On October 10th and 11th around the world runners will be celebrating the 4th Annual Worldwide Festival of Races. This completely free event invites everyone to "Think Global, Run Local" by taking part in a running event in their own area on the same weekend and then share their experiences with the world.

In celebration of this global happening, we are setting up a run in Oxford, England on the 11th October 2009 that will enable runners within travelling distance to gather and enjoy the experience together in beautiful surroundings.

Its an ancient city in the shadow of the famous "dreaming spires" of the University of Oxford, one of the greatest seats of learning in the world and home of the Iffley Road track where Sir Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4 minute mile in 1954. We are now honored to be working directly with the university to put together a unique event for you, linked closely into the University's amazing running heritage.

I've called this run "The Dream Inspires" both as a play on words in homage to the run location and history, but also due to the capacity of Dreams to Inspire us to join together and achieve the impossible. There will be "Phedippidations Worldwide" 1/2 marathon, "Zen" 10k and "kick the Couch" 5k distances available on the day.

I thus welcome YOU and your friends to Oxford to celebrate the Worldwide Festival of Races with us - its completely free but you will need to register!

To begin with go to http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.com/ and register for the WWFoR there. I will shortly publish details of how to additionally place your name on the "guest list" for the Oxford event. In the meantime feel free to comment here with any questions or to send me a mail Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

Oxford is just like the Worldwide Festival of Races - it has spread across the world; From Oxford Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the towns of Oxford in 21 US different states we welcome you all to join us in spirit (or in person!) at the original Oxford in England for - the Worldwide Festival of Races and "The Dream Inspires"

MIle-029-Dawn Chaser to Stonehenge

Join Ciemon, Snowshadow and I as we chase the dawn as its first light runs across Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England towards Stonehenge. Ciemon is a Pagan, so we find out on the DawnChaser run all about the close connection with the landscape and how he celebrates his beliefs through the act of running.

Its a beautiful area of the country and we take you with us as we run into Stonehenge for dawn and listen to ambience and interviews within the Stone Circle itself on Midsummers morning! Its a unique atmosphere and by closing your eyes and listening you can be whisked into the celebrations.

Check out Ciemon’s blog at http://www.plainrunner.com/ and follow him at www.Twitter.com/Ciemon

Todays soundtrack snippets are from The Beloved “The Sun Rising”, Spinal Tap “Stonehenge”, Muse “Feeling Good” and Asian Dub Foundation “Buzzing”

Mail chopper@amilewith.me.uk web http://www.amilewith.me.uk/ and follow me at www.Twitter.com/SteveChopper

Check out video from this run at Runcast.tv - search “Stonehenge”

Mile-028-The Run to Pegasus

Just before midnight on the 5th June 1944, three gliders were released above the coast of France and drifted silently towards Normandy. At 00:16 on 6th June, the gliders crash landed and skidded to a halt. The complement of men poured through the doors and through rips torn in the fuselage and headed out on their mission. Theirs was among the first of D-Day, to capture a couple of key bridges, to stop the Germans bringing through reinforcements.

It was a great success and the bridge became named after the symbol of the British 6th Airborne,; Pegasus the winged horse.

65 years later following 3 years of planning an Ultra run took place to commemorate this with a run from the airfield in Dorset which launched the gliders down to finish on the Pegasus Bridge itself. Around 200 runners took part in the 65 mile run - all respresenting a specific individual soldier on the original mission.

I joined the run at the halfway point as the runners arrived for refreshments at The New Forest Hotel in Ashurst, Hampshire. Theres some interesting stories so join me with the runners to Pegasus.

Thanks to Danny Greeno, organiser of The Run to Pegasus and all the folks you will hear from in this episode.

http://www.project65.net/

Music from the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com
The Essentials - Bells of Freedom

Play or download this episode to your ipod or mp3 player here:




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Mile-027-White Peaks Half Marathon

Join the fun at the White Peaks Half Marathon in Matlock, Derbyshire, England as some of the UK online running community got together to run a race. Hear us enjoying the day, plus the story of the trail the half marathon is run along and why its called the “Swift Half”

Phil Moneypenny http://www.runcast.tv/
Gary Wall http://www.kinverkid.blogspot.com/rkid.blogspot.com
Steve Chopper http://www.amilewith.me.uk/
Mark “Wheelo” http://mytimetorun.blogspot.com/
Toni Harvey http://www.drusy.blogspot.com/
Petra Runs http://www.petraruns.blogspot.com/
Paul ”xjr4buddha” www.twitter.com/xjr4buddha

Also mentioned: http://www.project65.net/ interviews will feature on the next edition!

View from the gardens at Milton Lodge across the Vale of Avalon to Glastonbury Tor

Music, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network at music.podshow.com
Amb26 - Summers Day (theme)
Dona Oxford - Change the World

Join us on 10th & 11th October 2009 for the 4th annual Worldwide Festival of Races at http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.com/
Follow me on Twitter “SteveChopper”

White Peaks "Swift Half" Marathon

Great day at the Swift Half Marathon in Matlock, meeting up with a whole load of interesting people including some members of the UK podcast/ blog family!

Check out Edition 30 of The Runners Roundtable at http://www.runnersroundtable.com/ where all the crew above gathered again to talk about this race (individual pics above left to right)

Top Row

Phil Moneypenny www.runcast.tv

Gary Wall www.kinverkid.blogspot.com

Steve Chopper www.amilewith.me.uk

Mark "Wheelo" http://mytimetorun.blogspot.com/

Bottom Row

Toni Harvey www.drusy.blogspot.com

Boo

Petra Runs http://www.petraruns.blogspot.com/

Click here for my Garmin track - extra couple of km due to navigation error!

Mile-26- "Born to Run", in conversation with Christopher McDougall

"Born to Run" is the fabulous new book by Christopher McDougall, a journalist who has written extensively for Runners World and Mens Health.

Its in part "Boys Own" adventure story, part a guide to the ultrarunning phenomena and part anthropological exploration of how we as human beings are quite literally Born to Run.

Chris's adventures take him ultrarunning with the remote Tarahumara tribe in Mexico, probably the greatest ultrarunners on the planet. We find out through the evolution of his story that distance running is what YOUR body was actually DESIGNED to do.. its its purpose!

Its a great book with the stories of some of amazing running companions, the greatest US ultraunners alive, who pit themselves against the Tarahumara in the Copper Canyons of Mexico. No less than Lloyd Bradley, author of The Rough Guide to Running describes it as "Quite simply the best book you'll ever read about running.. brilliant and brilliantly life affirming"

I was lucky enough to meet up and run with Chris recently across central London and through the Royal Parks. Join us and share our conversation about the creation of Born to Run and some of his great running stories.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1861978235/ref=s9_csim_gw_s6_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=0T9A095T4H0KAY4DXAW9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467198433&pf_rd_i=468294

The version of Springsteen's "Born to Run" was by Frankie Goes to Hollywood

http://www.amilewith.me.uk/

chopper@amilewith.me.uk

www.twitter.com/SteveChopper

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Mile-025-Riders on the Storm - the story of the OMM - the worlds first, biggest and most famous mountain marathon

The Original Mountain Marathon (OMM, formerly known as the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon) is the world's first, biggest and most famous mountain marathon. An annual event since 1968, it is also widely regarded as the worlds first adventure race. From origins in the north of England, the team have since taken the event and philosophy all over the world.

Its a tough event comprising of 2 marathon distances over the most punishing terrain. Competitors must be highly skilled in navigation and survival skills as well as being athletes, and the event owners take no chances and run adventure training courses. Participants must also comply with strict equipment and basc skill rules. In 2008, the event was called off midway through for the first time in its history following torrential rain. The county of Cumbria invoked its emergency response protocol after being called by parties that perhaps had their own interests, who stated that 1000s of people were unaccounted for. This was the main headline on the national news and on the front page of all the main national papers.

On Edition 25 of the A Mile with Me podcast I'm joined by Mike Parsons, a member of the family who founded the Karrimor brand who has been involved in the OMM from the start and now owns the event, for a unique discussion. We talk about the history of the event, the innovations it has brought to equipment design and mapping globally, plus of course discuss the events last year. Its clear from Mike and the voices of particpants that they were all trained and equiped to take part, and that the response from those who were not close to the event was a big overreaction. Whilst nobody blames the emergency services and those members of the public who answered the call for assistance in good faith, there are still unanswered questions as to who called them in.

Join me as we hear the exciting story of the OMM, and the true strory of the event that knocked Obama and the recession off the headlines for a day!

www.theOMM.com

Mile-024 - In Pursuit of Drambuie

So whats all this about?

This is me in my garden! Phil Moneypenny from Runcast.tv and I have lovingly recreated the video for "Take on Me" by "Aha" to aim to win ourselves a place in the famous "Drambuie Pursuit" event and we need your help!

We need your votes for our video at www.DrambuiePursuit.com/teams/ and vote 5 stars for our team's video based upon the above song. Our team is called "Living the Dram". The top 10 teams go to the event and we would love to be able to bring you the experience of that weekend on Runcast.tv and the A Mile with Me Podcast. The more of you vote for us the better our chances of getting in to the event!

On mile 24 we also hear from Ciemon running across Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England and I also mention Krister from "Running the Narrow Path" podcast. This week I was on ForestFM http://www.forestfm.co.uk/ for an hour discussing running, the podcast and people I've interviewed whilst they played my favourite tracks.

Also I talk about the great interviews conducted by Adam at

http://lonewolf-runner.blogspot.com/

Music courtesy of the Podsafe music network at music.podshow.com is

Amb26 - Summers Day

Colie Brice - A planetary Lapse of Reason

DJ Nexus - Only in my Dreams

www.amilewith.me.uk

Twitter.com/SteveChopper

Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

Itunes: amilewithme

1 by 1 Edition 6 - The Wall

On today's show I'm joined by friend of the podcasters and regular Extramile contributor Gary Wall, aka The Kinverkid.

Gary was on holiday down here in Bournemouth, so (naturally!) we go for a run along the seafront and chat about our running and plans.

We discuss the Swift Half Marathon, which Gary and I (plus a host of other UK podcasters and bloggers) have signed up to run in Matlock, Derbyshire in May. We also discuss brewery tours, "CSI Kinver", the places hes visited in my local area plus the story of an amazing challenge Gary and his pals have set themselves; soon they will be running the 85 mile length of Hadrians Wall (think Great Wall of China on a smaller scale!). The wall marked the northern boundary of the Roman Empire and for them the end point of civilisation, but as Gary and I love the Scottish we dont draw any modern conclusions on that!!! ;o) Gary and his team are doing the event for a good cause so pop on over to http://www.kinverkid.blogspot.com/ and find out more.

Todays Classic Run Track is Comfortably Numb from (of course) the terrific Pink Floyd album "The Wall"

All other music is supplied courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network at music.podshow.com

Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

Twitter - SteveChopper@Twitter.com

http://www.amilewith.me.uk/

Mile-023-The Beach

In a special one-off edition of the A Mile with Me Podcast join me in the mix and run with me to some of my favourite tunes. I'm running in the lovely sunshine of Bournemouth seafront with some chilled songs in my head. Through the magic of podcasting you can share this moment with me

Excerpts from:

The Beach - Orbital with Leonardo De Caprio

Nothing butYou - Paul Van Dyke

Everytime - Lustral

Voices - Dario G

Cool The Engines - Boston

Lazy - Suede

Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve

1 by 1 - Edition 5 - Another Avon Valley Sunday-ayay

Around the Avon valley and alongside the River Stour - as I contemplate buying a road bike and we find out what a "Bailey Bridge" is!

A couple of warm spring Sunday afternoons recently, so lay back with the Sunday papers and join me on the riverbank of the Stour in the shade of a Willow tree. Ratty and Mole were on the bench with me!! This week's music, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network at Music.Podshow.comFluid Boys - Melody of Life (1 by 1 Theme Tune)

.. and courtesy of Podsafeaudio.com

Chris Townsend - Bring me Back Again

Mile 022 Part2 More Spirit of Adventure!

Part 2 of the Spirit of Adventure as we tell the story of the “Helly Hansen Adventure Challenge”
I talk also about Matt and Stephanie who are running a marathon a day for a year to cover 11000 miles around the US and Canada. We spoke with Matt on The Runners Roundtable last week. I also discuss my training and upcoming events.

Links
The Runners Roundtable - http://runnersroundtable.com/
Matt and Stephanie’s web site - http://www.runforoneplanet.com/
Music. Some of the music in today’s show was courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com
Amb26 - Summers Day (A Mile with Me Theme)
Fluid Boys - Melody of LIfe (1by1 Podcast themne and closing titles)
Dreadzone - Moving on
The Stone Roses - Waterfall
The Mantee Man - Paddlin my Canoe

Web: http://www.amilewith.me.uk/
Twitter: Steve Chopper
mail: chopper@amilewith.me.uk
If you enjoy the podcast please leave a comment on iTunes!!

Mile022 - The Spirit of Adventure

The Helly Hansen Adventure Challenge is a Sprint Adventure Race that we took part in on 1st February.

The disciplines of Run, MTB and Canoe were approached in a fun way by all 250 or so teams of 3. “The Village People” (explanation in the podcast) had ticked the box “have fun and get round” and thats what we did. So join us as we throw ourselves into these events.

Also on Mile022, we have a recording from the making of A Mile with Me that will shock! plus we discuss the history of Adventure Racing. I also pay tribute to the people of Iceland, Luxembourg and Hull .. how are they linked .. find out in this edition!
Also an update on the training miles put in during January

You can leave comments on http://www.amilewith.me.uk/ or ITunes “amilwithme”
Give me a shout on Twitter - “SteveChopper”
EMail - Chopper@amilewith.me.uk
http://www.trailplus.com/ for other Adventure Races

Part2 out shortly !

1by1 - Episode 4 - Stocks and Chairs!

I'm trading the "stocks and shares" of my regular work in investment banking this week, for "Stocks and Chairs"! .. as I take you for a trip around Christchurch along some of my favourite running routes.

We start at Christchurch Castle, built by the Normans in the 11th century and join me on the top of the "Motte" (a man made hill on which stands the ruins of the keep - see pic) as I survey the rooftops of the town.

I avoid tomatoes and swedes, as we go past the old wooden Stocks. The chair is actually a "stool", as we visit Christchurch's Ducking Stool and tell you about the crimes that led to a Ducking in the past. One for the ladies!!

I also talk about Bob Wilson (Arsenal FC and BBC legend)'s book "Life in the Beautiful Game". I met Bob last week and he recorded a message exclusively for YOU ...the subscribers to this podcast. I talk about Burns Night, listen to a lone piper who I met in the High Street and discuss a Little sporting psychology. I also review "Slumdog Millionaire". Its all on this weeks edition of 1 by 1.

Opening theme, courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com is "Melody of Life" by the Fluid Boys. "A Man's a man for a'that" by Robert Burns was performed by Lionel McClellend (from YouTube).

There is a brief snippet from the fabulous song "Paper Planes" by MIA which is on the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack.

Bob Wilsons book is available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Beautiful-Game-Bob-Wilson/dp/1848310188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232836819&sr=8-1

1 by 1 Episode 3 - Beyond the [front] Doors of Perception!

On edition 3 of One by One, join me as the weather thaws a little here in the south of England after the coldest December for many years.
Training has been going well and the swimming sessions are starting to pay off pay dividends, but still a long way to go!
I discuss my training, some “interesting” observations on front doors and the dormant vigor that resides in all of us, so even if you are feeling like “January” right now, awaken your inner “June”!!

I also discuss the new Kelownagurl podcast
http://www.kelownagurl.blogspot.com/
http://kelownagurltris.blogspot.com/

1 by 1 - Episode 2 - 2009 Christmas Tree Sized Goals

Some of my goals and events for 2009 to share with you!
Join me on Southbourne Beach at sunset in Winter and find out about the Christmas tree thats too big for the house, in a story of ambition and achieving the seemingly unachievable!

Some of my 2009 Goals

Learn to swim properly and be capable of swimming 1000m comfortably with bilateral breathing etc

Complete my first Triathalon

Help add to the £70,000 we have already raised for Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare Trust through running Trailwalker the last couple of years

To "be here now" in the moment and not "multitask" so much

To complete another foreign marathon and head back towards by PB times

To be happy with whatever life throws

Heres a link to an article about the tree in my photo and description!

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/search/3980787.How_Bournemouth_Christmas_tree_raised_the_roof/
1 by 1 music is the "Fluid Boys" with "Melody of Life", courtesy of the "podsafe music network" at music.podshow.com

1 by 1 - Episode 1 - Big Ben

Hi everyone and welcome to Edition 1 of One by One, the podcast that looks at achieving your goals, one mile at a time ! Its the shorter, more frequent podcast from me!

Click on the roadsign bright if you want to see more about this podcast Join me on a cycle as I talk about the podcast, the New Year and we hear from Big Ben, Gordon and Toni

Toni's Blog: http://www.drusy.blogspot.com/

Gordon's Blog: http://www.tiree.blogspot.com/

This podcast willhave its own iTunes channel shortly but in the meantime

http://1by1.mypodcast.com/

Mile 021 - One Vision

Its Christmas and ignoring my "fake misery" and BAH HUMBUG hat (left) its the time of goodwill to all men .. and we have a packed edition of the A Mile With Me Podcast this time.



Join us live at the finals of "Helium Idol" where you can select your 2008 champion, Royson or Keith. Listen to them perform their songs whilst inhaling helium from a balloon! Send in your votes and/or your own audition "tapes" for 2009 to the mail address below.



Also find out some secrets from the host of this podcast as we have possibly the most insightful interview ever.


This edition is called "One Vision" and is dedicated to human beings collaborating to achieve more than they could individually. We discuss "synergy" and the roles of Chris Chataway, Chris Brasher and Franz Stampf as I tell the story of these unsung but very successful heroes in propelling Roger Bannister to the first sub-4 minute mile in 1954.


Chataway paced both Bannister to the first 4 min mile and also John Landy to 3:57.8 a few weeks later, he went on to break the world record at 5000m. Brasher won Olympic Gold in the Steeplechase in 1956 and set up both the "Sweatshop" retail chain and the London Marathon.


We also hear Christmas greetings in several languages and hear a clip from a conference call where we listen to carol singing from the incredible city of Mumbai, India.


Join me in the search for bagpipe music in my local area, plus hear as Christmas comes to Christchurch. Theres a lot going on, so please lace up your shoes and come a mile with me!


Music on today's show

Amb26 - Summers Day (A Mile with Me Theme)
Jerry Lee Surber - Try and Go the Distance Together!
Jakki Jelene - Silent Night



Links

A great feature on the 4 Minute Mile http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/features/360/bannister.shtml
John Bryants Book
http://www.amazon.com/3-59-4-Quest-Break-Minute/dp/0099469081/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230070493&sr=8-14
Charity project supported by Chris Chataway and featuring him running with Haile Gebreselassie
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lS0i01gRfVQ

Email: Chopper@amilewith.me.uk Web: www.amilewith.me.uk Twitte
r: SteveChopper

Join runners from around the world at "The Table"

Theres a place where runners from around the world gather to discuss their running in a global podcast thats recorded live and then saved so those that cant make the live recording can listen later.

"The Runners' Roundtable" is hosted by the world famous podcasters Steve Runner, Nigel Runner, Zen Runner, Nik and Dan Runner and Toni Runner. Its by absolute luck that they all have the same surname and amazingly, when they grew up, they all became .... well... runners! - what are the chances of that!!!!

I was lucky enough to be invited to the table this week to chat about my running and podcasting and thoroughly enjoyed the banter. You can find the Runners' Roundtable at http://runnersroundtable.blogspot.com/2008/12/runners-roundtable-episode-11.html

Mile 020 The Power of Music!

Music can be a powerful motivational tool for runners. With the advent of small MP3 players (with no moving parts to jog about!) it is now very easy to take our favourite sounds (including podcasts) on the run with us. We make our own playlists of songs we like, or ones that have meaning for us. We can however now utilise the latest scientific research to help us to use music to its maximum effect. On Mile 020, Dr Costas Karageorgis from Brunel University in London explains how through his world leading research we can all select better music for our runs.

Dr Karageorgis (above) is one of the world leaders in this area of research and explains how his studies have shown that the correct music can increase exercise output by 15% at the same time as our believed exertion falling by 10%. Dr Karageorgis was also previously an accomplished athlete and has worked with many established and rising sports stars.

I discuss all this with Dr Costas, and also tell how (whilst I shelter from the rain during a run) you can link your pace to music. I also talk about some online resources that can help you work out what music will best fit you and check the BPM of your own music library.

We discuss what unexpected track Haille Gabrselassie uses to motivate him in training, some other famous uses of music in sport, and even if you dont listen to music during your run how you can still use music BEFORE a run to good effect.

We talk about Run to the Beat http://www.runtothebeat.co.uk/ a recent event in Greenwich London, that linked music and a 1/2 marathon. Dr Costas programmed the live music for this.

Music on today's show courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com is:

• Summers Day - Amb26 (A Mile with Me theme)
• Secret of Sound - Polished Chrome
• The Music - David Usher
• Reasonings in Dub - Messian Dread

Also a brief excerpt from "Scatman" by Scatman John who died in 1999. Born with a severe stutter, John Larkin had grown up on "Scat" singing style popularised by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. His wife Judy convinced him to not hide from his stutter but to use it in his music as an inspiration for those impacted by the ailment.

Links
http://www.runtothebeat.co.uk/ Check out some of the science and register for next year!
http://www.run2r.com/running-music-store.aspx - Running to Rhythm. Check out the BPM calculators and links to software downloads
http://www.download.com/BPM-Calculator/3000-2356_4-10193282.html Calculate the BPM of your favourite tracks!
http://www.mixmeister.com/download_freestuff.html BPM calculator and free Mix /Scratching "all this music's making me itch!"
http://www.runcast.tv/ for the video showing where I run, the church in the pictures is where I am sheltering in the porch
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1731941 check out Pachelbels Canon sketch by Rob Paravonian
http://www.robprocks.com/ ... and other great satirical songs by Rob, at his website and blog

http://www.amilewith.me.uk/ my website
SteveChopper - on Twitter
Chopper - on Runcast.tv
chopper@amilewith.me.uk Dont be shy to email me with any comments on this or other episodes!

Mile019b Where I Run

Whilst I am finishing the next episode "Mile020 - The Power of Music", I have loaded a short video showing the area in which I live and run. This is compiled from some of my photos and short movie clips. Its only using a trial version of a wmv to MP4 converter but hopefully you can get an idea of the scenery I run through and describe on the podcasts!

You will get the video delivered by itunes as usual if you are a subscriber to "A Mile With Me" (if not click "subscribe" on the right, to get each edition downloaded free as soon as its ready). To watch the video on this site, click the play button on the player in the righthand section against mile019b.

Also, look out for Mile020, out this weekend, as I talk with a professor who is the worlds leading authority on the science of Music and Running!

A Mile with Me .. Get Motivated

002
Originally uploaded by SteveChopper

What is "A Mile with Me"? Its my personal Blog and also the home of a podcast. The podcast is amateur and designed to be downloaded and taken on your ipod so I can keep you company during your long runs. On it you can hear me running about around the countryside, hear my race reports and me generally chatting with people who have done inspiring things in their running, along with a bit of music to keep the cadence up!!. On recent episodes I have spoken with Danny Dreyer, author of Chi-Running, Carole who has just run from Lands End to John O'Groats solo, Sam Whittingham at 81mph the worlds fastest self-propelled man, plus Steve, an ex-team mate of Laurent Fignon who tells us all about the crossover between cycling and running training. In the current edition (below) I tell the story of when I recently met Tommie Smith, the 1968 200m Olympic Gold Medalist and multiple world record holder. Its all free and totally "unprofessional" but thats half the fun !! - so why not come "a mile with me" ?!!

Find out more as A Mile with Me is featured on Page 74 of this months "Runners World" in the UK

Pick up a copy of the mag or click the link below to read the article if you are not in the UK, (select "all sizes" in flickr to get a large readable image)www.flickr.com/photos/32101715@N07/sets/72157608653897298/

See Mile 019 (below) for how to download the latest episode and join the online running community!

Mile 019 - Tommie Smith, the Sound of Silence

As any salesman knows, there is nothing as powerful as silence, and silence plus an image can convey more than many pages of text.

In Mile 019 of the A Mile with Me podcast, we will discuss the story of Tommie Smith who I met a few weeks ago at a charity event. Tommie took his platform and moment in time to make a stand for human rights, a stand for which he was to pay a heavy price. Olympic Champion and holder of 11 track and field World Records simultaneously by the age of 24, his stand at the 1968 Olympics led to a life of death threats. 40 years on there are many who hate him for this, but still more who have come to realise the importance of what he did and its resonance today.

Described (by a fan who had travelled 40 years and across the globe to be at the dinner) as the "greatest sprinter of all time", listen as I tell Tommies story interlaced with contemporary clips and also sounds from the dinner as Tommie answers a couple of key questions.

Its a long podcast, but I wanted to do Tommie's story justice, so take me on your long run and hear me as I run in various locations and explore the reasons behind the satnd and why Tommie has received so many human rights honours for it

Music excerpts in todays show, some supplied courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com

Neville Brothers - God on Our Side
Boston - Star Spangled Banner
Michael W Burgess - Silence
Flocabulary - Let Freedom Ring
Youssou N' Dour - Chimes of Freedom
Frankie Goes to Hollywood - San Jose
AMB26 - Summers Day (a mile with me theme)

Links

http://www.tommiesmith.com/
http://www.100bmol.org.uk/

Thanks to Ron Daniel for the link to the charity work of the 100 Black Men of London
Tommie's Book is "Silent Gesture"

http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Gesture-Autobiography-Tommie-Sporting/dp/1592136397

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Mile-018 Soundtrack to the 3rd Annual Worldwide Festival of Races

The Worldwide Festival of Races comprises of 3 events; The Pheddipidations Worldwide Half Marathon, the Zen-10k and the Kick the Couch 5k

I have broken my runcast recording equipment this week (bah!) so whilst I await for my new kit to arrive in the next couple of days here is a "change to the featured programme!"

Here is a "short-format soundscape" with the material Id already recorded following my run on the WWFoR remixed with some other material. So I hope you enjoy this interlude, ahead of Mile 19 The Sound of Silence, next week!

Picture above - the mirrored glaze of the beach at Hengistbury discussed in the podcast.

Music, courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (the A Mile with Me theme)
Damh The Bard - Land, Sky and Sea
Adam Zampino - At the Sea
Who is this Poet - Being Strong Always

The poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling, performed by Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal as part of a BBC lead-in ahead of the 2008 Wimbledon final

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jDC_S4zTGyY

I'd love to hear from you if you can spare the time to write:

Email: Chopper@amilewith.me.uk
Itunes: amilewithme
Web: http://www.amilewith.me.uk/

In the next few days...

Join me on the next edition of A Mile With Me, as I meet an American Olympic Gold medalist, one of the greatest sprinters of all time - the only person to hold 11 world records in track and field simultaneously. But if that was not enough, he was also the key player in one of the most iconic sporting moments in history which changed his life and impacted that of millions. Hear his story and the enduring humanitarian work hes been involved in since, on Mile 18 - "The Sound of Silence". Subscribe below and I'll look forward to running with you in a day or two when Ive finished the episode... All the best, Steve "Chopper"



"Time waits for no man" - Click here to get each "A Mile with Me" delivered free to you by ITunes!

Mile 017 - Reach for the Stars

"Why is it the ship beats the waves when the waves are so many and the ship is one?
The reason is that a ship has a purpose" - Winston Churchill

The builders of England's medieval cathedrals had ambition, drive and belief: all qualities of a successful runner! They felt that building tall brought them closer to god. Whatever spirituality you have, there can be no doubting their endeavour and the sheer beauty that they left behind. Join me as I discuss how human beings have always "reached for the stars", from the Pyramids of Egypt to the Burj Dubai.

Join me on a late evening run alongside the medieval walls surrounding the historic city of Southampton as we discover how the two most famous ships in history (separated by 300 years) both departed from the same dock as I run along it.

This week I was also in Salisbury, where the cathedral (above) is celebrating its 750th anniversary this year. It is the tallest structure from the 15th century or earlier that remains standing. Another English church, Lincoln Cathedral, was the tallest structure in the world for 250 years from 1300 until its spire toppled in 1549. Its a testament to the amazing ambition of its creators that its original height was not surpassed for almost 600 years (by the building of the Washington Memorial in 1884)

People are still reaching for the stars .. its the old saying "Reach for the stars and you may hit the moon". Join one person, Carole Loader, who has just done that and decided she would run the full length of Great Britain, 1250 miles, at the pace of just under a marathon a day for 10 weeks. Hear her incredible story and the planning that goes into it, as Carole and I run round a local golf course and talk about her achievement. Find out how she was fueled by sugary tea and the same special diet as Michael Phelps (on occasion)!!

Its all on Mile 17 of the A Mile With Me podcast

Music on today's show, some of this courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (Intro and Outros)

Jerusalem - Billy Bragg

Antanas - Eastern World

Howard Jones - Building Our own Future

1250 miles in one Blog!! - More of Carole's amazing story, and a link to help her cause!

http://endtoendrunner.blogspot.com/

"Bournemouth Joggers" Running Club

http://www.bournemouthjoggers.co.uk/public/index.html

Email: Chopper@amilewith.me.uk Itunes: "amilewithme" Web: http://www.amilewithme.uk/

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Mile 016 - What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

"What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" is the new book by Haruki Murakami, the Japanese novelist which in my view is the literary equivalent of a running podcast. Murakami is not only a top writer but also a seasoned marathoner and triathlete. We join him in spirit on a "long run" as his book shares his life in running and thoughts with us. I talk about the book whilst travelling along the banks of the River Stour

Murakami feels he is in the Autumn of his running and I celebrate this season which reaches it equinox today (22nd September) by looking at the origins of the words "Autumn" and "Fall" nd how they diverged. Join me on an Autumn run to the local dump for the "Dump Runners Club" as we kick through the leaves! See the scene I describe of the River Avon, Christchurch Priory and Castle below!

I have a report from the New Forest Half Marathon on Sunday 21st September (below). It was a beautiful weekend, very reminiscent of the summer with a free hog roast and music festival afterwards at a pub. 12 of us from my department took part so it was a great day.

Also last Friday (19th) was "International Talk Like A Pirate Day" so I encourage (bully) some "landlubbers" (members of my team) to talk like pirates or walk the plank at appraisal time!

Its all on Mile 16 of the A Mile With Me podcast

Music and links

Amb26 - Summers Day (theme)
Air5- Write my Story
Antanas - Eastern World

Murakami's book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Talk-About-When-Running/dp/1846552206/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222117815&sr=8-1

Link to Rich Scott's incredible running club
http://www.sharedvisiontrackclub.org/

Mile 015 - Faster, Higher, Stronger!

Faster, Higher, Stronger is the motto of the Olympic Games and the theme of today's show:

HIGHER: As we leave Beijing, follow the Olympic spirit to London, home of the 2012 games as we run the Nike+ Human Race from Wembley Stadium, London. This event is aiming HIGH - to get 1 million people running 10k on the same day. Listen to my report from a rainsoaked London (pics above).

FASTER: The worlds fastest self-propelled human being is Sam Whittingham, who has piloted his streamlined bike to 81mph (130.34kph). Sam joins me on the show and we talk about his records, the events he takes part in, the remarkable machines involved and the crazy way he has to accomodate his frame within the... er... frame! We also discuss his recent bike ride with Lance Armstrong and Gary Fischer.

STRONGER: I share my "Top 5 Olympic Oddities", and the incredible story of Betty Robinson, the first ever female Olympic medalist and her amazing survival from near death, coma and disablement to mount an Olympic comback. Its a tale of immense strength.

As I run around RAF Coningsby, I talk about the Eurofighters that are based there, its one of the worlds fastest, powerful and nimble aircraft

All this on Edition 15 of the A Mile With Me podcast. Set your dial to 11 and off we go!

Music interwined in todays show, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network at Music.Podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (Intro / Outro)

Randall Cousins - Euphoric Aftermath

Klavar - Do You Believe?

uGene - Sunlight Euphoria

Peter, Bjorn and John - 100 Metres of Hurdles

If you have a comment on the show, then please leave it at iTUnes, on www.amilewith.me.uk or email chopper@amilewith.me.uk

Mile 014 - Revolutions

There has been a revolution in cycling over the last 20 years, on edition 14 of a mile with me we explore how cycling training techniques and thinking can improve our running.

Im joined on the show by Steve Moss, an ex international cyclist, who was a former team-mate of Laurent Fignon, 2 time winner of the Tour de France. Steve is now a cycling coach and also a committed runner - so we compare and contrast running and top level cycling training.

Come with me on a local cycle as we explore the revolution in literature in the last 150 years and how many famous authors who lived and wrote in Bournemouth, from JRR Tolkein and Robert Louis Stephenson to Thomas Hardy. Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein is buried here, alongside the heart of her husband, the romantic poet Percy Shelley. Wilde and Henry James also visited so we go on a literary cycle tour and I tell you about all these connections. Find out why the residents of Bournemouth are not today running into the sea to drown like they did in the James Herbert book "The Fog"

Its a feature packed edition of the podcast

Podsafe music courtesy of music.podshow.com:
Amb26 - Summers Day (a Mile with Me theme)
Scanlan - Bike Ride
Jeff Rosiana - Another Trip Home

Website: http://www.amilewith.me.uk/
Email: Chopper@amilewith.me.uk
ITunes: amilewithme

Mile-013 William Penny Brookes - Olympic Champion

William Penny Brookes has been widely recognised as the founding father of the modern Olympic Games, but surprisingly not that many people are aware of him or his remarkable life.

Born in Much Wenlock in Shropshire, England in 1809 he was a local doctor, played a major part in bringing the railway to town and also introduced both a reading and an Olympian class into his newly created library.

In 1850 he set up his first Olympian Games and 40 years later a visit to those very games by the French aristocrat Baron Pierre Coubertin was destined to change both their lives. The Baron stayed at Brookes's house for some time and inspired by what he had seen Coubertin went on to launch the modern Olympic movement in 1894.

In 1994 the President of the IOC visited Much Wenlock to celebrate a century of the modern Olympic movement and in a moving speech said "I came to pay homage to Dr Brookes, who really was the founder of the modern Olympic Games"

Find out more about his extraordinary life and the Much Wenlock Olympian Games as I chat with Helen Cromarty, historian of the Wenlock Olympian Society on Mile 13 of the "A Mile With Me" podcast.

To find out more visit

http://www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk/

Music on this edition, supplied courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com:

• Amb26 - Summers Day (A Mile With Me theme)
• Psykosoul - So Deep Orgasm Medley
• Jakit Patrick - Go for it

Email: Chopper@amilewith.me.uk

Itunes "amilewithme"

Mile-012 Digging Deep

Sometimes raw grit is what is necessary to get through!

On Mile 12 of the "A Mile With Me" podcast we look at digging deep, which is what the 2000 participants of Trailwalker needed to do to get through 100km of tough hills within a day. Hear my report from the event which will raise over £1m for Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare Trust. A few pics of me on the run are above. Find out one of the 1000 unusual uses for an umbrella!

Also hear me off the coast talking about how Bournemouth Council is literally digging deep in the sandy seabed off the coast to create the northern hemisphere's first artificial surf reef. Bournemouth is sheltered from the Atlantic by the Purbeck peninsular and thats one reason why its beaches are regularly voted the best in the UK. Once the reef is open in the autumn it will provide an excellent 400 metre wide surf beach within 1.5 hours of London for the first time. Its even claimed it will be good for the local fish stocks. Hear about what you can see from the Bournemouth Eye and also about the designer developing the "best beach huts in the world".

http://www.bournemouthreef.com/
http://www.pooleandbournemouth.co.uk/content/view/88/55/

I also explore how focussing on improving concentration can help when you need to dig deep at that crucial point.

Music this episode from music.podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (A Mile With Me theme)

Psychosoul - So Deep Orgasm Medley

Mangomad - Simple Theory

"Shafty" in his makeshift tent

Mile-011 Inner Strength

In this edition of the A Mile with Me podcast, a conversation with Danny Dreyer, founder of Chi-Running about the philosphy, benefits and next stages in the programme. Its been described as "the most exciting and revolutionary book to hit the running community this decade" by Toby Tanser, author of "Train Hard Win Easy". Danny shows us how we should emulate the speed and grace of the Cheetah by focussing on inner strength and flexibility of our core muscles in our trunk and spine and less on bulking up our legs. Danny's work has helped hundreds of thousands of people become more injury free and "glide" rather than "pound" the streets.

We also talk about Danny's forthcoming Chi-Running Marathon training programme.

Chirunning can be found at http://www.chirunning.com/

Another form of Inner Strength is demonstrated by Nelson Mandela who has not only forgiven his enemies but embraced them and helped forge a future together. Join me at Hyde park in London for his 90th Birthday Celebration concert and hear words of wisdom from the great man.
I'm on a couple of runs in the countryside an villages of the Avon and Stour Valleys and find out along the way in what race I survived longer than Louis Hamilton and why there are some strange new residents in the village of Holdenhurst. The above photo is taken on my cycle in the podcast and shows the Avon Valley from the top of St Catherines Hill with the Isle of Wight in the distance.

Its all on the A mile with Me podcast, Mile 011

Music from the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com

Amb26 - Summers Day (Mile with Me theme)
Whoisthispoet - Being Strong Always

For other great running podcasts see http://www.runningpodcasts.org/

For the Wordwide Festival of Running (more about this next time) see http://worldwideraces.blogspot.com/

This includes the Wordwide Half Marathon at http://www.worldwidehalf.com/

Mudeford Spit and Christchurch Harbour

Heres some pics from the location of the Iron Man podcast (009)

The Telectroscope .. Hello New York, this is London!

Mile10 Please Adjust Your Altitude!

Stonehenge on the Solstice and some members of our Trailwalker teams with the Queens Gurkha Signals PT team

Podcast:
http://www.amilewith.me.uk/ mail chopper@amilewith.me.uk iTunes "amilewithme"

The Sun reaches it maximum altitude on Mid-Summers Day so join me for the next edition of the A Mile with Me as we podcast at dawn on 21st June from Stonehenge in England for the Summer Solstice.

Also we explore the effects of Altitude on our bodies and how altitude training can help runners and why.

Join me as I run alongside the River Avon, that flows past Stonehenge and into the Sea at Christchurch.

Find out more about the people from Nepal as I go on the run with a Gurkha team and I understand after 2 miles why they are the living proof of the live high : train low strategy!!

Music in today's show (courtesy of the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com:
Amb26 - Summers Day (A Mile with Me Theme)

• Blood Ruby - Midsummer Fires


• Pitch Lab - Just like 2091

http://www.altitude.org/index.htm for some articles on Altitude

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.876 further information on Stonehenge

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/fundraise/trailwalker/history.html Trailwalker whats it all about

www.justgiving.com/atrailwithme Please help me if you can towards my team's target of £2000 to help Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare Trust fight poverty in the world, thank you!