SLOW AND STEADY

I've never really understood the point of personal trainers. If a person is motivated enough - then surely they can devise their own work-out regime, right?

Wrong.

Or so I was to discover......

Last week a friend and I flew out to his sublime house in Umbria (here's a view of the lake; beautifully bare in her stark winter robes) in an attempt to atone for our festive excesses.

We were accompanied by personal trainer Henry Barratt - who is one of the nicest men you could ever hope to meet.

How hard could it be to exercise with an ex-rugby professional who has played with some of the most prestigious clubs in England and charged onto a pitch at Twickenham in front of 54,000 spectators?

I mean, I already run. I do classes. I walk at lunch-times if my characters are refusing to co-operate. Surely I could fall into the category of "fit"?

Hmm.

Let me just say that Henry's idea of a "slow and steady run" was light-years away from mine. (Inexplicably, he doesn't start the clock from the moment you finish lacing up your trainers!)

We alternated our morning runs with interval training - short spurts of sprinting in between the "slow and steady" pace. This was one of the toughest things I've ever done - but having someone convince you that you can do it is incredibly inspirational.

In the afternoons, the men went to the gym while I power-walked up the fierce inclines of the surrounding hills.

Did it work?

Well, for once, I didn't need to shoe-horn myself into a pair of jeans and I came back feeling more energetic and empowered than I'd felt in a long while - but I'm sure this had something to do with the second part of Henry's philosopy.

Any ideas what that might be?

Come back tomorrow and I'll reveal all.

LIVE, OLIVE....

Just back from a weekend spent in glorious Umbria, picking olives with a highly-entertaining group of people.
And here I am in a shot which made feel feel as if I was taking part in a rural cookery programme!

Only four of these crates were filled this year (we had eleven last year), since weather conditions meant a sparse crop.

Next they will go off to be pressed and turned into rich olive-oil.

Fresh air, simple physical work and al fresco lunches (in November!) made me feel deliciously relaxed.

What has made you feel relaxed recently?

YOUR HEART'S SUPREME AMBITION....

Everyone has ambition. To see the Northern Lights, maybe. Or to swim with dolphins. Perhaps it's to make a million or the perfect Victoria sandwich.  Big or small - ambition exists in us all. Think of Macbeth......his was the vaulting kind which can  lead to downfall.
One of mine was to pick a pomegranate - a humble little wish, tis true - and it was granted last November, while I was olive harvesting in Umbria.



I wasn't disappointed. In the flesh (ha!) the fruit looked as magical and as rosy-golden as all countless images I'd seen of it suggested.  Luscious and decadent - I wanted to pick up a paintbrush and paint it.  But the only thing I was picking that day was olives....

Do you have any ambitions you hope to achieve this year?