Controversy on the hockey pitch

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.

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

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!