I have just emailed this update for the 2500 Clue Challenge. If you would like to be put on the mailing list, then please send me an email at 2500cluechallenge@danielpeake.com .

 

Hello everyone! You’re receiving this email as you’ve expressed an interest in my 2500 Clue Challenge. If you don’t want to receive these updates, then tough nuts (or just email me at 2500cluechallenge@danielpeake.com and I’ll remove you from the list).

In June I solved 200 out of 571 clues (35.0%), bringing me to 1300 clues in total. This is about 6 days ahead of schedule. Woohoo!

My Clue Of The Month has to be the elegantly simple: Dotty, Sue, Pearl, Joy (8). Answer at the end of the update.

I’ve started a new job in London, and so far I’m enjoying the work. The commute is less stressful than I imagined, I even get a seat on the train from Reading to London more than half the time! This is most likely due to the fact that I start work at 9:30 so I just miss the morning rush. What I don’t like about the commute (aside from the extortionate cost) is the amount of time it takes. Door to door, it’s about 1hr 55minutes from home to work. And the same back again. It leaves me about 90 minutes each day to myself, which is why this update is delayed (sorry!).

Whilst that in itself is annoying, it’s meant that I haven’t had time to go running recently. I love running, particularly distances between 3k and 5k. I love doing ridiculously obstacle courses, and I’m currently meant to be doing the Nuts Challenge on 31^st August (http://www.thenutschallenge.co.uk/ for more details).

There’s an interesting and not well understood link between physical exercise and mental health: Doing physical exercise can help cope with depression. It’s actually the fact that I started running in the first place years ago. I needed to clear my mind, and this was a good way of doing it. During my PhD I found that if I was particularly stuck on a problem I could go for a run, and more often than not I would have some form of insight whilst thinking about the problem during the run.

I really do recommend some form of physical activity to help cope with depression, the better physical health then somehow turns into improved mental health. How? Haven’t a clue, and I don’t care, I just know it works.

So, only having 90 minutes to myself each day… it’s meant I haven’t been able to go running. With the current amazing weather I’d love to go out and do some nice evening jogs, but I don’t have the time. And mentally I’ve really felt the effect of not going running or keeping myself healthy, and I’m not sure I’ll be fit enough to do the Nuts Challenge. Whilst I like my job now, the lack of “me time” means that I’m actually having a really rough time at the moment. Swings and roundabouts.

Essentially what I wanted to highlight this month was the fact that physical and mental health are intertwined. I hope that message didn’t get lost in my mumblings!

Finally, the answer to The Clue Of The Month is: PLEASURE. It’s an anagram of SUE, PEARL (anagram indicated by dotty), and means Joy. Four names, nice clue.