Edinburgh Marathon

*waddles back into thread*  Ooooh I must start taking this training malarky a bit more seriously or I'm gonna struggle at Vegas. 

Mr CS has a new tattoo to show off...

So that's it his 40th birthday is officially over...(it was his birthday in February for those senior members of the thread)

I was thinking TMI Fi when you said about Shauns pants lol. I think even getting one run done on holiday is some going...I know we regularly take gym kit & running kit away with us and more often than not it comes back all nice and clean...unless we happen to have a race to do whilst on holiday which seems to be the norm just lately....talking of which is anyone else doing Nottingham HM this year???

Have fun on the skyride Beavis.

Well done on the 10k GE, pretty impressive time there hun.   And good luck for tomorrow.

Off out on a Hen Do tonight...the couple over the road are getting married next month...the theme for this evening is 60's...just hope I can stay awake long enough...after all, there is the small matter of 16miles today.

Hi Caz, tell Mr CS awesome tattoo  saw it on Jill's FB !! Hope the 16 miles went well. GE sounds in top form doesn't he As for me got a 13 done last week in 1:56 and felt reasonably easy at the end so not in to bad shape atm, nice to see Fi back and a big hello to Beavis. Weather has been really warm last couple of days and I really struggle in the heat, that said I got a 5 miler in on Fri afternoon in 41 mts which for me is pretty good. Hope all of you are keeping well and the running mojo is strong 

Beavis, yes, it was the Rugby Rover. What a hard one that was. Almost all off road and loads of climbing and lots of livestock. Someone else said it was the best pre-race brief they'd heard - 'It's only one lap and the farmers have removed most of the bulls'. Managed to stagger home in 3.23 for the 30k. Hope the skyride went well.

Top tattoo Caz. When's the Nottingham HM and when's Vegas?

Phil, obviously the fitness is starting to come back and the running improving. I suspect you'll be in good shape come the end of October.

Morning all, have you missed me? Not been here for a while although I have checked in from time to time.

Great run GE. Belper is a brute of a race and is always my fave race of the year. Was in Normandy at the weekend with my eldest son otherwise I would have been there. My brother ran it in 2:57 and said it was really tough. Beautiful run though and I think I had a 2:03 last year for 2nd place.

Normandy was awesome last weekend. Wanted to go for years and finally got around to it. We went first to the Western Front (First world war - I know) to a British Cemetery at Holnon. My great grandad is buried there but no one in the family knew about it until I found it on the internet doing some family history stuff. Was quite a special moment going there. Over in Normandy we did Utah and Omaha as I love Band of Brothers and wanted to see Carentan, St Mere Eglise, St Marcouf and St Marie Du Mont. Beautiful places and really hard to equate the horror of war to such wonderful and picturesque tiny villages.

At home Noah is doing well and will be ready for walking soon I think. He's the reason my running isn't so good at the minute. I agreed to have him during the day when Jo went back to work until we came back off holiday (no point in paying for child care while we are away) anyway, my morning gym sessions have bitten the dust and if I want to do a morning session I have to be out at 6am - That's not really for me! It took all my effort to drag my bleary eyed arse to the gym for 7 each day. Anyway, done some odd 6am runs and then have Noah all day while working from home (you really should try it) and then too knackered to do a decent effort on an evening. As a result my marathon prep is on it's arse

Anyway, were off to Greece for 2 weeks tonight so I'm hoping to train over there if the heat allows and then try to get back on track when we get home as Noah will be in nursery for 2 days/week.

Anyway, thats me up to date I think - suppose I had better read back to see what I've missed.

Dave, 2.03.59 won it this year so you'd definitely have been in the mix for the sprint finish. Bloomin' incredible time for that course. Normandy sounds like an amazing trip. I suspect Greece is going to be seriously warm. Enjoy.

Have managed to run the last 5 days including Belper so feeling pretty knackered. Rest today and then 16 on Saturday. 

Have a good long weekend, all.

Blooming English weather... Saturday we dressed for pishing rain...3 hours of running and nothing...not a drop...today, the waterproof jackets were left in the car (which we'd driven down to town ready for when we'd finished our run at Starbucks) and waddayaknow it tipped it down the whole time... still managed 9 miles though  didn't get  my pancakes in Starbucks though...they'd run out  had  to settle for a hot chocolate & slice of banana nut loaf...yum!!!

Oooooh chaos will reign supreme in the Palmer household soon then if Noah is on the move...so marathon training is basically going to consist of jamming as many miles in as you can whilst Noah is at nursery then Dave???

How'd the 16 go on Saturday GE??  We were down for 20 but cut it short at 17 as the weather didn't quite behave as we were expecting.

Dave, who said being a parent was easy! Hope the training in Greece goes well, it would never happen for me though - plus 25 is my limit, and even that limit is run begrudgingly!! Caz, well done on the 9 miles, for me rain is a gift to be enjoyed - just love running in the wind and rain. Got 8 in today, different route with a 40 metre climb in 0.2 of a mile, went ok managed to get round in 8:35 a mile, but want to be running  under 8:25 easily for my longer runs so some way to go yet.

Caz, well done on the 17 and the 9. Weather is a pain though. The shoes are never dry. Ended up doing 17 Saturday and  then another 12 tonight. But they've both been  towpath runs and I need to find some more hills.

Phil, my long runs are at 9:30 miling and that's quite quick for me. Usually I'm up around 10. You'd have loved that 12 miler tonight - plenty of wind and rain.

Really want to push through some miles this week so I can have a bit of a step back next week - half mara at Lake Vyrnwy on September 9.

Hi Guys

Glad to hear everyone ticking along nicely.  Fab tattoo Caz.  I like the fact that they all tell a story or to log a significant event.  Will have to start planning the next lot now.

Well done GE.  Your training/racing is going really well.  And good to hear you are starting to find your mojo Phil.  And at least you won't have to worry about the heat in Snowdon Phil.............that I can guarantee.  Pretty much expect everything else - but you can leave the sun cream at home. Lol.

Really do not know where the time is going.  Think I should have booked a few more races in to keep my mind focused.  Work and life is so busy I don't feel like I'm giving training the attention it requires.  This last week has been jammed with customer appointments or helping our good friend refurb and finish one of the local pubs which re-opened on Saturday.  He's done a fantastic job and has secured a great chef so at least we won't have to go far for a good bar meal. 

Hence my long run was moved to Monday AM this week.  13 clocked so gradually building again.  Felt good and could've done more.  Also trying to include lots of hills.  My plan will enable me to include 2 x 20 miles and 1 x 18 in the next few weeks before Snowdon.  So should be OK but I cannot afford anything to go wrong.  No colds/illness/injuries.........or I'm scuppered.

Good luck with Noah Dave.  Loved the toddler stage myself but you do seriously need to develop eyes in the back of your head!!  All good fun though. Give me that stage anyday over the teenage/young adult stage.  Hope Jo was not too down going back to work.  Talking to her in Edinburgh - I know she wasn't looking forward to it.

Oh well.  Let's get on with some work I suppose. Take care all. x

Hi Fi, good to see you back here, that bloody work thing cropping up is a regular theme - where's my bloody lottery win!! Sounds as if you are running well and I'm certain you will be in fine fettle for Snowdonia, like you my training has been unconventional for this one, haven't done a plus 13 for ages but will be hoping to get a 15 in next Monday, and then ramp up from there.

GE your running well mate by the looks of it so fingers crossed all 3 of us will get around that hill Good luck at Lake Vyrnwy, never heard of that???

Well done on the 13, Fi. I'm sure you'll be in top shape for the end of October.

Good luck for the 15 Phil. Lake Vyrnwy is in Snowdonia although amazingly as the race goes round the edge of the lake it's pretty flat. So not the best prep for the mara but I'm hoping to give it a good go and try and get under 1:40 for the first time. We shall see...

Flat route...1:40 will be a breeze for a serious afferleet like you GE... *waves pom poms* GO Goldeagle!!!  Whoooo!!

*crosses arms and glares* 13 miles jumping up to 2 x 20 & 1 x 18miler in the next couple of weeks??? FIONA!!! I hope to goodness 13 hasn't been the longest distance you've covered recently young lady.  I'm sure you'll all be fine though, are you planning on staying together seeing as how you're all much of a muchness or will it be gel belts at dawn and let the best man/woman win???

I have a new plan with the diet after a few weeks of struggling to stick to the plan (WeightWatchers Points thingy)....Saturday I don't point at all (well, I do my long run on Saturdays now) but then Sunday - Friday I stick rigidly to my daily points...managed to lose 1.4lb this week  only 1.1lb to go and then I'm back down to my optimum training/racing weight.

Phil, well done on the 15. As Fi says, there's not much chance of it being warm round Snowdonia at the end of October. Lake Vyrnwy is this Sunday so I'll let you know how it goes.

I agree with Phil, Caz. You'll be burning all the calories in the running. Especially now you're increasing the miles again, No need for the weightwatching!

Got a hilly 20 done on Saturday and felt not too bad at the end of it. 2 of the next 3 weekends are taken up with half marathons so needed to get a long run in. Time's flying by and with 27 October only 7 weeks away that only leaves 4 weeks to do the hard miles before the taper.

I'm home 

Welcome home Dave. Hope you had a great time.

Got round Lake Vyrnwy (literally) in 1:40:20 so the sub 1:40 is going to have to wait a bit longer. Slightly disappointed I couldn't have found 20 seconds from somewhere as it's a pretty flat course apart from the first mile which is uphill and the last which is downhill... But happy with the way I feel fitness wise and I can have another bash at the New Forest Half in 2 weeks. That'll be a bit tougher I think. Anyway, a good race and would recommend if you're in the area next year.

My daughter finallly had the plaster removed from her ankle yesterday. Going to take a bit of time for her to learn hoe to walk again but it looks like things are heading in the right direction.

In the office early today despite being up until 2.30 watching Andy Murray. Great performance and well deserved. Sport in 2012 just keeps on coming. Bring on the Ryder Cup...

Good to see you guys all busy doing abit of running too! Been up Snowden, Welsh Peaks etc on hols and done over a 1000 miles this year so keeping fit slow speedy stylee. Off to the GNR this weekend to see a few stars run on Saturday and then have a go at no3 GNR on Sunday. What a year of sport! I dont include footie of course.

Phil, that's a real pain with the course prep. Hope you can find a way of fitting some running in.

Hi mcs, good to hear from you and that you're keeping in good shape. Good luck for the GNR.

GE so close and yet so far....20 seconds...gaaah!!  You'll get it next time for sure.  Hope your daughter is getting the hang of the walking again after getting the plaster off.

Philby don't work understand you've got a marathon to train for?  For goodness sake aren't these people happy that you just turn up occasionally???  Hope you manage to fit adequate training in.

Have fun at the GNR mcs.

We learnt a valuable lesson last week....on warm days when doing an 18mile run remember to take some money with you....the ice cream man can probably catch up with you if you try to run away without paying...so as much as I wanted an ice cream we had to wait until we got home