28 October 2011
26 October 2011
Cycling
The cycling is going very well. I have clocked up a few mile since I got the bike. I have enjoyed every minute of it and have used Runkeeper to follow my progress. My overall average speed has increased and I've enjoyed some very nice top speeds.
Mostly I cycle along the canal and/or around Wollaton and Bramcote parks. I would like to find some longer routes, but the canal + Wollaton is 15 miles and that's a good distance to cover in an hour.
I have improved my kit and gear slightly. I now have some glasses with interchangeable lenses and some padded shorts! I also got some SPD pedals so that I can (finally) use my cycling shoes. The work a treat and are very good! I need to get a front light and some hi-vis stuff (although my friend apparently has a lightweight hi-vis jacket that I can have).
Overall I am very pleased. My weight is back to just over 10.5 stone after reaching 11.5! This coupled with a no beer, limited treat diet has meant that I'm back to fighting weight and keeping fit!
I would like to get cycling with others. Even if it's with Ben every now and again, it'd be better than always cycling on my own.
For now though, I'll keep on going...
Mostly I cycle along the canal and/or around Wollaton and Bramcote parks. I would like to find some longer routes, but the canal + Wollaton is 15 miles and that's a good distance to cover in an hour.
I have improved my kit and gear slightly. I now have some glasses with interchangeable lenses and some padded shorts! I also got some SPD pedals so that I can (finally) use my cycling shoes. The work a treat and are very good! I need to get a front light and some hi-vis stuff (although my friend apparently has a lightweight hi-vis jacket that I can have).
Overall I am very pleased. My weight is back to just over 10.5 stone after reaching 11.5! This coupled with a no beer, limited treat diet has meant that I'm back to fighting weight and keeping fit!
I would like to get cycling with others. Even if it's with Ben every now and again, it'd be better than always cycling on my own.
For now though, I'll keep on going...
11 October 2011
Rugby World Cup update
So, RWC2011 continues without England. In the end, they were an ordinary team that did not look like wanting to win.
Was it poor team selection? Off pitch shenanigans? Lack of team spirit?
I don't know really what it was, only to say that England should have come out against France and annihilated the team that Tonga beat. But, with players clearly out of position, England looked like a beaten team even before they got a point on the board.
16-0 at half time in France's favour was embarrassing! 2 tries had also been scored, which was twice as many as England had conceded all tournament. The defence didn't turn up.
I'm sad because I've loved and supported English rugby since I started playing the game in 1990. Now, following 2003's amazing victory and 2007's rather surprising final, the national team is a mess. As is the management structure.
Come the six nations, I will still turn on the TV to watch my team. I'll still hope that the Welsh and the Scottish lose to everyone. Will Ireland and France be their good versions, or their not so good versions? And why are Italy still in the tournament?
But I'll be wondering, will England ever hold the Webb Ellis trophy again?
Clive Woodward took his time, but developed a system that, at the time, was revolutionary. We need a revolution in English rugby. Someone that will turn it on its head. A system that isn't controlled by people who want power, but people who truly want 6 Nations and World Cup glory... every year.
Was it poor team selection? Off pitch shenanigans? Lack of team spirit?
I don't know really what it was, only to say that England should have come out against France and annihilated the team that Tonga beat. But, with players clearly out of position, England looked like a beaten team even before they got a point on the board.
16-0 at half time in France's favour was embarrassing! 2 tries had also been scored, which was twice as many as England had conceded all tournament. The defence didn't turn up.
I'm sad because I've loved and supported English rugby since I started playing the game in 1990. Now, following 2003's amazing victory and 2007's rather surprising final, the national team is a mess. As is the management structure.
Come the six nations, I will still turn on the TV to watch my team. I'll still hope that the Welsh and the Scottish lose to everyone. Will Ireland and France be their good versions, or their not so good versions? And why are Italy still in the tournament?
But I'll be wondering, will England ever hold the Webb Ellis trophy again?
Clive Woodward took his time, but developed a system that, at the time, was revolutionary. We need a revolution in English rugby. Someone that will turn it on its head. A system that isn't controlled by people who want power, but people who truly want 6 Nations and World Cup glory... every year.
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