Born in London into a family of non-exercisers who all eventually died of cardio-vascular problems. Lovingly fed huge amounts of calories, sugar and saturated fat, so always somewhat over-weight. Luckily was taught to swim properly at 6. Next luck was leaving the south for Yorkshire (Bronte country) and discovering walking, mountaineering, rock climbing, running on the hills. Still eating and weighing too much.

Sidetracked from exercising by other enthusiasms - love, campaigning for wildlife, editing a buddhist magazine. Often sidelined by injuries.Horribly unhappy in my work - teaching. Stricken by back pain, migraines. Early retirement saved my life, along with the 3 chiropracters who all told me I had to help my back by working out in a gym. I did (do). Got back to walking on the hills. Gradually walks became 20+ miles long and sometimes competitive. In June 2000 I discovered back packing in France, which has become one of the dominant pre-occupations, joys and kedges in my life. June 2005 in France I fell and injured my ankle. June 2007 at last after 2 years of frustration I was able to go back and walk hard in the mountains for 3 weeks, with some 12+ hour days. Joy!!! I'm already booked for another 2 weeks in September. Hope to be even fitter by then.

From being over-weight most of my life, once I began walking and training seriously and focussing on positive healthy eating rather than negative dieting, over the years I have gradually lost weight (it really was "lighter next year"!) Now I am at what I think is my ideal weight (119 lbs), although I eat lots, but almost never calorie dense rubbish. It really wasn't anything to do with will power, rather a natural internal shift, where food lost it's unhealthy power over me. What a relief!

Paula Radcliffe
Lance Armstrong
Goya (because he never gave up. When he was old and almost blind and exiled in France, which he hated, and poor, he crammed two pairs of primitive spectacles onto his nose, one on top of the other, and went on painting).
The Dalai Lama
The Tour de France

Health, fitness and aging - how it all works and how to make it work for me. How to be the fittest, strongest and most active I can be with my genes (poor), history (idiotic) and nature (also idiotic). For as long as possible.

Walking in the mountains in southern France at least twice a year. Learning french. Weight training. Starting running again. Healthy eating. Wild flowers.

Weights / trail running (can't do this just now)

Porridge (US oatmeal) with lots of chopped fruit, plums or apricots stewed without sugar, sprouted chickpeas, freshly ground linseed, topped with soya milk (or non-fat yoghurt). As many ingredients as possible organic. Always for breakfast, but it makes a good rushed meal later in the day too.

Organic skim milk / fruit

'Some Tame Gazelle' - Barbara Pym
'Mansfield Park' - Jane Austen
'No Need for Speed - John (Penguin) Bingham
Feet in the Clouds - a Tale of Fell Running and Obsession' - Richard Askwith
'It's Not About the Bike' - Lance Armstrong
'Younger Next Year'

Magazines are my favourite thing. I will read any, even In Flight ones! However there is none I'm really happy with. I subscribe to 'Runner's World' (UK) but often wonder whether to renew. Mostly I read all the fitness magazines I can find, sitting in the wonderful Leeds Borders bookshop. They throw up lots of useful and inspiring stuff, but you have to watch out - lots of misinformation and dangerous exercises too.

French.

I don't watch TV.

Baroque church music

My own variant of Eric Berne's "What can you expectof a man with a wooden leg?" ('Games People Play') I play "Not bad for an old woman of nearly 65". Of course if I have to play against an old woman of eg 90 I'm likely to lose, but it's one of the few games where the odds are stacked more in your favour the older you get.