'Mature' runners.

TE - 32 degrees?? If it were me I think I'd DNS.

That was a ferociously tough training session, but it sounds as though you rather enjoyed it. Perhaps in a masochistic sort of way.

Red - oh dear, I do feel for you. Asthma and hayfever? Should be possible to find out what it is you're allergic to; aren't there allergy clinics that do this?

Hope the dark chocolate helped.

60 is young to go. But one person going young in a family doesn't have to mean others will.

Taper... Yes; just did 12.74 miles today, and that is my last long run before the half mara. Much of it was done in pouring rain. Can't decide whether I should go out with the club next Tuesday.

Columba, I have missed so many races, that I just can't DNS. No matter how hot, I will run it, even if I do a PW. That training session was ferociously tough, but in a funny sort of way I did enjoy it. I like to push myself hard, and luckily am able to recover quite quickly between efforts. I still believe in the old addage "no pain no gain," although I have the common sense these days to know my limits.

Well done on your long run and I hope your half marathon goes well. I would advise you to run with the club on Tuesday, and I agree with JJ that the Tuesday before a Sunday race, is the ideal day for a final speed session. The rest of the week should be taken easy.

TE - believe me, I am taking today very easy indeed!

Columba, so am I.

Me too, although i'm not an happy bunny, i called the docs this morning, to be told the telephone services are emergency only, so i had to go to the surgery to make an appointment, and the earliest i could get was next friday !  

OT, that's disgraceful, having to wait all that time.

1 hour bike ride today followed by weights and stretches -  I am on my way back to fitness!

The weathermen are predicting 2003's record high temperature of 40.3 in Germany may well be broken today.

Afternoon peeps,

Oh boy it's hot and heavy today, even early on when I ventured out for my run at 6am.  Just a 12 mile pootle as I'm now officially in taper mode.  Today I had no problems at all and yet the air is thick with pollen - go figure, as they say in the USA 

Last night we had a little celebration as at long last, and after many examinations etc., I've received the all-clear from the hozzie following my health scare earlier in the year.  I haven't written about the details as you've had enough to put up with as I've been banging on about asthma for months.

IW, that's excellent news - your weights, not the temperature 

OT, that's ridiculous isn't it.  With our surgery I had to wait 2 weeks to see a doctor when the nurse had referred me about my cancer check-up and it just made it even more stressful.  Ironically, when I did see the quack it only took 3 days to get an appointment at the hospital!

TE, hope you were OK in your race.

Columba, your last long run was longer than mine - we'll have you doing marathons yet.  Dark chocolate solves most problems 

BIW, great news that you are now back on the way to fitness!

Red, also great news that you seem to have kicked your breathing problems and have received the all clear from your health scare! Things are looking up now on this thread

My race went better than I could ever have wished for. It was boiling hot, with the sun beating down, and very little shade. I set off at a steady pace which I maintained throughout the race, working my way through the field. I was only overtaken by one runner, and that was a youngster in the last k. My k splits were :- 5.02 5.30 4.49 5.07 5.24 5.01 5.11 5.12 5.02 5.20, and mile splits :- 8.12 8.12 8.15 8.14 8.20 8.27 2.00. The distance on my Garmin was 6.27 miles. My time, which agreed, for once, with the official time was 51.43.

There was a record entry this year of over 300, and I came 123rd. I don't know yet where I came in the 60 -70 category, but consider it unfair that us over 65s are lumped in with the 60s to 65. We have very little chance of getting in the first three. Many runners set off too quickly for the hot conditions, and therefore suffered in the heat. That's where my tactics paid off, as I didn't find the heat too much of a problem and didn't collapse at the finish like many others did. I don't know whether it was the "Olympics Effect" but the route was lined with spectators and little children high fiving

Driving home, I was stuck in traffic for nearly an hour as there was a road accident on the crossroads for Beaulieu. That was far worse than the race, as the heat was building up in the car. Prior to the hold up, a wasp flew into the car and setttled on the seat, and started to climb up the leg of my shorts. I tried not to panic and managed to brush it away and it flew out of the opposite window. I don't think I could have survived the boiling heat in the queue if it had stung me where it hurts

Well done TE, you had good splits especially in the heat of today. I always admire people who can run well in hot weather, I can't, I do far better in the rain. Lucky you got rid of the wasp!

Chaired a Gardening assoc meeting on Friday evening. Dinner in London on Saturday for elder daughter's 39th birthday. Doodle is unwell and will need to go to the dog doctor tomorrow morning. A big kitchen update is being planned and things are being changed in the hall, stairs and landing plus 3 replacement windows so there's been lots of guys doing measuring and taking instructions so they can produce quotations.

Too hot for serious training.

TE
Heat will always have a slowing effect regardless of whether or not it's uncomfortable. In fact I once saw a table that plotted the decline per degree of temperature increase.

Redhead
Excellent news! you may find your breathing problems improve as a result.

Thanks for the foot hug.      If I get a priformis problem or similar  I will give you a call
JJ

Just popping in to see how TE got on and WOW!  Well done that man, and in hot conditions too.  Excellent.  I quite agree that it's unfair to be grouped in with the 60-65s and it will be interesting to see how you faired within the group.  I'm so glad that all your hard work paid off 

JJ, LOL you little tinker   I hope the vet makes your doodle better.  I think your bank balance is about to take a bit of a hit.  I hope your kitchen falls into the 'reassuringly expensive' bracket which I suspect is quite likely given your proximity to TWells.

Right, I have  a date with a book about plant science.  Night all.

OT - that's a ridiculously long time to wait for a doctor's appointment. I note JJ's Doodle got one much quicker. Who decides whether you're an emergency or not?

Red - high pollen count yet no problems? Now that really is bizarre. Suggests the asthma may be stress-related rather than allergy related, which may be what JJ was suggesting; now you've been given the all clear on other health problem, perhaps the asthma will just go away.

It would probably take me 6 hours or so to run a mara, and I really don't think I've got the patience. However, once the half is out of the way I might try an occasional Very Long Run (say, 14, 15, 16 miles) every 6 weeks or so, and see how I get on. Maybe a run/walk.

BIW - you didn't do that bike ride out of doors, in those temperatures, did you??  You certainly seem to be bouncing back very fast.

JJ - lol at the piriformis comment, - never miss a chance, do you?

Planning a swim this afternoon.

Red, BIW and JJ thanks! I came 8th in the 60-70 age category which is very disappointing. It would be interesting to know how many of those faster than me were 65 or younger.

JJ, hope your Doodle soon recovers!

I did a recovery run of 5 miles this morning and felt good. I'm sure all the core work which I have been doing, plus speed and hill work have contributed to my recovering fitness. I really felt strong throughout yesterdays run, and didn't go through any bad patches. I have already entered the New Forest Half Marathon on 23rd September, and intend entering the Hardley Half which is run by my club on 14th October, and the Lordshill 10 mile which will probably be on 11th November. The Club are also trying to get me to enter mid week races, but I don't want to do too many at my age. The days have gone when I used to race cross country on a Saturday and a road race on the Sunday.

We have a scheduled 9x 400 metre track session with 400 metre jog recoveries tomorrow, but unless they have marked out the track again, will have to find an alternative.

Columba - no, I didn't, but this afternoon I did! Had to collect my car from the garage after its service. I have drunk about 3 bottles of fluid, had a cool shower and washed my bike clothes - it was hot out there. Looks like a storm is brewing now, hope it holds off until after tonight's swim training. We only have 3 more sessions in the outdoor pool before it closes for the winter. Still, we'll be able to swim in the lakes for a good while longer.

Doodle has a bug which is similar to gastro-enteritis and has been very out of sorts. Vet did a full medical, gave an injection of two antibiotics and a steroid injection to reduce internal inflammation. She has reacted remarkably quickly and positively. Had a 30 minute stroll in the woods this afternoon .Cost was £41 which I thought was unbelievably cheap.

Columba
Chances are definitely in short supply.
Maybe I just don't recognise them any more?

TE
Mid-week short races can work well if they are instead of, and not in addition to, a speed session.

Redhead
"Expensive" has to be a bit more than reassuring. I get 3 quotes for everything and select best value. That doesn't have to be  the cheapest but it's not necessarily the most expensive either.
JJ

JJ, thanks, that is what I thought too. These mid week races come the day after a speed session, that's why I haven't done any. It may be ok for the younger runners, but as you get older, it will lead to injury. I suppose the answer is to miss the club session and do the race in lieu. I don't really want to do that, as I prefer doing the club sessions and just racing at the weekend.

Morning all,

Thankfully it seems a bit cooler today.  In fact it felt rather autumnal when I was out first thing - all dewy with lots of spiders webs.  I'm just off for a speed session on the treddy then it's gardening all the rest of the day (or until my knees/hands have had enough!) as I've got a couple of large areas I want to prepare for planting next month which is very exciting 

JJ, good news that the doodle is responding well to her treatment although I thought that £41 was rather expensive for a 30 minute stroll in the woods 

TE, if you're going to race you need a medal at the end of it!  I think 'recovery runs' are very useful in aiding recovery and I always do a short plod the day after a long run or marathon.  The other thing I like to do, when possible, is to go for a walk in the afternoon after a 20 miler.  I find that really stretches my legs out well.  What time are you targeting for your next race?

Columba, aha, I see you've been tempted by the concept of longer runs.  You might enjoy doing them off road so you've got beautiful scenery to enjoy when you take  a walk break.  I love running off-road as I never pay any attention to my speed and simply enjoy being out in the countryside with all the flora and fauna.

Red, the prediction on Fetch, based on my 10k time is 2hrs .02 for a half marathon. If I can push up my weekly mileage, I hope to better that. I always do a recovery run the next day after a race, speed or hill session, and that's why I'm not keen on these mid week races.

TE
You are right to avoid fast work on two consecutive days.
What is your best  10k this year on a reasonable course?

Redhead
What's the going rate for a stroll in the woods then?
JJ