Exactly three years after my arrival in London, the UK Government has triggered article 50. The Brexit drama continues, with decision-making in the dark being a defining part of the play. It is time for a few personal reflections from a “first-row seat”.

The opportunities created by the advance of technology and the efforts of people are amazing. In this post, I’ll show how to take advantage and use the Mapswipe App as a first step to gain valuable insights for NGOs operating in places of the world for which there is no proper map yet.

The annual Country to Capital race takes a few hundred enthusiasts from Wendover to London Paddington in what is said to be the opener of the ultra marathon season. There are stark contrasts between country and capital, and it was interesting to observe the gradual transition.

A not-so-serious attempt at explaining pedestrian behaviour in London using utility theory. Ever wondered why certain pedestrians jump so readily in front of passing lorries? Ever wonder why some are keen to collide with approaching cyclists? Sorry, I don’t have the answer, either. But I am still curious. And in a mood to rant. Just a little bit.

Habits are an important key to success. But how do we establish a habit? How do we know whether our perception aligns with reality? How do we decide about the next change to make? Did we succeed? I want to know. A reflection on habits, insights from data using running as an example.

November. Saturday. Dark, foggy, chilly. These were the conditions for around 200 loopy runners to set off on a loopy five-lap course through the small, pretty & hilly Wendover Woods. 50 miles later, and after arduous 3000m of ascent, I got a fairly thorough taster lesson in ultrarunning.

There are places on our planet where people live but there is no map. How are NGOs like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) supposed to do field work if they don’t know where people live, how many, how to get there? The Missing Maps project is addressing the issue via crowdsourcing. I gave it a try, and here’s what I think.

This weekend, I traveled down south from London to participate in the newly setup Andover Trail Marathon. The start and finish was in Enham-Alamein. A place that caught my attention – El Alamein? Historical and personal battles.

Bike touring, wild camping, ferry rides, sun bathing, bike packing, and more. A recount of a loosely planned bicycle trip that brought me another time across Sweden, and this time also a tiny bit of Norway.

On the last weekend in June, I ran (and walked) the Giants Head Marathon in West Dorset. Well-organized, welcoming, laid-back, and not so simple to get to. Highly recommended.

Several months ago, I concluded a post about the EU referendum with “Sail away. A thought abroad”. I am thoroughly disappointed that the UK actually did. Or half of it? The ship has left the harbour, without captain, without course, without destination, and most disturbingly with a deeply divided crew.

Några veckor kvar inför nästa resa till Sverige. Den här gången på sommaren. Vilket är ju inte den värsta tiden att åka dit. Jag är mycket nyfiken på danslägret i Herräng, vilket är välkänd bland dansarna i Swingvärlden.

Back from an extraordinary hiking trip to Scotland. Soaring temperatures, not a single drop of rain, few midges, outstanding panoramas were just some of the highlights of my second multi-day hiking adventure into the West Highlands.

At the end of last year, I had decided to spend more time outside of London to discover the rest of the UK. In order to make that happen, I booked a few races in various parts of England. Today, on the weekend of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, this brought me to Stratford-upon-Avon.

Got the CleanSpace tag delivered. It is a RF-powered, portable device measuring carbon monoxide concentration. I spent a few days playing with it, and sharing my first impression here. Ultimately, I want to know whether the data can help foster change to the better.

Let’s face it. Air quality in London is quite poor. You don’t need technology to notice. As soon as you reach the country side, the difference is usually very apparent. I will soon get hold of an active sensor that transfers carbon monoxide readings to my phone in real-time. Interesting: the sensor is powered only from energy harvested from wireless and broadcast networks. Energy from thin air!

Great timing. A wave of cold temperature and clear skies comes to Sweden precisely when needed. But if it weren’t for the logistics, the wind could have made ice skating impossible. A story in pictures on what the dark and cold winter in Sweden had to offer.

No, this is not a story about a refugee even though certainly many could be written. Instead, it is a story about a migrant within the European Union. A story that should make UK citizens think twice. A story against reactionary and nationalistic tendencies.

It’s easier than ever to track your mileage in running, cycling, and many other activities. But why would one do that? For the present self to celebrate past accomplishment?. Or to post it online here for promoting one’s virtual self? No. I want to track running mileage in order to adjust my course and correlate exercise with race performance.

What a friendly welcome of the local Swing dancing community in San Francisco! I’m saying thank you and recommend the following to my fellows in London – should you ever visit San Francisco, then Lindy in the Park is a place to go to.

As if the race wasn’t long enough on its own, some runners did not pay enough attention and had to run the extra mile in the Vanguard Way Marathon, a nice and challenging race on scenic trails south of London. A humoristic take on how to get more out of the race than you paid for.

Run to work statistics: 41 commutes, over 200 km distance covered, 17 hours spent on exercise, around GBP 86 saved on public transport, not so fresh air, and a ridiculous number of trolleys avoided by not having to go through one of London’s busiest train terminals.

A journey through valleys, villages and across mountain passes, through sunshine, rain, and thunderstorm: in this year’s mountain bike trip, we crossed the Alps from Oberstdorf in Germany to Lake Garda in Italy.

What started as a joke turned into reality on a bank holiday weekend: A bicycle ride from London to Paris. Well, to be exact, we skipped the part from London to the channel and started in Dieppe.

Panoramic views on a scenic route through the Black Mountains in Wales. This challenge, organized by the Longtown Mountain Rescue Team, was worth every step that was needed to complete the 50 km hike. We arrived tired, but happy before sunset.