A great weekend of hockey was capped off with a 2-1 win on Saturday against the league leaders and a goal in a 7-1 win for the 1st team away at Portsmouth & Southsea in the cup on the Sunday.
Getting in the 1st team is the aim at the moment although it's proving difficult. I seem to be scoring goals in the 2's, playing well and scoring when getting brought to cup games but I've not been let loose in the league yet. There's some good players in that team and they're the people I want to play with if I'm going to continue to improve. It's frustrating when you're doing as much as you can and still coming short and demoralising to see other players get called up (into different positions) but I guess I'll just have to keep plugging away at it. I'll make it soon enough no doubt.
Saturday's game was an important win for us giving us a real chance of climbing up into a respectable position in the league. The controversy I speak speak of is down to player conduct, my own included. I know I play better when I'm relaxed, so why do I get worked up when umpires descisions don't go my way!? 1-1 with 10 minutes to go and I get sent off for swearing after a questionable lack of descision following a horrendous stick tackle.... fair enough I need to control that temper but perhaps the umpires cards could have been saved for the physical violence exerted on the pitch. Hitting people in the head with your stick and headbutting them after the final whistle should be punished with nothing less than a red card and a ban for the rest of the season but unfortunately (much like the missed stick tackle upon myself) the umpires missed both events. Fair? Nevermind. The umpires can only officiate on what they see. Thankfully we went home with a 2-1 win after a stunning goal from the captain to snatch the win (who was then promptly dismissed for swearing during his goal celebration!).
Tommorow's game is against fellow strugglers the Isle Of Wight. A win against them would put us in a much stronger position in the league so plenty of rest tonight in the hopes of producing another good performance and hopefully some goals from me and a good win. The knees are starting to feel stronger already after the recent visit to the physio so I've only got myself to blame if I don't put the ball in the back of the net.
Friday 5 February 2010
Wednesday 3 February 2010
First Enduro of the year, first slap in the face from reality!
Its all well and good imagining hurtling down descents off the brakes and charging the climbs, head up, big ring without a care in the world. POW! Body slam, elbow drop and the sleeper hold, that's right reality has opened up a can of whoop ass and your getting it, the tech down hills made me feel like Bamby on ice and I was demoted to granny ring racing on the steeper climbs. Hey ho 5 laps in 3.50hr is still better than I have done before and has given me targets, 10 laps at the Muc Off 8 hr and gulp, 14 laps at set 2 rise, please please please, don't hold me to that!!!
See you at the end!
Mr. Hoppe
See you at the end!
Mr. Hoppe
Monday 1 February 2010
Slack Alice, Dodgy knees
Ok so I've not been training hard for the Triathlon lately, here's my excuse.... I've had a problem with my knees ever since I was a kid at middle school playing football for an hour everyday (and not getting any better!). Turns out that all that running caused the bones in my knees to form in a strange manner during my growth spurts, something called Osgood-Schlatter syndrome which usually doesn't affect sufferers in later life but is certainley affecting me.
It's gotten to the point where running is very painful. Post excersice my knees are nigh on useless for up to 4 days later rendering training imposible but there's hope....
A recent visit to Peter, the physio at Lilliput Health has left me feeling positive about a full recovery. He's given me some stretches designed to make my quads, calves and hamstrings more flexible and therefore stabilising my knees. This as well as icing my knees every evening regardless of wether or not I've done any excersice has already, only a week later started to show some results. If my recovery continues at this rate i'll be able to get back into training much more often and perhaps even start my triathlon training which has had to come second to hockey for now.
The new swim goggles have remained un-used and I've just managed to acquire some new Bontrager road cycling shoes, all this kit is enticing me to get better as quickly as possible so I can start making use of it. Can't wait!
It's gotten to the point where running is very painful. Post excersice my knees are nigh on useless for up to 4 days later rendering training imposible but there's hope....
A recent visit to Peter, the physio at Lilliput Health has left me feeling positive about a full recovery. He's given me some stretches designed to make my quads, calves and hamstrings more flexible and therefore stabilising my knees. This as well as icing my knees every evening regardless of wether or not I've done any excersice has already, only a week later started to show some results. If my recovery continues at this rate i'll be able to get back into training much more often and perhaps even start my triathlon training which has had to come second to hockey for now.
The new swim goggles have remained un-used and I've just managed to acquire some new Bontrager road cycling shoes, all this kit is enticing me to get better as quickly as possible so I can start making use of it. Can't wait!
Monday 25 January 2010
Cycle Cycle Cycle!
Cyclocross hey....
Went for a little adventure on Saturday on the Ridley Supercross, first good cycle in awhile have lost all motivation for cycling at the mo. Maybe it is because of the rubbish weather or just feeling the January blues, who knows but i have been very slack!!
Off i pottered up over Canford Heath and on to Wimbourne! Canford Heath was a little damp in places and made for some good fun riding, then hit the old train track from Broadstone to Wimbourne which is a nice flat gravel track which you can smash easily.
When i arrived in Wimbourne first thing was to check the River Stour for fishing Sunday ( the main reason for the cycle really!!! ) it was high and very very fast, not good for fishing! Foolishly i did fish and it was a disastor but we wont talk about that!!! So i checked out a few spot cycled across some very wet fields, most of which looked like lakes themselves!
Then off i went round the back lanes of Wimbourne/Cowgrove area, which are nice due to very little traffic. Passed a lot of roadies out on training rides, who seeming to be in a lot better shape than myself! A few green lanes and more off roading was to follow, getting covered in a variation of mud and possibly cow muc, didn't really want to check just kept telling myself it was mud! After about a couple hours of riding i was as good as baked, so headed home (to mummys for a cup of tea and biscuits first) taking the same route i used on the way out!
It was a good cycle, and did bring back some motivation to get out more on the cross bike. Just need some lighter longer days and better weather!
Would also like to say a well done to Jough our Northern Rep who raced the Masters Cyclocross World Champs this weekend finished 33rd after a couple of crashes in the main event (and a pair of snapped forks on Friday!) still a great effort.
Went for a little adventure on Saturday on the Ridley Supercross, first good cycle in awhile have lost all motivation for cycling at the mo. Maybe it is because of the rubbish weather or just feeling the January blues, who knows but i have been very slack!!
Off i pottered up over Canford Heath and on to Wimbourne! Canford Heath was a little damp in places and made for some good fun riding, then hit the old train track from Broadstone to Wimbourne which is a nice flat gravel track which you can smash easily.
When i arrived in Wimbourne first thing was to check the River Stour for fishing Sunday ( the main reason for the cycle really!!! ) it was high and very very fast, not good for fishing! Foolishly i did fish and it was a disastor but we wont talk about that!!! So i checked out a few spot cycled across some very wet fields, most of which looked like lakes themselves!
Then off i went round the back lanes of Wimbourne/Cowgrove area, which are nice due to very little traffic. Passed a lot of roadies out on training rides, who seeming to be in a lot better shape than myself! A few green lanes and more off roading was to follow, getting covered in a variation of mud and possibly cow muc, didn't really want to check just kept telling myself it was mud! After about a couple hours of riding i was as good as baked, so headed home (to mummys for a cup of tea and biscuits first) taking the same route i used on the way out!
It was a good cycle, and did bring back some motivation to get out more on the cross bike. Just need some lighter longer days and better weather!
Would also like to say a well done to Jough our Northern Rep who raced the Masters Cyclocross World Champs this weekend finished 33rd after a couple of crashes in the main event (and a pair of snapped forks on Friday!) still a great effort.
Wednesday 20 January 2010
It is what it is.
So here we are, the earliest part of the year and so far so good, keeping to at least 10hrs on a bike a week for a month and raising that by 2 hrs a month until May where my main race of the year is - Charge Bikes Set 2 Rise, a 12 hr endurance event.
So far my training consists of 2 X 1.5 hrs on a trainer + 1 X 1 hr with a 5-6 hr ride at the weekend (+ 1 hr a day commute, but that doesn't really count!).
As the weather changes and days get longer, I'm looking forward to spending more time looking at the forest, trails or rolling hills as opposed to staring at a sweaty reflection in my conservatory.
Unfortunately Im missing this weekends session as Im of to Paris with my better half, but fear not I hear the chant of The Brass Monkeys and look forward to the delights they will bring at the end of Jan... See you then
Mr. Hoppe
So far my training consists of 2 X 1.5 hrs on a trainer + 1 X 1 hr with a 5-6 hr ride at the weekend (+ 1 hr a day commute, but that doesn't really count!).
As the weather changes and days get longer, I'm looking forward to spending more time looking at the forest, trails or rolling hills as opposed to staring at a sweaty reflection in my conservatory.
Unfortunately Im missing this weekends session as Im of to Paris with my better half, but fear not I hear the chant of The Brass Monkeys and look forward to the delights they will bring at the end of Jan... See you then
Mr. Hoppe
First Triathlon Training Swim!
Well that was fun!!!!
I haven't been swimming since i was at school (now ten years ago) so i was a little rusty to say the least!
But anyway the alarm went off the wrong side of 6.30am this morning so up i rolled out of bed rather dazed and confused, time to get ready for the swim. Had a couple of banana's, played with the dog and off i went into a dark very wet cold morning which in it's self was a shock to the system that early. Arriving at the pool for just before 7am ( James didn't show, some lame story about having my old number! ), so on with the shorts and goggles and into the blue i fell!
The water was nice and warm which helped, and off i went length after length. Having not swam for alooonnng time it was not easy to start with, but i powered on swimming at a gentle pace to get into it and took it fairly easy for the whole swim. Not wanting to push myself on the first outing!
About half an hour of swimming was enough for me, so about 15-20 lengths later, i knew i had alot of work to do to be competitive in the Triathlon! After getting myself sorted off i pedaled off to work again into the cold dark wet morning!
So the next swim is Friday morning, again very very early but it has to be done.
I haven't been swimming since i was at school (now ten years ago) so i was a little rusty to say the least!
But anyway the alarm went off the wrong side of 6.30am this morning so up i rolled out of bed rather dazed and confused, time to get ready for the swim. Had a couple of banana's, played with the dog and off i went into a dark very wet cold morning which in it's self was a shock to the system that early. Arriving at the pool for just before 7am ( James didn't show, some lame story about having my old number! ), so on with the shorts and goggles and into the blue i fell!
The water was nice and warm which helped, and off i went length after length. Having not swam for alooonnng time it was not easy to start with, but i powered on swimming at a gentle pace to get into it and took it fairly easy for the whole swim. Not wanting to push myself on the first outing!
About half an hour of swimming was enough for me, so about 15-20 lengths later, i knew i had alot of work to do to be competitive in the Triathlon! After getting myself sorted off i pedaled off to work again into the cold dark wet morning!
So the next swim is Friday morning, again very very early but it has to be done.
Tuesday 19 January 2010
New goggs.
So. Just to catch up on where I'm at. I play hockey, I cycle (sometimes), try to play Rugby League and this year will be my first foray into triathlon. The weekends hockey was good for me. Scored 3 goals, won 5-2 against Trojans away in Southampton, a team who beat us earlier in the season. Did something funny to my knee though (I have constant knee issues for some reason) so I'll be skipping training tonight in favour of watching city beat united in the Carling Cup accompanied by a massive bowl of pasta and maybe a cheeky glass of vino. When I have something interesting and thought provoking to say I'll see if I can convey it reasonably elloquently, if not, I'll just chat shit.
Today, we had our first ever bit of triathlon kit turn up at the office, exciting! Ordered a set of these goggles yesterday (Speedo speed sockets) from Wiggle.co.uk for training in the pool and they were here the very next day. Logan's up for testing them out tommorow morning before work! I reckon that's a bit keen personally but tempted to get up early just cos they look so rad and I want to show them off. I'll let you know if they actually work or not....
check out the speed sockets on wiggle here
Today, we had our first ever bit of triathlon kit turn up at the office, exciting! Ordered a set of these goggles yesterday (Speedo speed sockets) from Wiggle.co.uk for training in the pool and they were here the very next day. Logan's up for testing them out tommorow morning before work! I reckon that's a bit keen personally but tempted to get up early just cos they look so rad and I want to show them off. I'll let you know if they actually work or not....
check out the speed sockets on wiggle here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)