after 8. Now, I did experience a bit of stiffness in the aforementioned muscle, but that's fine, we are on the right path. And I have one more week of doing what I want before I really get back into training. But for what, I wonder...<br />
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I reflected on how the lack of a goal in running can make it all quite strange. I don't think many people are truly spontaneous, and just run when they fancy, with no thought of purpose. Maybe there are folk like that. Not the ones I meet, though. The need to have some kind of a target just makes it all make sense to me. It doesn't have to be a bold one, but it does need to be there. So, I have not yet set my sights on the next 3 months, I feel however that is not far away..<br />
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So, with a good run behind me, I tackled the destruction of the old garden shed, along with two visits to the tip. What a robustly DIY thing to do! The new shed sits in the garage, beaming about its fresh newness and reeking of that protective liquid, not creosote any more, some other sort of preservative.<br />
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And then the Grand Prix - very exciting. Well done Sir Frank.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eatY4-Vd_dtv6x94rx6EDElg0-d1rWqhm7AXYEaQkCD-tCZbrPHfr1FngM9lWnH5esUK4pQWPo7oDuW99yFfR2a4jR5FR3egpIPLtB5s2NKTp3zV-X6f21bb0GvbSXPjZbbpeZD_s9_M/s1600/Rosso-di-Montalcino-Camigliano-2007.e_2_1.wine_3705419_detail.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eatY4-Vd_dtv6x94rx6EDElg0-d1rWqhm7AXYEaQkCD-tCZbrPHfr1FngM9lWnH5esUK4pQWPo7oDuW99yFfR2a4jR5FR3egpIPLtB5s2NKTp3zV-X6f21bb0GvbSXPjZbbpeZD_s9_M/s1600/Rosso-di-Montalcino-Camigliano-2007.e_2_1.wine_3705419_detail.jpeg" /></a>To round it all off, a glorious bottle of Rosso di Montalcino Camigliano 2007. A sweet, raspberry-fruited vintage, warm and luxurious in the mouth. An absolute treat. Just what good central Italian wine is all about. Sangiovese at its very best. It is a glorious vintage, so fill your bootless. The 2006 ain't bad either.. About £15, I bought it from the Wine Society a year or so ago.<br />
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Good times.Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-20575200073456799492012-04-23T19:25:00.001+01:002012-04-28T16:04:11.021+01:00To the victor - the spoils...The race is run, the miles toiled through. Marathon number 5 and a personal best. 3h 18m 09s is forever mine in the annals of Marathon running. OK, it's not exactly a Kenyan pace, and I did just miss the 3h 15 which would be a Boston Qualifier standard. Doesn't matter.<div>
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What does matter to me is that I ran it well. </div>
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I've always struggled to hold back the pace for the first few miles, the excitement of the event usually getting the better of me - and of course, having tapered down in the weeks prior, you feel springy, alive, like you can challenge the world. I know enough, now, to know that the feeling of elation can slip away from you in a heartbeat at about mile 16. It really is save now, spend later, where this race is concerned. I did find myself chasing a man dressed as a monk at mile 3...and then had to have a strong word with myself to slow, slow, slow...</div>
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I am getting ahead in the story. </div>
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Sunday morning. 06.45am, Marriott, South Ken. Poor night's sleep - naturally. The morning is clean, sharp, and it isn't raining. The forecast has changed totally in the week, and we are now on for the perfect race conditions - cool not cold, dry, still. I hop in the lift, past the night porter, and out into the Sunday silence of the Cromwell Road. On the road, I pass another runner, waiting with his red kitbag, like mine. He's taking a taxi to the start and kindly offers me a lift - but for me the train is part of the build up, the energy, the purpose. I walk on to the tube, pausing only for a coffee in Starbucks - where of course I meet another runner. We talk nervously, and head into the tube. We meet others. Suddenly we are two dozen on the platform, smiling, chatting, like an exercise-bound version of the Moonies, heading to the start. The tube arrives, and we disgorge hundreds of sport-shoe-clad, be-lycra'd runners, all clutching the red plastic square that marks you out as ONE OF US. It's just gone 7am at Charing Cross...</div>
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...fastforward to Greenwich now, and the athlete's area. 37,000 hopes, dreams, fears...I meet a fellow runner from work and wish her well..and then I warm up a bit, luxuriating in the fact that I have a ticket for pen 2 and thus will commence within 50 yards of the start. This is the 'semi-good' start, and means that I do not have to worry, for my place is secure amongst only a couple of hundred runners. I can leave it to the last minute to take my place, and the masses must stay behind me! We chat. We pretend to stretch and warm up. We pee (as subtly as we can do) and we check our GPS for the hundredth time.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYL3KRYmrKPC23tukbz3R59vjVydBeuzFRL1fzeWKvQl8nVWyBaX6WsXFOZv5dTsM3K1TJqmYTWTOXl_8LnSvqeaew2P7R1MP13NA3svVeRZeS0nfxBPMc4Y85PvAjn7Fr8dYUJRIXJRGq/s1600/1111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYL3KRYmrKPC23tukbz3R59vjVydBeuzFRL1fzeWKvQl8nVWyBaX6WsXFOZv5dTsM3K1TJqmYTWTOXl_8LnSvqeaew2P7R1MP13NA3svVeRZeS0nfxBPMc4Y85PvAjn7Fr8dYUJRIXJRGq/s320/1111.jpg" width="214" /></a>..and then we are off, and nothing matters, this is it, you start, you run, you finish, and in the middle you prove yourself. What am I going to be today, you wonder - hero, weakling, passive, active, true to myself, conqueror of my feelings or victim to my tiredness? The first few miles pass easily enough, and you take in the surroundings, the cheering, the music. By mile 5 you are in the race, and can do a quick check in with all major functions. All seems to be going well. Then the Kodo drummers under the bridge, their rhythm beats into your chest, and you have to stop yourself from sprinting. Hold back, hold back...</div>
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..then you hit 10 miles, and after a systems check, which concluded that you are feeling good, you start, ever so gently, to pick up the pace, to get faster. You pass people every second, for as you are speeding, they are slowing. Then Tower Bridge. No words can prepare you for the wave of energy and cheering that lifts you across, you have seen, heard, felt nothing like this. You round the corner and it continues for 2 more miles, a solid wave of sound. </div>
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..and at 15 it's starting to tell on you a bit, but not too much. You compare with last year...yes, I am feeling much better than last year, oh yes...you push on, you keep passing runners, you hit Canary Wharf, and now you know you are digging deep, this relentless pace is tough, and yet you are still passing, passing, passing...and now you worry about fuelling, have I got it right, did I take enough...you emerge and see the Gherkin, and now it's 21 miles, and oh you know you've worked today. You push harder to maintain the pace, and now you know that it is just going to be a battle for the last 5, and one that you can't know the outcome. This could go either way. Tower Bridge again, this time, you're on your way to the finish and on the other side of the road, they are not even half way. Push, push, push..you wonder if anything can help...</div>
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23 passes and your legs are like lead, where did that come from so suddenly? this is the moment I dreaded, the moment when I knew I was no longer fully in charge...then the Cannon Street underpass...200 yards of sudden silence and darkness. Some stop, as if their spirit is broken, or if here is the only place they can walk without being seen. Some pee. I push on, we are carrying on today, we are a bit broken, a bit battered, but we still have some strength. You emerge into the light. The pace has slowed a bit, you now know that you cannot pull a further pace increase out of the bag. Holding this will be tough enough. You focus. Cleopatra's Needle. Janet will be there. God you want to stop. But you won't. Today is not a stopping day. Now you know this.</div>
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24. You know you will carry on but you know there will be a compromise, what will it be? Pass Janet, wave, be cheery like you always are for the cheering supporters, but you know she'll know you are struggling, for you are not your usual self at this point, you are digging in. </div>
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25. Look up at Big Ben. 5 minutes to my target, but..what? 7, 8, 9 mins of running left? You just keep going, now there is no doubt in your mind you will finish and finish well, a PB is on today, even if 3h15 isn't. Could you push it, you wonder? You chance a lift in pace and a muscle says no way, not now mate, so you compromise and drop a few secs/mile, it won't matter now and it will get you home</div>
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800 yards to go..that's half a mile..never did that seem so long. The tarmac is pink around Buckingham Palace, this is a strange place, this is like an illusion, a mirage...you are on autopilot now. You round the corner and still you are running, this is it, you are going to do it, and then there's the finish ahead...</div>
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200 yards and you see the clock..not quite as much of a gap to your previous best, but something to be proud of...today has been good..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgxCQnCX_WgDxMEZHSDy3gS_O9ujpJXTp68vLxi7FHzdrGL7v_buBQ1ARRTNS39bU8njz1rUcGwpCzEI3VWSCg3smugSAK4o57zjQiTbd34U1TXPKAQAMBPFvcfV2RwvNzO1oWjDgUuDM/s1600/1112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgxCQnCX_WgDxMEZHSDy3gS_O9ujpJXTp68vLxi7FHzdrGL7v_buBQ1ARRTNS39bU8njz1rUcGwpCzEI3VWSCg3smugSAK4o57zjQiTbd34U1TXPKAQAMBPFvcfV2RwvNzO1oWjDgUuDM/s320/1112.jpg" width="185" /></a>You Finish.</div>
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Smile. Whoop. Stagger. Get Medal. Remove chip. Get water. Get kitbag.</div>
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Today you now know that you delivered. </div>
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That feels good.</div>
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Done.</div>
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Beer.....</div>
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</div>Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-17823772861739658042012-04-16T20:12:00.000+01:002012-04-28T15:17:08.888+01:00Two lovely wines...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's fair to say that my wine consumption habits are probably not the ideal pre-marathon training - however, in my pursuit of good-for-age running times, I am not prepared to don the hair shirt, which therefore tells you enough in the way of revealed preference for the amateur psychologist amongst you about the relative importance of the goal to me...ie important but not a 'be-all-and-end-all' kind of thing.</div>
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So, the weekend prior to the marathon, two lovely wines to titivate the palate. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_fzprDqTDnuevRTluUP2uCAp3tIh4-FrxovibTjneZC7HQr08-_Z8UlgZyLkrCoMWI5DqIlVmG4kqrIXBMQ-3q9VaAYSIMe4WFgJM4SRDqH_jLNcsvogel2Ob26f5UMOYzKawrMEluNl/s1600/petaluma.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_fzprDqTDnuevRTluUP2uCAp3tIh4-FrxovibTjneZC7HQr08-_Z8UlgZyLkrCoMWI5DqIlVmG4kqrIXBMQ-3q9VaAYSIMe4WFgJM4SRDqH_jLNcsvogel2Ob26f5UMOYzKawrMEluNl/s200/petaluma.JPG" width="150" /></a>First up, Petaluma Riesling 2011 (Waitrose, about £11?). This was so perfect with a stir-fry, all lovely ripe citrus and lime fruits, juiciness personified in the mouth, and with a clean finish that just lingered on. These cool-climate Rieslings from Australia (Clare Valley this time) are just sensational. And, whilst they are not exactly unknown to the wine drinking community, still, I think that too many people are put off by a tall brown bottle - some kind of Pavlovian reaction kicks in and they think of the horrible sweet liebfraumilch drunk in their youth! Away with such thoughts, this is NONE of that! </div>
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Then, in the red camp, back to the world of France and Bordeaux. I have a number of 2002 and 2003 Bordeaux wines in the cellar and I never quite get a handle on whether they are right to drink now or not. Anyway, in this case, I seem to have hit lucky. The year was a warm one for Bordeaux, and so you are expecting a bit more in the way of blackcurranty cabernet fruit, and less of the 'cigar-box and lead pencils' that is more usually associated with a mature claret. This was in fact a real treat - good body, soft, perfumed and delicate, with plummy richness and a great finish.<br />
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A very good drinking weekend!</div>
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<br />Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0Romsey, Hampshire SO51, UK50.98893 -1.4965850.968939500000005 -1.536062 51.0089205 -1.457098tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-26452067334024104562012-04-12T17:01:00.002+01:002012-04-12T17:01:29.083+01:00A right pain in the knee....9 days to go to the marathon. Perhaps what I did not to have to deal with was a sharp, continuous pain in the right knee after about 3 miles...<br />
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Today's treatment is the glorious 'dry needling' which is every bit as unpleasant as it sounds. It's like acupuncture without the soothing music...<br />
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We shall see if it does the trick!Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-12465964075799834952012-04-06T08:45:00.002+01:002012-04-06T08:45:50.115+01:00The times when it doesn'te go quite rightI am in curious time right now. 16 days to the marathon, so the running plan is definitely in taper mode. The usual plan is to cut the miles, but maintain the intensity. My last two weeks of training have been compromised by going to Italy (pasta, house, heat, wine, mozzarella di bufala, hills, time..) and a knee problem that seems to come on at mile 3. So, I have missed my last big long run and the one before that wasn't perfect.<br />
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I've read enough to know that the right approach is not to panic, most people rarely hit 80% of their plan, and I do have a lot of the fitness banked. And on the day I will be able to manage, it feels like this is in the category of 'painful but not damaging'. However this stage of training is all about the mind - trusting in the work completed, relying on years of experience that says your muscles need 3 weeks to feel fresh, and knowing that you cannot 'cram' the training now, even if your knee was fine - which is isn't.<br />
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So, a balancing act. Come the day, all will be well.<br />
<br />Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-71693161796475250602012-03-11T19:12:00.000+00:002012-03-11T19:12:03.932+00:00Not Half Bad!A great run today. I signed up for the Silverstone half marathon again this year. It is a fabulous event, well organised, and highly exciting. Given the central position, and a venue that can soak up a 200,000 crowd, it deals easily with more like 20,000. It is also off road, and thus has a 12 o'clock start (well, 12.05 actually, as they held it for a bit because of queues on the going road, ironically...). And of course I am a F1 fan, so the opportunity to run on the hallowed ground is surely only akin to a football fanatic having a training session at Wembley. And, I got to see the new stand, and run on the new track and pit lane. Fab!<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SoriwOwsz5-7ab85z5lvhFWz-cHeQu0Kd51_ORvxN7tqfRC6doqsyEUzv67LEzvUYA9OCAJexjjUuyJKBM9KNRNWLYm6MNl_CsIletL1eHECQSufPMI2oNCguTXRnK98RUdoaejvqawr/s1600/borntorun_21.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SoriwOwsz5-7ab85z5lvhFWz-cHeQu0Kd51_ORvxN7tqfRC6doqsyEUzv67LEzvUYA9OCAJexjjUuyJKBM9KNRNWLYm6MNl_CsIletL1eHECQSufPMI2oNCguTXRnK98RUdoaejvqawr/s200/borntorun_21.png" width="130" /></a>The morning was simply lovely. Crisp, fresh spring had properly 'sprung'. As I rounded Oxford, a couple of air balloons rose gently and majestically. I would love to have been in them - if it had not interfered with the race, of course! </div>
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I followed the pacer for the first 3 miles, then stepped out a bit myself, and managed to hit my target pace absolutely on the nail - 6.45 milling all the way. There were a few tough moments at around mile 8-10 - the course is a bit more hilly than you might think! - so I just pushed through. My new mantra is 'Tarahumara' after finishing reading the brilliant book 'Born to Run', which I cannot recommend too highly, about why we should run and why we should probably be in lower profile shoes (if not absolutely barefoot). </div>
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So, on to tonight's victory wine. This evening's treat is my last bottle of Ch. Tour du Mons, a cru bourgeois Margaux, from the excellent 2000 vintage. I suspect this is 50% Merlot, the rest Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. I had 6 of these from the Wine Society a few years ago, and they have all gone down very well indeed. The timing is perfect, I am not sure this has a lot of life left in it. Right now, this wine is a delight, elegant, a bit of blackcurrants, a hint of cedar and wood, and altogether a classic claret. Just right to go with the beef joint that is cooking away...if the bottle can last until it is ready!</div>
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<br /></div>Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-22851140847772994562012-03-07T19:18:00.000+00:002012-03-07T19:18:09.322+00:00Running when you don't want to..Last night. Home from work, feeling very tired. Need to do a hard session. Legs still from the day before. Very easy just to say no...<br />
...and then you don't. So, you head out, and after you have passed the 'terrible tens' moment, and stretched a bit, well, maybe it isn't so bad...<br />
...and then you pick it up and hit the tough work. 5 x 1 mile at pace..first mile ok..maybe we can do this?<br />
..then mile 3 comes and that's a push but you do it..<br />
..and then you find the second wind<br />
..and before you know it, it's over and you can bask in the glory of having cracked it!<br />
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Not sure it helps understand how or why!Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-84760040124796912822012-02-17T09:54:00.000+00:002012-02-17T09:54:06.319+00:00Hills and Hugel...Running and RieslingLast Sunday, I took to the trails for the 21.2 (by my GPS..measurements vary!) extremely hilly, cold, muddy Meon Valley Plod. Quite an experience. The goal was to test my endurance out - and I am delighted to say that it passed with flying colours. I came 44th out of 250ish, and even had some push left for the last few miles. But oh my gosh, what a course! There is something very special about these kind of long events. You sit at the end, and run your mind over the 3 hours 15 of running, and all the things you have seen..and it is incredible. Sometimes you can't even believe it was the same event. So, now I need to let my legs recover, and then I have 3 weeks to get a totally different type of training in- faster work, to be road ready for the Silverstone half marathon in 3 weeks. We move away from time endurance and towards speed endurance. This is gonna hurt...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Gg8Eh8Z7M85QNxg0wm_gNHegO5oh7GYOkLy93nUL25k9hoiq8NmTn-ZvvbkxeETwOPh97lVQtHIrIUmS8tQMiizikBUizY1bx6bsozmZeAqsDyApuJk6wao3LnbXFAoHlOHoSjfrcTRk/s1600/hugel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Gg8Eh8Z7M85QNxg0wm_gNHegO5oh7GYOkLy93nUL25k9hoiq8NmTn-ZvvbkxeETwOPh97lVQtHIrIUmS8tQMiizikBUizY1bx6bsozmZeAqsDyApuJk6wao3LnbXFAoHlOHoSjfrcTRk/s200/hugel.jpg" width="132" /></a>On the wine front, last night Janet was in Scotland, so I have a chance to try 'the wines that come in tall think bottles, and are a bit Germanic, and maybe a bit floral'. The wine of choice was a glorious Alsace riesling from Hugel - the tradition 2008. It was dry, only a hint of floral, and with an intense citrussy nose. At £14.95 it is not cheap, but you are getting hand-crafted wine here, some of which I am sure is the off-cuts from Grand Cru vineyards. If you have not experienced a great Riesling - and crave a very different style to Chardonny - you should get your hands on a bottle of this.<br />
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Altogether quite lovely.Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-58141887256699456222012-02-04T19:14:00.003+00:002012-02-04T19:14:51.226+00:00It's darned cold right nowTwo evenings of running in the cold tests the patience of even the most committed runner. There is the philosophy that cold weather makes you run fast, to keep warm - ok, sure that might work - however it also makes you feel entirely unlike pushing yourself in 6min/mile reps. The thought of all that cold air rushing in the lungs is enough to make me go for 'just a steady one tonight'<br />
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On the other hand, winter food is great. Lamb shank is bubbling away tonight, partnered with a Moss Wood 'Amy's Blend', a cabernet, merlot and petit verdot Bordeaux blend from Margaret River in Western Australia. This is lush, sweet fruit, brambly, hint of mint, delicate and powerful. Yummy.<br />
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Tasting note from Matthew Jukes sums it up well “A cabernet sauvignon-dominant wine of jaw-dropping class unequalled anywhere.”<br />
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I shall ensure i enjoy it..Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-70706304685617028952012-01-25T18:02:00.001+00:002012-01-25T18:02:13.223+00:00Aeroplane wineFor the third time in 8 days, I am drinking a (plastic) glass of British Airways red wine, a merlot from negociant Laboure-Roi. More well known for their burgundy, this is humble vin de pays. And the strange thing is that each bottle has tasted worse than the previous one! I am curious as to whether my state of mind has influenced this, or is it the perils of repetition...or is there really this level of variation in such a standard product? <br />
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Suffice it to say that I shall not be seeking this particular blend at my local merchant any time soon. <br />
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But hey, it is free!<br />
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Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-76681533001647621982012-01-22T14:01:00.003+00:002012-01-22T14:01:53.161+00:00Celebrating the Event<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTW-bOkc4r6kDKChoPZSm66gAbZ_E8ODUO6JnTr-tNL97x2O_0_VlhZqkWIJT_ssobjsfqHdo-sbvHNVfL5QycjeYDYKAUbXPk8-AcBpQBG6lC4j0tqv0jFxtGcfjIbudK8c9UhO2euvB/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTW-bOkc4r6kDKChoPZSm66gAbZ_E8ODUO6JnTr-tNL97x2O_0_VlhZqkWIJT_ssobjsfqHdo-sbvHNVfL5QycjeYDYKAUbXPk8-AcBpQBG6lC4j0tqv0jFxtGcfjIbudK8c9UhO2euvB/s200/photo.JPG" width="150" /></a>Friday night, the end of what has been an extraordinary week. On completion, Kate (the agent from La Porta Verde) gave us a bottle of Prosecco to celebrate. To be honest, we were so knackered that we did not get round to it, and the weather was so cold we couldn't even go and sit in La Torretta. We brought it back with us (nervously wrapping it in plastic bags and a t-shirt in the middle of the suitcase - it has survived!) and on Friday night we were finally able to crack it open and celebrate!<br />
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An excellent and clean prosecco, always lighter than Champagne, and thus much easier to drink. Mercifully, also only 11%.<br />
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So - here's the the future!Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-58707190122741499392012-01-18T18:00:00.000+00:002012-01-22T14:01:10.676+00:00La Torretta is ours! - Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wednesday felt like a very different day. We woke up, looked at ourselves, and both thought "crikey - we've finally done it!". So, here you see me, proudly unlocking for the first time (and trying to ignore the weeds in the drive that I really need to tackle! The weather was still very cold, and there was about 2 hours before heading for the airport to take in the place on our own. I am delighted to say that the sun beamed down on the front terrace, so we were able to have our sandwiches (bought from the village shop of course!) with the sun on our faces, overlooking Papiano. That was a good moment...<br />
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So, the work starts now. Rental, website, letting agent, buying a LOT of towels, sheets and pillowcases, utilities, local taxes, blah blah blah. And getting the garden together. We will be there next at the end of March.<br />
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Can't wait!!<br />
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<br />Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-63835297012863222562012-01-17T18:00:00.000+00:002012-01-22T08:39:56.554+00:00Buying La Torretta - Day 2 Tuesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurQD7VXy1ZCcbWx1yqDXtpkzON8au5QZs-F_CWuefXsxxX3tCKuRhPW2xLtTmaRORG0K6EcwnJdTEvDzcCf6oJ2VLcvSzGXDOdWilhJ7AqdbNIq6E0s3sp49jDcMP2PJaE5UGeOzd68eb/s1600/DSC00662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurQD7VXy1ZCcbWx1yqDXtpkzON8au5QZs-F_CWuefXsxxX3tCKuRhPW2xLtTmaRORG0K6EcwnJdTEvDzcCf6oJ2VLcvSzGXDOdWilhJ7AqdbNIq6E0s3sp49jDcMP2PJaE5UGeOzd68eb/s320/DSC00662.JPG" width="320" /></a>Tuesday morning was a bit of 'free time' as we did not have to be at the Notary's office until 3.30pm - and we did not really feel like we were on holiday. So, after a slightly more leisurely breakfast, we did nip up to La Torretta, keeping our eyes peeled for the current owners, in case they also dropped by! We did not really want to meet them before the big day. We didn't have keys, so we stuck to checking out the space - as you can see from the photos. The land to this side actually falls away more than I remembered, which will give us a great aspect for the pool, and give the land a bit of structure</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgh0GOnFSKu3zsDucLdY5nMPy6m9Tv1C0M1MtgNHzFzk-Uk4xE2vngLl8Mkdc4zkFvOqCQngDGfcGc65Jc8EJ5rtjHyINR4P-C5yPnYsNx2dGCBvkeUh73-2ogRNufpnoccCUCQ3vfGn8/s1600/DSC00680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgh0GOnFSKu3zsDucLdY5nMPy6m9Tv1C0M1MtgNHzFzk-Uk4xE2vngLl8Mkdc4zkFvOqCQngDGfcGc65Jc8EJ5rtjHyINR4P-C5yPnYsNx2dGCBvkeUh73-2ogRNufpnoccCUCQ3vfGn8/s320/DSC00680.JPG" width="320" /></a>From the other side, you can see how open it is to the small road to the side. This road is a tiny lane, just servicing the 3 or 4 houses up here, and you can't see it at all from the house because of the dip. It allows you to 'borrow' the view of the field of olive trees on the other side of the lane, as well, so that it feels like it is part of the garden. We will need to fence in the land, as if you have a pool it is a legal requirement that there is protection from random people running in and drowning themselves - so your choice is either to have the pool enclosed or the land. We will plant a second row of trees in front of the ones you can see o provide a screen from the farmhouse behind and to mark out the right of way where the white gravel is.</div>
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At 3.00 we met the other sellers in the cafe (a bit stilted as you might imagine) along with the agent. Then, off to the offices, a bit late because the notary's car broke down. </div>
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Suffice it to say that the experience of sitting opposite the seller whilst the contract is read out word for word in Italian and then in English is rather unusual to the English way of doing it. I had a liking for the seriousness of the occasion.</div>
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And, by 5.50pm - at last we owned La Torretta.</div>Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-8728124990367628662012-01-16T17:00:00.000+00:002012-01-22T08:19:07.706+00:00Buying La Torretta Day 1 - Monday<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papiano from Casa Girasole</td></tr>
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After a cold night - we seemed to have arrived in Umbria in the middle of a short chilly burst - we awoke in the lovely B and B Casa Girasole, and were treated to a glorious view of the bell tower and the tiny borgo of Papiano, shrouded in beautiful crisp white frost, the kind that makes the world seem clean again.<br />
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We spent a few minutes talking to Aafke and Roberto, who own the B and B, whilst caught in that limbo state when meeting someone. Are they coming to me? Am I going to them? After about 10 minutes I had to break the silence and yes, of course, we were supposed to be with them about 15 minutes ago! So, in the car and off to the next village, Castello della Forme, and - how exciting - our first glimpse of La Torretta from the road. We only had time for a slow drive-by, but that was enough to lift the heart.<br />
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Next stop Perugia, for our Codice Fiscale. As usual, a nondescript government building, you take a ticket, sit in the chairs, wait your turn. We only had about a 20 minutes wait, which by all accounts is pretty good! And really they should hand then out like toffees, as it is a number to allow you to pay tax. Then on to the bank in Marsciano - 2 hours to open an account, and that's after having spent several days in the UK emailing across everything from utility bills, letter of introductions and by bronze swimming certificate (well, not the last one..). Still, at least when we arrived, they knew who we were, which probably saved about an hour of introductions. There was a hairy moment when we noticed that the manager had typed my name in as Jhon...this then led to much wringing of hands, lengthy phone calls to a number of departments - and then finally, an amendment as it was their fault. Phew! Lunch beckoned in a charming local restaurant. Great food for €15 per head. I'm liking this area...<br />
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In the afternoon we re-visited La Torretta with the geometra who oversaw the building - a charming chap called Roberto, who enjoyed bounding around the land and talking wildly. Everything you would expect!<br />
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So, after all that excitement, we still hadn't signed the paperwork, though we had paid the money! very strange..<br />
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Off to dinner and then the preparation for the next day.<br />
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<br />Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182234500128479361.post-15801361737930777762012-01-07T19:23:00.004+00:002012-01-07T19:23:57.192+00:00Getting back in to the FlowA week of getting back into the <i>flow</i> of running. What do I mean by that? When you put in a real effort and it does not feel like effort, in that you actually enjoy pushing yourself, testing the limits. Saying it does not feel like effort is different to saying it is not hard, because it is. It feels like good tough, getting in touch with your inner animal.<br />
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So, the method of choice was a 8 x cemetery hill session on Thursday, about 3.5 miles of hard effort in a 7 mile run, in the cold. The repeat runs of Cemetery Hill starts with a tough climb, then it gets a bit more gentle, and finishes with a flattish 100m. All told about 3.5 mins per cycle, the overall run about 55 minutes. At the end your legs are screaming, your lungs are burning..and yet today you feel really alive.<br />
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And, as the saying goes, no-one ever felt worse after a run than they did during it. Clearly not true if you injure yourself, but in general terms, the afterglow is good...and provides calorie burn too...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGmvJKpI5bVeM4SBJCQP1HaNDcQQknP0NkENudXocO6TeqwgLFmAJfh-MyEOx2CQTSGQhBf4vzHz5pZ6tTTJPECkWJDXEUYJgLETYGHnNDxAMr9WPJ0R6-KNOlSKkIrVjWWQo2f5XF29m/s1600/LO9031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGmvJKpI5bVeM4SBJCQP1HaNDcQQknP0NkENudXocO6TeqwgLFmAJfh-MyEOx2CQTSGQhBf4vzHz5pZ6tTTJPECkWJDXEUYJgLETYGHnNDxAMr9WPJ0R6-KNOlSKkIrVjWWQo2f5XF29m/s200/LO9031.jpg" width="132" /></a>As I sit scribing this I am imbibing a beautiful <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Sancerre La Reine Blanche 2010 Vacheron</span></b>. Vacheron is organic and biodynamic, and I do think I can taste it in the restrained yet powerful essence of the wine. It is fresh, clean, zingy, a little bit of minerally steel, some gooseberry, and just the right amount of cut for the Salmon Wellingtons, Cavolo Nero and Aubergine mixed vegetables that is bubbling away.<br />
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Looking good round here tonight!<br />
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Pip pip.Johnnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03089974434432547103noreply@blogger.com0