Paris Marathon 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-a8dAHDQoo

Girls Go Wild In Red Light District - by Stop The Traffik

This is done by the org we are doing In The Long Run for...

Good for you TD for taking the initiative to do this..  

Iain Moore 2 wrote (see)

You people have accountants... Wow.

Yep..  I have one too...   but obviously not the same one that Amazon, Google and Starbucks use..   

Dannirr wrote (see)

RS - going to Canada huh?  And DV will be in the US for some Badwater training.....

I'm starting to feel a running get-together in North America coming on...Or just wine would be fine too.  There is an excellent winery just paces from our house...just saying.

Lets do it..  

DLR - I've long been of the opinion the red light district is a blight on the beautiful city of Amsterdam. I don't know how anyone can walk through that and not find it a depressing sight.

TD - Ill still be in for this Stop the Traffik adventure as long as I'm fit to participate.

Test phase two: Slightly tender lower abdonmial area this morning, but it seems to have eased off on my walk to the train station. Think I'll try another short slow run this evening.

TD - still very interested although I suspect it'll be a short distance for me if I can juggle dates...

Eggy - that's good news.  A far better outcome than last time.

Lurgy still making me feel rubbish...trying to motivate myself to get out and replace today's 10 mile run on my bike...hopefully next week I'll be able to do at least some of my runs as my leg is feeling a whole lot better.  Mind you, if it didn't after all this massage. stretching/exercising/realigning I'd probably get it chopped off.

TD: sorry to hear the news. I like the idea of growing a new you in a lab though. How does it feel after the injection? Have you managed to find gluten free Glucosamine?

The long run - could be up for that if you want me, bit early to say for sure agenda-wise

Weedy and Orbutt: your exchange about "ask me something only I would know" had me laughing

I also haven't run for two weeks now (well, one test run, which didn't go well).

This "cross training to maintain fitness" thing is hard this time of year!

On Sunday I went out on my bike for what was supposed to be a long ride (2 hours or more - I had official permission from SWMBO) but had to cut it short after 45 mins as my feet were frozen (got really wet at the beginning, and was around 2 degrees outside). Could barely walk when I got off the bike, and the thawing out process was INCREDIBLY painful, I was envisaging frost bite and trips to A+E

So after that I decided swimming might be safer. But all the public pools close at 18.30 or 19.00 around here. So I asked some favours and blagged a couple of guest passes to a very expensive gym which is open until 23.00

I managed 25 minutes in the pool before getting cramp in both calves. Spent the rest of the time in the steam room feeling sorry for myself

Today I am still saddle sore and can still feel the cramp! At least it's taking my mind off the original injury that is stopping me running I suppose.

By the way TD, my injury came from the race in Vossem. From which I have drawn two conclusions:

- don't enter races that don't fit the schedule of achieving your "goal" (in this case, sub 3 in Paris) 

- don't overtake TD!

Hey sorry to hear that you are also on the injury bench Neil. I'm not giving you permission to overtake me - if you can do it, then I expect you to do it. I've always thought the person we are primarily competing with is the 'inner wimp'. You have to beat the Wimp. Fully agree about how hard it is to recreate running training intensity. Good waterproof overshoes are essential for cycling at this time of year. I have warm ones but they aren't waterproof.

No Rob, I did NOT say, "You have to beat the Gimp"

Anyway, Zed's dead baby....

Eggy - could you also PM me your contact details, you too Emmy. I think it would be a nice idea if each runner wanted to have a go at a marathon distance during 'In The Long Run' but it is really not essential.  The main thing is that we have a symbolically unbroken chain of running between Bratislava and Brussels. So a key organising principle is that we will be a team and that each person can contribute what they want.

The goal will be to cover something like 150-160kms a day. We might expect more runners at the beginning and end of the course, so the middle days might require a bit more daily mileage from each runner. I am imagining a minimum of 12 runners in the team but will happily accept more than that. I think we can scale the logistics accordingly.  If we get a surfeit of runners, then it will be quite acceptable to have more than one runner going at a time, either running at their own speeds, or running together.

One of the problems faced by people caught up in people trafficking is that they get isolated from their families and communities. They are made to be weak and alone. In this activity, we want to emphasise togetherness in order to overcome a great obstacle, so team spirit is going to be very important to us.  When we get the first wave of publicity ready, there should be an invitation which you good folks can pass on to people you think might be interested/ available. But I'm telling you all early because this thread is my 'inner circle'.

TD - Those of us who can't make it over there could maybe arrange a day somewhere where we all meet up and do a marathon together. Maybe on the day you start or finish the run. That way we can all join in. London maybe, or maybe somewhere in the middle of the country so it's easier for everyone up in Scotland to get to? Or maybe have two or three events - one in London, one in Newcastle and one somewhere in Scotland? Food for thought anyway.

Neil - Sorry to hear about layoff. Is the swimming cramp just because you're using slightly different muscles?

Tricky - a truly worth cause but I can't make it - sorry.

I know exactly what you mean about the 'inner wimp'. Mine is constantly nattering into my left ear - he also likes chocolate.

V festive Orbutt. Sadly I'm still the same old me. I think I'm me anyway.

Cogito ergo summink

Weedy - it looks like you but there was some other bloke who looked like you with a similar name. No tatoos either. 

 No I wont be able to be there either TD but you have my support and I like Weedy's suggestion.. ohh new avatars have all been uploaded

DV are you going to run Badwater? How do you train for it in cold UK?

10cm of snow in here, I don't think I'll risk a run today

Orbutt - that's my evil twin. Curse his rugged good looks, sense of humour and easygoing charm.

wiolQn the snowflake wrote (see)

DV are you going to run Badwater? How do you train for it in cold UK?

10cm of snow in here, I don't think I'll risk a run today

My intention is to enter in 2015.  The application process is very involved so I am spending the next two years building up my CV to be worthy of being invited to run.  Next year I have 5 x 100 mile ultra races booked and will probably repeat the same for 2014.  The heat training will come later...    I'm going to Badwater in July 2013 and 2014 purely for the experience of pacing/crewing another runner and to experience the heat for real.  Going there to pace a runner is also part of the application process.

Oh, Look! A woman all coverd in mud...Royalty, too....

By 'eck that's a beautiful picture

Well, today I spent 9 of the 13 miles I did on my bike with my feet and hands frozen - I was cycling one handed with the other hand stuffed in me armpit to stop them from going numb.  Not pleasant all round - but hey, at least I raised my heart rate....

Cheered myself up by attending the South Wales Ladies Business Club christmas lunch...stop sniggering at the back.  Yes, they did let me in.  They even gave me a glass of wine.

Neil...sorry to hear you're benched as well - I feel your pain with the cross training thing, it's just not the same.  Although better than nothing.  Hoping to do a mixture of running and cycling next week, all being well.

I managed six miles tonight at very easy pace tonight. A little bit of pain after that one. I'll see how I feel tomorrow, but I'm tempted to have a rest day.

Neil - Sorry to hear you are benched just now.