Paris Marathon 2013

RS - I don't know if you have Sky but all of the olympic feeds are available in HD around channel 450. There are 24 channels which are the same ones as on the Red button - but can be paused and rewound.

Neil, I'm not sure if you can access the BBC online video channels in Belgium but you may be able to catch Live coverage here.

Orbutt - isn't sky just cycling channels?  Don't have it so making do with BBC and internet.  I think I'm doing okay with that.

The BBC's Internet video doesn't work for me (like i-player). It knows I'm abroad and therefore not a license fee payer (despite paying for my cable TV package, which includes the BBC).

I could probably get around it using a proxy server or something but I'm not technically advanced enough to really know how to do that.

RS - Sky, as a broadcaster, doesn't have any Olympic coverage (Sky Sports etc). However, Sky as a platform is carrying all 24 Olympic channels in HD

I have Sky. An extra 24 channels of Olympic coverage is great, but also has also stopped me doing pretty much anything but training and watching the Olympics.

Neil - I take a simple annual VPN subscription from witopia.net which allows me to access BBC iPlayer services in the UK. From there, I think you can pick up whatever is available. Not sure i agree with what RS says about coverage though. As far as I understand, every sport in every event is covered live through one of those additional 24 Olympic channels. But for sure, the ones where Team GB feature are covered most in the highlights coverage on BBC1.

There's been so much scintillating sports on TV that I am still only up to 15th July on my Tour de France recordings. Am still crossing my fingers for Wiggo to come good in Paris with his Maillot Jaune.

And yes Neil, it was the exact same place where the leg swelled up - like you say - weird. I've just spent half an hour checking anatomy diagrams and reading up and i think it could be a Popliteal Cist (or Baker's Cist). Mmm, I think another visit to the doc might be needed.

The highlight of my day - buying a new cabin size suitcase with room for a laptop. May sound silly but thought it might be handy for keeping kids amused on travels( the laptop not the case!!!) Downside so far- food shop. Normally stressful enough, but now after juniors latest dietician visit she has a more restricted diet - It was only milk before but now soya too. I never realised how much processed food has soya in it. But  to make life easier other daughter is getting the same restricted diet. Why is it that my own restrictions are easy to handle but managing that of a 10year old seems hard?? I feel like I am being nasty to her not letting eat what she wants, although she does understand why.

Kaz I think the tactic is to tell the kids to think of those poor starving kids in Africa when you put something down in front of them they don't want to eat.

That was certainly my mums tactic. Although I was never sure how me stuffing my face ever helped the poor starving kids in Africa, but who can question their mother! With my eating habits I've been helping kids in Africa on a scale not seen since Live Aid for years now.

OK Eggy, the tactic will be used from now on!!! Knowing the oldest she'll tell me she'd rather starve!!!

I think if tactic one fails tactic two was "eat it or you'll be wearing it".

Dark Vader wrote (see)

I think the BBC coverage has been excellent. There are something like 26 channels on covering all events. Not all have commentary though. Plus some key coverage in 3D.

Sorry, must have sounded a bit overly negative there.  Don't get me wrong!  My TV has been on permanently when I'm home and laptop is getting a good work out too.  It was pretty specific what I wanted to watch...women's shotput qualifying and couldn't find it anywhere on BBC live.  If you discount the online coverage and red button thought, the minor sports with no GB hopefuls (greco-roman wrestling anyone?) haven't got much coverage.  Nowhere near the chaos and incompetency that I've heard about US (cutting to beach volleyball from the 100m final?!?!?!  6 hr time delays on "LIVE" coverage?!?! WTF) and OZ coverage (swimming, swimming interviews, swimming analysis and not winning swimming).

I've seen virtually nothing of the coverage.  in France with no TV so had to make do with watching text updates!  Was in a hotel on Saturday evening though and the French coverage of the athletics featured interviews with Jess, plus Mo's win.  French seemed to focus on any other European champion if there wasn't a domestic one to focus on.  I liked that.

Not sure whether I feel the athletics has been a GB success or not.  Three golds were great but all were already medal contenders and there have been 10 or so athletes who would have been medal possibilities that have really underperformed (or not made the games) for one reason or other.  Still, there's a chance in the 4x400 and there's usually someone who gets a surprise medal so may yet get the 8 target.

You've missed a lot DLR- pan your holidays better next year

Happy to be watching the hockey though.  Specifically the Dutch ladies.  Even more specifically Naomi Van As.  A very fine athlete.

One thing I have noticed this last week or so is all the extra runners out having a go..  people who quite obviously don't run regularly..   no proper kit, just beach shorts (or whatever) and a status quo t-shirt etc..  that kind of thing.   Its great to see such motivation...   I hope it lasts for at least some of them...

A quick mention of praise for my car....   I have a Mini diesel...     yes, I know its a girls car....!    Its very high mileage for its age...   its a Sept 2007, so almost 5 years old, with 150,000 on the clock and I bought it new.  The engine was replaced in Feb last year and I've already done 60,000 on the new engine.   60,000 miles in 18 months is high mileage for any car that's not a taxi!   I had a long journey to do today, close to 500 miles...  I haven't checked the fuel consumption since the new engine went in so decided to use the opportunity to do it...   I've been using the Shell V-Power diesel for the last month or so, and the car sounds better for it.   For today's journey the car averaged 64.5mpg and for the motorway section (excluding the non-motorway driving) I got 83.8mpg!!   Outstanding performance.   The car was on cruise control for over 400 miles at 64mph...   it is always at its most economical at 62-64 mph.

So..   if you want to buy a reliable, economical car I can highly recommend a Mini diesel.  

No, no, no DV.

The mini is NOT a girl's car.

Absolutely not.

I'd say it was more of a hairdresser's car.

The Mini has always been economical, ever since I got it.   On a 1500 mile trip to the south of France and back, much of which was at 100mph, the car still averaged over 40mpg.   The 64.5mpg is accurate and I calculated it from the fuel used... I filled it last night and filled it again when I got back this evening...   the trip computer gave the 83.8 mpg motorway average.    400 miles on cruise control is a very long way and gives the engine ample opportunity to maximise its efficiency.  These figures are in line with the official figures for the engine and I've no reason to doubt it..   I've done over 150,000 miles in the car and bought it specifically for its outstanding fuel economy.   Plus..  its only £20 per year road tax because the emissions are so low..