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RW Forum Six - Sub 3:30
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DD - Well done on toughing it out, and having a blast at the end. Ah yes the beautiful English countryside and hills. All sportives seem to find the biggest climbs around to add into the mix nowadays
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'Orangey Snicket' and her 5 man entourage safely completed the Rotherham 50 in about 11hrs 15 mins, cunningly avoiding the need to use torches at either end of he day. Started with BA and friend Tim from Edinburgh, whom we met for the first time on the Rotherham in 2003. He kept passing us, would then get lost and catch us up again, until eventually he asked if he could just join us for he rest of he run - we have been friends ever since!
My game plan on Rotherham is to give it some welly for the first 25 miles (which are flatter and easier) then just hang in for the rest. All went well until about 11 miles when I felt a sharp stabbing sensation in the front of my right thigh. I have had this once before on a run and my leg swelled up to about twice its size almost immediately forcing me to stop (some sort of allergic reaction to a bite/sting). Carried on hoping for the best and although the leg was sore all day the swelling only appeared overnight, so that by this morning I looked deformed........
Don't know why I can only write short posts
Anyway we got to half way in 5 hours so we reckoned 11-12 hours in total depending on the mud and how everyone felt. The first direction after the half mile checkpoint is 'to take the snicket after the pub' so I asked the other people at the CP 'Who wants to come up the snicket with me?' BA insists I said this in an extremely suggestive fashion, but I'm sure he is exaggerating
. Anyway I got three more takers, who I think were more interested in my navigational skills that anything else, and this bunch of 5 let me lead them round. We had a real laugh and although I know one or two of us could have gone a bit faster it was much more fun as a team - it was good for BA as he put in a bit more effort than if it had just been the two of us. In case you are wondering the 'Orangey' bit was due to my fluorescent orange shirt.
Feet were fine, but my right leg now looks like something from a horror movie. We took about 45 minutes off last year's time so are back to the sort of times we were doing before BA b'd the A - if you get my drift.
Met FRC at the start, my Poirot skills identifying him from his buff
Looking forward to making Minni suffer next year.........
huge congrats to the Veggies!
Minni-great YKW time
shows your in good form, shame your not allowed to race in your next half marathon.
FRC- well done for even making it to the start. How are your calfs?
Carrot- A-Maze-Ing. Can't wait to read your race report. My friends who have ran this course a few years on the trot found it very hard today. Hope your enjoying a few beers. Congrats to parsnip.
Well done DD hope you feel better soon.
O4S- 45mins quicker and a bad leg! Super woman
Anyone heard how Bro got on in her 10k?
DD- great epic cycle but seems short next to FRc and O4S mega cake fest
Carrot- congrats on a superb marathon. Enjoy the Dutch beer. Don't let the few seconds get you down..you'll destroy your Spring marathon
Bro- is drinking lots now I imagine
5 mile beach run for me followed by 20 mins exercise video ...not insanity
Well done O4S - brilliant as ever
Freemers - you've only got to find 0.5s/mile per month - wish I could say that! Speed endurance train here we come!
Gazelle - the sessions I've been using to target speed endurance are 10 milers - 2M warm up, then 8M at between 7.45 and 7.15, getting progressively faster. I'm going to need to do these faster now - 7.30-7.00 pace. I've also tried doing my 15 and 20's with some speedier mils towards the end, but have found these hard to complete as planned. Will be doing more of these too.
Ant - I guess you'll find out on the day! The faster 10M runs have been working for me, but I havent tested that on a flat half yet
Nice YKWs minni and pink lady
Well done FRC and O4S at the RR. Different league stuff there - the idea of 'just hanging in there' for the last 25 miles is hard for me to get my head round...
Sounds like fun DD!
Carrot - agonisingly close, but a great PB. You'll go way past that in London. Brilliant stuff from Parsnip too. Look forward to hearing all about it once you are back!
Weekend biking for me in Yorkshire - got a couple of lovely and sociable 50M rides in with 10 friends. Found the lactic building up a little faster than usual, but apart from that the legs are recovering nicely from last weeks marathon.
Spoons. Awesome news. Here's what I reckon to help you complete the IM.
Swim - relatively short compared to the rest of the day, so you want to just get this over with using as little energy as possible. I swam a lot when I was younger so my technique is OK, but I needed to build up being happy with the distance. I swam roughly every week (OK, in practice more like every 2 weeks). Over a few weeks I built up to doing 3k each session, and just did that everytime I got in the pool.
Bike - you'll spend over half your day biking, this is the area you'll need to work on most! Have you done 110M on a bike before? If not whats the furthest you have done? This was the bit I needed to work on most - I got out every weekend for a 30-50M ride with friends, did quite a few mega commutes (55M), sportives, and my usual 3 week bike tour summer holiday before the event.
Run - easy street, you've got no worries here. You dont need to train for the IM like you do a marathon, at the least something like a 13M a week will maintain your existing marathon readiness easily enough. I'd done a few marathons before and wasnt scared enough of the run - and this was before I worked out long runs were important... my training was all 4 and 6M runs, and a couple 10's. I should have done some longer stuff but still shuffled round in 4.17...
Core and stretching - last thing you want is to get injured - 1 session a week is useful
So, you won't find this recommended in any book, but I reckon the minimum you can get away with is 1x 3km swim a week; 1x 13M run a week; 1x 50M bike a week; 1x core&stretching a week. The more biking the better, if you add another session, do an hour spinning or on the turbo. Do sportives, bike tour holidays, day rides with pub lunches with friends, it all helps. The more fun the better.
Also, enter a half distance event as part of your build up. Can really recommend this one: http://www.mytrievents.co.uk/triathlon/the-old-man-triathlon/ (caution - its a real toughie, but a great event.)
If you want to compete, take a read of these books. The programmes are pretty full on and want you to do huge amounts of sessions each week, and inexplicably lots of swimming:
Going Long, Friel: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Going-Long-Training-Triathlons-Challenge/dp/1934030066. Like P&D for IM - useful background on what and why is important, and suggested training programmes.
Ironfit, Fink: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Be-Iron-Fit-Time-efficient-Training/dp/1592282393. Crazy American dude. Lots of annoying testimonies, and amusing pictures of him racing, but quite useful for ideas on how to get the best out of limited training time.
Hope that helps Spoons - you've got a great start with your running endurance, just need to get a lot of bike time!
O4S / FRC - great results from the RR
Minni - excellent YKW
A pretty dull 17 miles yesterday for me - made more interesting by the heavy downpour half way through. Legs feeling tired though.
Morning,
21st - 2.40 plank, 52 press ups, 32 squats, 15 lungesKFC - brilliant - thanks that really helps. So, as DD said, lots of cycling then! My longest bike is about 50 miles. I've probably only been on my bike about 20 times
there's often been periods of months without touching it. 
I'll be keeping up the long runs in the lead up to Brighton marathon. Then i'll swap them for loads of long rides. I'll try and do as much cycling as possible over the winter (need to buy winter cycling gear). I thought a weekly spin class would be good. I have a turbo trainer so will use that. Got to say I don't really like the idea of cycling in the cold, wet, ice snow, wind etc. And cycling round my country lanes in the dark doesn't appeal much either.
Swimming should be fine. I'll aim for 2 swims a week and may sometimes only manage one. I've swam over the distance before. After Brighton i know a bunch that regularly do lots of sea swimming so I'll hook up with them (they swam the channel). Plus there's a few aquathlons, duathlons, thriathlons, sportives etc I'll do.
well done O4S
Timed mile for me at lunchtime today which I'm looking forward to. I've also started to read up on HM plans to get myself organised but I think my coach has one.
Sounds like a plan Spoons. Given you are happy doing 50M and with your endurance background, it won't be too hard to make the leap to completing 110M. The only problem is that you have to be in shape to run a marathon afterwards
- so the more time you can spend getting out on the bike the better - you'll want to do as much as possible from now to Brighton, as well as afterwards.
Winter riding isnt as bad as it can seem before you go out - and you probably dont need to buy any new kit - just layer up with what you already have, wear gloves, buff, warm socks, windproof, and tape up the vents in your shoes. Oh, and if its raining/icy/snowy go running instead
Amazing weekend Team Minni
... 20 miles in an hour is amazing. But maybe you should back off for a few weeks and get those stomach issues sorted. It all seems a bit grim 
FRC & O4S: great stuff on your ultra exploits Round Rotherham
Minni: excellent YKW
DD: the title of your race sounded tough already but now that you describe it
29 miles banked last week. It's going in the right direction. Trendy 5 this morning. Boy, it's very warm all of the sudden. I ran in short sleeves and capris
Spoons: just recovered enough to catch up with your plans - good stuff! Can only repeat what others have said, more cycling and brick sessions. I have only done a few triathlons, but quite a few duathlons and I found that the one advantage I have is he ability to get straight into running. I put this down to running straight after cycling home from work on a regular basis - eventually your legs decide it isn't worth complaining and they just get on with it.
Minni / pink: nice work on the YKWs. I really must try one
DD: the Exmoor Beast has a reputation for that sort of weather - welcome home to Paradise
Great stuff Carrot. Gives you a good target for London at least
A 3:10 train with Minni perchance?
kfc - I like your thinking re the faster runs being more effective that the longer runs - that is my feeling too. I hope it doesn't blow up in my face in the HM. My stronger stamina should hopefully hold the key - I certainly know that I am in great 10K shape.
O4S & FRC - 50M eek. Still can't quite contemplate that. O4S - you should try a YKW they are over in two shakes of a lamb's tail compared to that
DD - well done on surviving the beast
Great riding in Wales over the weekend for me. I managed a paltry 4 miles running though!
Carrot - brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
But I don't think you're doing London? 
And well done to Parsnip too - hope his nips are ok today?!!! Very much looking forward to your report.
Well done DD now get well.
kfc - that sounds like brilliant advice given to Spoons.
Spoons - are you shitting yourself yet?!!
O4S - fantastic stuff. You are a born leader.
Chick - good to see you getting back to it.
I've heard rumours that Bro has been pi$$ed since Friday night.....
That's the next 6 months then!
YES
The Pirates take on IM training, swim a little, cycle a lot, run a bit. I always reckoned it as a 20/50/30 split.
Nothing today, mainly cos its peeing down and i feel washed out.
What a weekend from the racers!
Carrot - Absolutely brilliant time, and soooo close to sub 3.15... Next time!
O4S - Great report. As ever, don't know how (or why) you do it but you must be pleased with that time.
Hope the leg's getting better.
DD - Sounds grim but then again, i now realise that you don't do easy, flat races! Rest, rest, rest.
Whoops, forgot to mention our illustrious leader, Minni's ykw... bloody good time! Maybe you should cut down on all this endurance nonsense and just concentrate on the short, fast stuff that i know you loooooooooove???
Congratulations Carrot! What a brilliant time
Amazing stuff from Parsnip too.
O4S and DD - great performances from you too!
Nice YKW Minni.
I'm afraid I let the side down with my first ever DNF at Yarmouth 10k. Was just about staying on 40-minute pace at halfway, before my old friend the side stitch reared its ugly head. Was absolute agony - probably the worst it's ever been - so decided to throw the towel in just before 6k. Getting a bit fed up with training going so well, and then everything going to pot on race day. Still, got another 10k booked in 2 weeks so hopefully be third time lucky.
Sh*t - that's bad luck Daren
So - there's a half ironman 9 weeks after Brighton Marathon and 8 weeks before the Anglian. Perfect timing. Should I do it? It's £95. My credit card has taken a bit of a hammering recently. I would leave it a bit but I'm also aware that these things sell out quick....
Carrot Welcome to the 3:15:xx club, fantastic time.. You will smash it next time. Congrats to Parsnip too.
DD Nice biking. Huuuuge hills.
Minni. Nice YKW. Was that Pam you've mentioned before? Honestly, as a first ultra, I wouldn't pick Rotherham.
Pink Lady, speed will come. My first 5k proper was 33 minutes.
AA sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Any news?
O4S how is the leg?
2old there wasn't much cake. Lots of biscuits and jam sandwiches though.
Daren, sorry to hear that. Any reason for the stitch? Better a DNF than injury though.
Question of the day, should my right big toe nail make a squishing noise?
It was grey black after the run but managed to get "fluid" out so normal colour now. Chances of it surviving?
FRC - why not? Pam haa done loads of these and she recommends RR for a first timer.
Spoons: do it, dont forget to get Pirate kit.
Minni and I have spoken, white smoke rises from the vatican, the next recipient of the Shite award is selected...... But were not telling you... Yet.