With only eight weeks to go I’ve decided it might be time to start drying out by cutting back entirely on the drinking. This might prove to be a bigger challenge than doing Tough Guy itself! It will certainly help with the training and I should hopefully feel a lot better for “detoxing” my system too.

The important thing for the day is to keep well hydrated. I tend to suffer quite a lot from cramp when I’m too dehydrated (especially if I’ve had a couple of drinks the night before) and the first place I feel it is in my calves. So two months of drying out will hopefully a) help my weight loss b) keep my fitness levels up and c) reduce the likelihood of dehydration.

It’s an added incentive too; if I don’t have a drink for two months then I’m going to be gagging for one after the event and that alone will make sure I finish the course and have a well deserved pint afterwards!

Designed to evoke memories of the trenches of the Somme, this obstacle is made up of pits full of burning bales of hay, interspersed with ditches of cold muddy water. At least if you catch fire there’s going to be enough water to put out the flames.

I don’t think there’s going to much I can do to prepare myself for this obstacle short of having a few barbecues over the summer. I think the wife and the locals might object if I start burning bales of hay in the back garden!

The Behemoth is definitely a monster of an obstacle and is the first “aerial” obstacle. The first challenge is navigate a climb up a series of steps made out of wooden telegraph poles - no problem as long as it hasn’t rained and they don’t get slippery. There are rope hand holds to help you on the way up though.

After getting to the top, the next challenge is to traverse to the other side by means of two suspended ropes. This is going to be made far more difficult when there are 20+ competitors on them. It helps if you have a head for heights (which I don’t) and could also prove to be the start of many blisters if you’re not wearing gloves.

Then it’s actually quite pleasant!

(more…)

Wasps 10 - Bath 6.

Stuart Abbot - first (and only) try scorer!

Re-fucking-sult!

Turns out that it’s much easier to place a bet than I thought. I guess you only need to worry about odds and things if that’s what’s determining your bets. As I want Wasps to win, putting a tenner on was actually quite easy. God bless the internet.

I also worked out how to put a fiver on Stuart Abbot being the first tryscorer. That’s going to add some unnecessary excitement to this evenings proceedings! (That’ll be the Zurich Rugby Union Premiership Final between Bath and Wasps for those who haven’t been keeping up!)

It’s all going to plan so far - the beer is in the fridge, the barbeque is ready to go and all we need now is for the weather to brighten up a bit.

And Wasps to win of course!

Not me, but another Pembrokeshire boy made good!

Flicking through the latest edition of Empire yesterday I noticed a very moody shot of the new Batman played by Christian Bale from the Christopher Nolan directed “Batman Begins”

Let’s just say that he looks far more of the part than Michael Keaton ever did!

There are more some shots on the official site as well as some of the bizarre but interesting new look Batmobile. Adam West never drove anything like that!

There’s a great interview with Karey Kirkpatrick, the screenwriter for the fortwpoming “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” movie where he talks about having to take over adapting the script from the late, great Douglas Adams.

You can read it on the productions blog

Also, if you click on the picture next to the post called “Welcome” there’s a little movie showing a prototype test of the Marvin the Paranoid Android costume. (Note - costume, not CGI!) It’s a little different, that’s to be sure but I think it might become quite iconic.

I was five years old the first time I saw someone get killed.

He was hit by a car while crossing the road. The woman who hit him wasn’t driving dangerously. It was just a terrible, terrible accident. She avoided that stretch of road for years afterwards.

Me? I just watched it happen. People still take the piss when I’m sometimes overly cautious about crossing the road, but I never say a thing.

I just don’t want to end up as yet another statistic.

No, not Virgin mates - although they’re quite handy at times - I mean mate mates. Bestest mates and all that.

I got home tonight to find an unexpected gift from a mate in Leeds who had seen a DVD he thought I might like, bought it and sent it to me. What a great mate!

Admittedly, it does smell of wee.¹

¹No, seriously! You see, the missus went out for a swim and while she was out, the dog did a widdle in the hall.

And then the post was delivered.