Auviour Paris: So long and thanks for the cobbles

AC8 - my mistake. The other guy has a different surname entirely (senior moment)!

Would be good to have a cheer or two......

Re towpath: so far my longest run has been 10.5m out and back so that puts me beyond Midgham (I think).

Welcome Mike S........I am not in the Reading area, much nicer up north!!!  Have you been running along time? Done any races?

Will have a guess Sleepy on your time for the Wall when I have sussed out your training..........all our 10ks are about the same time, whats Oscarrs? Think the originator of this thread went quite quick the other Sunday in his 10K race. Never done a 10k race myself, dont have the cash to splash on such luxurys..... must get my speedy little brother to take me out and pace me on a 10k..........have a good day all.

Hi Mike - a canal - luxury! 

mcs - great - thank you - I can honestly say I have no idea what I'll be able to do or not ... it's our journey into the unknown.  Ben & Rascal have kindly started the ball rolling.  I'm asking that people stick to just the one bet per person if that's ok - I don't want anyone to feel obligated to more than £3.

oscarr - you could set up a page too if you wanted - it's really easy to do and I think Macmillan are one of the listed charities... I can't bet on myself but I'll happily bet on you!  It's something a bit different and a bit of fun...

oooooh it's getting closer - how are you feeling?  Do you feel any different to before any of your previous attempts?

Sleepy - will think about the sponsorship but i'm aware that i have asked the same people 3 times now for my marathons and the golf challenge and i feel i have pushed it far enough especially when they have all been extremely generous - however, this is a bit different so i may give it a go, we'll see.

Yes, i do feel different this time - main difference is that i do feel that the taper is absorbing the training ready for the big day whereas before it was almost a relief to get the taper started after giving so much to the high intensity training - i feel in the past that i may have left my best on the training routes - so this time i'm hoping that my best is yet to come.

I know what you mean - I gave up asking for sponsorship 10 years ago as people knew by then it was something I did week in week out.  But I thought I'd give it a go - besides which it's still miles away - I'm just being ridiculously organised - the curse of too much time on my hands in this rest phase!

Sounds like you've found the right level of training then - so it'll be time to start our fun round robin guys - AC8 / Luke - you're luckily I was away just before yours...

To repeat above - his PBs - ½ = 1:44 10k - 47ish

My prediction for oscarr is .... 3.57.12

Any others - let's get them in the bag now so that he has time to get his "head in the game"

3.56.02 is my bet. GO OSCAr

No pressure then ??   What about my age group qualifying time for Boston of 3:54:59 ? If sub 4 is my "Perfect Day" then 3:54 is my "Ultimate Happiness Day".  Seriously, i will be happy to get a PB (4:10:14) and anything else is a real bonus.  But, one can dream...........

You have to believe to achieve mr oscarry-pants - of course there's no pressure but we are willing you under that elusive limbo bar!  We will still be very, very proud of you as long as you do your very bestest

OK to keep tabs:

Me - 3:57:12

mcs - 3:56.02

oscarr - 3:54:59

reiki - 3:53:53

I will write them down this end so we don't have to keep jumping back in the thread to see the guesses as they accumulate!

ALLEZ, ALLEZ, ALLEZ

3:59:15 No point beating it by too much! I've done 1hr 59 for HM, 52:40 for 10k. Want to do sub 50min 10k, sub 1:55 HM soon.

Thanks MCS & Oscarr for the welcome.

Oscarr - go for Boston! If I am correct your plan gives you one hour to complete 6m 365 yds? From what I have been reading that should be do-able for you. Looking fwd to meeting at Abingdon.

MCS - you asked about racing & times. Yes, I race inc XC and love it. Personal PB's 5k 20:15; 10k 41:38; 10m 1:11:19; HM 1:34:19; VLMara 3:32:13 on debut. All of these times recorded in 2012. The only other one is 1m 5:50 (track) 2011

Thanks Mike.  Really solid times there.  Which club do you run with?

Oscarr - thanks, I am a member of Team Kennet, Newbury.

2.55 RR that will be a good time!!!

GO OSCARR GO OSCARR GO OSCARR.............

Mike - is John Summers a member at Team Kennet?  Used to work with him.

Reiki - that's exactly my plan and really looking forward to it - good hill session last night and the legs really do feel very good - wish it was this weekend now but will try and be patient - just a few, short easy runs from now and plenty of sleep and carbs

Thanks mcs.

oscar - 9m/m - easy - I know fine well you coast along faster than that - off road too!  Just remember in that first mile ... if you don't feel like you're going too slow; you're going too fast!

AC8 - are you coming out to play at the TVXC this winter?  That'll get your times down no bother - brilliant for building strength! 

reiki - rocking aim!  Cannae wait to cheer you on!

Mike - care to venture a pretend wager on oscarr?

So far:

Me - 3:59:12

mcs - 3:56:02

oscarr - 3:54:59

reiki - 3:53:53

AC8 - 3:59:15

Off to give the NHS vampires some blood today to get my iron checked after the dozen or so dizzy/head rushes I experienced in the latter stages of prep.  May explain why I can sleep 9 hours a night and still want more too.  Hopefully the supplement I've been taking will have done some good - we'll see!

Then tomorrow - massage time - time to get everything realigned ready to start the steady build up to the start of "official" ultra training!  BRING IT ON!