cracked ribs

A third placed finish isn’t bad…

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Hey all.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend.

I was over in Italy competing in the Cervia Beach Soccer Championships. We lost the first game 5-3 then won 7-3 and 4-3.

Sandown Sociedad in Italy...

In the final game we were 3-0 down before clawing our way back into the game. I managed to save two penalties in the final minute of the game to hold on. On a personal level I was pretty happy with my performance. Especially as I was competing against fantastic beach soccer players with a cracked rib. If it wasn’t for the painkillers, I’d have never got through it.

I arrived back in the UK last night to hear the news about Ryan Dunn dying in a car accident. Very sad news. The guy was a bit of a ledge really. 34 is no age. Still, it teaches us to live for the moment. We really have no idea what the future holds, if anything.

I’m clambering my weary body back into the pool today. With the exception of Beach Soccer, I’ve done nothing for weeks. I feel like I’m pregnant with a food baby. Plus, I really need to get my training back on schedule if I’m going to complete my swim of the Solent in August.

Remember, you can donate at www.gandtippers.com/swim. Any pennies you have will be greatly received.

Be safe all. x

Italy, Solent Swimming & Painkillers…

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Hello all,

I sit here at my desk, slightly bricking for a couple of reasons. I’m off to Italy straight after tonights G and Tippers Show to compete in the Beach Soccer European Cup. While that exciting on one level, on anther level it’s terrifying.

1. I am not a good flyer. How the fuck those things stay in the air is beyond me.

2. My ribs haven’t healed at anything like the rate I hoped they would. So my plan is painkillers and booze.

Syndol...Yuengling...

Painkillers and booze. Basically the staple diet of an 80’s hair metaller. Or ‘c*nt’ as I like to call them.

Cunts...

On the brightside, after Italy, I will be getting straight back on the swimming mission. Even if it kills me, I am not failing to swim the Solent. If I do, I have to walk down the main high street of my home town completely naked. That’s not something I’m paticularly happy about doing! Well, unless I have a fluffer on scene to make me look less like a child.

Yum...

You can donate to my swim attempt by visiting www.gandtippers.com/swim or by paying via Paypal to the email address garethicke@hotmail.com.

Check out tonights radio show on www.vectisradio.com. We’re on air from 7pm to 10pm British time.

I love using pictures for some reason. 🙂

Much love. x

A Rib Crippler…

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Oi.

I hope you are all well and smiling.

I am somewhat nauseous at the minute. It’s one of the main symptoms of having a nicely cracked rib.

I came back to Beach Soccer at the weekend for the first time in almost 2 seasons. It was great to be back and performed pretty well in two victories. 7-2 and 7-4. However, while diving at an attackers feet, I took a nasty knee to my ribs.

Because I’ve had so much surgery, my pain threshold is pretty high. I picked myself up and got on with the game. Unfortunately the pain increased over the following couple of days and a trip to A&E confirmed a crack.

My major problem now is that this throws almost everything into doubt.

I have two Beach Soccer games this Saturday, two Isle of Wight Festival slots the following weekend before heading off to Italy to compete in the Beach Soccer European Cup. That’s not to mention the fact that my Swimming/Gym training has now taken a Titanic style nosedive.

I am a positive person generally and I heal pretty quickly. So I figured I’d spend a couple of days reading through my book and changing a few bits before proof reading. That’s where the nauseous part comes in. I laid down for a 10 minute rest at about 2pm yesterday and woke up at half 7.

I’ve tried again today and managed to get through a couple of chapters before feeling too sick to concentrate. How annoying is that!?

I’m hammering painkillers and hoping I’ll be alert and on form for Tomorrows G and Tippers Show. We have Jason Perry from A on the show.

x