Auviour Paris: So long and thanks for the cobbles

weather looks good if a little cold but compared to recent weather it's perfect! carbo loading is well under way just started day2 of 3 !!! (what a good boy i am )

Good man - I just had leftover pizza for breakfast!  Yum (Hope Ruth's not reading this LOL)

mcs - also try here:

http://www.tri247.com/search.do?msgid=ignore&searchstring_name=&searchstring_organizer_name=&searchstring_location_name=&search_type=events&searchstring=&postcode=&region_id=&start_date=20120101&end_date=20121231&info_type=duathlon&info_format=&info_status=&info_distance=&age_range=&order_by=info_date+asc&x=73&y=11

Long link but a good 'un!

Good luck Oscarr, Rosie & Rachel for Marathon of the North!  It isn't warm but probably ideal marathon running conditions.

SB - I quite fancy a go at a Duathlon (is that a link to one above?)...I don't have a great bike tho - it' a 20 year old mountain bike that I've put road tyres on!  Not sure how good I'd be at proper road biking, don't much fancy the clips and the riding position looks v uncomfortable.  I've been told by friends who are into triathlons that there's no point in my buying a hybrid tho and need to decide road vs mountain.  What do you have?

Still no running here, went to gym and on cross trainer and some planks.  If heel is ok after cross trainer I'll know it's getting there and might risk a jog round the 10k on Monday.  Not run for 6 days now - longest for well over 2 years!!!!

The long link is to a directory of duathlons.  Bike wise - I have both a road bike and mountain bike (I used to do a lot of time trialling when I was young so having bikes around is normal for me though neither of them are all that flash these days).  You'd be fine on a hybrid in some of the shorter (beginners) races though so you can always decide once you've had a go.  Just don't expect to be too fast but if like me you're only taking it semi-seriously and using it more for training / fun you'll be fine!  Riding position wise - you'd be surprised how comfortable tri - bars are once you get used to them.  Beginner event wise - I'd be thinking something like one of the following, depending on where you are:

May - West Pinchbeck (3k / 10k / 3k)
July - Milford (2.4/11.3/2.4)
September - Richmond (Fun or Challenge distance?) (5/10/5 or 10/20/5)
November - Robin Hood - (5/16/3)- off road!

Glad you're on the mend...

Exciting - my Iron Man physio told me ebay is good for second hand bikes but I think you need to be sure what size frame you need and no idea how to go about that (and whether it is different for road bikes to hybrids.  Any particular hybrids you'd recommend SB?

Quite fancy the off road one - I'm just north of London so Richmond could also be good, I used to live in Putney so know it well......

Hey WW - I know - I'm really looking forward to next year (though I want to get some miles in first!)

Have a look at this (should answer your sizing questions):

http://www.evanscycles.com/help/bike-sizing

I'm no expert on hybrids sorry - I have a spare pair of wheels with slick tyres on for my mountain bike which is a mid-range Scott.  It does the job quite nicely - I  doubt I'll ever be taking my biking as seriously as I used to and even then I confess, I was a bit of a girl and my dad enjoyed feeling involved and tinkering about pretending he was a mechanic.  I'm a firm supporter of bike shops I'm afraid - they're worth every penny!

It's a shame I swim like a brick and hate water really - duathlons only for me!

I built a bike up from a mountain bike carbon frame for off road, a hard tail.......any questions send them my way WW though you cant beat the local bike shops the older the better with the real pro mechanics it, avoid most H'fords stores.  I now have a Specialised Secateur Road bike which I bought on the Cycle to Work scheme which enables you to buy a bike dead cheap on the HP and save on the tax and NI. I persuaded the company I work for to do it. The first time the large company 60 years old with 20000 employees had ever done it..................... Off to check out the duathlons.  Soon be Sunday ooooohhhhh excitement mounting........... have a super weekend all. Time to do some work. Like this new styleee.........

Good luck Oscar

Good luck for the race Oscarr, and everybody else running this weekend!

I'm not carbo-loading, but still ate a large plate of Spaghetti Bolognese tonight

I watched my son(5) play football in his new studded boots tonight, and he scored five goals .  He scores more in a single game than I've scored in a lifetime!

Thanks for all the good luck wishes everyone and good luck to anyone else racing this weekend - about to set off for the north east so won't be on here now until Monday night.

Hi everyone! Am just packing for triathlon camp in Greece - setting off tonight but just wanted to say a quick but hearfelt good luck to Oscarr for his marathon this weekend - great prep, Oscarr and hope it goes to plan on the day. And also, according to this thread, good luck to our own crazy Rosie! And to Rachel. Hope you all have a great race and the weather is better than for Ten's race last weekend.

Hoping for better weather out in Greece Back in a week!

Have fun in greece, Sam!

As promised ... News just in from Danish half marathon (for those who don't know - OH made his debut today in an England vest whoop whoop):

He came 4th with a new pb of 65.58 (OMG - trust me - I know!!!!) He was first England team member home.  Heartbroken that he missed out on the podium but bursting with pride at the same time.

Hope everyone has similarly exciting races this weekend! Go Go Go

That's outstanding SB!!!!!!!  Congratulations to your OH - what a stunning debut!

I'm gobsmacked by that time - more like a 10k time for me