Trett Digest Volume 22

I’ve been back in the UK now over half a year after returning from my eighteen month trip traveling Australia and the USA. Since being back I’ve moved to Dunston with poker friends Mark Mealyeah, Scotty Hocking and now Chris Leckie and our house is affectionately known as ‘HHH Ranch’ by our NPF friends. Being back in the UK has been a lot of fun and I’ve benefited from having this bunch of friends along for the ride, and although we’ve had our differences I think we’ll all agree we have a hell of a good time and all enjoy our living arrangements. I’m also fortunate to have family and all my childhood boys just twenty minutes up the A1 in Cramlington, I love traveling and all the adventures that come with travel but I’m finding this home time and the opportunity to hang out with lifelong friends every weekend so much fun. I love getting together with these boys and heading out to Newcastle, I feel so comfortable with them all. I guess the morale to this story is there is “no place like home”.

Looking forward to June and I’m heading back to Las Vegas for my nineteenth visit in nine years since 2005. If I didn’t blog all my visit’s on FTP it’s at a point now where I genuinely would have lost count about the amount of times I’ve been. I’m staying a month this summer from June 8^th through to July 6^th staying with Chris Leckie the first fortnight over at Aria Resort & Casino and then the final fortnight with Mark Nicholas at Palms Resort & Casino. Despite being fortunate to have been so often this shit just doesn’t get old, I love the city especially the people I go with and meet there. The experiences are embedded in my memory and will last a lifetime. This will feel like two different trips as the first fortnight will be spent with the NPF guys and then the second when I move hotels I’ll be spending time with Dave Maudlin and the sports trading boys.

I plan on playing and selling a rather large poker package (with a small 1.1425 mark-up) while out there throughout the summer. I'll add that the first quarter of 2014 was profitable, although very little volume I won the Aspers monthly for £2,370. Then in February unforgettably, I made a deep run in a Venetian DeepStack Extravaganza event, narrowly missing out on victory finishing 3^rd of 130 entrants for $5,525. So with that in mind, and there being absolutely no feeling I’ve experienced in my life like being deep in a major poker tournament. Take a look below at my Vegas schedule;

Wednesday 11^th June $1,100 VDSE #30

Friday 13^th June $600 Wynn Summer Classic

Wednesday 18^th June $1,000 Binions Championship

Saturday 21^st June $300 PHamous Poker Series

Thursday 26^th June $1,500 WSOP #51

Saturday 28^th June $400 VDSE #49

Tuesday 1^st July $565 WPT500 Aria

Wednesday 2^nd July $1,100 Golden Nugget

Total: $6,565 at 1.1425 $7,500

I’ll be so focused physically and mentally for the summer and I’m enjoying competing more so now than ever. #letsplay #spin

Away from the poker tables and I mentioned in my last digest that I was going to undertake an Insanity program for the duration of April. This was ran by my main man Gaz and was Monday-Saturday (6:45-7:30) for four weeks straight. This was perhaps the toughest physical challenge I’ve ever taken on, but I’m delighted to report that I finished the course without missing a single session and with a very positive outcome. #focus #beastmode #garysidneyfitness

Date: 31^st March 2014 (Pre Insanity)

Results

Weight: 14.11st

Waist: 41”

Hip: 42”

Fit Test

Switch Kicks: 35

Power Jacks: 21

Power Knees (left): 25

Power Knees (right): 30

Squat Tuck Jumps: 15

Around The World Jumps: 5

Burpees: 6

Push Up Jacks: 7.5

Oblique Plank: 10

Date: 14^th April 2014 (Midway Insanity)

Results

Weight: 14.2st

Waist: 38”

Hip: 43”

Fit Test

Switch Kicks: 116

Power Jacks: 39

Power Knees (left): 35

Power Knees (right): 44

Squat Tuck Jumps: 28

Around The World Jumps: 6

Burpees: 13

Push Up Jacks: 14

Oblique Plank: 23

Date: 26^th April 2014 (Post Insanity)

Results

Weight: 14.3st

Waist: 38”

Hip: 42”

Fit Test

Switch Kicks: 120

Power Jacks: 41

Power Knees (left): 49

Power Knees (right): 55

Squat Tuck Jumps: 37

Around The World Jumps: 7

Burpees: 15

Push Up Jacks: 20

Oblique Plank: 33

I’m absolutely delighted with my progress and to go from 14.11st to 14.3st in a month is just fantastic. Like everybody I would like to lose a few pounds but in all honesty the main drive for me to sign up to this course was just as a platform to lead a more healthy and active lifestyle. Seeing my fit tests improve so dramatically is more important to me than losing weight. I’ve now signed up to a few PT sessions with Gaz during May and up to June 8^th before I fly to Las Vegas for the summer. Back in July 2012 I was up over 16st and that’s when I started to do something about it, I had some PT sessions with Gaz and then joined his boot camp. I’ve been down to 12st but the diet/exercise required to get there wasn’t sustainable in my opinion. Right now my weight is of small concern to me, I’m just pleased I’m playing football 4/5 times per a week, going to boot camp sessions 2/3 times per a week, eating reasonably healthier and just generally leading a more healthy/active lifestyle. I owe it all to Gaz and I’m so grateful, I’ve said it numerous times before but he’s such an amazing person to have in my life. #mancrush

Aside from poker, Las Vegas and Insanity perhaps the most important aspect in my life right now is being an Uncle to my gorgeous niece and nephew, Lauryn and Zach. They’re adorable kids whom I just love to spend time with, play with and shower with love and gifts. Lauryn has just turned eight and Zach is five in the summer, so they’re both at fantastic ages and are both so caring and so loving. The polar opposite to the little toerag I was during my early school years. I try to see them at least once a week usually at the weekend and during their May break from school I’m taking them to Diggerland in Durham for the day. #prouduncle #cutekid #coolkid

Looking a bit closer in the future and to next weekend I’m playing the £200 (x3) WPT event over at Aspers, this carries a £50,000 guarantee and is widely expected to exceed that guarantee. I’m really excited about it and hoping for some run good. I’ll close things out here for now, but check back in the beginning of June and I’ll let you all know how I got on in the WPT and how I’ve been in May.

#lifeofdantrett