Today rags to riches

O Sauber. Why would you do this?

Chelsea were once respected and admired because they built up their victories, then a billionaire took over and we became a joke. We had bought our way to the top.

I know this won’t happen in f1 bit really???? There is already one controlling billionaire in motorsport, do we really need another to get his foot in the door?

As more news of this appears I’m struggling to see what chelsea get out of it. Sponsors get space to show themselves off. Chelsea are one of the most famous teams in the world now.

I don’t think this will be as good as sauber are trying to make it look. Money good yes. A step in for abramovich? Please say no…

Today: Running

 

 

 

 

 

No points for guessing what I’m going to blog about today!

 

Those of you who follow me on twitter will have noticed automatically generated tweets from Nike+ with some pathetic graph with what seems to be a horribly uneven run.

 

Again, no points as to who they belong to.

 

I’ve been doing interval training for a little while and had got to the point where I could run for half the time i allotted myself and walk the rest, so I decided to get on the distance goal. 5km.

 

However since I am working in miles as my units, it’s actually 5 miles.

 

I am now on week 3, a week where I am running 2 miles on the allotted days. It’s a bit annoying that I have missed at least one run per week, but they are mainly at the weekends when I’m not near a gym and I’m too scared to let people see me in my lycra!

 

I kind of like it. It gives me goals and indicates where I have missed runs, which makes me feel bad. And I like the lovely lady who tells me when I’m half way there and only have 400m to go…

 

I’m determined to run a full 2miles before my first every attempt at the 3 mile run on Sunday (Which I will try… on the streets of Cardiff!), you see I have been running half distance at least, before intervalling the last half distance. I have been running it more, but I’ve recently had issues with cramp in my shin which locks my foot into place, meaning I can’t physically walk.

 

So here is an official declaration of my aim for the week regarding my run:

 

I will run 2 miles in under 22 mins.

 

I’m not going to say I won’t interval. Because when it comes to me running 4 miles I will have to run 2 miles first to stick to my “Run half Interval half” rule.

 

I promise by the end of this 12 week program I will run the full 5 miles. I’ll even start working towards the 10km(mile) one. Haven’t really looked at that coaching program yet but I’m sure it’s scary!

 

I used to really hate running. But I’m enjoying it now, I’ve even made playlists depending on what distance I’m going to be doing! Today, since I have to run 2 miles, It’s my workout-2 playlist. Yeah go on then, I’ll tell you what songs they are, but no making fun!

 

1. Pixie Lott – All About Tonight
2. One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful
3. Taylor Swift – Long Live
4. Taylor Swift – Enchanted
5. Phil Collins – Take Me Down
6. Glee Cast – Me Against the Music

 

Yep, only 6 songs but it lasts 24 mins. So I know that when Phil Collins comes on I’m nearly done! I’ve gone for the beats in the music and how the lyrics make me feel rather than pure taste. I need the inspiration to carry on at the moment, but when running gets easier I’m hoping that I will beable to listen to anything and just keep on running…

 

I’ve also started up on my sponsored diet again. I know It’s been a while and it’s not like I’ve been mis-behaving or anything. I’ve managed to maintain my weight so I’ve kicked the healthy eating into a higher gear to get my metabolism working again. I am determined to lose all 30lbs I said. I also want to get fitter and healthier.

 

Shall I put down some new goals? I don’t think I should put a time constraint on it because that is REALLY demotivational if you start to fall behind. I’m not strong enough mentally to pick myself up again really! Ok here goes…

 

1. Lose the final 15lbs to reach the 30lb target
2. Run a mile in 9mins or less
3. Run for 30 mins without tiring
4. Boobs stick out more than the tum….without sucking in!
5. Get to small for my trousers

 

I think they are pretty good don’t you think? I should also add here about blogging more. But you will get at least 1 blog a week from me, every Monday after 7pm (UK time) which is my new weigh in time. Infact you’ll get some more when it comes to F1 weekends. Because I’m sure I’ll have more opinions to express and get frustrated about over the remaining races!

 

Any advice or motivational talk then please do comment. Or follow me on twitter @harriparf. Just be aware I like tweeting about #worklife #buslife foursquare and chatting about #F1. And science. And anything really…

 

Related articles

 

• The First Mile is for Me. (threelilsisters.wordpress.com)
• The ‘run a mile a day for a year’ challenge (lifebleach.com)
• Today: End of Week 9 (harriparf.wordpress.com)
• Today: The End of Week Five (harriparf.wordpress.com)

 

Today: Bahrain Broadcasted

Vettel driving during Friday practice (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This weekend of racing has been a mixture of emotions.

On the track, the event was incredible, more wheel to wheel action, more over takes and a different person from a different team on the top step of the podium. And although it’s the familiure finger of Sebastian Vettel filling our TV screens, he is the 4^th person to take to the top step this season.

Off the track was a whole other board game. Protests, a death, a political uproar…. You name it and I can pretty much assure you that that is what the media were reporting.

Though a quote from Damon Hill today, to which Martin Brundle (SkySports F1) backed up was:

“From what I have experienced here, and what I have seen in the media, are different. I felt fine going round Bahrain…”

Or words to that effect.

My twitter feed has been filled with my opinions of the Bahrain GP, infact I have blogged previously on it. I stand by what I said then, but I will add this analogy for you, one which people I know have had to go through.

Imagine you are working for an oil company. You know there are some pretty rough places out in the world, places you have heard on the news, places that your work are considering sending you to. These places include: Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Nigeria. Your raise the issue of travelling to these places and your work place agrees to inspect the location you are going to work for safety reasons.

Your workplace present the evidence to you, evidence from local security, local government, and external security forces. The evidence states that the place they are to send you to is safe.

You know that there are areas of these places which suffer unrest, infact you have heard it on the news, but only in fleeting passes.

Sound familiar?

It should. Because that is what happened in Formula One. Hindsight is a powerful thing and I bet if they could make a decision now about the race they wouldn’t have gone there. But as was pointed out as well by Martin Brundle, there has been a major golf and cricket tournament held there within the past month, where arguably, they received more coverage on the sports channels.

Why has F1 had to get involved in this? The media.

Simple two words but they have blown everything skywards. F1 had no choice to go there as soon as the FIA declared it fine to go and the teams said yes. I have great respect for those who openly spoke against it, Force India being the main ones with Ross Brawn saying that a dialogue was needed if a situation like this ever arised again.

As everyone was just doing as they were told I believe that it was a decision unfortunately taken out of the teams hands.

What this weekend has taught me, and what I hope everyone will take away from this, is that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Bahrain, according to the media, was a hell on Earth. According to the people there it was an uncomfortable situation, as they didn’t know how to feel about it.

I will from now on take the media reports with a pinch of salt. Yes Sky News is owned by the idiot that is Murdoch, and yes the BBC are meant to be impartial. But if it wasn’t for the F1 being there then nobody would be interested.

Thursday this news was headlines for the sports news.

Only by Friday evening was it hitting the main headlines, which goes to show how horrific the news is. It feeds on terrible news and information and doesn’t mind taking a small line from someone and making it seem like gospel. So please people, form your own opinions. Whether it is fom an amalgamation of the news sources, or from people you know have been there (the latter being where my info has come from).

And when it comes to activist groups and those involved with human rights… eat a spoonful of salt. They make everything worse than it is to just get it attention. (No bad thing I suppose… but not the right way to do things).

Should they have gone? No.

Did they have any choice in the matter? No.

Should Jean Todt be smacked in the face for saying that “things outside the circuit are of no importance to us” ? YES.

And before anybody comments, just know I was writing this down to get it out of my head. This weekend has caused a lot of thinking to be done by everyone it seems.

Related articles

• Bahrain ‘confident’ of GP finish (express.co.uk)
• UK News: Bahrain ‘confident’ of GP finish (walesonline.co.uk)
• GP Bahrain, commenti post gara – 22/04/2012 (ghiaccioinvisibile.wordpress.com)

Today F1 in Bahrain

The question just seems to be should they go? It’s a rubbish situation to be in because financially and contractually yes, but then in a media dominated world, no.

I’m not professing to know everything, nor have the correct view point on this situation, but unlike to think I have more insite than some. You see my dad has been living in Bahrain for half a year, and in his usual sense has a strong opinion on the whole issue. Not just motor racing.

He says that although there are flaws in the way the police handle the protests, It’s not wholly different to the mistakes our police made during the student and London riots last year, granted the death rate was significantly less, but the equipment available was to.

They get the right to protest. And the police let them as long as they stay their roundabout and not block the main routes through the island, much like sticking to a planned protest route. There is also a statue of a boat on this roundabout, which has been untouched even through there has been tire burning on a regular basis. There is a resturaunt on one of the roads there, and my dad has seen it.

All those human rights people out there have seemed to throw their toys outta the box by saying they have no right to anything. Well without going into politics about suni and shia Muslims, (I know my spelling is bad… I’m on my phone!) At least they can protest, unlike in Saudi, where you will just be shot.

The protestors have said they won’t actively interfere with the race, just make their voices heard. The police cannot guarentee safety because like in all protests there are the idiots who go just to be idiots. Bernie ecclestone has met with who he needs to and says that he sees no reason not to go. Which is true, because apart from public opinion, there isn’t really anything to be worried about.

Unless public opinion is something to be highly concerned about. And if that’s the case, whose opinion is more public? And if human rights people say that the locals have no voice, then should we listen to the information coming out of Bahrain?

Who knows. I’m torn over wanting to watch an F1 race and the apparent risk to safety. I can’t just ignore what my dad has said because he was actually there. But then again all opinions should be taken with a pinch of salt.

But forgoodness sake just make a decision!