2007 - January

[El Gordo]

January comments here.

I'm mindful that I've not posted a weight bulletin for 2 weeks. I've given the figures to my team of spin doctors -- though they seem to be shaking their heads.....

[Seafront Plodder]

You too eh?

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I've given the figures to my team of spin doctors --

I really don't think Shane Warne is going to be able to give you good advice on weight loss!

[El Gordo]

I really don't think Shane Warne is going to be able to give you good advice on weight loss!

Who...?

[Sweder]

I really don't think Shane Warne is going to be able to give you good advice on weight loss!

Oh yes . . . didn't he used to be rather good at cricket?
Nice hair, too, as I recall

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Oh yes . . . didn't he used to be rather good at cricket?

Still doing pretty well as far as I can see ... he took 23 wickets in this series, which is ten more than the best Englishman (Hoggard), and the only Englishman with a better batting average for the series was Pietersen (and he's not even English) :p

Anyway, he still has two seasons of county cricket to see out his contract, so he's not finished as a player just yet. But I wouldn't mind betting he'll weigh in a fair bit heavier two years from now than he is at present.

As for the hair ... he and the fellow hairless Gooch have paired up for some of the worst hair restorerTV ads you'll ever see

[Sweder]

The biggest problem with our lot was they believed the hype.
Some of the TV trailers they turned out for this series were warning sign enough. I'm also not a fan of all this WAGs on tour nonsense; it seems to me an Ashes tour should be about hard cricket, not beach holidays and as little competitive sport as you can get away with.

Still, the best team won, and handsomely, and I'm not afraid to say so.
Furthermore I'm more than happy to talk about the great Aussie test players of the past.
I've huge respect for Warne, McGrath and Langer

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

The biggest problem with our lot was they believed the hype.
Some of the TV trailers they turned out for this series were warning sign enough.

Obviously I haven't seen your lot, but they do the same thing here. But it's pretty clear few, if any of the players take them seriously. Generally they manage to have a look of disdain on their face as they fill their sponsor's demands. Certainly Ponting's attitude is pretty clear - thanks guys for your money, but don't expect as to believe this imbecilish crap you make us spout on TV. Basically, a pretty ocker attitude towards the people pulling the strings.

I'm also not a fan of all this WAGs on tour nonsense; it seems to me an Ashes tour should be about hard cricket, not beach holidays and as little competitive sport as you can get away with.

I'm not sure the WAGs* make a huge difference - the Aussies had theirs as well, although I heard more than one ex-test player comment that they thought it was a bad thing. But then. if both sides have the same "disadvantage" then it balances out I guess. But there's no doubt the English side were under-cooked. Maybe if the WAGs had joined them after the series had actually got under way, they might have had some better preparation.

I still maintain Trescothick's departure must have had a majorly negative impact on the team. And really, you desperately need Simon Jones back - he's lethal and a massive motivating factor for the team. Get him fixed up quick!

Don't depair - it's not all negative, the team is still basically a sound side.




*[SIZE="1"]WAGs = Wives and Girlfriends if anyone's wondering - they toured with the team, which goes against tradition, but is rapidly becoming the norm these days.[/SIZE]

[Sweder]

8.5 miles is getting down to business alright. I trust the ankle held up OK after that level of workout.
Sorry to hear about the Nephew. I presume there's some surgical procedure to take care of that. By the time he's got his fifty quid replica shirt printed The Special One might be scouting the Espresso outlets on the streets of Milan . . . (sound of hastily crossing fingers in background).

Thanks for the tips on BBC Four - just watched California Dreamin', the story of Laurel Canyon; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Janis, Jackson Browne, The Eagles . . . pure gold, man.

[El Gordo]

Shame I missed CSNY and Jackson Browne, I was a big fan. Though perhaps we'll see them back in the charts now that downloads are to be included.

Yeah, it's tough about the nephew. Poor kid. The rumours about Mourinho are interesting but I don't think anytihng will happen imminently. I've a funny feeling that the Champions League might do the trick in either direction. If they win it, I can see him doing what he did at Porto - walking out the next day. If they don't win it, I can see Abramovitch showing him the door. I have this awful feeling that they'll win the first Wembley cup final. It'll be unbearable if they do. Home ties against against Macclesfield and Forest don't bode well.

[Antonio247]

After the Christmas truce I´ve come back to post my weight. I´ve just gained half a kilo in these two weeks which is not bad if we take into account the fact that people usually eat a lot at Chritsmas. My weight is 81 kg. In the last two weeks I went for a run nine days doing 39 kms the last year week doing 8, 13, 7 and 11 kms ( San Silvestre El Ejido ) and in the first week of the year I went for a run five days doing 6, 9, 12, 7 and 6 km each day. In all, 40 km.

6th November 2006 87 kg
13th November 2006 85 kg 37 km
20th November 2006 83,8 kg 27 km
27th November 2006 82,8 kg 43 km
4th December 2006 81,5 kg 38 km
11th December 2006 82 kg 26 km
18th December 2006 81,5 kg 29 km
25th December 2006 80,5 38 km
1st January 2007 80,5 39 km
8th January 2007 81 40 km

My aim is to go back to 80.5 km by eating healthy food and going for a run.


Happy new year and good luck!

[El Gordo]

OK, time to 'fess up.

I had a couple of bad weeks over Christmas as far as weight goes. Step-back weeks, one might say:

Figures:
Week 1, ave weight: 228.2 pounds
Week 2, ave weight: 224.0 pounds (-4.2 lbs, -1.9 kg)
Week 3, ave weight: 221.7 pounds (-2.3 lbs, -1.0 kg)
Week 4, ave weight: 219.9 pounds (-1.8 lbs, -0.8 kg)
Week 5, ave weight: 219.0 pounds (-0.9 lbs, -0.4 kg)
Week 6, ave weight: 220.8 pounds (+1.8 lbs, +0.8 kg)
Week 7, ave weight: 218.2 pounds (-2.6 lbs, -1.2 kg)
Week 8, ave weight: 217.7 pounds (-0.5 lbs)
Week 9, ave weight: 220.2 pounds (+2.5 lbs)
Week 10, ave weight: 219.6 pounds (-0.6 lbs)

The good news is that the last week has been relatively successful as far as getting back on track, so hope to come up with a more positive report after the weekend.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

In this fast-paced, ever-changing world in which we live, it's important to choose an opening sentence devoid of nugatory cliché.

Nugatory, Andy?

Nice word - but where did you pick that up? I thought you skipped school to go galavanting across the moors and Outer Hebrides?

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Fascinating that you should say "galavanting", just like Glaconman did recently. I'd not seen that spelling before. I've always been a "gallivant" man meself.

Curse this wretched indifference.

But yes, you are correct.

Gallivant
Gallivant
Gallivant
Gallivant
Gallivant
Gallivant
Gallivant
Gallivant
Gallivant
Gallivant

[Sweder]

Y'see, I had a couple of unofficial beers this evening.

Blimey. I actually had money on myself to succumb first
Forsooth. Whoda thunk it? I guess it's not just the half marathon some of us are training for

[El Gordo]

Curse this wretched indifference.

But yes, you are correct.

Gallivant
...........
Gallivant

But you're not wrong, MLCM. I looked it up, and it seems to be an OK spelling. I was just noting the difference, not correcting you.

[El Gordo]

Blimey. I actually had money on myself to succumb first
Forsooth. Whoda thunk it? I guess it's not just the half marathon some of us are training for

Indeed. It was that picture that Antonio posted -- reminded me that I needed to get in shape for the long Monday session.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

But you're not wrong, MLCM. I looked it up, and it seems to be an OK spelling. I was just noting the difference, not correcting you.

Hmm, well if it appears at all it's only because its use has now become "accepted". Certainly it doesn't appear in my trusted Collins dictionary. Henceforth I shall use gallivant.

See, you learn all kinds of useful stuff here.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Blimey. I actually had money on myself to succumb first
Forsooth. Whoda thunk it? I guess it's not just the half marathon some of us are training for

Whoa, what the...? Have I missed something here? Sweder, are you on the wagon too?



Confused of yon Antipodes.

[El Gordo]

I had a mild relapse. After 2 weeks of the heathy stuff, I couldn't hold off the lure of the Chinese takeaway any longer. And you can't go out for a takeaway without relaxing for a bit first in the pub next door. I've not checked up but I'm pretty sure it contravenes one of the village by-laws.