A bit like sub-4 (but 15 minutes quicker)

8m last night, 4m of it WU in the strong wind. And then.... another 4m of strong wind, increased by now being near the river, also the taps were turned on so I was carrying another half stone of liquid in my running gear and having my eyes reddened by the force of the rain hitting them (and not wanting to close them too long near the busy road), doing 150yd sprint, slight uphill, reps followed by walk down a flight of steps to do step-drills backup (getting very wobbly by end and steps getting a bit slippy), few hundred yards recovery, repeated so many times over half an hour I lost count

I felt more than a bit smug for completing that session in last nights conditions and its a wicked combo to try out for strength as it batters calves (uphill sprint), quads (steps), core, arms, upper body (both).

NN - I agree that the unlimited enjoyment of food is a real bonus of running and also drives Clare, family and friends mad when I eat with them . Enjoy your Indian, my favourite nationality for carb-loading/recovery, what with all those great spices and some ginger for super-recovery

I've read a lot of interesting and motivating books about running the last few years and just reading 'Why we Run - A story of Obsession' by Robin Harvie. Too early to tell if it will be a good book overall, but does make me want to take on the Spartathlon one day, i.e. the run Pheidippides supposedly did from Athens to Sparta before proper roads, across mountainous Greece, to try and raise troups (unsuccesfully). before of course he ran back cross-country and then did a wee warm down from Marathon to Athens  Anybody else read a good running (or general endurance-related book) they can recommend, always on look out for ones I haven't. A few I've read of late I'd recommend:
The Ghost Runner - about the "forgotten", long time competively banned, and excellent long-distance road runner John Tarrant.
A Race for Madmen: The Extraordinary History of the Tour de France - you'd be amazed whats gone on over the years.
In Search of Robert Millar: Unravelling the Mystery Surrounding Britain's Most Successful Tour de France Cyclist - says it all really. And the story appeals to me as he's an unusual character and a real champion of the "mountainous stage". And many forget he was Britains first TdF jersey winner, and only "King of the mountains" winner to date 9in two of the 3 big tours.

Good luck to your mate on Sunday SB, he's picked a good country for recovery eating

It was me loaning him a book that got us into this Florence/Paris mess in the first place! it's called Keep On Running by Phil Hewitt. It tracks his adventures through 25 marathons all over the world. A mighty good read, not least for the fact that you nod continually in familiar recognition of his challenges, discoveries and experiences. he's our standard of runner, so we can very much relate to what he does.

One thing he does say is that he knows that the way to run a faster marathon is to do more speedwork, especially intervals, but he hates it and that's why he's only dipped under 3.30 a couple of times. (One for Nursey to contemplate  )

SB

Blimey Euph that really sounds a tough session mentally  it really does beggar the question just  WHY  do we put ourselves through it ?? it cant be just for that extra custard cream can it ? but it does indeed turn into an obsession/need , weird isnt it ? I cant imagine NOT running...

I like to look of that Tour De France book it wasn't really till this year I really got into watching the TDF their endurance is phenomenal and its great to see so many have got off there butts and taken to the roads on their bikes after this years cycling successes at the Olympics it seems cycling is the new running ( well for some )  me ? I will stick to the running.

Another 15 in the bag yesterday ...ok I know I said I was going to do 10 but the weather was perfect ...and its great to get the long run out of the way before a night out rather than after...I know I wouldnt have felt like it today and I am working again tonight and tomorrow so just a couple of easy 5/6 milers for me over the weekend.

SB on the subject of s***dwork my scheule does have SOME .the way the P&D schedules are laid out are in order of importance for marathon training IE endurance being the first so the first few weeks concentrate ONLY on that then lactate threshold runs are introduced and finally s****dwork as it is the LEAST important for marathon running ...

If you have time have a look at the P&D training thread also the HADD training thread which is VERY interesting....and for me get abit complicated at times (what is it with men and maths)...????

Florence pal did 3.33. His 2nd fastest ever and off the back of just an 11 week programme. He's a bit disappointed he didn't PB but all things considered, it's a fine effort.

SB

That's  a very good result Coach Badger.

I ran a comfortable 5 miles yesterday morning and finally feel ready to begin training in earnest. Tomorrow is a club night, I can't wait to get back to form and politely stuff some of the lads who have joined over the summer and think I'm the fat bloke at the back.

 Re speedwork, I think it helped me immensely.  When I came on here in 2008 I was looking for 3:45, I ended up with 3:33 in 2010 after joining our club and doing the club nights as intervals and doing the speed sessions and hill sessions (once every  2.5 weeks on average in rotation), and I never went over 45 miles max pw, and that was only in the last week before taper.

Who knows? If I could do "Nursey Miles" without falling to pieces, I might not need the speedwork, but that's what makes other runners interesting isn't it?

If there was only one way to train, it would be soooo boring!

Good effort from your mate SB...another 10.5 for me tonight in 93 mins..all very low HR ...you may be interested or maybe not to know when I started using  hrm  to monitor slow runs to make sure I was running them slow ENOUGH I had to 10 min mile to keep HR down low enough and it is very frustrating having to plod but I had read enough to convince myself this was a great way to get the miles in without tiring myself out and improving endurance .....now a few months later the pace is under 9s..

Mr puffy if you had the time I am convinced it would work ..but it is impossible to mix lots of miles with all that speed work without getting injured...which I have NEVER been...honestly...I have never had to take time off running through injury of any kind...but I do all my running slow..and half time is still 1.40 not too bad for a granny ..

Ms Principal. Sorry to hear about your old pal Larry Hagman popping his clogs.
Glad to hear you are back running well Puffo.
43 miles was my biggest ever weeks running. Two 10's n a 23.
Yer man did very well Badge. 3.33 trips off the tongue. Not as well as 3.43 though...
Anyone flooded? Up early tomorrow n off to Fraserburgh, then later in the week I think I've to go to Thurso, just down the road from John O' Groats. Hope the 'wintry showers on high ground' stay away til after then.
Went out Saturday morning. Thighs at first were a bit stiff, n the pavements were slippy with the work Jack Frost had done overnight, so I just jogged around my hilly 7.4 miler at 8.20 pace. While the bath was running, I did that planking thing for the first time. Did it for 1 min 30 secs. Is that ok? How often or how long should you be doing it? Do you do repeats? Answers on a postcard.
Ricky Hatton seems like an extreme case of mood changing without exercise. We'll see if he can find a balance in his life outside the ring.
Can someone jump into a time machine and tell me that all the sorry excuses for 'celebrity' like Rylan n Tulisa n Katona n the like are all bloated n skint n working part time in a chicken factory 10 years from now?

LS I can just about manage 2 .5 mins of that planking lark and that leaves me destroyed...I collapsed in a heap at the gym the other day after my effort and lay there for about about 5 mins face down, once I thought I had recovered looked up to see a bloke looking at me most concerned he looked like he was about to  call an ambulance !!  I hate core stuff nearly as much as speedwork. I try and do some kind of pathetic attempt everyother day or so..

Yes been flooded here  I  get to work Thursday and had to take big detour to get home this morning...so being the conscientious person I am I left home at 4 !!!! this afternoon..to make sure I got here one way or another ,baring in mind I only have to come 9 miles and I don't start till 19.45, I bought my running stuff with me and ran 10.5 miles to kill some time once I got into town...as you do..

As for poor old Larry, he did have a good innings..and leave Rylan alone..he is entertaining and the only reason I watch that crap !!

LS - better to do 1 minute planking but then repeat after (say) 1 minute rest.

Sporty - well done for your mate's result

Norwich Half yesterday - it was blowing a gale and definitely the worst wind I have ever run in. I quickly decided it wasn't going to be a day for a PB, gave up fighting the wind and just ran for an even effort. So pace was around 7.10 a mile out of the wind and a lot slower into the wind. Actually I stopped doing the laps on my Garmin after half way as it just wasn't worth worrying about. Ended up with a 1.38.51 which isn't too bad all things considered  But I never want to run in that sort of wind again!

Great going Freemers!  A quality time in poor conditions.

I love a bit of bad weather running. I went for my muddy run over the common yesterday. On crossing a bridge over a small river, I noticed the usual puddle on the other side had turned into a lake, completely covering the field I was approaching. It only looked ankle deep so I splashed in. I had a bit of a shock when I was over thigh high deep in freezing cold water! Had no option but to carry on running, splashing everywhere while losing all feeling in my feet and ankles. It was fugging cold but great fun. Managed to get to the other side of the field and into the next muddy section. 5.5 miles at 7.33 pace and totaly covered in mud and horse crap. Wicked!

I currently do planks - 3 x 1 min, side planks - 3 x 30 secs and leg extended bridges - 2 x 1 min on each leg.

I try to do them every day but can't be arsed. I average about 3 times per week. pathetic really, it's only 10 mins to do the workout.

SB

Good effort freemers , I too hate running in strong wind unless it a tail wind pushing me along..

I love running in the rain though once I get going, good job too with the weather as its been the last few days. My last post was meant to say I DIDNT get to work Thursday.. cos of flooding.

SB great pace through all that mud yuk glad you found it such fun (boys tut ), do you do your own washing ?

Another core exercise I try to is a seated row type thing 10 rows then 10 flicks of legs repeat ..up to 10 now started with 5  I d that before I go to bed ..(strange person )

14.9m for me on saturday in the glorious Wolds, de-iced and jumped in car, picked up 3 running club mates, drove out into the countryside, emerging from the fog encamping around Hull and watched as the temperature dropped and dropped till we hit -0.5 - just at this point I skidded slightly on probably the only ice patch in the region :S 9am and were off. Miles of beautiful and very quiet undulating/hilly countryside awaited us. Some fields were still frost covered till 11am, it was cold but in nice warm gear at a steady effort it never pierced my enjoyment bubble. A couple of halves, crisps and then some chips in the tiny fire-warmed pub at Millington as further reward too Nicely timed run to avoid all the weekends crap weather.

Used to plank, now I just spend more time running Running steep hills will do core-work for you. Especially if your carrying a backpack with water, food, bad weather gear in and suchlike. Tried to do some upper and core work a few months back to supplement this, but just can't afford the time when at home. I've got one of those 'marsupials' to carry baby when he/she comes along (and is old enough) so figure that should help with upper and core work

Good effort Freemers, bet noone PB'd yesterday

SB - Sounds great fun. Well done to your pal in Florence, good stuff on a short program.

Whats a 'Rylan' btw? A new doctor who alien perhaps

So Nursey mad me feel guilty and I did a load of core work tonight. surprised myself at the improvement from last week. I have been concentrating on my running form recently, pulling the core in and ensuring I'm upright while runnning. Seems to work. as you say Euph, it can be done on the run.

SB

8.84 miles tonight. Felt fairly comfy, n at 7.42  pace. Also stretched the planking thing out to 2 minutes while waiting on the bath filling up.
I'll be like the thread Peter Andre at this rate...
And by that I ONLY mean the abs, as he is perhaps the largest waste of space on this planet next to Rylan n his puffy lips. Did you know that he loves his kids? I'm sure he mentioned it once..
Nursey, never had you down as an X factor girl. More Strictly?

Whats a Rylan ?? ...lol ..well he is from the planet  Essex (say no more) wears shiny  tight trousers  and kind of famous now and no doubt will appear on some rubbish reality show and earn more money than us lot put together 

LS I only  watch X factor to see cringy acts and see people like Rylan , I wouldnt waste my money on voting I can assure you and have never watch strictly or that ice skating one, I have got into the jungle thing this year and think Eric is hilarious so dry and sarcastic (my kind of humour ).

So this has turned into "come plank with us" thread you lot are so competitive.

Euph its great to have to back here with your lovely descriptive running  posts a pleasure to read , what a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning 

Club for me later tonight a nice social run of about 7.5 miles at 8.15s or so followed by a nice chat and grub in the pub 

We have had a boycott in place on X-Factor this year. We got fed up with the bullying and humiliation of the early rounds and then teh fixing and nonsense associated with the latter studio shows.

Can't beat a bit of Strictly and I'm a Celeb, oh yes! loving the Bristow boy at the moment, I want him or Ashley to win it..but Charly seems nice too...

It does get competitive on here, Stoker is one of the biggest plankers I know  . I get competitive with myself too. I have to be careful as I have vowed to train smarter for Paris to avoid injury. However, while out on my 6 mile hill attack strength session yesterday, I felt quite good and sniffed a decent time, so I kept bombing on. Averaged 7.07 pace and submitted a training route PB for a hilly route but I'm conscious of doing too many harder runs and not recovering in time for the next hard effort.

I think we need Nursey to keep us in check during the winter months.

SB

My vote would be for Charly or Eric .  Charly just because she seems really nice, and Eric because he is quality TV!

x-factor I keep an eye on but not that into it.  Did like Rylan though, especially his judges houses moment

Love strictly - Denise should win that hands down.

There, I've said my piece

Do we all run, bar Nursey n Freemers, for fear of getting perky 34C's like Eric?
Wish he'd wear a bikini.
Do you think £55,000 a week Scott sinclair is having second thoughts about, literally, the intelligent conversation him n Helen will share by the fire in their dotage?

Well that was rubbish!! Did a 10 miler tonight but just couldn't get into it at all. Maybe it was the colder weather (+1 DegC) or not used to running in the dark but I just couldn't get into my breathing and my guts were playing up. Took 8 miles to get into my running, highlighted by the 7.14 and 7.06 final two miles, run more in anger than anything else.

Did it all in 73 mins so not bad, all things considered.

I have an all day drinking session in Borough Market on Saturday with some pals I haven't seen for around 20 years. I'm in calorie credit, so I'll be getting proper stuck in! 

SB

PS. it's the end of Movember tomorrow and I can get rid of this stupid caterpillar under my nose!!