Auviour Paris: So long and thanks for the cobbles

New toys new toys...

It sounds fun doesn't it - way better than swimming - Ben might get me back in a pool after all!

We'll be needing pics of you in turqoise water with your AJB and a snorkel on

Does it count as equivalent miles in the annual comp? Please Mrs Teacher person, please....

Reiki - just been on good old amazon and picked out 2 belts which look ok - what do you think?

Kiefer Aqua Fitness - £15 + 2 del

Aqua Sphere Flotation Belt - £24 + 5 del

Are these the correct type of belts to get for jogging? Any other tips on what to look for when buying?

Monster track session last night.  Coach decided to get rid of all festive cobwebs in a oner!!  Warm up then 3 sets of 3x1000m with first 800 at 5k pace and recover on the run in the last 200 plus 400 rec between sets.  That's a total of 9x800's done at 5k pace or quicker with very short recovery.  Did first 8 in 3:36 then last one in 3:26.

That sounds like hard work Oscarr well done. Just done a fartlek session to work 4 mins in 32 mins down the motorway Monsal Trail. They have shorn it of a lot of trees and I dont like it as much now. Health and safety incase kids run off the trail on their bikes, mind you its still better than commuting on the M1 or M6 as previous so not grumbling!!! Nice grandchild pics by the way nothing nicer!! Congrats. This online shopping lark is too easy!!!
Impressed with Mikes Marathon time on only 1300 miles of training......must be high quality training I guess.
I am struggling on the hills at the moment any suggestions apart from keep going up them????

Thanks mcs - guess you must have been on my FB page. Amazon is just so easy and a great service and yes, far too tempting!!

Never heard a trail called a motorway before.  Hills - try going down for a change??

Oh, swimming (aqua-jogging) stuff and Amazon buying, trail running and crazy track times... You're all keeping busy people. Well done all.

I got a 4 mile sandwich in this morning and had forgotten how hard they are... But managed it in the dark. *Note to self: Don't need jacket when doing these and speed efforts...* #sweatyinthewinter

Anyone got any recommendations on trail shoes that are very robust? Just had a proper look at this Dirty Weekend thing in May and road shoes are NOT appropriate. Anything I wear is going to get demolished. Not one for the purists this one, but might be a giggle...

Miles is Miles oscarr! Though may be best to focus on time or that swim back could get quite long . Wonder if the benefit equates in a similar way to cycling miles ie 4:1 due to weightbearingness? Or maybe it's more like  2:1 due to same running action????

Just discovered a fabulous route in the local forest - wouldn't feel too safe there by myself (it has had some dodgy goings on in the past according to local legend and the bbc) but was great with Rascal and Ben.  Managed to almost continuously jog in my zone today with hardly any walking - very impressed with myself (and my nose bubbles ) and with Ben for being able to keep up hee hee

mcs - do some shorter ones and once you're feeling stronger work on lengthening the uphill effort???

Bo - if you're gonna just demolish them anyway - I'd go for the cheapest I could find ?????

Talking of new toys...

10m GA run this morning wearing my swanky new 310xt for the first time.  I like the vibration alerts, so I don't forget to check my pace at each mile split.

Out at 7:00 am and the weak moon was still visible as the dawn pushed in from the east...today's session was an 8m progressive run.

After an 8:28 min/m w/u, I ran each successive mile as follows:

 8:07; 8:15 (hill); 8:07; 7:55; 7:26; 7:13 and 8:47 to c/d

Felt great - next up two XC races Sat & Sunday. One flat, one hilly so something to look forward to as the ground dries out a bit.

Nice sessions from Oscarr & Ten.....

Just tried on some Salomon Speedcross 3s nice shoes. There is a guy selling some on here but they are 10.5s too small for me need 11s in Salomon I reckon. Quite a chunky heel on these too might try Fellcross.

SB - i reckon xtraining can be converted to miles running using time and i would use (for me) a 10 minute rule for easy paced xt work so if i cycle or row or aqua jog for 10 mins easy then that's the aerobic equivalent of one mile.

I love running on woodland trails.

Great running Ten and Mike. My next xc is Jan 13th at Tadley (the ditch crossing one).

Mike Sheridan wrote (see)

Out at 7:00 am and the weak moon was still visible as the dawn pushed in from the east...

Very poetic, Mike.  I was expecting a Stuart Hall style commentary... 

"Just then, Mike Sheridan - a giant among men - took his place on the trail.  Adjusting his laces with precision and synchronising his Garmin with the waning of the moon, he set off to single-mindedly pursue his goal...."

I like that progression run - looks tough!

mcs - I was in a sports shop this morning and overheard a guy advising his friend which running shoes he should buy.  "Brooks are good, but Asics are best really.  I like to go for different coloured ones these days.  Black look pretty cool."  I'm not making this up, sadly.  He waved away staff who offered assistance.  I did interject to point out that a free gait analysis was available in store and would be a good starting point, but the advice was ultimately ignored.  They left the store as shoeless and clueless as when they had entered.

Hello all

 BoD - I have Salmon Speedcross trail shoes, they are very comfortable and so far I have stayed upright when running in them

Mike - love the dawn description!

Ten - LOL re: the dawn description

I didn't make my planned run today Woke up with an awful headache and still hasn't gone will try again tomorrow!

MWW thinks I am going for those tried some on at lunchtime......very nice for the mud of the fields and hills round here I hope!!
Brilliant guy in Cotswold Outdoors here in Bakewell, who likes running so that helped and they price match anyone you can find on the net as long as they are in stock available so worth going in for the service level.  Nice story Ten re your shopping trip.You could be a comedian!!
Kitchen worktops whats your opinion guys???  Wood, granite, marble, Corian??Can of worms I suspect........

mcs - if you can afford it, go for granite - there is a big price range for the materials you've listed so worth doing your homework

Ten - "Shoeless and Clueless" could be a sixties pop group  

Yesterday I ran through a swarm of buzzing gnats on the trail - probably the earliest time of the year ever to be picking bugs out of my teeth!  This morning I had no such problem during 4m recovery on the treadmill. 

Oscarr/SB - I can't wait to see how your training shapes up for the Ultra.

Jantastic starts on Monday - I've joined the PSOF team.

Morning all!

mcs - that's all down to personal taste and colour scheme in my world...

Ten - me neither - was looking through the next few months in my training diary just yesterday.  I shall soon be very glad of my slow plod pace I think - the plan peaks at an 11 hour week - currently doing 5 hours.  Everyday is a revelation though - I'm still getting very excited about even the smallest improvement with my HR zone.  Another good thing about plodding is that I can carry on even though I'm still snuffly.  I was getting out of breath just going up stairs yesterday but it transpires that we don't have a team if I don't run on Sunday so I'm just gonna have to man (lady) up and suffer a bit.  Am sure it won't kill me though my pride may require some tlc if I'm last .  Keep telling myself it's not the end of the world and I never think badly of whoever is last when its someone else so I'm not sure why I'm being so hard on myself.

Expensive stuff kitchens and the research is killing me as so much to read and too much choice. Abit like trainers really. Speedcross 3s are looking a good choice and if the weather stays as it is then they will be the GG shoes with very wet fields round here.
Lady up SB and get out there. Fresh air will do you good.
Jantastic I am going to sign up to keep me motivated though with a run now less than nine weeks away I am pretty scared/excited/motivated. There is a club in the village about 10 mins north of us so might join their team if they can get six to sign up. ITS FRIDAY again.