Andrew

Review: Coffee First, Then The World (Andrew)

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Coffee First, Then The World is the story of Scottish cyclist, Jenny Graham’s attempt to become the fastest woman to cycle around the world unaided. The “unaided” point is important because she makes clear in the book that wanted to do this fully unsupported, even down to making the people who would ride with her ride behind her so she wouldn’t benefit from any slipstream they might produce.

The book offers an interesting perspective on more usual adventure books as by usual adventure books I mean male adventure books. The challenges for a lone female cyclist, camping wild and meeting strangers along the road, are very different from a six foot bloke built like a tank after months of cycling. Even an offer of help comes with a healthy dose of suspicion as to why a man may be helping a woman in the middle of nowhere.

Jenny Graham comes across as very optimistic, positive and driven and is always thankful for the opportunity she has had to make this attempt happen.

Overall, an enjoyable and inspiring read.

Andrew, Race Report

Nigel Barge 10K 2026 (Andrew)

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In 2016 I wrote a comprehensive report on the Nigel Barge 10k covering both its history and the course. It’s one of Glasgow’s oldest races, up there with ‘Running from a Man with a Knife on Sauchiehall Street’ and ‘Sprinting Away if Someone Says Are You Looking At Me?’.

This year was unusual. It was dry in the run up to the race and it was forecast to be dry during it too. Maybe, perhaps, this would be the first time we would run it without getting wet? And, for the first two miles, we were dry. And then we ran through Dawsholm Park and there was huge perpetual puddle of mud and brown water squatting across the path. I suspect it doesn’t dry out until Summer. So, wet feet again.

The route was unchanged from previous years: two circuits of Glasgow University’s vet school and Dawsholm recycling centre and Dawsholm park. It’s not scenic but it is very well organised and attracts a sell out each year.

This year, after a couple of weeks of colds and coughs, I was expecting a harder run – and I was right. But not because of the colds and coughs. My chest felt okay and I felt reasonably strong throughout. However my left calf cramped and clenched as soon as I started running and didn’t relax until I was at 9km. The run became uncomfortable and each step felt like I was dragging my leg round the course.

Saying that, I was only 50 seconds slower than last year, when I thought I was running fine, so any slowness was more in my head than in my legs.

After the race there is a cracking buffet, which is not well known. Despite finishing half way up the field, Iain TwinBikeRun and I were the first people to get to the buffet. Maybe winners don’t eat cake?

Andrew

31 Day Challenge (Andrew)

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This year’s challenge – to take a photo every day – was harder than expected. How hard could it be? We all carry a camera in our phones and all it takes is a press of a button to take a photo. Job done.

However, after starting I thought that simply taking a photo was too easy. It wasn’t a challenge so I added some non-binding rules.

  1. I couldn’t use my phone. I had to use a camera.
  2. The photo had to relate in some way to the day. It couldn’t just be a random show of my breakfast. It could only be a shot of my breakfast if the breakfast was somehow ‘important’ that day.

And that made the challenge too hard as it meant I had to remember to carry a camera (which I often forgot!) and I had to justify my choice, which then made a photo challenge more of a writing challenge.

Anyway, what did I learn from this year’s challenge: I like grafitti, I like shapes in photos rather than people, and I take far too many photos of TwinBikeChild as, every day could have been a TwinBikeChild photoshow if she’d only sign the model consent release form and would get out of bed for less than £10,000 a day. Damn models!

But it was fun to do this challenge as it gave me a chance to remind myself why I like photography and to open my eyes when outside (as, if not, traffic can be a real challenge!)