Gladstone

So - it was very windy yesterday at Brodie Castle 10k, so I didn't manage the sub 37 I was hoping for but clocked a big PB of 37:41 and got my first top 10 finish! Pretty chuffed overall

1:43 is a good time - "not really a runner"?? Loads of runners out there would love that time! Well done! If you're picking up injuries you're probably overdoing things in training - not building up gradually enough is the common mistake. Your body will be well adapted to the rigours of football and tennis but it takes time for your legs to build up the ness scary strength etc to be able to cope with the repetitive strain of running long distance.

So, aye - how's the running going folks!? I haven't been on the forum for about 6 months... Just read back and good to see ca_gere managing his first half marathon! Well done loon, well done! You managed to not absolutely beast yourself in the first 3 miles which is a win in itself - I know plenty of experienced runners who still get caught up in the moment at the start of races and wonder why they're getting overtaken in the final couple of miles! I've had a pretty good past year or so - can't quite remember when my last update was but the first half of this year was totally marathon focused with Edinburgh Marathon at the end of May. I ran my first cross country race since school in February at Haddo House and managed 5th place which I was damn pleased with! I then ran Inverness Half Marathon in 1:23:49 which was a big step forward and a couple of weeks later ran Garioch HM as a marathon training run in 1:29:something or other. Then it was just all training - I was going to run Baker Hughes but I strained a calf muscle 6 weeks out from the marathon so opted against Baker Hughes in favour of getting one last long run in. Marathon target was sub 3 and the training was there - but on the day there was an absolute fucker of a headwind from mile 18 all the way to the finish and I finished in 3:03:39. Very pleased with that! Obviously sub 3 would have been better but I know the wind played a huge factor - I lost 5 mins in the last 5 miles and it wasn't because I was fucked, I just didn't have it in me to push against the gale force wind at that pace!! Since then, my social calendar seems to have worked against me in terms of entering 10k races etc. over the Summer. I was hoping to have a blast at Aviemore 10k as it's supposed to be a good PB course, but I had a wedding that weekend. I've ran a few Parkruns and quickest has been 18:05 - going to have a bash at the new Ellon Parkrun on Saturday and see if I can't dip under 18 mins, then 1st November it's Brodie Castle 10k (replaces the old Dyke 10k) - I think sub 37 should be on the cards, but we'll see... And then 15th November it's Fraserburgh Half Marathon - not quite sure what the target is yet - will see how the next couple of weeks go first but certainly be hoping for a decent PB! Chris - I see your legendary club mate has represented GB this summer! Was it at the hill racing world champs or something? He's a beast!!

Messi getting the Golden Ball was the biggest token gesture I've ever seen. There are loads of players who had a bigger impact than Messi. He didn't light up the tournament like they obviously expected him to. They probably engraved his name on the trophy before the tournament started. Rodriguez and Neymar are two that spring to mind that did more than Messi. Look how utterly terrible Brazil were after Neymar was out of the team. The Germans were definitely the best team in all the games I saw. Not a great final but it was still intriguing and what a goal to win the tournament. Great take, great finish. Schweinsteiger was an absolute beast in the middle of the park. What a guy to have marshalling the midfield.

I'm not saying Scotland would have destroyed them but definitely if Brazil played like that and I know it's hypothetical and Germany caused them to play like that etc, then Scotland could have beaten them. They were incredibly shit all over the pitch. Scotland would have enough attacking creativity and threat to cause that defence problems, we could have beaten that team in a midfield battle and their attackers were pish too. But aye - all hypothetical of course.

Alves is a player that could at least pose some sort of threat in attack. Brazil were so lacklustre last night. I'm still coming to terms with that being a World Cup semi-final. I think Scotland would have beaten that Brazil last night. Genuinely.

To be fair, until last night I thought Brazil looked solid enough (by Brazilian standards) at the back. Goes to show how important Silva has been back there. But for Neymar, that's the worst attacking Brazil I've ever seen so Pele probably not that far off the mark. They were shite in equal measures defensively, creatively and attacking last night. I laughed out loud when the 5th went in. The spell from goal 2 to goal 5 was like watching a game at Strikers when the team that's played 5s together for years takes apart the team made up of a few work colleagues with a couple of guys who have never played competitive football and the token fat bloke in goals. In the semi final of the World Cup. Incredible.

Germany were really good but that was all about absolutely terrible defending. Luiz is ok normally but last night demonstrated that he is not the man to take charge of a defence. Holy fuck. The marking for most of the goals was so terrible. Far too easy for the Germans. When the 5th went in they took the foot off the gas otherwise that could have been incredibly embarrassing, even more so than it was. That could very easily have been 6 or 7 by half time. It wasn't just shit defending either. Last night just showed how pish Brazil are and without just two players, they got found out very badly. They need Neymar so much to pose any sort of attacking threat and they clearly need Silva at the back probably even more so. Hulk should be up there for worst player of the tournament. I can't believe Brazil can't find a better left winger than him. I'd love to see his stats for the tournament - I bet his pass complete rate is very very low. I don't think he kept the ball once last night. Fred got 1 goal and dived for a penalty - apart from that he barely touched the ball. His movement is terrible. Again, is there no better Brazilian striker in the world than this cunt?? Oscar was great in the first game but then posted missing for the rest of the tournament apart from starting one move last night and scoring the consolation goal. The midfield was spineless too. I can't believe they got to the semi finals actually. Two man team for sure. Germany have to be favourites now. I think a Germany v Netherlands final would be best.

Goodwillie = Badcunt

We want 10.

SEMI FINALS Brazil [MILNER] v Germany [CAPTAIN AMERICA] Netherlands [MOOSE] v Argentina [PARANOID ANDROID]

I'm joining Team Moose.

Fucking stupid game.

QUARTER FINALS Brazil [MILNER] v Colombia [MR OWL PHD] France [CHRIS] v Germany [CAPTAIN AMERICA] Netherlands [MOOSE] v Costa Rica [OLD GOLD] Argentina [PARANOID ANDROID] v Belgium [GLADSTONE]

It was a pretty twitchy final 15 last night. Where the Americans pulled that from we'll never know but they had Belgium pinned right back after looking like we could have beaten them 10-0 in the first half of extra time. The gaffer keeps making amazing substitutions that keep winning matches but what the fuck he was doing with that final sub I don't know. The weight of Fellaini's hair clearly gets tiresome after 105 minutes. He looked desperate to be anywhere other than on a football pitch doing some hard graft to get to the quarter finals of the World Cup. I would have shaved the cunt's head in the dressing room afterwards. Anyway - great match and the best team over the course won. Argentina are getting humped in the ass next.