Search Results for: Lifestyle

What did the manager do when the pitch became flooded?
He sent on his subs.

Football is a funny old game, and not only because of the players’ hairstyles. Football’s Funniest Jokes is guaranteed to raise a chuckle even if you’re still feeling sore about that goal that was NEVER off-side.

Enjoy the glorious game in a whole new way with this mighty collection of rugby puzzles

If you can’t watch the match from the comfort of your own toilet, you need something just as gripping to keep you enthralled. Whether it’s spotting the difference between two crunching tackles or locating world-famous stadiums, this puzzle book is just the ticket. These amusing activities and fun facts will prove a sure-fire winner with any fan of the game.

From bestselling author and professional brain-teaser Hugh Jassburn, this eye-catching collection will pit your wits against such challenges as these:

– Find all the items of rugby kit hidden in a word search
– Unscramble the names of famous players at Anagram RFC
– Guess the year when the Rugby Football Union officially endorsed the oval-shaped ball
– Prove you know what the various signals made by the referee and their assistants actually mean
A superb gift idea, this is an all-round treat for rugby obsessives and casual fans alike.

When you’re finished explaining the offside rule, shouting at the ref and perfecting your ball skills, treat yourself to a hearty half-time chuckle with this premiere collection of footy wise-cracks. No matter if your team win, lose or draw, Football Wit will keep you smiling through all the own goals and red cards that come your way.

“Everything you need to know about strength training” – Emily Campbell, Olympian

Empower your mind, strengthen your body and build your best life with this girl-power guide to strength training

This is your Strong Woman Era, a new phase of growth, fulfilment and success. It’s time to invest in practices that make you feel mentally and physically strong – because you are! Through resistance training, you can harness your power and realize just how much you can achieve. That’s where this guide comes in.

Filled with helpful tips, practical advice and energizing affirmations, this wellness and weightlifting companion will support you on your journey to becoming your strongest self.

Inside you’ll discover the benefits of strength training, how you can personalize your approach and all the ways exercise can nourish your mind and body.

This bold book will accompany you on your training journey, from starting out to seeing progress and committing to your routine. With a selection of staple strength-building exercises and daily wellness rituals, you can achieve your short- and long-term fitness goals.

It’s the dawn of a new era; time for women to build, lift and thrive.

This pocket-sized miscellany, packed with fascinating facts, handy hints and captivating stories and quotes from the world of bikes, is perfect for anyone who knows the incomparable joy of cycling.

This pocket-sized miscellany, packed with fascinating facts, handy hints and captivating stories and quotes from the world of running, is perfect for anyone who knows the incomparable joy and freedom of lacing up your trainers and hitting the road.

‘Dance is the hidden language of the soul.’
Martha Graham
This pocket-sized miscellany, packed with fascinating facts, captivating stories and inspiring quotes from the world of dance, is perfect for anyone who knows the incomparable joy and freedom of slipping on your dance shoes and expressing yourself through movement to music.

The only gear you need is ‘go’.

Fixies and single-speeds take cycling back to square one. They’re the ride of choice for hipsters, tricksters and hardmen alike – bare-bones bikes that can be dressed up or stripped down; simple machines that have inspired a diverse, inventive culture and innovative designs in a host of industries. This book celebrates the art and craft of one-gear bikes with stunning photos of rides from around the world. Includes inspirational quotes.

Did You Know…
Who won 152–0 in 2002, the largest margin of victory in an international fixture? The stories behind rugby’s best nicknames, like ‘Suitcase’, ‘Raspberry’ and ‘The Fun Bus’? How the first-ever ‘own try’ was scored in 2014? It may not always be beautiful, but rugby is a glorious game. Whether you’re a devoted fan, a keen player or a complete newcomer, there’s no other sport where titans clash with so much heart and soul. Bringing together history, trivia, amusing anecdotes and fresh insights, this handy volume will be your sweet chariot through the world of the oval ball.

This pocket-sized miscellany, packed with fascinating facts, handy hints and captivating stories and quotes from the world of walking, is perfect for anyone who knows the incomparable joy and freedom of lacing up your hiking boots and heading for the hills.

A book for bike lovers.
Whether for transport, leisure or sporting endeavour, cycling supports and inspires millions across the globe. This fact-filled miscellany looks at biking from its origins through to its remarkable scope and status in the present day. Covering cycling’s great races, athletes and anecdotes, Ride also provides practical tips on how to maintain your bike and improve your riding.

In my late thirties, it gradually dawned on me that I had become Jason’s regular hooker. It was an arrangement that worked well for a couple of reasons. He didn’t need me to dress up in anything particularly risqué or to do anything too vulgar, other than cuddle in the middle of a field with him and fourteen other men on a Saturday afternoon.
Steven Gauge’s response to an impending midlife crisis didn’t involve piercings, tattoos or a red sports car – instead, he decided to take up rugby. What he found on the pitch was a wonderful game, far removed from the professional televised glamour of international rugby, where ordinary blokes with ordinary jobs (and some extraordinary bellies) get together once in a while and have a great time rolling around in the mud.
By the end of his first few seasons, Steven had cracked his nose and various other parts of his anatomy – but he had cracked the game too, and found a place in the club as Captain of the Fourths.

For Anna, a cycling enthusiast, the decision to ride 4,000 miles solo around the coast of the UK wasn’t that hard. Following the river from London until it became the sea, then following the sea until it reached the mouth of the Thames again was a beautifully simple idea. But after epic highs, incredible lows, unforgettable scenery and unpronounceable place names – as well as a hearty battle with some good old British weather – her simple idea turns into a compelling journey of self-discovery, and an eye-opening insight into what makes the island where she lives so special.

What did the manager do when the pitch became flooded?
He sent on his subs.
God and the devil were having an argument, and Satan proposed a football game between heaven and hell to resolve the dispute.
God, in his eternal goodness, pointed out that it wouldn’t be a fair match because all the ‘good’ players go to heaven.
The devil smiled, replying, ‘Yes, but we’ve got all the refs.’
Football is obviously very serious business – like when that disallowed goal was ‘never off-side’, and that was ‘totally a dive’ – but it’s a funny old game really. This compendium of hilarious jokes will help you see the lighter side when your team is showing you up, and give your mates a good chuckle at the celebrations when they win. 

You don’t need to compete in the Tour de France to appreciate the wonders of two wheels, and you don’t need to be a genius to enjoy this book. So when your legs deserve a rest after you’ve been out on the bike, how about a puzzle or two to exercise the mind? From quick quizzes and riddles to more leisurely crosswords and sudoku, whether you’re a cycling superfan or just enjoy the occasional ride, there’s plenty in these pages to tickle your fancy and get your brain into gear.

In which year did the first televised football match take place? What were the first shin pads made out of?  Who held the shortest ever managerial position, at a record-breaking ten minutes? From the humble beginnings of Notts County football club in 1862 to the technical heights of the game that we watch today, football is a sport treasured by millions of people across the globe. Packed with facts and trivia, this miscellany takes you on a tour through the origins of the game, its key players and famous rivalries, and the triumphs and scandals that colour its history. Whether you’re a new fan, a keen player or an avid spectator, For the Love of Football is perfect for anyone who knows the incomparable joy of the beautiful game.  

Prepare for a sporting contest like no other!

Any true fan knows that the porcelain umpire’s chair is an ideal place to put your sporting knowledge to the test. This compendium of fun activities and quiz questions will have you spotting the difference at Wembley, finding a lost helmet at Lord’s, and going for gold in Olympic omniscience.

From bestselling author and professional brain-teaser Hugh Jassburn, this illustrated puzzle book includes a range of challenges relating to football, rugby, tennis, cricket, athletics, golf, boxing, basketball, rowing, snooker and more.

Pit your wits against such quiz questions as these:

– What is the lowest darts score you can’t achieve with a single dart?
– In 1981 Muhammad Ali retired from boxing – what was his career record?
– What is Tiger Woods’ real first name?
– Who was the first cricket player to score a century and take ten wickets in a test match?
– What sport has four letters, is played all around the world, and begins with a “t”?
A winning gift idea, this book will score a major-league success with sport obsessives and casual fans alike.

The Great North Road is Britain’s Route 66 – we’ve just forgotten how to sing its praises

In 1921, Britain’s most illustrious highway, the Great North Road, ceased to exist – on paper at least. Stretching from London to Edinburgh, the old road was largely replaced by the A1 as the era of the motor car took hold.

A hundred years later, journalist and cyclist Steve Silk embraces the anniversary as the perfect excuse to set off on an adventure across 11 days and 400 miles. Travelling by bike at a stately 14 miles per hour, he heads north, searching out milestones and memories, coaching inns and coffee shops.

Seen from a saddle rather than a car seat, the towns and the countryside of England and Scotland reveal traces of Britain’s remarkable past and glimpses of its future. Instead of the familiar service stations and tourist hotspots, Steve tracks down the forgotten treasures of this ancient highway between the two capitals.

The Great North Road is a journey as satisfying for the armchair traveller as the long-distance cyclist. Enriched with history, humour and insight, it’s a tribute to Britain and the endless appeal of the open road.

Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2018

If you had told Helen two years ago that she would be getting up at 6 a.m. on Sundays to swim in a freezing reservoir and spending her Saturday nights unshowered and covered in mud in a pub, she would have spat out her champagne. But when everyone around you starts settling down, what else is a glamorous party girl to do but to launch herself into the world of endurance sport?

For someone who didn’t even own a pair of flat shoes (and definitely no waterproofs), Helen would soon find she had a lot to learn.

Join Helen on her hilarious and soul-searching journey as she swaps a life of cocktail bars and dating for the challenges and exhilaration of triathlons, trail runs, obstacle races, long-distance cycles and ocean swims… and sets herself the seemingly impossible goal of qualifying as a Team GB triathlete.

Sport can bring out the best in us… and the worst.
The high-pressure world of competitive sport has been shaken over the years by a series of major scandals. Involving drugs, sex, violence, money or pure and simple cheating, these incidents have ruined reputations, fuelled suspicions and shocked loyal supporters. Highlighting some of the most memorable cases from around the world, Norman Ferguson explores both recent and historic instances of dishonesty, betrayal and outrageous unsporting behaviour.
Over 35 scandals, including:
How cancer-survivor Lance Armstrong deceived his fans and cheated his way to seven Tour de France victories The World Cup bidding processes that brought the FBI to FIFA’s door Figure skater Tonya Harding’s sinister plot to break the leg of her rival, Nancy Kerrigan

Do you know…
– Who holds the world record for the fastest marathon run in flip flops, or dressed as a beer can?
– The stories behind the running legends known as ‘Grandma’ and ‘The Buckeye Bullet’?
– Why a race in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is known as the Trail of Tears?

Running is the simplest, the most natural, the most wildly liberating and gloriously exhilarating of sports. All you need is a pair of trainers – and not even that, if you’re one of those barefoot-runner types – and you’re set. But the strength, determination and stamina required to get to the top of your game is something to be admired and aspired to.

Collected here are all the most fascinating insights into the world of running – from its illustrious history to tales of modern-day greats – that you could ever need to inspire your next run. This miscellany is perfect for anyone who knows the incomparable joy of hitting the road, whether you’re on your first 5K or your latest ultramarathon!

A bike can be so many different things – a simple way of navigating busy city streets or enjoying quiet lanes, a cross-country steed to take a rider up hill and down dale or even a world-beating racing machine. What unites everyone who rides is that they each have their own cycling story to tell.
This book collects inspirational stories from riders around the world, both ordinary and extraordinary, from the cyclist who conquered Mont Ventoux on a Boris bike, to the trials rider who hops from building to building, to classic tales of Grand Tour rivalries and legendary cycling records of days gone by. Essential reading for anyone who loves life on two wheels.

Laura was a self-certified couch potato who, until a few years ago, could only run for a couple of minutes at a time, and couldn’t swim. She has now completed several marathons and is a committed triathlete.
But Laura couldn’t have achieved what she has without the advice and support of her friend Katie. A life-long runner, fair-weather cyclist and born-again swimmer, Katie helped Laura through the ups and downs of training for a triathlon. As well as surmounting fears of failure and, more importantly, Laura’s fears of drowning in the swim start, their triathlon journey gave them the opportunity to push their limits and have fun along the way.
Tricurious tells Laura’s and Katie’s story with energy and humour. Filled with anecdotes and advice about the trials and tribulations of preparing for a triathlon, this inspiring book will answer your questions and leave you curious to experience the joy (and pain) of swim, bike, run.

From Dark Peak on the Pennine Way in Derbyshire to the misty Malverns in Worcestershire and Milk Hill on the Mid-Wilts Way, walking the county high points provides the perfect opportunity for ramblers to experience the English countryside. An indefatigable walker, David Bathurst has unlaced his boots to produce this unique companion to the country’s most rewarding hilltop trails. His appreciation of the beauty and history of the British countryside and his light-hearted style will appeal to experienced and novice walkers alike.