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GULP just entered my first half marathon
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That's a real shame about Bath B&T
Hope your broadband is sorted soon Mel
Just my core class tonight.
Realised can't run tomorrow so pretty poor total for Jan, promise I'll try harder in Feb!!
Good evening All,
Well B&T - I like the look of your race but why no sprint finish
. Well done you, a bit of bad luck with Bath HM. I thought I remebered the name it was just by were we lived for a little time, turn off at the Shoe just after Marshfield on the road to Chippenham.
Bit the bullet tonight and joined one of the running clubs I was invited to. A good 6 mile hilly/tempo session.
Morning all
well did 5 miles yesterday did them on the treadmill but being a bit of a wimp at the moment as it’s too cold to use in the garage i have brought it in to the living room where it’s nice and warm
i have 8 to today so i will have to venture out as i don’t think i could do 8 miles on the treadmill these days i used to be able to but i seem to get board a lot quicker these days on it
Foxy - can I interest you in a wee drinkie sometime??
LOL
Sal - have my fingers crossed today that (1) the BT engineer turns up (2) manages to identify and fix the problem. Your total for January is 5x better than mine btw .. mine was a paltry 13mls
AH - hope the running club works out for you.
Toby - well done re the 5ml treadmill run. My treadie is too heavy to drag into the living room - just as well as there's no room for it anyway.
*waves* to everyone else
Mrs Wm emailed(!) me a short while ago to say we are back online at home
Apparently the problem (almost 2 weeks without broadband) was due to faulty equipment at the exchange!!
Now for the no doubt equally frustrating conversations with BT as I fight for adequate compensation for all the hassle, upheaval, inability to work from home etc. <sigh ...>
Sorry to barge in....
Ive just done 6.80 miles at 9.40 minute miling!!!! Did it in 2 x 3.40 miles, and pace was rock-solid. Yep, still self-sabataging. Knackd at the end.
But sod it, I did it, and Im so pleased I did. Its given me so much more confidence for Wokingham!! It was blumin' freezing too, so even better.
I just wanted to tell everyone, sorry!!!!!!!!
Afternoon all
Well 8 miles done today and after reading the last few post on the Brighton thread about quality miles as opposed to junk miles realized to my shame that i was not putting my two short runs and my MWLR to their best use and getting the full value out of them by just plodding around
so decided today to run the first mile slow then push the pace on the second run the 3 mile slow and push the pace on the 4 and so on as a result did the run 8 minutes quicker than last week with an 9:36m/m instead of 10.08m/m
i know last weeks isn’t a good example as i was coming back from injury but i had a look at my Garmin data and it’s the quickest i run that distance since i starts training for Brighton this year
but got to say feeling a lot happier about things now
Water Vole well done to you
Thank you thank you thank you........ sorry!!! (its just I was so happy with how it went, and Mr Vole doesnt understand such elation)
Toby, did you make the "push the pace" pace quicker each mile, or was is just two paces... a slower one and a quicker one?
Well done water vole and Toby- fab running
Morning!
Yes AH - would have been very close to where you were - I remember you saying it was close to Marshfield. There was a chap there at the start who was telling his friend he was wearing his 'Wolves' shorts for luck. His friend replied he's probably come last then
Mel - welcome back!!! Good luck with the compensation from BT. We were ripped off by Vodafone for £160. After numerous phone calls about it I finally received an e-mail saying I'd be credited with the amount on my next bill, but I never got an apology which really riled me.
Watervole - woo hoo! Well done you
Feel free to shout about your achievements here (I know I do!) as family / partners never seem to quite understand!!
Toby - great run, and glad you're feeling a bit happier.
After bravely making it out for a recovery creak on Monday, I'm afraid I skipped my run yesterday. Just felt too tired, and cold-y, and I have a blister on my heel. I knkow - pathetic excuses, but I worked for a couple of hours, then actually had a nap
and felt a bit better. I think I've underestimated how tired the extra mileage would make me. Blister on heel is where I hadn't noticed my lace had come undone, and was running with a heavy, soggy, muddy shoe flopping around on my foot. This was after the stream. so my feet were numb and I couldn't feel it flopping around 
Someone has recommended Compeed ....
Foxy - the weather isn't improving for your race, is it? How're you feeling about it?? !
Waves hello to everyone else, and honestly I'm just about to go & get changed for a run now. This minute. Had to take my Black cat to the vet first thing this morning for a blood test. Was successful - they got blood out of the cat, but the cat didn't manage to get any blood out of the vet or the nurse (for a change!)
Hooray - I made it out! And back in again
A little 'off the schedule' this week, but that's what racing on a Sunday does to me. Trotted round 4.5M in 48 mins, thought I'd try and do as schedule suggested (10 mins easy, 20 mins tempo, 10 mins easy) but it was so cold out there it was hard to run the 'easy' bits slow enough! Stopped creaking after 2 miles, and I've felt a whole heap less stiff this afternoon, so it must have done me some good after all 
Need to do this weeks loooooong run on Friday, so think I'll not run tomorrow (again!
) but maybe have a little easy run on Saturday if I have the time.Worked so hard on Sunday I'm not going to feel guilty about skipping 1 run this week!
Evening All,
Toby & Watervole - Good running
B&T - I expect the chap with his lucky shorts on would of been lucky to have finished last. Try not to become a slave to the plan your using - You raced hard last week recover and then go again. Well done on todays run.
Rest today well parents evening so no time to run. Entered two races Telford half - my first HM not a PB course but will give it a good go & Stratford Marathon done this one two years ago in 3:44ish and will be looking to beat that time not sure on Gloucesters time though.
Hills tonight in -1 temp. That's dedication! Still really struggling with the up hills. Has anyone ever actually found that practising hills helps?! Need to check my stats to see how compares with when last did the session
Agree about the plan B& T, you need to use it as a guide and try not to let it add to other life stresses (note to self, try and take own advice!)
Planning my usual short 1 tomorrow then parents here for the weekend so will fit in what I can. Also got tickets to see The Secret Garden in Buxton on Sunday pm with the older two kids
Hi all
B+T,well done on your runs this week
Have you managed to transfer your Bath place?I would love to do Bath(and Bristol HM which is sept)sometime but not sure about this year.In ballot for GNR in Sept and definatly will do Oxford HM in Oct.
toby,I think you have done Bath and Bristol?do you recommend?
AH,cant believe your first HM
Telford must be pretty local to you?
WV,great running,well done
Mr Vole sounds like my OH
Scheduled for 6 miles tomorrow,will have to run quite quickly to keep warm
its very cold here tonight Just hoping no snow as OH away this week so hope no probs getting home on Sat.i'm not working this week so fitting in an extra run this week
waves to you all
Morning all
well had a rest day yesterday should have done 5 mile but found out how much the car was going to cost and lost all interest in anything let’s just say it’s going to cost nearly as much as i paid for it so it looks like it’s out over the weekend looking for a new one did do the stretching and strengthening exercises
Must get out today i do have 15 planned for Friday
Susie yes have done both and would highly recommend them the organization at Bath gets quite a bad press and to be fare the first year i ran it was terrible but last year i think they really got their act together Bristol on the other hand usually runs like clockwork though they did change the course last year to make it flatter
Hi Slowsal... Im sure Im the only person in the world who is rubbish at hills..... I think I did too many of them, incorporating them into my LSRs in the Chilterns. My LSR pace became well over 13.00mm, and my running form really suffered, and lower leg injuries were commonplace, particularly in winter, when the paths were bad.
They say that hills are speedwork in disguise, but I prefer speedwork on the flat. (speedwork being, of course, relative!). Maybe I should be doing hills on proper pavements.
Snotty this am, think its my sinuses. Not thinking about Wokingham at minute... daent, Ive worked so hard to get to where I am, after an 8 week layoff, I want really to run the Half.
Snow forecast for south Midlands and south for Sunday.. oh what joy.. actually v nice, but it slows me down somewhat. Anyone else love snow running?
Hi All,
Susiebe - I should of said back to my first Half marathon.
Best ever race souvenir I reckon!
B&T love the T-Shirt
Watervole - am impressed with that run on Tuesday .. good mileage and great pace! Sorry you weren't feeling so good yesterday. Re Chilterns, I originally come from Tring so if the hills round you are anything like the ones near there you have my respect if you're attempting them on long runs. Re snow, I'd be too bothered about slipping over on it so stick to my treadmill in my garage instead.
Toby - glad to hear your MWLR was quicker thanks to the slow/tempo/slow etc. approach and you are feeling happier as a result. Sorry to hear about the car.
Sal - glad I was able to cheer you up re your mileage last month. I think hill training definitely helps - you need some variety so that hills in races don't come upon you as an unknown. My motto where hills are concerned is shorten stride, pump arms and keep eyes just ahead rather than the top of the hill. My training runs in Cirencester Park always used to include hills whichever way I went and I think they helped me when it came to doing Bath HM (not flat but a bit undulating in one or two places).
B&T - I haven't phoned BT as yet. I know their initial reaction will be to ignore me but from past experience, if you phone/write enough times they get fed up and increase the amount they will offer just to get rid of you and leave them in peace (the 'broken record' approach). Don't blame you for missing a run and yes, I swear by Compeed .. they are great. Had a chuckle at the cat failing to get blood out of the vet!
Well done re that little 'recovery' run and good luck with plans for the rest of the week. Love the t-shirt! 
Ah - I've also been struggling to find time to run lately.
Susie - I would recommend Bath HM (am sure B&T and Toby would agree). Great atmosphere, plenty of room, fab crowd support. Post-race has been a bit 'iffy' and slow but I would still do it again if I had time to train for it properly. Good luck with any plans for running over the next few days.
*waves* to everyone else
The main topic of conversation in the office today has been 'one-sies'. Am hoping everyone here has heard of them? My boss hadn't so we had to explain. My colleague A (I won't name her to save her blushes) ever the practical one asked innocently .. "But what do you do when you need the toilet?"
No running for me this week - am on lates and not getting in until 7pm. Don't have the motivation to get up and run before work. A pre-work run might be easier if I used my treadmill - but it's currently surrounded by loft insulation and not accesible.
PS: Have decided to treat myself to a laptop .. off to PC World on the way home from work tonight to pick it up.
Evening All,
B&T - Cool shirt.
Sal - Hills - definate help. Unless your target is a flat race.
Susie - As I corrected myself earlier on Telford was the place of my first HM which got me started in running, very local 30 mins car journey.
Intervals done tonight , 4* 1m reps with 90 seconds walking breaks - Reps averaged 6:35 M/M
.
Steady 2.5 done, don't think it's quite as cold tonight!
Great t shirt
Speedy intervals AH
Watervole- I also prefer flat speEdwork but am fed up of getting overtaken on the hills at parkrun
How exciting ab a new laptop Mel....not tempted by an ipad then?
7.21/70
Morning all
Well got the 5 miles done yesterday used a 2 loop circuit i used before well it worked out to about just under 5.5 if include the fact i went in the chemist i got the lady serving to get what i wanted and then remembered i didn’t have my wallet and had to run back home and get it in the end the whole thing took me just over 50 minutes with an Avg pace of 9:13 m/m
............ great going, Toby, would love that time! And in the cold too... does everyone find their times go down in the cold.....
I got a new laptop abot 2 weeks ago, its brill, the old computer was slowwwwwwwwwwwww and wouldnt accept new programmes, new one is fabbbbb.
Still full of snot, but snorting nasal drops like cocaine... will have no middle bit of my nose soon.... not going swimming today, but will have just a little trot out. Will just make sure HR is OK before I venture out into the Arctic. Snow forecast this weekend.
... yes, Royal, I live near Tring, ans used to go up the Ridgeway from Wendover, and run over to Ashridge. Loved being out in the hills, but the difference in my legs since giving up the hills has been huge. No tight claves, higher mileage (not too great though!), and quicker pace for LSRs with same HR. The latter then works its way through to speedwork/ paced work, so, for me, runnig on flat has helped.
I would not be able to run a hilly race at the minute, thats for sure, but then I would not now pick a hilly race as I hadnt done hills. I suppose its horses for courses isnt it..
AH - well done re the intervals - v. impressed with that pace!
Sal - considered an ipad (or similar) but was put off by the price and the lack of built-in facilities. Similar story with a netbook - also found out typing can be a problem as its not a full-size keyboard. So decided to go with a laptop and wait for tablet prices to come down. I have MS Office on my desktop and discovered I can install it on the laptop as well (according to the licence terms) - that was unexpected. It will be a useful backup machine to have around. And it has an hdmi output so I will have the ability to feed signals straight through to the tv.
Toby - well done re the 5.5ml run (including unscheduled return trip to chemist). Great pace!
Watervole - sorry to hear you're still full of snot and mainlining on nasal drops. BTW - I lived in Tring until 1979 before moving to Swindon (then Wootton Bassett and now Cirencester). My family all still live in Tring so I know the area pretty well and visit fairly frequently. Have often considered walking the Ridgeway from this end and finishing at the Ashridge/Ivinghoe Beacon end.
*waves* to everyone
Mrs Wm and I have drafted our complaint letter to BT. We're not going to mess around talking to various numpties in call centres - the letter is addressed to Warren Buckley, manager of the customer service depertment. We've asked (innocently?) why it took 13 days to fix a fault at their exchange and why they wrote demanding the return of the 'duff' broadband router before finding out if the replacement one was actually working. We've also praised the efficiency of their accounts department - we've asked why they have already debited our account despite the fact we're supposed to get the broadband free for 4 months as part of the signing-up deal.
I surprised Mrs WM last night. When I got home with the new laptop, I put it upstairs in my study and left it there. She was convinced I would be all excited with my new 'toy' and be burning the midnight oil getting it set up last night. I was hoping to get a copy of Norton 360 half-price (£30) as I was buying a computer (the usual PC World deal) .. I was also planning to buy a laptop bag. They had an even better deal going on though. A laptop bag with a copy of Norton 360 inside, along with a wireless mouse and a memory stick - all for £40. Spookily, the laptop, mouse and memory stick turn out to be colour-coordinated and are all a fetching shade of maroon. Foxy will be proud of me