Going for gold

Well in our first game we played well and got beaten, in the second we had to forfeit the match as we didn't have enough players but today we played and played well! Pretty much from the offset we controlled the game, built an early lead and managed to see off their late comeback to win the match by 6 goals. I was playing the pivot position again and I'm starting to get used to the position and also the game overall. We didn't have any subs so the 7 of us were on for the full 60 minutes. A couple of their players were dirty bastards but it was nice to beat them fair and square. Our next game is next weekend against the team at the top of the table so it's not going to be easy but we'll go into it full of confidence!

Excuse the silence over the last few weeks, was away to sunnier climes for a fortnight. Anyway, on Wednesday night I attended my first official handball training session and, IMHO, it went very well. I was a sole Scot in amongst the Germans and Hungarians which meant I was the only complete beginner but they do say if you want to improve in any sport you should play with players of a higher standard. Well I think it's fair to say these guys at age 7 would've been a higher standard than me! We started out with a 20 minute run, which after 2 weeks on an all inclusive holiday didn't go down well with me! After that it was warming up which involved chucking the ball around, this handball lark is easy. Our first game is scheduled for October 11, so just 3 short training sessions to go until I'm, hopefully, thrown in at the deep end.

I went on a bit of a health kick long before I had my Olympic dream so switched from high in sugar breakfast cereals to porridge. Now porridge on its tod tastes like cardboard so I have been experimenting with different extras in it. I stumbled upon the most excellent combination of ground almonds and desiccated coconut. I kick start the day with this combination every morning, except for the very occasional bacon roll on a Sunday morn which in case you were wondering I have with wholegrain mustard, which happens to be the best accompaniment for a bacon roll.

I'm growing a little weary of the almond and coconut combo so I'm calling you on you, my dedicated readers! to recommend me some porridge toppings. Rest assured the top combo recommender will be mentioned in my Olympic medal winning interview with the BBC!

Now I never imagined it was going to be easy to get into the Olympic handball team but when I heard about the world class handball programme my heart sank. Let me tell you more, there was a press campaign last year looking for individuals to enrol onto the programme. The main criteria was you should be aged 18-24 and be willing to give up your current life, move to Denmark for 5 years to train as a professional handball player.

2 things, first I'm 30 now and will obviously be 34 by the time the London Olympics come round so couldn't have applied for this programme even if I wanted to. Second, I have never played in a serious handball match ever and these guys have been training full time since November 2007!

So where does that leave me? Well I guess in the same position as before but now with an even more unrealistic aim than before and thinking maybe I should build an archery range in my back garden instead.....

Hi

Inspired by The Big Shef over on football365 I have decided to try and become an Olympian.

You may laugh, and everyone I have told so far has, but I've decided to go for a sport that is a minority sport in the UK - handball. There's a club near me that I've trained with a couple of times so this week I took the plunge and paid up my membership fees. Unfortunately the club is away for the summer so I have to wait until I return from my holiday before I can start living the dream. My first training session is set for the 17th September. On the plus side, over the last couple of months I've been on a health kick and have lost over a stone and a half so I'm much better shape physically than I have been for a long time.

It's a long, long, long, long shot for me but what do I have to lose? Pride, dignity and self respect but we all have to make sacrifices to live the dream!

Wish me luck, I have a feeling I will need it.