Edinburgh Marathon

The Wall may be one for the future, Caz. But definitely over 2 days. As usual the hype about the snow has been worse than the snow,,, (so far...). OK, we've had a few inches but it was hardly apocalypse time.

And talking of snow.... Hillheader, that is seriously hard core. Bit extreme for Edinburgh training... Hope all goes well.

Got my mara PB at Loch Ness 3 years ago. Really liked the whole weekend and want to do it again sometime.

Even the towpaths were pretty treacherous yesterday so cut the planned 20 back to 10. But it was good to be outside.

10x1k on the treadmill on Saturday at 5:30 pace with 90 seconds recoveries and then I cried like a girl. God it was sooo hard.

Sunday was taking my daughter out for the day. She is 16 on Wednesday - God I feel old

Also stuck in Cardiff and home is snowbound apparently. Hope I can get home tonight 

I fancy Loch Ness but god know when I can do that. I really need to do sub 2:30 so I can run places for fun

 Loch Ness is at the end of September Dave...so I'd recommend doing it then

Snow-mageddon is finally here...woke up this mornig to a wintery wonderland...talked it through with Mr CS and we decided it was probably better to dig out my car rather than his as the Puma would've acted like a snow plough the snow was that deep

We managed to get out for a little tootle over the weekend...mainly resorting to running at the edge of the road...pavements weren't too bad where there hadn't been too much foot traffic but in other areas it would've just been down right silly to try and run on them....hurry up and get here Yaktrax!!!

Dave a 16 year old daughter???  You is officially OLD!!!

Glad you've all (?) got some snow. That's a fast pace MC Dave for a treadmill and a 2:30 marathon is pretty impressive.

Fresh powdery snow is a delight to run through - refrozen tramped pavement snow is yuck.

Loch Ness is good timing for training through the summer and often a good SW wind - great apart from last mile or so into wind.

Got out yesterday in the snow -13 miles but slow. Had to dig ourselves out this morning and then got the snow blower working (we're a mile from public roads and up a hill). Got my racing snow shoes today - boys with toys!

I is old - I know!

Thnaks for the advice on running Loch Ness. I agree it's best to run races when they are on rather than turning up randomly to run around for a bit! Anyway, can't do this September and next year (assuming I break 2:30) will be Dubai in January, Comrades in May and then a certain little 39.3 in Florida the January after  - you better belive it Cazzy!

Hey Dave maybe see you in Dubai in Jan, although I'll be about 75mins behind you. Right off for a run, sun screen on, it's 24 degrees in Dubai today!

As fast as we dig, it blows in again. Staying at home though with a run later.

LSD runs? That sounds interesting!

Caz - just go back and re-read your post and then come back when your talking sense. Its 39.3 for goodness sake!

Hi guys!

'Tis I the AWOL Welsh one!!  Sorry for not keeping in touch .......... or maybe it's been a refreshing change for you all.

I have posted on FB but will mention on here a massive Well done to Phil on the Disney experience.  Superb considering how ill you'd been feeling.  Good to see you enjoying that pint......definitely deserved.

Haven't had time to read back yet over all the other exploits.  Life has been pretty naff and very manic.  Loads going on.  Too much stress and worry - but getting to the stage now where it is bothering me less cos basically it doesn't make an ounce of difference.  Ho hum!

Running.......hmmmm....well, it is intermittent to say the least.  Ran last Thursday 9 miles as snow was forecast for Friday.  And for once they were right.  So didn't get out again until last night - 7 miles.  Need to start upping it as I have Llanelli half in early March.  New bike for Xmas (roadie) has been out twice  Anytime the weather was OK I had something else going on.  And until the last of this ice clears it just is not worth the risk.  But absolutely love it when I can get on it.

Have made a decision that I am not entering another marathon this year.  Until work settles down the level of training and stress pushes me over the edge and I end up ill.  Half marathons meanwhile I can cope with now relatively pain free.  So the full will have to wait until 2014.  One of the plus points of work is that a few of us have gone on short time - me included.  Well it doesn't quite work as Shaun still bugs me but I have Fridays off now which is great - not from a money point of view - but time wise fabby dooby.

Now last bit of news - bit sad, and I know not all people will get the upset - but one of our Spaniels (bo) hasn't been too good lately.  Tests yesterday have flagged up that she has a tumour in her chest cavity.  As it is growing there is less room for her organs.  Hence her heart is pushed to the side and her lungs are getting restricted.  No treatment - just a waiting game.  She is fine at the moment.  Slower than her sister and taking her time.  Off her food a bit.  But still enjoying life.  I just have to monitor her.  Just about sums up the last few months of life in the Evans household.

How parents cope with similar news about their children is beyond me.  Frightening. 

Right I'm off before I'm shouted at for being depressing on a Friday.  Time for me to go and find a Crunchie

Have a good weekend all.  Will attempt to log back on over the weekend to catch up on all the recent activity.  Take care all - be safe. x

mmmmmmmmm Crunchie!

Sorry to hear about you dog Fi. I imagine it's really tough to deal with when your pets are that close. Hope she isn't in too much pain.

Glad your running a bit as well. My running is going OK at the minute but I too have bought a bike (roadie) Jo is not happy as she thinks that with the running and pia pia piano I will have no time for her and Noah with a bike as well.

I told her not to worry and asked 'who the hell is Noah' She didn't think it was funny.

Hey ho.

Have a good weekend folks - I'm running the Northern XC championships on Saturday at Knowsley so that should be fun. The Southern XC championships where DT2 runs got cancelled coz they are soft southern shandy drinking poofters!

Had a naff week to say the least 24 miles but was made redundant yesterday so looking for work if anyone has any I am available. Sales office shut despite the best year ever......cost cutting.  Happy weekend all....

Thats awful news mcs. What do you do?

Hope something comes up soon for you.

So sorry to hear that news mcs.  Doesn't seem to make sense does it?  Good luck on the outcome - hopefully the shut down gives you plenty of time to adjust and start the new job hunt. 

It's tough out there that's for certain.  Thankfully, ***touches wood*** we have work coming in so it is just a case of being a bit more street wise, less charitable, making a few more sensible harsh decisions and hopefully we'll pull through.

The Crunchie was mmmmmmmmm!! - Not convinced 1 would do the trick - so I bought a packet of 3!!

Loads of rain last night so roadie maybe out tomorrow!! Woo! Hoo!   Good luck today Dave in the XC.

The snow came down with a vengeance last night  really hope the predicted rain arrives and melts it all so we can get out for some decent mileage tomorrow...Dewsbury 10k next Sunday and then Liversedge half the week after, so we've kinda run out of training time and only managed to log a 9miler in the long run stakes since last November.

Fi, is Bo the one getting a kiss from Bru? I'm really sorry she's poorly hun, both your dogs are lovely and so well behaved.

That's rotten news mcs, hope you manage to find something else quickly...on the plus side...more time for traininng and you can temporarily call yourself an elite athlete

But Dave, you will enjoy it so much more if you take your time and lap up the whole Disney experience with someone else....it is definitely one (two) race(s) where time is irrelevant...Bru has said that next time we're getting our photo taken with every character we see even if we don't know who they are...I know it's hard to believe...but there are some of Donald's relations that I'm not 100% certain who they are.