What an incentive

Well Leeds drew down at Kettering despite dominating the match and it'll now go to a replay at Elland Road.
What an incentive to win though, the winner is to play away to "The Scum" (Manchester United), we hate them almost as much as we love our own team (think the feeling is mutual).
Ok we are 2 leagues below them following our well publicised fall from grace but this is a great opportunity to show what our new players can do on the big stage. We would have nothing to lose, they would be clear favorites but this is the FA Cup and anything can happen.

It had to be tomorrow

My football team Leeds United are hardly ever on TV since their fall from grace through mismanagement and going bankrupt. Well you guessed it they are on tomorrow and I'm not about to watch it. I'll be in Hull playing TT in the Yorkshire league, maybe they'll have a TV at the venue.
I know their only on because most of the country want to see them have another disaster against a non league team in the FA Cup but I don't think that will happen so two fingers up to the rest.
In fact this season we've had plenty to cheer we are run away leaders of our division although still a long way to go.

On another note does any of you use Yahoo Messenger, I've just started using it today so if you do please add me.

Things really do happen in 3's

Well I hope its only 3's.

1. Sunday the flourescent light failed in the kitchen so that was my first repair of the week.

2. My Computor crashed, couldn't get in at all so had to revert back to factory settings. Lost everthing on there but luckily I had a lot backed up on a hard drive. Still downloading some software as I go.
To be honest its about on its last legs so reckon I'm gonna treat myself to a lap top for christmass.

3. Got up this morning and the central heating boiler was locking out, had a play around and eventually got it going without blowing the house up. Not sure how long it will last if it happens again I'll have to call the engineer out.


Ok thats enough about disasters on the good news front I've been looking at holidays for next year. I know my first trip will be back to Chicago, my two TT team mates want to go so the 3 of us are off at easter for a long weekend. We actually booked this week, got a really good hotel/flight deal for 6 nights.

Normally I've sorted my own travel plans out but I'm seriously thinking about going on a singles holiday, I've been checking out a few sites. Before my Aussie friends chelp up I'll admit I'm looking at coming to that part of the world either this year or early next year. I've actually looked at a organised trip 22 days, its expensive at around £4,000 but it includes a lot of extras and visits Perth (yes San you may regret the TT challenge, lol), Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, Cairns, Sydney, Canberra & Melbourne. Seriously thinking about this, need to save though. - http://www.justyou.co.uk/australasia/australia/australia.aspx

Recharging Batteries

By this weekend I was exhausted, I'd had such a busy and hectic week,. So I've been taking it easy to recharge my batteries.

Last Friday I went to Blackpool, stayed over a couple of nights it was really busy as it was the last weekend of the illuminations. That wasn't the reason I was there, I was playing TT in the Veterans National league, we had 5 team matches winning two but losing three. I suppose it wasn't too bad as we got promoted last season and we look like avoiding relegation which was always the priority.

In fact its ben a big week of TT, tuesday we played in the York League and got a good 9-1 victory, its still early days but we are sat proudly top of the league. - http://sites.google.com/site/yorktabletennis/home/s09to10/div1

Another match on Wednesday this time against a team from Doncaster in the Yorkshire Clubs Championship and again a good 9-1 victory. Wasn't two hard to be honest but we know we have two much harder matches coming up against teams from Dewsbury and Hull, last seasons finalists.

And yet another match Thursday, this time in the Selby league, I was tired for this because I'd spent all day at hospital with my Dad who was having some tests. He was fine which was good but it was so long winded I got to the match late but still won all my singles in a 8-2 victory.

It wasn't all TT Monday I went to a wedding, it was one of my cousins who decided to tie the knot after living together for over 20 years. Then again it was a quick change and out to my Pool match, it was our last league game of the season which we won 5-4, got my singles but went down in the doubles.

Yep reckon I've earned a easy weekend.

Getting Wet

Since my last post I haven't had chance to do my Speed Walk/Jog so this morning I had a couple of hours to kill so decided to do a 6 mile walk.

It was breezy but quite sunny with a few light clouds so I just put a little jacket on. Well you've probably guessed about half way round it came really dark and the heavens opened. Of course I was at the part of the walk with virtually no shelter so I just carried on and got drenched. Eventually got into town where I sheltered until it cleared before walking home very wet.

Improving fitness

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned actually timing my short power walk/jog to make me work harder on getting fitter. To be honest I'm concentrating on fitness rather than weight loss, reckon eventually one will take care of the other.

Anyway when I first did this walk my time was 22 minutes 10 secs, I've improved each time and now its down to 20 minutes 40 secs. Ok I'm a long way from running the route but well on my way to breaking the 20 minute barrier (eventually I'll be running it in under 15 minutes I hope). I don't think I've run for runnings sake since I left school, ok chasing, kicking and hitting balls is different, I just need to make things competitive.

These are my results so far :-
12/10 - 22min 10sec
15/10 - 21min 54sec
20/10 - 21min 32sec
24/10 - 21min 25sec
28/10 - 20min 40sec

On another note I've noticed my rested pulse rate is slower recently, can't really think why. Its always been slightly over the normal 70bpm, between 72 & 76. Well for the last month the highest I've recorded it is 70bpm but I've took it as low as 62bpm but in general found it between 65 & 68bpm.

Played TT last night in the York league, doing good so far this season my team is unbeaten and I've won 16 out of 18 sets played. I have another match tomoz but in Selby League its our first league game.

Walking the Walls

Last thursday I had to take my Dad through to York hospital for an appointment and some tests. Anyway I had a few hours to kill so decided to walk the "City Walls".

Despite only living 12 miles from York I've never actually walked the full route around the City so I took my camera along to get some snaps of the route. The weather wasn't ideal because it was a wet and dull day but the photos are ok.

I reckon its somewhere between 2 & 3 miles in distance but I was in no rush so I'm not sure.

For those not up on our local history, York is a very ancient City and some of the walls date back to Roman times. The walls don't totally circle the City but cover a lot of it, one part now along the River Fosse was marshland so defences weren't required. Around the walls are a number of gateways caled "Bars", the main four been Micklegate Bar, Bootham Bar, Monk Bar & Walmgate Bar two of which house small museums. If anyone is interested in history Wikipedia can tell you more than me :-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_city_walls

I took 60 photos in total you can check them out as a slideshow on my Flickr site :-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8308363@N02/sets/72157622645479252/detail/

Strange Pains

On Monday night I played a TT match in York league, not a tough match it was against one of the weaker teams. Anyway afterwards I went for a drink with the other players as normal and I was ok.
However when I got up to go to my car I had a pain which felt very much like a torn muscle in my thigh, it was quite bad and it was very painful driving home.
Anyway I went to bed, slept on it and got up the following morning expecting to be in a lot of pain. However the pain had totally gone so I can't understand what it was, I'm confused.

Saying that I'm sat here now and I've got a stiff neck and headache, these both came on this afternoon for no apparent reason although I was working in the garden this morning so suspect I must have tweaked my neck. Hope it does the same as Mondays pain and dissapears overnight.

Up the wooden hills to Bedfordshire

Yes thats where I'm just about to set off, I'm on my way to the land of concrete Cows, that lovely place Milton Keynes. Its one of Britains "new towns" built in the late seventies to move people out of Londons slums.

This is a place thats described as "been like the bermuda triangle".you can get in but not many get out, lol.

So why am I going, because I'm playing TT there tomorrow. I'm actually playing for Yorkshire in the county championships Veterans (over 40's). I'm playing for the 3rd team although I've upgraded cos I'm ranked in the 4ths. The competition is over two days (Sat & Sun) but I'm only playing in Saturdays matches or I'd have to upgrade a not be eligible for my own team later in the season. someone else is playing Sunday.

I'm staying over in Northampton tonight (anything is better than Milton Keynes), so will have a 30 minute drive in the morning.

F*****g Students

Tonight we were supposed to be playing the University in the York Table Tennis league, just checked my emails and they have cried off. Apparently they can't get a team but I'm really p****d off about the late notice cos I'd cancelled my Pool match to be available.

Talking Table Tennis I've been down at Grantham all weekend playing British league, our team did ok winning one match 5-3, losing one by the same score and drawing the other two. This is the 2nd weekend and we already have 8 points which is what we got in the whole of last season, we only just stayed up so are comfortably mid-table this year. Personally I won five out of my 8 games which is ok for me at this level, so quite pleased. The games were quite physical so will have done me good.

Talking of getting fitter, those of you that read my plan in the last post will see I've put mornings to one side for my daily chores. Anyway after washing, ironing, shopping and visiting my Mum (not really a chore) I had about 30 minutes to spare before lunch. So I decided to do a short walking route, its a loop where I set of in one direction and it brings me back to my home.
I reckon its around 1.5 miles but for a change I thought I'd push it along and time myself. Today's time was 22 mins 10 secs so my plan is to do this when I have time on my hands but try improve the time (keep records), maybe starting jogging some sections (did I really say that, lol) until I'm up to running it all. Ok its walk at the moment but now I've a time to beat and I'm sure my competitive nature will help inspire me to pushing it. Initially reckon I should be trying to get under 20 minutes as a reasonable target.

Could also start something similar (keeping times) on the long walking route (About 6 mile) I do occasionally. If I can turn walks into speed walks/jogs I reckon its got to help fitness and weight loss. Maybe I can also come up with a few other ideas where I can compete against myself, I'm sure its the way forward for me.

On another not I did a bit on the cycle machine I've loaned last night after I got back from TT, only gentle exercise and I reckon it did me good because my joints are not as sore as they usually are after a tough competition.