Meeting heroes.

When I was 9 years old I met Chris Bonnington, I don’t remember much about the talk he had given but I can remember every detail of where I was standing when I looked in to his kindly face and confidently announced “I like the look of Everest, could I climb it one day” he raised an eyebrow and told me of course I could if I wanted. I have never climbed Everest  and suspect based on the fact that Striding Edge makes me want to be sick with fear that I never will, but I do remember that he seemed like a pretty ordinary man that had done some extraordinary things and that is a good thing for kids to know.

So when I heard that the legend that is Scott Jurek was coming to the Lakes I instantly asked the girls if they would like to meet him. L wasn’t keen but D (who wants to grow up to be a running chef – not both at the same time)was keen so along with Sue, my Mum and my Mum’s friend we headed up to Ambleside.

As D nervously edged her self forwards Scott turned and beamed, and our usually silent and serious child beamed back and hopped forwards

 

“do you run” asked Scott 

“yes I go to a fell running club” Scott smiled and said “I can tell, long legs, long arms perfect for a runner, does your Mum run?”

“she tries” said D. (Thanks!)

“I have a question, what should I do when I get stitch?”

See she is so much more practical than me, I didn’t think of asking Chris Bonnington how to climb Everest, and so now we practice as advised by Scott to breath quietly from our belly instead of gaspingly from our chests and I wonder if when D is older she like me will remember when she met a an ordinary man who worked hard and became legend  - the next day she met Christine from the Great British Bake Off but that’s a whole different story!