Now the dust has – just – settled on the streets of the London Marathon let’s spare a thought for all those non-runners. Even before the race start, competition was keen with over 50,000 disappointed applicants unable to take part and the situation is no different across all the World Marathon Majors.

But if you’re still serious about testing your body to its limits, a triathlon event can be an interesting and much more accessible option with less pressure on places. The triathlon event comprises 3 consecutive disciplines of swim, bike and run, with distances to suit all abilities from super sprints to Olympic levels.

At the pinnacle of the triathlon family are the gruelling Ironman competitions, testing the triathletes with increased distances. The toughest courses in Hawaii and the Canaries also add the infinitely more glamorous ingredients of ocean, volcano and scorching sunshine.

Indeed Lanzarote’s Ironman Triathlon is almost upon us, due to take place this year on 20th May, with registration for both men and women closing on 1st May 2006. Lanzarote will see over 800 competitors attempt to complete a 3.8km (2.4 mile) swim, 180km (112.5 mile) volcano bike ride followed by a 42km or 26 mile marathon run, all in one day.

Attracting some of the world’s best professional athletes, the event is definitely not for the fainthearted although the schedule of activities lasts for a few days with fun runs in the week leading up to the event itself, and parties and award ceremonies during the evenings.

If the sun, fun and party elements sound appealing but you find you’re just not quite able to hone your body into this superfit category, then just slow the pace down a notch or two with a stay at Lanzarote’s Club La Santa, official headquarters of the Ironman and recognised as one of the world’s top sports resorts.

Combining superb sports facilities with all year round sunshine, the Canaries are easily reached throughout the summer and winter, see XL to find out about a cheap Lanzarote flight. The Club’s triathlon instructors are available for personal coaching for those more serious athletes with organised professional events such as the Volcano Triathlon as well as weekly smaller triathlon and duathlon events with free participation available for all guests.

Author:
Michael Hanna

About Michael
Michael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland:

Contact details:
E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com
Phone: 0131 561 2251
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Hawaii, the world’s number one vacation spot, is also host to one of the premier sports attractions every winter: the NFL Pro Bowl. On Saturday, February 10, 2007, the best players from the AFC will challenge their counterparts from the NFC in the classic face-off, set in Honolulu’s 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu.
If you’re wondering how the Pro Bowl stacks up against the Super Bowl, there’s no contest: Pro Bowl tickets are easier to get and are less expensive, you don’t have to fight crowds, and nothing beats relaxing in the Hawaii sun and watching the pros strut their stuff in warm, picture-perfect playing conditions.
Being a huge sports fan myself, every year I book one of the Pro Bowl packages to Oahu – and every year I have a fantastic time. And this year (yes, I’ve already booked my trip), I’m taking advantage of a great Pro Bowl vacation package I found that starts at just $1,349 per person (double occupancy) and includes round-trip airfare from Los Angeles or San Francisco (my home base), accommodations for four nights, game tickets, airport/hotel transfers, transfers to and from Aloha Stadium on game day, and a VIP Official NFL Pro Bowl Tailgate Party, including reserved seating, drinks, VIP menu, and visits with the NFL players and cheerleaders (it just doesn’t get any better than this!).
As for the game, it’s anyone’s guess. But whether Peyton and Eli Manning go head to head, Tom Brady’s a “lock” or LaDainian Tomlinson runs wild, a great time is sure to be had by all.
About The Author: Don Carter is a freelance travel writer and football fan who, in his spare time, acts as a consultant for travel companies that create and sell vacation packages, giving them tips on improving their client offerings and rating the hotels and sites featured in their vacation packages. He also contributes to several travel guides. For information on the Pro Bowl package Carter is taking advantage of this year, visit www.PleasantHolidays.com.

How the Game Evolved:
There is general agreement that the Scots were the earliest of golf addicts but who actually invented the game is open to debate. We know that golf has existed for at least 500 years because James II of Scotland, in an Act of Parliament dated March 6, 1457, had golf and football banned because these sports were interfering too much with archery practice sorely needed by the loyal defenders of the Scottish realm!
It has been suggested that bored shepherds tending flocks of sheep near St. Andrews became adept at hitting rounded stones into rabbits holes with their wooden crooks. And so a legend that persists to this day was born!
Various forms of games resembling golf were played as early as the fourteenth century by sportsmen in Holland, Belgium and France as well as in Scotland. But it was a keen Scottish Baron, James VI, who brought the game to England when he succeeded to the English throne in 1603.
For many years the game was played on rough terrain without proper greens, just crude holes cut into the ground where the surface was reasonably flat!
Early Golf Organizations:Early golfers played at the game for many years without any thought of forming a society or club until finally a group of Edinburgh golfers in 1744 formed a club called the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.
At this time, the first rules of golf, 13 in all, were drawn up for an annual competition between sportsmen from any part of Great Britain and Ireland. A few years later the Society of St. Andrews Golfers was formed and in 1834, when King William IV became the Society’s patron, the title was changed to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.
The earliest clubs formed outside of Scotland was the Royal Blackheath Golf Club of England which came into existence in 1766, followed by the Old Manchester Golf Club founded on the Kersal Moor in 1818. 18th century golf in the United States, while known to exist, did not catch on and it was in Canada that golf first established firm roots in North America.
The Royal Montreal Club was formed in 1873, the Quebec Golf Club in 1875 followed by a golf club at Toronto in 1876. It wasn’t until 1888 that golf resurfaced in the United States. A Scotsman, John Reid, first built a three hole course in Yonkers, New York near his home and later that same year formed the St. Andrews Club of Yonkers on a nearby 30 acre site. From those austere beginnings, golf literally soared as a new national pastime in the United States.
A modern jewel, Shinnecock Hills, was founded in 1891 on Long Island and by the turn of the century, more than 1000 golf clubs had opened in North America.
Early Equipment:
The very earliest club makers were thought to be the skilled craftsmen who produced bows and arrows and other implements of war! The first authentic record of a club maker was in 1603 when William Mayne was appointed to the court of James I of England to make golf clubs for the king and his coherts!
Two Scottish club makers are recognized from the late 1600s, Andrew Dickson of Leith and Henry Mill of St. Andrews. These clubs featured carved wooden heads of beech, holly, dogwood, pear or apple and spliced into shafts of ash or hazel to give the club more whip.
Improvements were made by filling the back of the head with lead and by putting inserts of leather, horn or bone into the club face. In time, skilled blacksmiths of the day took on the challenge of forging iron faced clubs, initially without grooves, to provide more loft for shorter shots.
The earliest balls were hand stitched leather, painstakingly stuffed with boiled feathers! In 1618, James I of England commissioned James Melvill and an associate to make feathery balls for the court. It was an exclusive grant for 21 years with the balls stamped by Melvill and any other ball found in the Kingdom not bearing his trademark were confiscated!
You may well be surprised at the distances achieved by these feathery balls. In dry weather, a well struck feather ball could travel 180 yards (165 m) but when wet only about 150 yards (135 m). However, the feathery ball remained king until the middle of the 19th century. In 1848, a golfing clergyman from St. Andrews, the Reverend Adam Paterson, experimented with a substance from India called gutta-percha.
It had been sent to him as padding covering a gift and he found that the material could be softened with heat and then molded into a hard ball. The gutty as it was known was not an instant success as the smooth ball tended to duck in flight.
Players soon found that its performance improved at the end of a round when the ball received some nicks and scratches. Therefore, newly molded balls were scored all over with a saddler’s hammer with such good playing results that the demise of the feathery was certain.
The gutta-percha ball lasted for approximately 55 years until succeeded by the Haskell ball in 1903. An American dentist, Dr. Coburn Haskell, ran some experiments by tightly wrapping a liquid filled rubber core with strips of elastic then covering it with a gutta-percha casing. North American golfers began to take the new ball seriously when Walter Travis, originally from Australia, won the 1901 United States Amateur Championship using the Haskell ball.
When Alex Herd won the 1902 British Open Championship again using the Haskell ball, golfers everywhere dropped the gutty and clamoured for the Haskell!
Modern balls have a more durable cover of balata or surlyn and various solid core balls with new synthetics have become popular. As well, we have seen the art of club making go from the original wooden clubs, to forged irons, then steel shafts and finally all manner of metal heads with many types of synthetic shafts.
Technology has done wonders for the average golfer but practice, dedication and raw talent still remain a factor as witnessed by Greg Norman’s amazing 63 at Augusta on April 11, 1996, during the first round of the US Masters Championship.
We invite you to South Africa for your next golf holiday. http://www.golferswild.co.za
Rael and Julia Zieve is Golferswild in South Africa – formed in March 2005 as an inbound Golf and Safari Tour Operation. We are a fully fledged I.A.T.A travel agent. We have a “hands on approach”. We will make sure that you enjoy playing your game of golf in South Africa.
If you have any questions or comments please e-mail me on. E-mail Address: golferswild@webcraft.ws Website Address: http://www.golferswild.co.za.

With over half the world’s population expected to watch, the 2008 Olympic Games have already created an uproar across the globe. We in the West can’t talk about the stock market, climate change or human rights without mentioning Beijing 2008. Still our interest pales in comparison to the excitement over the Games in China.
Since China won right to host the Games in 2001, the whole country has been counting down the minutes (literally, and on big digital clocks in places like Tiananmen Square) until 8 pm on August 8, 2008. Today, you’re guaranteed to see the Olympics rings and Fuwa prominently displayed in almost every city. Multiple programs lauding the accomplishments of Chinese Olympians run every night on CCTV Olympics, formerly known as CCTV-5 the nation-wide sports channel, but renamed for the Games. Daily newspaper headlines wonder aloud how great the Games will be. And here in Beijing, the 2008 “One World, One Dream” slogan shows up on billboards, t-shirts and bumper stickers and even in flower arrangements. It’s overwhelming. But why do the Chinese care so much about the 2008 Beijing Olympics?
There are many ways to think about this. I’m going to give you one, which puts the Beijing Olympics in the context of recent Chinese history.
The Chinese journey to Olympic glory began in the second half of the Late Imperial Period. In the late 17th and early 18th century, China was the most powerful nation in the world and its population already numbered close to 300 million (the population of the US today). The Qing, China’s last dynasty, presided over an economy that accounted for 1/3 of the world’s GDP (the US currently accounts for 20% of world GDP), a territory that included Taiwan and Hong Kong and a peaceful society that allowed technological innovation and the development of culture. China was at the height of its power
In the 1700’s, China was so developed, cultured and proud that it didn’t care to interact with the outside world. As they paid less attention to other countries, the Qing became increasingly despotic and corrupt. Refusing to believe that foreigners could produce anything of value, China did not participate in the industrial revolution, which rumbled its way out of Europe in the 1800’s. China kept to itself and didn’t modernize with the West. Isolationism worked just fine for China until a trade dispute with the British brought about the Opium Wars. In the 1840’s and ’50’s, steam powered gun-ships sailed up Chinese rivers, and forced China once again to pay attention to the rest of the world. China’s losses to the British in the Opium Wars were the beginning of the Middle Kingdom’s downward spiral. For the next 90 years, the colonial powers of Britain, Germany, France and Japan took turns beating up big, backward China. No longer even an economic power, by the late 1930’s China had lost both Taiwan and Hong Kong, it’s once proud culture had turned in on itself and challenged everything the Chinese had traditionally held close to heart and society was on the verge of civil war. It was a humiliating fall from greatness for the China.
A long march and a bit of luck brought Mao to Tiananmen Square where he founded the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949. Although many Chinese, swept up in the communist sentiment of the time, brimmed with hope that they would soon return to their place of greatness in the world, they would not see this change under Mao. A series of ill-conceived attempts to modernize the economy and improve society ultimately left China, by the mid 1970’s, right where it started under communist rule – poor, backward and culturally bankrupt. Things began to change in 1978.
“No matter if it’s a white cat or a black cat, as long as it catches mice it’s a good cat.” With these words, Deng Xiaoping initiated in China one of greatest economic transformation that the world has seen in modern times. In test cites, specialized economic zones in southern China, Deng applied pragmatic, market-based economic reforms to China’s planned economy. The success of these zones, like Shenzhen, encouraged the government to spread the reforms across the country.
August 8, 2008, will mark the 30th anniversary of Deng’s jumpstarting China’s economic engine. In this time, China’s economy has grown at better than 8% per year, and in the process it has pulled roughly 400 million people out of poverty. Beijing is now one of the most important political centers in the world, and Chinese culture influences people everywhere, from Europe to Latin America. The Summer Olympics will affirm to the Chinese and the rest of the world that China is back. This is why the Olympics are known as China’s “coming out party” to the world. This is also one reason why the Chinese are so excited for Beijing 2008.

The world famous home of skiing, Austria, is an ideal resort for anyone who enjoys skiing. The fresh alpine slopes, combined with picture-postcard scenery, and a grand culture of centuries old make Austria an ideal holiday destination, whether or not you simply adore skiing like me!
Austria is home to a wide variety of ski resorts, catering for all abilities and tastes. From the lavishly expensive to the bargain basement (yet still of a consistently high quality), Austria has it all, from the highest peaks, to the snowiest landscapes, and with a bit of research you can find some really great deals.
When in Austria, you’d be mad not to ski the alps. The dream of many skiers, the alps span several European countries, and is a must-ski for an enthusiast. Spend a good few days in Austria, and dedicate at least one of them to skiing the alps. You won’t regret it, I can promise you that!
If you put in the research work before you leave, you will generally be able to find some top quality accommodation at low prices. Whether you are booking within a ski resort, or nearby, you should consult the internet to find last minute deals which might help you save money. A good tip to bear in mind is that the star rating given to accommodation does not indicate quality. You might be better off in a one star than a three star for example, given that the star only represents the level of facilities. Additionally, lower star ratings are usually cheaper, so you can benefit from quality, reduced price accommodation if you know where to look. Whatever type of accommodation you opt for, if you are flexible enough to leave for your vacation instantly you will benefit from good deals. Hotels often cut their prices at the last minute, on the basis that some money for a room is better than no money, and so if you’re prepared to get away as soon as possible, you will find it can be really cheap, and you can still have a great time all the same.
On top of that, the internet is home to a variety of low cost airlines which run ‘no frills’, no ticket services. In my personal experience, I have found these airlines to be as good as their more expensive competitors, and just as efficient and comfortable. One word of caution about any airline: make sure they are equipped to handle skiing equipment. Some companies will charge a surplus for your skis, so it is important to ask before you book as to arrangements for bulky or large and fragile goods.
Another highly recommended purchase is insurance for both your equipment and yourself. Things do go wrong, on holiday as well as at home. It is important, therefore to make sure you are covered. Particularly when you are placing your equipment in an airplane hold, or when you are indulging in a dangerous sport like skiing, insurance is important for ensuring you don’t end up high and dry. You can find good deals if you shop around, and it really is worth the few bucks to get that piece of mind, and actual backup in case things go wrong. In a word, it is essential. Don’t leave home without it!
For more skiing tips including the best skiing vacations, visit Ski Trip Planning.

Valderrama Golf the most famous Golf Course on the Costa del Sol Golf and with out doubt Europe, having hosted numerous Volvo Masters events, the American Express championship and of course the now famous 1997 Ryder Cup.

Expensive to play – Yes
Worth the money – No question

Here you can tread in the footsteps of the worlds greatest golfers.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones. The present owner and president, Jaime Ortiz-Patino, took over the Golf Course in 1987. When he was given more land, he then invited Trent Jones back to transform the course, which he did successfully to create Valderrama Golf as we know it today.

The Golf Course itself it is set amongst a cork oak forest on the foothills of the Sierra Bermeja. The fairways are fairly flat and tree lined while the greens are elevated and well protected by bunkers. It is challenging and many words have been used to describe it such as daring, dramatic, demanding etc.

Valderrama Golf has plenty of tales to tell and many of the worlds greatest golfers have succumbed to the difficulties of various holes on the course.

Just ask the worlds greatest golfer, Tiger Woods about the seventeenth which must rank as one of the most famous golfing moments in the world.

Valderrama Golf is such a beautiful Golf Course that it has to be ranked as one of the best in the world of golf. The setting is peaceful and tranquil and is clearly the pride and joy of Jaime Ortiz-Patino.

On arrival the majestic clubhouse and the world class facilities it has to offer which will immediately impress you. Admire the large practice area and imagine you are there alongside the man himself – Tiger Woods.
Costa del Sol Golf – Golf Holidays on the Costa del Sol, Spain

If you are travelling to Barcelona for a short or long term holiday, you might well be thinking about going to see an FC Barcelona game whilst there. Below we discuss ten tips below which will help you to sort out your tickets and to enjoy the game more.
1. Games to La Liga games can change relatively late on due to the TV schedules thus if you are booking many months in advance, you are better off planning to stay in Barcelona for both the Saturday and Sunday so that whichever on those 2 days it is on, you are covered for fixture changes.
2. The Nou Camp Stadium is open roofed and thus despite the lovely weather you can experience in Barcelona, it does rain sometimes and it can get cold in the late evening. Do carry and wear a rain and warm jacket if you can for evening games.
3. Do not worry if you get one of the cheapest sector tickets because you will still see the game okay, although the players might be hard to recognise.
4. Do not forget to take a camera as you will no doubt wish you had once the stadium starts to fill and the atmosphere starts to kick in. It can be quit a scene when the game gets underway.
5. Book well in advance if you are planning to go to the Barcelona v Real Madrid game because this is one of the most popular games of the season and tickets go quickly. The rivalry is fierce between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
6. Go the stadium early enough because there might be 90,000 or so fans and it can take a little while to get in and also make your way to your seat.
7. Why not buy a Barcelona scarf, flag or shirt and get into the real spirit of the game and get behind the local team. You will get even more out of the experience.
8. Read up on the players before the game and you are then bound to appreciate the game more. Get familiar with what number Messi, Henry and Eto’o are and find out who the opponents star players is. It all makes the game more enjoyable.
9. If you go in spring i.e. March or April you can combine your evening game with daytime on the beach. Plan your trip ahead and think about how you can make the most of your day times also.
10. Be safe because there is nothing worse than seeing a wonderful game and then finding your wallet is missing. Keep your wallet in an inside pocket and do not take more money than you really need to. Enjoy your trip to Barcelona!
Barcelona events and tickets.
Barcelona Hospitality and events

So you’ve decided to organize a multi-day river trip with some friends. You’ve all decided what stretch of river you’ll be doing. So what’s next? The key to any successful river trip is in the pre-trip planning. The more you can do ahead of time, the smoother the trip will go, and the more time you will have in camp to explore or relax. After all, this is why you are going on the trip. There are lots of aspects to the pre-planning. And since you are going with a group of friends, not a guide service someone has to do the job of the guide service. However, this doesn’t mean that one person needs to be saddled with the whole job. Instead use the strengths of group and divide and conquer. Pick one or two people with the most familiarity or the most experience to be your group leaders. These people are then responsible for planning the trip itself. They are responsible for getting the maps, planning put ins and take outs, transportation, campsites, number of miles traveled per day, etc. They need to make sure you have all the permits necessary for using land along the river’s edge. The trip leaders also need to check on current river conditions, especially any rapids. It’s always a good idea to contact state and federal agencies that manage land along the river corridor. They often have free maps and information for the public. They’ll need to check with any private land owners as well. Local knowledge is also very valuable. Local outfitters will have the most current information on river conditions, and will know land ownership along the river. You will need a gear coordinator. Someone in the group needs to take charge of getting together a list of what gear the group has collectively, and make sure you have everything you need without over doing it! The gear coordinator needs to make sure there are enough boats for the group size as well as personal floatation devices for all. Camp equipment should include the camp kitchen, tents, group shelters etc. Some river trips require you to pack out all human waste, so a camp latrine will be part of your gear list. Safety equipment is a must and should include throw bags, bow lines, and hardware such as carabineers at a minimum. There should be a good first aid kit in at least one of the boats and some sort of communication device (i.e. VHF radio, cell phone, sat phone, etc.). There should be a safety coordinator in the group as well. This person will work with the gear coordinator to make sure the safety equipment is in working order and that at least a couple of people in the group know how to use it. If only one person knows how to use rescue throw bags and that person is the one needing to be rescued, you’re in trouble. The safety coordinator will also develop standard hand or whistle signals so that you can communicate quickly between boats. This really needs to be established before the trip begins, not when you’re in the middle of the big rapids and voices are lost in the roar of the river. And finally you’ll want a camp chef. This person is not necessarily in charge of all the cooking. Rather they are in charge of planning the menu, buying food, and packing it for the trip. They are also in charge of developing the sign up sheet for kitchen duties. The camp chef will poll the group for food likes and dislikes, food allergies and any budget concerns. Also there may be some members of your group that have food to donate to the trip. Once the information is gathered the chef can plan a menu that will work well on the river. The chef should come up with an estimated budget and present it to the group before finalizing the menu. Packing food is really important, especially in warm weather when spoilage is a concern. Pack one cooler for each day on the river with dinner on the bottom and breakfast on top of the cooler. The most perishable foods should be used first, and the least perishable foods used toward the end of a trip. Each cooler should be labeled and sealed. Let the group know that it is taboo to open any cooler before the day it is labeled for. This will insure that the cold stays in as long as possible. You should pack lunch coolers separately. Lunch coolers will contain 2-3 days worth of lunches as well as snack foods while on the river. Also, when packing the coolers into rafts, try to keep the lunch coolers accessible. You don’t want to have to unpack the whole boat when you stop for lunch. With a little pre-planning and division of labor you can plan a trip that you and your friends will remember for a lifetime. You’ll be talking about the river trip for years! Robin Irving is a naturalist, environmental educator and co-owner of Alaska River Expeditions which has specialized in 1 to 10-day multi-sport eco-adventures, and wilderness voyages. They are based in Cordova, Alaska, located only 3 hours south of Anchorage by scenic ferry ride. She enjoys sharing information about great eco-tour destinations especially in Alaska. For free Alaska Nature Adventures newsletter with tips and Alaska travel specials, go to: www.alaskarfters.com
Alaska River Expeditions and specializes in Alaska Vacation, Lodging and Vacation Packages in Cordova Alaska.

Located approximately 60 miles from the capital Belize City, The Blue Hole has every right to be mentioned amongst our list of the worlds best dive sites. It’s unique and dramatic geological formation, have resulted in a dive site that remains long in the memory all who have the opportunity to dive it.
The Blue Hole is situated in the middle of Lighthouse Reef, and was originally formed by the collapse of a series of underwater cave systems in the reef. Today, the resulting Blue Hole measures approximately 300 feet across, and is over 450 feet deep.
Barely visible from the surface, the diving at the Blue Hole starts with a descent down to around 25 metres, where the gradually sloping sand banks give away, and the Blue Hole opens up properly. As you continue your rapid descent, these sheer walls gradually give way to stunning stalactites, up to 25 feet in length, lining the outside walls of the lower cavern.
The Blue Hole is a short, deep dive, and you will level out at approximately 40 metres, before slowly making your way around the incredible underwater landscape created by the stalactites. Following a short exploratory period examining the stalactites, you begin a slow, gradual ascent whilst trying to catch a glimpse of one of the wide varieties of sharks which have made their home in the Blue Hole. Here it is possible to come across Hammerheads and Bull sharks, although reef and lemon sharks are much more commonly sighted.
Throughout the Blue Hole there is not a huge amount of marine life, although given that Belize is host to the worlds second largest barrier reef, this is not that far away. The lack of marine life in the Blue Hole itself is due to the low levels of water exchange, coupled with the low level of light which manages to access the deeper recesses of the hole.
Ever since Jacques Cousteau made the Blue Hole famous in the late 1960’s, increasing numbers of scuba divers have been travelling to Belize, and to the Blue Hole in particular. Given the totally unique nature and location of this incredible dive site, it is easy to see why, and undoubtedly this trend seems only set to continue.
Mark Burns is Director of Scubaworld.tv, a diving web site specialising in the opportunities for scuba diving in Belize and a leading provider of scuba diving holidays.