People of the Outdoors is my latest series whereby I acknowledge those individuals who are inspired and motivated to spend their lives in the Great Outdoors. This series forms a selection of personal interviews and imagery taken from these dedicated individuals.

This time I interview a Trail Running friend, Valerie Nicholls who continues to pound the trails and enjoy what the outdoors has to offer. This is a great little interview and well worth a read.

Introduce yourself. Tell the readers more about yourself

My name is Valerie and I live in East London with my husband and 6 chickens. I am a teacher. After a few years of teaching in secondary schools, I set up my own classes, teaching toddlers to start with, then primary school children, then adults. I love my job but my absolute passion is trail running.

My love of nature started as a child. I have memories of going mushroom picking in the forest with my father. I also used to spend all my school holidays at my grandparents' farm. I have happy memories of foraging
with my grandfather, seeing wheat fields, wild primroses and wild daffodils, seeing how the landscape changes with the seasons .... I am 100% a country girl.

We are lucky that even though we are 30 minutes away from central London by train, we are also minutes away from the countryside. But the older I get, the more I want to return to my roots, leave the city, start again
somewhere greener.

Where in the world is your Outdoor Playground?

Living in the UK gives me access to some beautiful trails. I have run in many places, from the South Downs hills to the Lake District, from Norfolk to Wales and a few places in between. Everywhere I have run has given me stunning scenery, breath-taking views and a very good workout! And out of all these places, there is one very special place, a place that stole my heart and my soul: Wales. I cannot explain what happens when I go to Wales, but although I am not Welsh, it feels like home, I have a very emotional connexion with Wales, so much so that I am learning Welsh. Nothing a linguist can't handle!

10 Miles Rydal Water in the Lake District.

What activities do you like to do in the outdoors? And why does this mean so much to you?

I am a trail runner. I cannot say that I run trails like some people say they collect stamps or vinyl records. This is not a hobby. I am a trail runner, it's in my soul. I have a need to run. When I run through forests, or in the hills, I have an immense feeling of freedom. It is totally exhilarating. Running in nature is different to running on the tarmac in many ways but for me, the attraction of running in the wilderness is that I am at the mercy of nature. On tarmac, you are in charge. In the wilderness, you are not fully in charge. You have to negotiate your way through natural obstacles, you need to be quick thinking, adjust your running to suit the terrain that is under your feet at the time. There is no care for pace, time, PBs ... all of this is irrelevant. Running in nature is about connecting with the environment, it's about respecting nature and its power over you, embracing the headwind, the heavy rain, the fog, the mud, water up to your knees, the loose rocks, the ice, the cold air in your lungs... It's about going back to your roots. Where men and women millions of years ago had no choice but to run for survival, I run for pleasure.

What inspires you and motivates you to spend time in the outdoors?

For me, it's all about the terrain. The distance itself does not influence my motivation. Between a short tough trail and an easy long trail, I will not hesitate one second. I will go for the tough trail. Hills, mixed terrain like exposed roots, a bog, a stream to cross.... I want to have to think where I put my feet. This sort of mixed terrain is usually found in beautiful surroundings, and often far away from civilisation. Solitude is a factor. It is in my nature to avoid crowds. Being in the suburbs of London, I have a choice of hills within an hour's distance in any direction but I would very much like to go higher in the mountains. The mountains offer a different experience. It's the next level for me, literally!

What has been your biggest challenge?

Breast cancer. It has been the biggest challenge of my life and without running, I don't know how I would have coped. I had a wonderful team of doctors and nurses who put me back together again physically but emotionally, what held me together was the ability to continue with my running. It took me away from the stress, it offered me an inner peace I could not have found otherwise. It kept me physically fit also. I was extremely lucky that I did not need chemotherapy, just 4 weeks of radiotherapy, but during the agonising weeks leading up to finding out what my treatment would be, I can honestly say that running kept me
focused and strong.

Can you describe your perfect day out cycling, hiking or running?

That's very easy. My perfect day of running is a cold drizzly autumn morning, running through mud, through puddles, jumping over obstacles, through leaves, taking in the scents of the forest, seeing the beautiful yellow, red and orange colours all around. Autumn was made for trail runners. And afterwards, once my head has been filled with endorphins, savouring a bowl of piping hot soup. There is nothing better.

If you could go on any adventure, where would you go?

My husband and I are thinking of moving to north Wales. It's a paradise for trail runners and mountain bikers (he is a mountain biker). There is a coastal footpath that stretches some 1,400 km. I fancy doing that. I'd do it for charity, for the breast care clinic that saved my life. It would need careful planning but it's not impossible and I like a challenge! Maybe when I retire.

Finally, can you give the readers a motivational quote for others to follow and be inspired by?

I have two. One is about the forest and is a quote from John Muir. "Into the forest, I go, to lose my mind and find my soul". It totally resonates with me. I have experienced what it is to empty your mind and finding who you really are, deep down. This is a wonderful quote.

The other is a quote I came across when I was undergoing my cancer treatment. It also resonated with me very strongly at the time: Running reminds you that even in your weakest moments, you are strong. It certainly, did that, it is a powerful medicine.

People of the Outdoors - Valerie Nicholls

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