Auviour Paris: So long and thanks for the cobbles

Thanks guys - I have my rose tinted specs back on and have the warm glow of a roast beef supper followed by apple pie, custard & cream to ease the pain and dull the memory.

I'll be fine...

Wowsers that really was an epic weekend all round! 

oscarr - I have a polar RC3 GPS - you can pick up a cheap polar for £30 if you just want a bog standard HR with no frills

(http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polar-Heart-Monitor-Sports-Watch/dp/B003HT88JQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363593835&sr=8-1)

You could always wear it on the other wrist to your GPS!

I'm the same re %s and that's the point - we all train too hard too often!  It's fine to beast yourself sometimes but that just trains you to be fit at that intensity - my MP easily takes me into the 90% zone and that's just not sustainable. To get fitter we need to be fitter at a lower intensity so that that figure comes down so I have to train at that lower intensity to allow my body to adapt! HR monitors are fantastic for allowing you to make sure you train at ALL the different intensities to get the full benefits of training. And if that means walking at first - then walking it is!  I had a really interesting chat with a GB biathlete years ago when I worked up in the 'Gorms.  Even she said if her HR said walk - she walked!  So... if they can walk at GB level...

Out of respect for your bravery in stepping out of your comfort zone you may have a beer every night this week if you wish oscarr - just the one mind! 

Hope everyone is thawing - I have a bit of a rest week ahead (just 7½ hours of training this week of which 5½ will be done at the weekend):

Tue - 80 mins inc 2 x 2miles at HMP

Thu - 60 mins inc 3 mi @ MP

Sat - Coniston - planning 9mi/mi - so roughly 2:05

Sun - 3½ hr hill walk (with oscarr on a bungee)

Slight deviation from my programme to keep my training increase to around 10% from last week!

oops nearly forgot my footcare tip of the day:

Lambs wool - apparently!  To stop black toenails and toe bashing being painful - ballet dancers use it! You just shove it in your shoes or pack it round your toes...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0011Z646M/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A18FF60WA0QMY0

Amazing what you can learn...

Had a fun weekend on my course - used the Wall as a really good scenario for practising Pre/Inter and post event massage strategies - will be interesting to learn from those at mid camp what they do and compare to what I think I would do!

Brilliant, thanks Sleepy, that's my HRM ordered (Polar FT1)

Finally pleased the coach   - only trouble is i had 3 days worth of beer last night so no more til Wednesday now   

Sounds like your course is going really well

Still grading my weeks in miles so week 1 was 42 and last week 43.  Plan for this week is for 6 sessions (including one XT session today) to push up to 50 (assuming Sunday 3.5 hr is about 14miles) then next week is a cutback week.  50 miles in week 3 is definitely outside my comfort zone but the lower intensities make it possible.

Thanks Mike/Reikki - I'm well pleased with how the P&D program has transformed my running.  I so much want to do it justice on race day!

I'm in the Oakley 20 this coming Sunday.  I absolutely will not be racing it and will be sticking to my normal long run pacing (MP+20% to MP+10%:  10:48 to 9:54).  I could really do with some mild weather, in case marathon day is warmer.  I'm already prepared for snow, sleet, rain, flooding, and biting cold winds, but the sight of the sun would likely send me into a panic 

I'm in two minds whether to practice race day gel strategy.  I already know what I can tolerate, and have gotten used to medium and long runs with little or no fuel.  I'm not sure I would benefit from taking extra gels on a relatively easy run.  

Ten - last year the advice from Sarah and Sam was to train light and race heavy when it came to gels as long as your body was ok training light with no immune system issues - so if you have been ok with your LSRs with limited gels and you plan to run Oakley at these same easy paces then it may be worth not taking gels to improve your endurance but maybe take one with you just in case you start to feel low on energy

Using gels in practice could mean you were less tired = faster recovery perhaps? I would think the window for adaptation is nearly closed now, so it is really a holding pattern we are all moving into.....just a hunch.

reiki - maybe your tolerance is increasing??? 80mg is not a lot really so I wouldn't expect your body to take long to adjust to it. You're maybe just fitter and your recovery better than you're giving yourself credit for!

Was that your HR post Finchley?  If so - wowsers nice work.  Race day adrenaline always guarantees a high average for me even if I'm not 'racing' LOL!

Ten - sounds like you've already got it sussed to me!  Answered your own question in your last sentence

Thanks Oscarr.  That's what I was hoping - sounds like a plan!

And thanks Mike and Sleepy too - it took me so long to post that short reply to Oscarr I cross-posted   

I hear tell some of you are doing your first ultra?

Try this for size....

http://www.fetcheveryone.com/eblasts/article32/

Pre-empting the post-marathon blues, I've booked up my summer 10k race.    Something else to focus on and work on the speed.

Thanks Mike, great stuff - you tempted ???

Yes SB, that was post Finchley, and I only got up to 66 just now on a treadmill at 15% incline.  I was only doing this to encourage a young and very unfit lad to have a go.

I totally agree with Mike that the time for experimentation / meaningful adaptation has passed us by for this year's spring marathons. And about recovery happening during if you fuel right.  

Interesting article, I will be venturing in that direction.  Well it's either that or the 100m! 

Lots of training for me this week - 6 easy tomorrow is all after pilates and pool today, then a progreassion run Weds, a steady Thurs, Fri rest, Coniston Saturday, recovery run Sudnay morning, just 7 miles or something, nothing mental, and I have a train to catch out of Windermere around noon.

Ten I have lots booked - Watford 10K, Sheffield half, BUPA 10 000, it's the only way forward.

Love Oakley, fab hoodie! 

Oscarr - re Ultra temptation? Not sure yet as I still have unfinished marathon business (3 more World Majors) and a few shorter times to crack sub 20 for 5k and sub 40 for 10k.

I read the Ghost Runner story last year (John Tarrant) and discovered by a complete fluke that my 1st club 5km (track) race was where he ran a world record (Portsmouth) - 40miles round a track!

He then moved to S Africa and I think was the first white guy to encourage the "locals" to run...so Comrades calls....

One day, and of course I'll have to practice!

BTW - thanks for your positive thoughts on Boston. Excited doesn't get close....!

Comrades - Now there's a thought...

Scared isn't the half of it..

Comrades has always appealed!

Running without fear is the goal - this covers just about all the redundant adjustments I make to protect myself!