I was interviewed by BBC Radio York and BBC Look North this week.

Both were actually, A) a lot less stressful and B) a lot easier to pack for, than a 10-day horse-race across mountains.

Amy, Harry and all the crew at the BBC were all very lovely.

Good of them to have me on the programme – it was actually fun.

And they let me stay on the sofa right to the end, so I got to watch the weather live… like really, Keeley was just a couple of steps away reading the weather and waving her arms around (it’s not a blue screen, it’s actual maps with isobars and stuff). I sat very still and hoped I was out of shot. I wasn’t as it happens.

Media-stardom (and media-anxiety) over, I got back to the real world and wet feet of navigation training…

BIG thanks go to TREC Trainer Evie O’Keeffe (not pictured) for some great tips on riding and navigating, plus much needed reminders of how to use a compass correctly and to look at the map detail CLOSELY!

It also gave me a chance to re-test some kit.

The wind and rain stopping mahusive poncho does blow about in the wind but in lieu of anything better is coming with me.

The boots really do have a hole in them. (It didn’t matter so much in mud, but in water, I definitely got wet feet). So I’ve ordered a replacement pair.

And the water bladder in my backpack sprang a leak.

Better to know this kind of stuff now.

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