Paris Marathon 2013

Ouch Emmy. Sensible to not push through pain. Have you ever been to see the Sports Doctors in UZA - highly recommended. Dr.De Schutter is a sub-3hr marathoner.

Don't give up anyone - one week left for HARD TRAINING then it all gets easier - bon courage!

Great running TD.

Emmy - hope it's just a niggle; it's great though to have such a highly recommended sports doc so close by...

Heck of a lot of snow here this am, made a few of us think twice about the Northumberland Half - but snow stopped just before it kicked off. Pleased to meet Weedy, who blasted his PB by some way. Glad to get around an undulating course in sub-2. Hoping my fingers get some feeling back soon.

Just about thawed out Simon

Goodbye 1.43, hello 1.39

Things I've learnt today...
1. Iain's a top bloke
2. Aliens have come down while I was sleeping and done a leg transplant on my, leaving me with a faster pair. They're currently experimenting on my old ones. As long as they don't try and give them back to me I'll be happy.
3. I can't post any pictures any more (everyone breathes a huge sigh of relief). Thing RW's withdrawn my picture posting privileges for abuse of server space or something. You'll all have to take it in turns with the Danny Boyle-style countdown.

Emmy - hope you work out what's causing it
TD - great run there.

RR - Think it's just something weird going on with my computer. Altho it's the same on every computer I've tried so far.

Simon - Paris target's still to be decided. Marathon PB's 3.45 tho.

Hi all,

You're all making me feel a lot better!

Well done Weedy!!

I wouldn't think it's RW taking away your priviledges - they upgraded to a new version last week and since then nothing has been working! It's worth reporting it in the bugs section. Maybe they're just jealous because your covers are SO much better than theirs?

@RR - i'll youtube some stretches and give it a go. As you say -it can't do any harm!

Well done for getting out for the 17 miles in the blizzard. You're definitely more hardcore than me - it was 2'c but luckily no rain/sleet.

Also - a reminder to the BENCH - enter your runs people  or....i'll be rivalling all of you!

Well done, Weedy! That's great. See what training can do? * 'Must try it...*

I don't think RW has singled you out. All my ' first attempts' at posting anything result in a blank page and I've just received a blank message from someone who is clearly trying to message me... Keep your pictures and try again later. They're too good to miss.

It is really cold here. 'mightily impressed by those who ventured out.

I can report that Eggy is alive and well and actually pretty chuffed with his run this morning.

Loch Katrine was great, but also brutal. Stunning route to run along. It really is one of the most scenic parts of Scotland. The loch by your side, fern covered hills all around and snow covered mountains in the background. The downside is the loch road is hill after hill after hill and once you've done that they throw in another hill just in case you hadn't seen enough of them yet!

I finished in 1:53:36, which is way better than I expected. It's 10 minutes slower than my PB, but Loch Katrine is a far harder course and I felt I paced myself well for the hills and injury management. Felt a little pain in the groin in the closing miles, but nothing too bad.

Conditions wise it was bloody freezing and very windy. It started snowing on us at the start line, then was sunny, then started snowing again. It was headwind all the way back from the turn point too. Why is it always on the way back and never out?

Feeling good about the run though. Mentally that's a big plus for me. All my long runs have been pretty hellish this year and I felt good today, if a bit tired with the training miles of the last few weeks in the legs. It was nice to go and run a good distance and really enjoy it again. Plus a Tunnocks caramel log at the finish makes any run worth doing.

Weedy - Brilliant time. You must be very happy with that. Well done.

Iain - Great running from you too.

Emmy - Sorry to hear about your injury. As other have said best get it looked at. Might be worth resting up until you know what the issue is. You've certainly got the miles in the legs, so a few days rest might be just what you need.

ATM - I don't blame you for postponing your run. I must admit I drove through a snow flurry going over the Dukes Pass and was wondering why the hell I was going out to run in that weather.

Hi all,

I need some advice. Someone I know is running Paris in April BUT after a long hiatus they started to train for it... YESTERDAY. They want to know if they're going to get round or what sort of training plan to follow.

My first attempt at a response was: are you f*&)ing crazy?

What do others think? Should I completely discourage? or?

RR - fantastic 17 in awful conditions... If it's not snowing in Paris, I don't know how I'll adapt... The long bath soak has been achieved, coffee in place of hot chocolate. (Lenten promise!) 

Eggy - sounds like a class run, fab time despite the headwind, which I imagine was rough.

Weedy - if those aliens return, direct them to my place...!

Simon - the Northumberland half was inland, but didn;t feel like it! I was on the coast yesterday,  the wind from the sea was mighty. How was your LSR?

Emmy H wrote (see)

Hi all,

I need some advice. Someone I know is running Paris in April BUT after a long hiatus they started to train for it... YESTERDAY. They want to know if they're going to get round or what sort of training plan to follow.

My first attempt at a response was: are you f*&)ing crazy?

What do others think? Should I completely discourage? or?

I'd tell them four weeks is nothing like enough to get ready for a marathon. If they insist on doing it then tell them to prepare to walk a very large section of it.

Emmy - I guess if they have residual fitness, they could get around by run-walking. But, frankly, I think that is pretty irresponsible and asking for trouble. I certainly wouldn't recommend it. I'm sure the panel have other ideas though...