'Mature' runners.

Lovely sunny day but cold.

Redhead
Been doing lawn repairs and edges. Winter pruning. Small increases in the size of a couple of beds. Greenhouse work.

TE
Shoes sound good. I was wondering what difference the lowered heel would make.
For 20 miles and upwards I take fuel on board evry 6 miles if possible. I can force down a gel if I have to but it's easier with water at the same time. 3  gels an hour seems OTT to me. Lucozade Sport as available in VLM is too sickly but at least there's plenty of water to swill it down quickly.  You have enough muscle glycogen to get to 16 - 18 miles without refuelling so you need only enough calories to eke out the stock over the extra miles not replace the whole lot.

mcs
SIS would be my choice too.
Good luck with the job.

Columba
That's just about perfect for a pyramid. Hope you did them each a roughly the same pace.
JJ 

Cycled in this morning as I have had such a great commute thought I would make the most of it and though cold enjoyed the ride down the trail.  Enjoy the weekend all and have a good run if you are out there or racing.

Morning all,

It's a lovely day here, all sunny and cold.  Off out for 7 miles @ marathon pace after lunch when it's warmed up a bit more.  Might still breathe through my buff though (that does sound odd doesn't it?!).

Mark, enjoy your last day and let's hope the next part of your working life is interesting and enjoyable.

I've got to do my long run tomorrow as I'm off to West Dean for a needlework course for a few days from Sunday until Wednesday - I made this week a step-back week to accommodate it.  This means that Mike will be home alone and in charge of animals etc.   I shall be preparing his meals tomorrow!

It's bright and sunny here also, and very cold. Last night's club session went very well and I wore my new trainers for the second time. We did 4 sets of 5 x 45 secs uphill with jogs down, and a one minute jog recovery between sets. I ran further each rep than I had done in previous sessions, and believe that the shoes being lighter had something to do with it. I even ran further than some of the "fast group." Today was a very good pace 5 miler, with an average pace of 9.26. The combination of new shoes and tapering for next weeks race is certainly producing results.

Oh, you do that too Redhead? Must admit, I tend to prepare John's meals for him if I'm going to be absent, although he is perfectly capable of cooking his own food.

Hopefully I shall be able to work the dogs tomorrow at the club, we have had snow on and off all day again today. Had enough of this now.

Charly is still in his "teenage hooligan" stage, today he chewed holes in a pair of John's underpants! A man who is not a club member but often visits us anyway, looked at Charly last night and told me, he has big strong bones and muscle, he will be a big dog when fully grown. Have to believe Willy, he's been breeding dogs for many years.

IW
Charly and me have something in common. - teenage hooligans.

TE
Seems like the shoes were a good move.
JJ

Oh, so you chew underpants too, JJ???

Morning all,

Today is somewhat surreal in Redheadland.  Last night the BBC news released details of Fran's death and this morning her photo is splashed across the front page of both The Times and The Telegraph with in-depth stories inside.  I didn't go into details on here before but she was the only witness in a the trial of a high profile sex offender, in the world of classical music, who has now been convicted.  

When she gave evidence she was entitled to anonymity but following her death the Police had advised Levine that her name would be released.  As I type this I am sitting in our music room in the chair she sat in just a few weeks ago.  I am reading quotes from Ollie, one of her sons, who I cradled as a babe in arms 21 years ago and is now having to deal with the attentions of the Press.  She was at the Royal Academy of Music when Mike studied there.

I did smile at one point as Fran was being cross-examined when the prosecutor accused her of being "an attention-seeker and a fantasist", to which Fran replied "Bollocks!  That's why people are reluctant to press charges in this sort of case".  Feisty lady to the end.  Sadly she took the comments and trauma of the trial to heart so much that she felt unable to carry on living.

Sorry to share this on here but I just needed to write it somewhere and it feels better to do it in here  amongst people I trust and respect rather than on Facebook.

Red, I didn't realise that the Fran whose funeral you attended was the woman who committed suicide during the trial of her abuser. It's always terrible when someone takes their own life, but when it is one of your closest friends, then you must be devastated. I'm glad that you felt able to share your sadness with us on this forum, and I'm sure that we will all do our best to help you through this difficult time.  Take care of yourself and try to be comforted by the fact that Fran is now in a better place and no longer suffering.

Red - I feel for you and your friend and her family. That is so sad. A suicide is so hard to come to terms with because it brings so many conflicting emotions. As TE said, your friends on this forum are with you and wish you comfort.

TE - It sounds  as if you are going to have a great run next Sunday. We will be thinking of you and sending you wings on those shoes!

BI - Naughty Charly - hope John wasn't wearing those underpants at the time!

JJ - Teenage hooligan?  Were you one of those Rockers I saw on Brighton Beach? ( I was more inclined to be a Mod myself) . Thank you for your advice,  I will do that.

mcs - A job offer already! Well done, they don't come easy these days.

Columba - the yoga book is great. It tells you how to self test in order to choose the best exercises for you as an individual.

Well, everybody - I did my 15 miles today ( 2 hours 56 mins 27) and then 30 mins cooldown walk on the treadmill. The weather was great, cold but sunny with a breeze. I was supposed to do it tomorrow but I have such a sore throat and a cold coming, so I thought perhaps I had better do it today instead in case I am too unwell to enjoy it tomorrow. I felt quite tired at 7 miles, but had completely perked up by mile 10 and felt good for the rest of the time, running the last mile at just under 10 mins. Bizarre.  Next Sunday it's 18 miles. I have to re arrange a bit because I am going to Spain on Wednesday for 9 days.

Red - I hadn't realised that either. I heard on the BBC news this morning about a woman having committed suicide after giving evidence in a sex abuse case going back many years. I thought, it just shows how deep child abuse cuts, - and people used to think children would "get over it" or even forget about it.

There's been a suicide locally in the last week, - the son of a friend of mine. His marriage had broken up some years ago, and his children were with his wife rather than him. But he never let on how bad he was feeling, and his death seems to have come as a total shock to all friends and relatives. 

JJ - no indeed, my pyramid bits were not all run at the same speed. The 1-minute bits were in the 9 and 10 mm range, 2 and 3 minutes in the 10-11 range, and 4 and 5 minutes at 11mm.

Red - are you a learner or a teacher on this needlework course?

Ran 8.87 miles this afternoon.

Matsmum, thanks. I'll need plenty of encouraging vibes to speed me on my way. Well done on your 15 miles, and in a very good time. Hope your sore throat and cold doesn't develop into flu.

Columba, your training is going well. Pyramids are great for building up speed.

It snowed here this morning, but didn't settle as the ground was wet from the overnight rain. The forecast for tomorrow is heavy rain, with a possibility of snow. The forest will be like a swamp, so progress will be very slow. There will be five of us, so we will look out for each other.

Suicides are tragic for everyone involved. Redhead and Columba - dreadful news.

Matsmum - I too was a Mod back in those days.

Very pleased with my dogs today. Charly did good work in obedience, and Nemo was great in attack work - Willy, who's an old curmudgeon and usually critiques everyone rather severely, surprised the hell out of me by clapping me on the back and saying well done, great work today. Then our trainer told me that when Nemo passes his attack exam in autumn, we'll have a party!

Took John and his shoes to a sports shoe expert recommended by his physio this morning , he's a very well known and successful runner in Germany and aftr checking his action on a  machine he told John to throw away all his current running shoes because they are wrong for him. Looking at John's gait running away from us I could see what the man meant about his foot problem, he really does pronate quite badly with his right foot. And he is terribly stiff, can't touch his toes without bending at the knees.  Gave John two shoes to try out that would help him and of course, my man being the man he is, said he would take both. So I walked out of the shop 230 Euros poorer!

A mild 5 degrees this morning, but miserable and wet, with little hope of the rain stopping. Off for a forest run soon, to wade through all the mud with other club members.

Redhead
Without knowing your connection, MrsJJ and me have had several conversations about the circumstances of Fran's death and how such things can be avoided. It's a pity that so many seemingly irrelevent details have to be dragged up from the past.

IW
J seems to need a very short daily session of hamstring and hip area stretching. He will be a better athlete as a result.
I refuse to reveal all my hobbies.

matsmum
I was never a dedicated follower of fashion (cue for song) but in my early teens I did get my trousers narrowed a bit as a lean towards the Teds . I was too much into sport to bother with what the masses were up to. Brighton beach sounds promising though. Would that be under the pier or down the nudist beach end?

That was an excellent run. Things are looking good. 15 to 18 miles is a big jump. Could you go to 16.5 then 18? Not sure whether it fits your schedule.

JJ

I have to admit that I was at Brighton that Easter Weekend, but didn't get involved in any of the fighting with the Rockers. I suppose I was a Mod, with college boy razor cut hair, Italian Suit, Chisel Toe Shoes, Tab Collar Shirt etc. I didn't own a scooter, however, and went to Brighton by train with friends.

Enough reminiscing and back to the present.The rain has been non stop, and the forest the wettest yet. We do, however, seem to be acclimatising to the adverse conditions, and now run through all the mud and water, rather than taking detours. We ran 13.75 miles and came back unscathed. I'm really looking forward to Sundays race, as Helen and I have trained meticulously for it, without missing a single session.

Sad to hear that Red we were discussing it in our house the other night.  Having some experience of similar situations, its awful when someone like her cant cope and move on really sad.  Keep your chin up you do so much good for folk.
I got up at 5.37 Sunday morning as my OH had woken me up and went out at six in the dark head torch on and in a snow sleety cold morning set off and did 17.1 miles in 2.37 so happy with that, was struggling abit for the last mile or three to keep going but kept the chimp(been reading the Sky Team Doctors book on The Chimp Mind) in the box and made it home without stopping so mentally tough but made it. Work now well one week and I am on my own in the office as the other guy is in Belgium working all week. Fun, not going to be doing too much as they dont need me!!!   Stay sane and have a good week.

mcs - your early rise and long run in snow and sleet is quite mind-boggling!

Smattering of snow here overnight. Shan't be running. Shall be swimming.

Heavy snow fall this morning which quickly settled. It has now stopped and starting to melt. The forecast for tonight is minus one, so icy roads and pavements to be expected.