'Mature' runners.

Glad you had a good London trip, Columba. I spotted the challenge I am doing of Facebook - interesting things do pop up from time to time, especially through various running groups and pages. I've occasionally felt quite tired, especially when I had a cold last week, but it hasn't been as tough as I anticipated. I do know various people who have been (and still are) on very long streaks, though I don't think they always do as much as 5k. I think a mile is the minimum.

I didn't hear about the fatality at the Great Birmingham run either. Sadly the man who died was only 36, and was a regular runner http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-20030741

I avoided the rain on Friday evening, but got very muddy on my Saturday run. I stuck to proper trails yesterday! No long runs over the week-end, what with other things on, but I've managed over 95 miles so far this month, which is high for me.

Columba - a half-ironman is exactly half the distance of a full IM - 2km swim (sometimes 2.5km depending on the venue), 90km bike, half marathon run. For me a 5 to 6 hour effort depending on the terrain. I picked Vichy because both the bike and run courses are reported to be almost dead flat.

BIW - the very best of luck with it! Do you get to eat, during that 5 to 6 hours?

Was working today. Had hoped to be back home in time to go swimming (Old Folks' session at the local pool, 4.00 till 5.00) but was too late. Maybe just as well as I seem to have a bit of a sore throat.

Just got back home from Tewkesbury, after completing Eastnor 8 mile multi-terrain, in some extreme muddy and hilly conditions. My legs are covered in little cuts and  bruises because on the down hill  sections it was difficult to stay on your feet.However a good time was had by all and the meal afterwards in the Indian resturaunt made it all worthwhile.

Columba - yes, triathletes like to call nutrition the "5th discipline", the first 4 being swim, bike, run and transition. It's vital to take in calories while cycling or you run the risk of running out of fuel on a half or full IM! Many people use sports bars, gels and drinks but there's a lot of other nutrition some like to use. There's an item called a Bento box which is made to attach to the bike's top bar  with velcro straps in front of the handlebars and that's what most use to carry their food items. Mine can take 6 gels, a couple of bars, and assorted other bits like gummy bears and salted nuts, I also like to take sliced malt loaf or ginger cake. For liquids, energy drink goes in my aero bottle (fits on the front between my tri bars) and water in the other bottle on the bike frame. Naturally there are feeding stations on both the bike and run courses, on the cycle route they will normally be about 30km apart and on the run about every mile or so. I bet you wish you hadn't asked now!

Of course for a sprint race you don't need fuel and probably not for an Olympic distance tri either although most still take a drink bottle with them on the bike.

On the cycle route, the feed stations are each set up in the same order so everyone knows where to take what they want, same as in a running race. Standard fare is water, sports drink, cola, sports bars, gels, and bananas. As you approach the feed station you throw out your empty drink bottle (usually there's a container to throw it in) and grab another from a volunteer, also any food items you want. Nobody dismounts from the bike, you just keep going. That's something that I tell newbies to practice so they are comfortable with it - I struggled with it when I first began until I one day I saw a woman practicing riding past her husband and taking a drink bottle from him.

Short, easy run this morning.
It's wedding anniversary day - 100 years. Lunch out here which is our local Michelin starred eatery.
JJ

Congratulations JJ, your  medal for bravery is long overdue

Sadly, i need to take time out from the forum for a while, i have returned from Eastnor at the weekend to be confronted ( if thats the right word ) with some serious family matters which need to be resolved. There's not a lot else i can add at the moment other than to say i will return.

Take care all

OT, sorry to hear of your family problems and hope you are able to resolve them.

We did a circuit session last night, comprising 3 x 0.94 mile, with a short recovery between each. My third was the quickest in 6.45 mins. which is 7.11 min miling.

Morning all,

Out all day yesterday so no running or anything other than walking.  Last run before Beachy today 

JJ, congratulations to you and Mrs JJ.  Hope you had a lovely meal.

OT, sorry you've got family stuff to sort out.  Sending you supportive vibes and hope to see you back here soon xxx

TE, yikes, something with a 7 in it is always impressive in my book!

Even 8s are impressive in my book!

OT - I hope the problems don't prove too intractable, and don't take too long to sort out. Thoughts and prayers go with you and indeed with your whole family.

BIW - no, not sorry I asked, - it's amazing how highly organised these triathlons are, but then they would have to be I suppose. I watched my daughter do an Olympic tri but didn't notice, or couldn't remember, what she did about eating. Certainly she drank en route.

Out with the running club last night. Once round the town lake to warm up, then we did intervals in various spots in town, running around blocks of buildings (all with a distinct uphill slope on them somewhere) - twice round for me, three times for most people, four times for the really speedy and competitive ones. Then back to the lake and once round again. It was very mild and very damp and pretty dark; my glasses kept getting drizzled on from the outside and steamed-up from the inside and I was running almost blind some of the time.

I suppose OT won't see this, but I'm sending positive thoughts his way anyway.

JJ, congratulations on the anniversary. Good looking menus, including inventive vegetarian options for Mrs JJ.

Good pace there TE. I was pleased and surprised to achieve a mile at 8:09 pace with the club on Monday. Slight cheat as we were doing long intervals with a recovery in between, but still pleasing. I then did a run from home yesterday, at what felt a comfortable but effortful pace, and found I'd completed 3.44 miles at 9:30 pace. That was day 45 of my 50 day challenge, so just 5 days to go now.

Columba, I'm glad that I now have contact lenses, which I wear for running (and at other times), as not only would my glasses steam up, but also would slip off my nose, which gets very sweaty!

Red, best of luck for the Beachy! The forecast for the weekend is cold, so may be beneficial to you.

Columba, your session last night sounds good. I'm sure your pace must have improved considerably since you joined your Club.

DD, sounds like your training is going well. I presume you are not doing the GSR this year? As far as I am aware, there is only one runner from our Club doing it.

This morning I ran a very slow 6 mile recovery run, to get over yesterdays hard session.

No GSR for me, and I am not really tempted to run it again. I have done it twice, but getting in and out of Portsmouth always seems to be such a pain on race day, and it is SO expensive. I'm sad that we're away for Lordshill 10 this year, but I haven't really been doing much longer distance running while running every day, so I might not have been prepared for it anyway. I will certainly try & do the Stubbington 10k again.

Congrats JJ and Mrs JJ.

Hope OT gets things sorted out ok.

Good luck for Beachy, Redhead!

Well done DD.

Thanks for the anniversary good wishes. It was a great meal.

Redhead
Could be a bit chilly up on the Downs on Sunday. Have a good one anyway.
JJ

DD, I have run the GSR 14 times, the last being in 2007. I also have no desire to ever run it again. The organisers just seem to be obsessed with increasing entries every year, and to be honest, gettting in and out of Portsmouth is a nightmare. It took me nearly 3 hours getting out of the Common in 2007, as the Stewards wouldn't let us out. We had to break down the fence eventually and drive over it to get out. That was the final straw. There were never any problems until they employed stewards and charged us £3 for the privilege of being caged in. I don't know whether things have improved since, but can't be tempted to try again. I believe entry is £45 this year, which is scandulous for a 10 mile race.

Morning all,

I've done the GSR once and wouldn't do it again for 2 reasons - price and traffic chaos!

Thanks for the good wishes for Beachy everyone.  I don't mind the cold but am rather worried about the conditions underfoot as there are horrid muddy bits through the forest but even more worrying are the downhill bits with flint on top of slippery chalk.  It will be a miracle if I don't fall over at some point 

Red, will you wear trail shoes?

All the best Redhead go safely and enjoy.......muddy five and a half miler this morning to work at 8.30 average, very dodgey with all the leaves coming down......