GULP just entered my first half marathon

morning all

well it snowed all night her but at the moment hasn't pitched let hope it stays that way weathers supposed to be on the change Sunday there forecasting wet and very windy

Hi everyone - having another catch-up session. Lots of frustrated runners and dreadmill running going on I see. Except for those who have yak-trax or similar .. or like to live dangerously!

Lisa - I'm taking things slowly with the club. Going to see if I can merge back in and fingers crossed this time I can find a partner for long weekend runs. Well done for managing 10ml LSR on Saturday and 5ml run on Sunday. Not sure 5ml run in snow on frozen slush was good idea

Sal - I'm kinda getting attached to that headband As a 60-ish overweight man I probably already look daft in my hi-viz jacket so can't see the headband making that much difference!

Yvonne - see you've had probs getting to work and daughter to exams - good news they can be taken later.

Susie - I would definitely invest in some gloves if I were you. Well done re 6ml dreadmill run - how does that gym music go again? (thump, thump, thump...)

Toby - am impressed with your perseverance doing 20 mls on the dreadmill (even if it was broken up into 4x 5ml)

Dee - I find anything over 3mls on a treadmill feels longer than the equivalent outdoors run. Lucky you having uncrowded work gym to use. I used to have that option available years ago (sigh ..).

Samantha - well done too re getting out on Sat and extra marks for staying upright!

B&T - see you managed 8ml run with icebiters - well done. Had a look at that website and it made me chuckle.

I worked from home on Friday because of the weather. I didn't run on Saturday - we had 4" of snow so I cleared the drive (cross-training!) Monday's club run was cancelled so I did a 3ml tempo run on the treadmill. We've had more snow overnight so I'm working from home again and my boss said do the same tomorrow if needs be. The roads/pavements are still icy here so will do another treadmill run later. BTW - just seen my neighbour slide across the road attempting to drive somewhere .. am glad I decided to stay put!

You've seen the headband. So as Dee mentioned my lovely Beanie Hat it sems only fair you get to see that as well ..

Bet you can't wait to see the baseball cap eh? (patience grasshopper ..)

Well .. seems rude not to as I'm here now

Connect 4!!!!

Postscript: Neighbour's car has dissapeared but he's managed to churn up his lawn and dislodge a big stone in the process - silly ar$e - should have walked.

A great photo Mel 5 miles done today icebiters got there first wearing work a treat i must say rest day tomorrow then 18 on Friday let hope the snow keeps melting

Managed 4 miles todayReally great to have got out as was dreading the dreadmill again.Yaktrax not arrived yet(snow will be gone when they do) so  just ran round local football pitch 3 times in some lovely crunchy snow then ran part on pavement,part on road depending where the icey bits wherefelt great to be out as was snowing abit while I was running but i felt nice and warm

Am looking at an autumn HM,so probably will do Swindon HM as have yet to do that one

B+T,hope car fixed now,bet the dealers didnt mind a bit

mel,another great hatyes the gym music went just like that!

toby,great that your ice-biters have arrived.

Did you do Swindon HM,or am I thinking Cricklade,or actually sure you did bothBoth in the autumn so may look at Cricklade as well,which do you recommend?

have a good day all,my two at the after school gardening club today so no pick up til 4.30

Susie yes can highly recommend both Swindon and Cricklade both well organized although i think Swindon had the edge as you wern't running in traffic

B&T - as you can see, green beanie is very snug on head so unlikely to fall off

Toby - well done re 5ml run and glad to hear ice-biters worked a treat

Susie - well done for managing to get out for a run (cabin fever?). I'm planning an autumn marathon (missing the Spring ones due to being away). Swindon/Cricklade are both on my radar so probably see you at one of them. Think B&T did Malmesbury HM around same time too? Swindon HM starts in town then heads out into country lanes unless course has changed. Thought Cricklade was also country lanes until I read Toby's comment about traffic.

Re Swindon half marathon think there was word of a course change for this year so not too sure if that would mean more road with traffic....the roads are coned off so you still share car space but you cant get run over...cricklade you do share road space with cars but i must say they all do move over or stop... as the sight of 500 runners coming towards them must be kind of scary but its very safe as the volunteer stewards do let you know what side of road to stay and they are country roads not the 419 ..

WTN MEL great pic ..

Not been running since i went out with the daughter...i need to get my arse into gear and book that race to give me incentive... i have been on the cross trainer does that kind of count...and doing walking lunges at work when noone is in..the whole pub to myself walking lunges around the middle brick wall....feel like john cleese and his funny walk

I keep getting e mails through to run brighton marathon for different charities it does take all my will power to delete them..i convince myself its too late to start training and also i did promise kids i wouldnt do a spring marathon but i never said i wouldnt do an autumn one ive got one lined up..and a few halfs like last year....

Susie, Toby  and Black & Tabby well done on getting out there. Its a tough decision whether to run in the snow/slush/ice due to all the risks of falling etc - but when you get back home its a great feeling knowing that you have done it.

Another 3.5 miler for me this evening - deciding to run in my normal trainers as thought that it would have melted more then it had. Probably not the best decision as spent most of my run hopping between road and pavement whichever looked like it had the least snow. But at least that meant it was a good core workout!!

Yvonne what Marathon have you got your eye on then?

Looks like I will be now running the Brighton Marathon as well as the Brighton HM as a friend is not able to run it anymore due to illness - I know that transfer of numbers isn't allowed but it seems to good an opportunity to miss . So now I have my first HM in Feb and my first Full Marathon in April eekk!!

Lisa I was going to do the Bacchus marathon its normally held in september and is in Surrey junction 7 off the m25 with wine and beer instead of or is that as well as water and gels .....if you enter before a certain date it's cheaper ....

I'm sure you can transfer numbers if you do it before a cut off date?????

yes Crackled is a lot flatter than Swindon were there are hills but also affair share of down hill as well so there is a better chance of a PB at Cricklade but to be honest i enjoy both equally plus the landlady of the B&B we stay at in Cricklade is very frenidly

there are no hills on the Brighton marathon course just one iddy biddy slight incline that you hardly notice ....promise...I've ran it three times....and the half there once .

B&T - Gore goodies all head-wear apart from a pair of shorts (which seem to be too big). Slightly dissapointed tbh as the stuff you win is just a 'lucky dip' from whatever the PR company has hanging around.

Yvonne - cross-trainer counts and thanks for chuckle-vision picture in my head of you doing walking lunges around pub!

Dee - well done re dreadmill run

Lisa - well done re 3.5ml run but whoops re wrong trainers

Susie - lots of choice for autumn half then - Cricklade, Swindon, Malmesbury. Would be nice to pick the same one!

I managed a 3ml dreadmill run yesterday after work. On 2nd mile I decided to up the speed from usual 5.6-6mph then 6.5mph for 3rd mile. Completed the run in 27:36 (9.12mm pace) so well pleased with that. But .. it WAS treadmill run so don't know I could do the same outside.