new shoes

Well who would have thought it, it's been a month and I'm still running. It's not getting much easier but I am improving all the time. I try and run every other day or three times a week whichever is easiest to mentally complete.

I've been out and bought some boss gear consisting of some reebok running kit and some nike triax10+ trainees, which are compatible with my nikeplus system. I like the shoes but I'm still getting used to them, plenty of bounce but they feel a bit stiff after a while. I went to the Lincolnshire Runner on the high street for the shoes and got some great advice. He soon had me strapped into various shoes running up and down the high street with my jeans rolled up looking like a proper lincoln resident.

It turns out that I overpronate when I run, no it's not fancy talk for running like a girl, it just means my feet angle inwards slightly as I run, probably all those years dodging dog turds growing up in Liverpool. We went through a few pairs and decided the triax where the best fit for my style. Like I said I'm still getting used to them but minus one little insole niggle overall they are really good.

The other annoying thing is since I put the sensor in my new shoes it's sent all the measurements out, my distances have all dropped by 10 percent so one lap of the field used to be 1KM now its only 900 meters, arse. Looks like I will have to calibrate my shoes but then again I won't have a built in excuse of accuracy for any bum runs. It could be that they are actually more accurate now I'm using the proper shoes rather than an external sensor pouch on a non nike+ shoe. Di came up with that theory and damn it she could just be right.

The kids are finally back at school, we've all been worried about Cam going to senior school for the first time but it seems he's quite happy he finished his first day today and seemed to like it. Thats good news for everyone just another 7 years school left for him, then it's off to university to study nakedology or whatever trendy courses there are in the near future.

I hope this doesn't turn into one of those boring running blogs. Too late I think it has.

Let's all go to the movies.

Well it's been a great week all round really. Looking back It seems I've been blogging for over a year now. That went quick, well for me anyway, it probably seems an eternity to the poor reader of this shash.

Did a bit of running this week, not as much as I should but enough, I really struggled on my last one that's a bit worrying.

Had a nice weekend it was my eldest son Cam's 11th birthday, so we had a great bit of scoff at Damons, (got to have ribs it made them famous). Although for some reason I had chicken fajitas.

We then went the pictures to see the new Harry Potter movie the order of the phoenix. We all enjoyed it, I was very impressed because I remember the book being a bit of a plodder, but the film was excellent, really cut to the meat and bones of the story without to much padding like the book had. The ending was great can't wait to blow my home cinema up with that one.

On Monday we went on the back field with Glenn and his remote control car. It's a little fuel powered thing that goes 40 miles an hour it was awesome. We all had a go the kids loved it, and they didn't smash it up which was impressive. I think if you can get one that mows the lawn as you drive it you could be onto a winner, I better patent that. I just have so there.

Last night we went the pictures again (must be a record). We watched the transformers movie. It was brilliant, the story was a load of fluff but if your happy with transforming cars and trucks kicking each other in the nuts and bolts you can't complain about the story. The effects where outstanding and in all it was a real good summer blockbuster.

So that's that, I think I will go running along the viking way this week a bit of cross country see what it like, bloody knackering I would imagine.

Weekend in Liverpool

Had a great weekend in Liverpool. Instead of just watching telly and eating my mums delicious roast dinners, we decided to go out and see some of the cities culture and heritage. It's something I've been meaning to do for ages but you know what it's like you tend to take things for granted when you've grown up there and visit frequently.

Anyway on the Saturday we went to town on the train and visited a few places. We went to St Georges Hall first, the famous resting place of Hitlers missing testicle if the song is to be trusted. I have my doubts as it wasn't on display anywhere. It's one of those landmark buildings I've seen from the outside thousands of times, but I've never been inside before. It was fantastic inside and the ballroom was unbelievable. Really opulent and a testament to the cities rich Victorian heritage. It matches any room in the Vatican or Windsor Castle.

There was also a display in there by the Liverpool artist Anthony Brown. Called '100 heads' it was collages of the faces of famous scousers. It was amazingly detailed first you would be attracted by the face but you where soon drawn into the details making up the face, letters, tickets photographs tiny pieces of the persons life making up the whole portrait.

After a spot of lunch at Wetherspoons we went to the Maritime Museum at Albert Dock. There was a ship there called the Bounty, which may or may not of been in the Pirates Of The Caribbean Movies (there appeared to be some confusion). The museum was good with a great installation about the last 800 years of Liverpool. There was loads of stuff on slavery as well which was very moving but I must confess that I wasn't personally involved in the trade. The only thing I traded in the 70's was Star Wars cards.

After that we where knackered and we had only scratched the surface. I guess I will have to do part 2 next time we visit.

Holiday Special

Well I've had a nice week in a caravan on the Yorkshire coast. Went to Filey, Scarborough and Whitby. It was good fun and the kids loved it. We went with my mum and dad, sister, brother in law and all the kids. We all had our own caravans we're not real pikeys.

I love Whitby the view from up on the cliffs by the abbey looking down on the town are lovely. Great sites mingle with the smell of chips, goths and donkey turds it's a marvelous heady mix.

I also got hooked on the arcade, I must have spent half of my life savings on those crane games trying to win simpsons cuddly toys.

Well I even managed two runs (not the ones to the toilet) on holiday, not bad for someone who is bone idle.

Run Fatboy Run

Thanks to my new nike+ running system coupled with my fear of an early grave, I have started running to get fit and try to lose some excess poundage.

Bugger me it's hard, I usually run in the morning so that I don't frighten children and old ladies. People tend to cross over when a purple faced blimp comes huffing and puffing towards them sounding like the Hogwarts Express.

Anyway I've posted my run up here like a trophy just to prove that I did at least once shuffle 3k around the field.

If I follow my usual hobby pattern it'll probably be my last one.

Keep it real

Gareth

Crackdown

Well it had to happen eventually and now it has. I've had my first Crackdown moment.

This is apparently when the XBox game Crackdown intrudes into your reality and it happened to me today.

As I was driving up the hill out of Lincoln I looked to my right to see the two big gas-o-meters behind the houses. I swear I could see a green agility orb on top of the towers.

Yes I am barking mad.

Yes I need to get out more.

Yes I need to lay off the Crackdown for a while.

But it's just so good.

a message from our sponsor

video blog

I will now turn my hand to video it's easier.

Posted a test video on youTube.

WTF?

Well after an enormously long gap I'm back again.

I can't believe how much time has gone by since my last entry. Christmas was awesome, I'm loving my Xbox360 especially Gears Of War. It really comes into it's own on Xbox LIVE.

So what have I done since Christmas? Well I did a three week course on intermediate biscuit management techniques. That wasn't bad actually and apart from the excess homework and polishing my trousers and ironing my shoes it all went well. Since then the factory has been fairly steady.

We did have a really busy week where the fat controller at the factory decided we had two weeks to design, test and manufacture a whole new range of biscuits. This process usually takes about two months so 2 weeks was a bit ambitious. Anyway we all worked our balls off for a week and then he realised we weren't getting anywhere near completion and decided to shitcan the idea. So now everything is back to normal.

Liverpool FC have raised and dashed my hopes again as usual. After a very brief spell of looking like catching up with Chelski the wheels have fell off and we've dropped 4 points in two games so it's business as usual.

Now that two fat yankees have bought the club thing's may be looking up. To be honest I can't see them spending tonnes of money on the squad but at least the new stadium will now happen. Unfortunately we will no doubt end up playing in the "Microsoft Windows Vista" stadium or the "Viagra Dome" at least we'd be guaranteed to stay up. ( I thank you.)

Well that's it for now, see ya soon.