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Lev - pretty much what DanA said about Barca. I would also add that it's very easy to get to - I got from my house here to the hotel in Barca (about 400m from the start/finish/expo) in about 4 hours. VLM takes up about the same travelling time - and I live about 5M outside the M25!
First track session in ages last night - 6x(1k + 200), 30s recovery between the k and 200, a couple of minutes between sets. Luckily we had a good group (5 of us) all running together and managed 3:01, 2:59 (I led that one!), 3:00, 3:04, 3:01 for the kms and about 32-33 for the 200s. I dropped out after 5 sets as calves were getting sore, but pleased I lasted that long considering I haven't been on the track for a couple of months.
Then straight to our first circuits session of the winter, which was fun but tough (the first one always is!).
DanA - its holding the 6mm thats the tricky bit
Speedy running from SJ and PAdams - none of that monkey business here, I did a 6M womble this morning. I've already run 3 times in Oct, might past 75ish miles this month.
SJ - Nice fast stuff.
My morning runs are now in the dark, winter is coming, boooo.
10 miles at marathon pace last night, felt really tired as well so going to take wednesday thursday friday and saturday off so am not injured for the 10k on sunday. Starting to feel very tired to be honest.
AtD – you are running the gauntlett a bit at the mo.…..you need to wise up and listen to your body a bit, run hard at times but run easy more often esp when you are tired. You can kick the backside out of it for a while but eventually you will get injured or ill. Consistency and frequency are key and far outweigh a combination of fast running and rest/injured days. You have to get some willpower and discipline from somewhere, I wouldn’t have thought that a tired 10M really hard and then 3 rest days is ideal prep for your 10k. None meant and its your choice after all, its no skin off my nose if you are injured soon, but I bet it will bother you.
Morning all,
Viggy - nice work at Berlin. I wondered how you'd got on. Bodes well for cracking the 3 at the next one then
SJ - cheers and good to see you getting back to it. Nice work at the track yesterday. Similarly good track stuff from padams too.
Nice to MtR starting his plan, and really good to see Master Chef himslef back to it so soon after the op (PP
)
Dan - nice one on Barca. You do make it sound very appealing. Maybe one for 2013 for me....
Lev - I wouldn't get too hung up on a target for now. Just keep on keeping on and the target will develop from there. Look at the progress SL made - you could well do similar, as you've not been running long. Or you may plateau off at say 2'45. You won't know until you get some more quality training under your belt.
And speaking of SL.... - top 17 miler there matey.
Sorry to hear of double-woes for Charlie too - hope the job situation sorts itself out, along with the piriformis.
AtD - what TR said.
Not done a thing here - I'm calling it an aggressive taper
Oh and I've got a cold now too 
That's the first thing I've had all year though - not even had a slight sniffle up until now so can't complain.
Oh and as an aside does anyone use 'The Stick'. My calf muscles are woefully tight so thinking of getting one. But not sure whether to get the 'Marathon' one or the 'Sprinter' one (Marathon one seems to give a much gentler massage than the other, so not sure which to opt for) - anyone use either and can recommend (or not?) Ta
LS21 - get yourself a little plastic roller from B&Q - which is supposed to be for rolling the seams down flat when you wallpaper. That and a bit of hot water bottle...............tempting fate but I havnt had a calf issue for ages.....although I run up and down Col Du Portsdown a lot now.
DanA- Sorry to read the news.
Gold XEMPO top at Mablethorpe on Sunday jogging round at the start. Not sure if for half or full. I use mine on the long runs, as it goes nicely with my red and black Salomon shorts. It's just the tangerine orange Tempo (Actually sodding pink) that are now the issue!
TR- reply shortly!
Dan - cheers. If you've had yours that long then I'm guessing it's the original one. They've since developed a few variations of differing lengths and tension. By the looks the 'Sprinter' is for more deep tissue stuff and working on knots. The 'Marathon' is gentler, and seems more useful for calf issues (so I'll prob get that one). It's just some sites recommends the Sprinter for use on the legs, and others the Marathon.
Probably will make little difference which one I get to be honest. It'll just get leant against the wall at the side of the foam roller, along with the 'Breathe Right' plasters, Bionic Band and other 'essential' training aids I have......
I also recall you bought me a pint of Lime and Soda and some Smokey Bacon crisps after the Brass Monkey. So I take back my slur on the generous nature of your character.
Oh and speaking of the BM - Smith Towers have kept the same prices for B+B accommodation for 2012 if you fancy it - you can have the whole of the East Wing too if you want. I might even throw in a Happy Meal if you're lucky. Prob worth the trip for the prize money, cos I reckon you'd break the course record again but no prob if not.
Tr I think the tiredness is partly down to working 10 days in a row walking 7.5 hours a day round a warehouse steel drains energy 18 months after starting. Training wise I feel I'm getting there with the slowing down, because most of my runs in the last 10 days have been at around 8.30-9 min mile pace., just been doing marathon pace stuff as speed work when racing any given week.
Another room on offer for the BM here (7m from the course) if any fredders fancy travelling a longish way. I can offer a whole upstairs floor, own bathroom & shower, treadmill & TV. Liver & black pudding pie with proper Yorkshire gravy the night before too! Dead posh here I tell you, can't say fairer than that!
LS21.. sorry to hear about Bruv, hope you get plenty more time with him. BTW I've booked a few rooms at the Grange Rochester for VLM 2012. Similar price to what we paid this year but a lot more central. Some of my support team felt a bit 'out there' in Docklands this year. BTW how many Yorkies did Marders eat after the BM?
I like the sound of DanA's litre beers! Hope they're cheaper than they were in Venice though, 12 Euros on average!
Good louck on Sunday Ode.
Steady 13m run home tonight into a pesky headwind, just got back before it started chucking it down.
wardi - nice one! And even though I'm only 45 mins from the Brass Monkey I think I might come and stay at yours after that description!! Even if it's just for the TV, cos I haven't got one now they've turned the analogue signal off (not that I ever watched it anyway). And yes, marders single-handedly brought Nestle to its knees after his Yorkie consumption after the BM!
Cheers for heads up re hotel too - wish I'd hung fire really, but I've already booked into the Novotel in Greenwich (and paid quite a bit for it). Thought process being it's a short walk to the start so none of the trudging across town Sunday morning. Plus it means once I've collected my number I don't have to do a great deal. Everything I need is a short walk away, so none of that getting the Tube/DLR everywhere - plus we ate in Greenwich anyway, and I liked it there. Bit of a faff to get back after the race, but I couldn't give a toss how long that takes me truth be told. It's got a sauna and pool and stuff too, so may have a dip in that post-race if I can be bothered!
5.8 miles here, at 8'25 avg. Sky high HR again too, but not to worry.
Been around a while as a lot of you will know and have decided to have a crack at a decent time at VLM this year....... fairly fit after 5 years of endurance training mainly for Ironman but now want a good marathon time to retire on.
Current (within last 2 months) PB's are
5k 19.37
10k 37.59 (though it was short by a chunk so nearer 39 probably)
10m 73.30 at Harewood trail race last weekend. Twas a bit lumpy for a wussy Southerner
Factors to take into consideration.... I would like to maintain the bike swim side of my Tri training..... I am old ....nearer 60 then 50 but have the feeling that as long as I can do three core runs a week and keep up the CV stuff on the bike and in the pool but save the hard stuff for the road a time near 3 might be within my grasp........I dont seem (touch wood) to break easily either
Thoughts
And be as rude as you like please
Plum
Bit downmarket from Wardi but I've just booked the Southwark Travelodge for VLM -- quite handy for London Bridge and thence Blackheath and the blue start, and reasonably central for the family to get out and spectate too. We were out in the Docklands last year which was handy for the Expo, but it felt like a bit of a waste of glycogen trudging from the DLR to the start.
Welcome Plum -- you're no slouch for one pushing 60
I would guess your PBs indicate somewhat over 3 hrs for the marathon, but it's tricky to say as people vary a lot in how their times from shorter distances multiply up. Your super-endurance training from ironman might mean you are anomolously quick over the marathon compared to other people with similar 10k/10M PBs perhaps.
Dan A and Padams, you've totally sold me on Barcelona (as has the fact that I've never visited it and something tells me it might be more interesting to spend some time there than in Rotterdam...). So it only took 10 days after Berlin for me to sign up for the next one. I can't believe I seriously thought I'd be giving up running after Berlin...!
Joolska, would be nice to say hi to a fellow musician-turned-lawyer-runner in Portsmouth.
Welcome Plum.
5.6 miles easy along the shore of Lake Michigan including 1.25 slightly faster than MP. Lots of people sneezing and sniffling on the plane, fingers crossed.
Will read back tomorrow. Ravenous now, All You Can Eat sushi is calling me.
Lev - nice one on Barca, you'll enjoy it. In 2010 I did 2:33:5x but will probably be a fair bit slower now, so given your rate of improvement we might end up running together. I'm not going to carry a lollipop though!
Anyone else coming? It's starting to become a bit of a thread day out.
Went for an early morning swim today (in the pool by 6:40am) - it was busier than a lunchtime!
LS21 - sorry to hear about your bro, hope things go OK.
Wardi - liver and black pudding pie with gravy sounds amazing and don't worry, everything in Barcelona is cheaper than in Venice. One of my favourite things is that when you walk from bar to bar you can buy a little can of chilled beer for a Euro to keep you going inbetween.
I've been doing some running, did 12m in the rain and wind and dark last night, will do 10 today and am considering doing my first XC race on Sat which I won't be very quick in but should help me get fitter.
8 miles this morning while coaching, possibly even slower than my run on Tuesday but it gets me through 40 for the week and my leg feels ok. Lunchtime in the gym has become my regular pastime as I avoid cycling and don't run. I think I look quite healthy which means I am heavy :¬0
Hi Plum, you'll notice a few in here combining marathon training with triathlon (speaking of which, the Ballbuster entry list makes interesting reading).
Mind you, I'm not exactly in marathon training myself, just trying to get some consistency in my running. Earlier in the week I struggled to get any pace at all, yet intervals this lunchtime were quicker than they've been for ages.
No racing though, unless you count running behind junior at the parkrun, then watching him do his first triathlon on sunday (100m/750m/500m for the under 9s). He and the rest of them doing it had a great time, it was well organised given the difficulty of getting lots of small kids to do whet they're supposed to. Best bit of advice: after the swim, put your tshirt on before you put your bike helmet on (didn't apply to the kids turning up in custom trisuits, obviously. No pointy helmets appeared, at least).
CD - who's fast and on the Ballbuster list then? I doubt I would recognise many names.
Well done to CD junior - I marshalled our junior race this year and saw some interesting transitions as well!
My legs feel worse today than yesterday (from the track/circuits combo on Tuesday) so will just do an easy spin later and see if that sorts them out.
Plum – a few of us here have done marathons (esp VLM) Tri training the last few years, I’m a bit younger than you at 44, I have done VLM off 2 or 3 runs/week and it was a struggle, it works better off more running and I have done better when I have done some running commutes to get the frequency up.
I would advise you to
1) spend a month upping the running frequency to 3, 4 or 5 times a week from now
2) spend a month after that upping the distances of those runs or some of those runs, so you are doing a long run of up to 2hrs by Christmas, and are comfy doing 10 milers.
3) Do the odd road race from now til Christmas to get an idea of where your running is at.
4) You then have 16ish weeks to build up to long runs of 20 ish miles, and hopefully add a midweek 13ish miler. Ideally 4 or 5 runs a week would be good especially in the last 8 weeks.
5) Run easy and turbo hard. As a coffin dodger you may get hurt if you do it the other way round.
I shall be doing some or all of the above myself. But the running commutes enable me to bag 2 runs on one day and so still keep 3 non running days on which I can turbo/bike.
Padams - dont remember seeing any TT bikes at the NADbuster when I did it. Have you entered ?
Saw some good numbers on the turbo this morning and in the lido lunchtime !
padams: it was your name I was thinking of as fast and on the list. I didn't realise you were doing it. I'm expecting a good result from you, sub 2:50 at the very least, probably closer to 2:45.
There'll be a decent number of TT bikes and overall I guess they'd be a little bit quicker if you can climb well on it. Best bit for TT bikes is the top section after climbing the hill.
OTOH personally I think there's too many blind corners along Lodgebottom Lane/Headley Road to make the most of my TT bike, I prefer to be on the drops where I can cover the brakes. i've been along there too often with traffic coming the other way, albeit at busier times of the day. The steepest descent is fairly short & twisty and you'll need to brake for the turn at the bottom. Plus I climb like a donkey on my TT bike for some reason, so road bike wins for me.