caledonian1

Set the following targets for 2016 on Strava: Cycling 8047km (5000 miles) - currently 899 km but thats ok as will do vast majority from April to August....might aim for 1000 miles in May Running 1610km (1000 miles) - currently only 54km but injured and not ran for 6 weeks...will pick it up as got IM Copenhagen in Aug Swimming 200,000m - currently 42,400m so ahead of schedule as doing a masters class on Tues and Fri mornings before work

Make an appointment with Peter Wilson at the Beechgrove Clinic on Midstocket Road. I got my first orthotics from him 20 years ago and only replaced them last year. I have not gone a single day without wearing them.

I think you will find that THE big game is tomorrow night Saying that it is fantastic to see Leicester leading in one of the minor EPL games. They are a very decent team who work incredibly hard.

He was sitting behind me an hour or so ago at Pittodrie.......felt like having a word but not appropriate in company. First time I have seen him at a match.

Increasing taxation on alcohol would have an impact on all alcohol. a £39 pound bottle of decent whisky would need to go up in price by the same percentage as a cheap bottle of vodka. The SG are trying to eradicate the really cheap alcohol that is bought by those who are most vulnerable. The Scotch Whisky are not out to protect the quality brands produced here but the cheap alcohol that rakes them in millions from alcoholics, drunks , the poor and under-agers

Or perhaps the first time one hoose has one the Davis Cup

Just had a look on Strava...never noticed that the yearly totals were there. This year I have done 5709km with 45,465m climbing....not done one metre in 8 weeks since completing IM Barcelona...motivation has gone since achieving the one goal I really wanted to achieve. I tend only to cycle between March/ April and September anyway...maybe ned to get on my mountain bike over the winter...not used it for 4 years

It is a good game....Stevie Mallan looks a real talent its on Alba

Yes...i don't think I have ever ordered an "americano"...I just ask for say a medium coffee (refuse to use their stupid made up sizes too)...often get asked what type and just say a normal coffee

Paddy Power offered 9/4 for Lothian Thistle to go through immediately after they scored in the 97th minute to go 2-1 up...thought that was too good to be true (one team of part timers having to hold out for further 23 minutes against another team of part timers...even then if an equaliser the lottery of penalties. Put on my winnings from earlier (got 5 and 6 folds out of 7....only Blackburn let me down which was annoying as I did think a draw more likely) I seriously think there was a mistake in the odds as after I had placed the bet their website said it was still 1-1

Was that a serious answer? .... ever? really? What about vegetables?

Have to agree with all of that. Never cease to be surprised how good a ripe nectarine tastes Love strawberries and rasps on cereal with yogurt. Incredible how long the growing season has become since they started using poly tunnels

Well if you have done all the distances you should definitely go for it. If you can manage one long bike a week it will make up around half the hours. I would typically do a century plus ride very early on a saturday morning...often taking 6 - 6.5 hours (I did one that took almost 18 hours but that was a 425km Audax) i still find it hard to get my head round being able to to an Ironman......but put in the training and you soon build up the endurance......having the fitness is only hallf the battle.....as you can imagine the other half is in the mind.....keeping going is not so hard mentally after you have pushed through the pain and fatigue barrier in training I did my first at 51.....quite imagined it may be my last too but the morning after Barcelona I decided to do another and want to beat 12 hours in Copenhagen next August

If there are surfers out there i tend to go just beyond them.....safety in numbers i feel. If it is pretty calm and obviously no surfers I tend to swim at the harbour end....typically go out beyond the breakwater and swim up and down.....no point in swimming too far in one direction as I would either have to swim or walk back to my car. There were a lot of fine sundays in September and I felt completely safe with so many people down at the beach just watching. A couple of times i swam across from Pittodrie.....before night games (Astana and one other) I parked up on the road, swam then walked across the golf course to the game......very refreshing. (had a mini shower with water bottles to rid myself of sALT water The water temp was about 12.5c most of September...that is completely fine and surprisingly warm once you get used to it (I do wear a wet suit)

Just keen to have some focus for my training over winter. Also considering Barcelona marathon in March. Got a swollen ankle at present so may rest a couple days to see how it is then do a couple of 20 milers before entering and booking flights to Florence. I do not feel as if I am training much at all.....but that is probably as I am comparing it with IM training where I was averaging just over 12 hours a week from early April onwards. I suggest you go for IM.....more fun training for three disciplines and the sense of achievement is phenomenal. Happy to give advice...your running is excellent so no issues there...all depends where you are with the bike and swim. Becoming comfortable swimming for long periods is really important....you do not want to be a few short months out from IM and unable to say swim a mile....get lessons on technique, join a masters class (even if you feel you are not quite able to keep up with others.....being told what to swim in a small class is far better than not being motivated on your own...then in summer see if Open Water swimming suits you....I swim at Knockburn loch and Aberdeen beach....people think you are mental but it is so much more rewarding than laps in a pool and even becomes enjoyable.

Well done though that is a seriously good time. Where did you do that yesterday? I am still on a high after IM Barcelona and considering running Florence marathon at the end of November - ran 18 miles tonight but got a sore foot which I hope is not too serious. I struggled on the marathon in Barcelona but thats understandable after a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike.....howver I want to prove that i can do a half decent marathon time again....not even ran one for 10 years due to injury.

Meant neurogen....not neurogenic Oh....the weather yesterday was almost as good as can be expected....22c ok the wind did make the swim a little tricky and it was noticeable on the bike and run. Today it is roasting . I believe either 28c or 29c...so glad it wasn't today

Cheers. Yes...I am an Ironman...just delighted with the result..I have dreamt of this for a long time and finally achieved it. The swim went better than expected. I hope to beat 1:30 but didn't expect to. General consensus was that it was a tough swim as there were very large rolling waves. This did not bother me and if felt good in my brand new never even tried out wetsuit. I did 1:23 which was fantastic The cycle was on a decent course with only a few small hills. I started off far too fast and only slowed down as we were into a head wind on the southern leg of lap two. I completed 100 miles in around 5:15 and the whole cycle in 5:54. However I was pushing it a little hard especially when you bear in mind I had to get changed and then run a marathon The run was just torture...I have not done a great deal of running over the past few years and running a full marathon immediately after a good swim and fast bike is a huge task. The course was essentially 4 laps....the first was done at a decent steady pace...then..oh dear oh dear laps 2 and 3 were just dreadful.....I slowed down dramatically to a shuffle...however throughout the run I made sure to keep shuffling and only stop at the feed stations. I was getting stomach cramps ( I hate gels and have a real problem with them) and my knee was sore too....a vist to the loo at the beginning of lap four helped as did taking a neurogenic and remarkably lap four was a lot better again. I believe this was pretty much in the head....as I completed lap three I knew that I would complete and this energised me. The last 2000m I speeded up and tried to overtake as many as I could.....I was handed a saltire by a friend and made sure that I would enter the finishing chute alone....wow what a feeling with the packed stands screaming your name and the announcer saying those much anticipated words "you are an Ironman" this was very emotional. Not seen the photos yet but I hope I was beaming from cheek to cheek...I am sure I was On reflection I think I can certainly beat 12 hours but delighted with last nights time of 12:40.....first goal was simply to complete in the cut off of 15:5 hours. I had a DNF in my first attempt last year in Mallorca so the success here in Barcelona is simply enhanced after last years disappointment. I also benefited from the additional training in my legs. The atmosphere around these events is incredible and many of the athletes go to the finish to cheer the last finishers before 00:30. As the ironman mottos goes....anything is possible !!!!

Thanks...to you and the others Had a nightmare on Sunday....went for a lovely swim in the North Sea (off Aberdeen beach if you wondered who the nutter was) and my wetsuit zip bust open (not for the first time......and obvious it is an issue and beyond immediate repair. Bought a new one online yesterday morning (same make and size - Zone3 Aspire) with guaranteed 24 hour delivery....as yet nothing...must get it tomorrow am or i will struggle to get a solution as I fly on Friday. Would be ironic if I was the only swimmer without a wetsuit having gone through my nightmare jellyfish nightmare and DNF last year. Many think I am oot oh ma heid but i also find many of the stories on here inspirational....keep up the good work everyone

Leave on Friday for Ironman Barcelona on Sunday. Really nervous / apprehensive / excited. This is not my first attempt as i did start IM Malloraca this time last year...that ended up as swim - cycle - ambulance....the sea was warmer than anticpited so the swim was not wetsuit legal. I was stung by a jellyfish near the end and could not stop vomitting. This carried on during the bike and incredibly I found myself lying at the side of the road only 33 miles in. Just unlucky....I suppose. Feel as fit this time round and put in as much training......I think the temperature will determine how I get on. Some forecasts say 22c whilst others up to 29C....far too hot for me out in the sun all day with a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and full 26.2 marathon to finish off. What makes this one a little tougher is that it only starts at 9am...and need to finish by 00:30 (usually you are allowed 17 hours) I have not ran a marathon since 2005 (New York) Since then I have had major back surgery and a knee op.....was told by the surgeon that I would not run again.....so that will be an experience...but in reality there will likely be some walking. If anyone wants to follow my progress I am number 2376 and there are updates every few km's on the athlete tracker on the IM Bsarcelona website. I will post here next week.

He also played against the dons at Pittodrie last season for Real Sociedad....i am sure Celtic tried to sign him a couple of years ago too

Well Thierry Henry says it is....... They will be in serious danger of losing a fourth Champs League place for 16/17 now.......lets see if the hype surrounding the race to get into the Top Four continues

I suspect this is a non issue for the Catalans deciding the future of their country....it is far far more important than football. Anyway the Spanish league needs them as much as Barca need the league......Swansea play in the EPL so it is not exactly without precedent. I fly to Barcelona on Friday as competing in IM Barcelona next Sunday.......got a spare Yes sticker that I could wear on my run shirt

John Guidetti (yes him) just scored a very good goal to put Celta 4-1 up with 7 minutes to go. Celta will go top of La Liga However, as we all know from the English press there are only two teams in Spain and no one can give them a game

That picture just sums up all that is wrong with English fitba. A half decent yet unremarkable player earning and flaunting his fortune.