Auviour Paris: So long and thanks for the cobbles

Whoop whoop Rachel. 

oscarr seems ok just a little disappointed - he'll hopefully tell the full story later ...

WW - agree with Emma - that's a very good 10m time.  I've only ever run one 10 miler (82 mins) but it's a distance I really want to run more of... Do you run many of them? Recommend me a couple? (ps yeah - he's pretty nippy - or bonkers - some days I can't decide which LOL)

RR - brilliant - does he/she fancy buying me a new pair of trainers? No - oh well - worth an ask

I'm being a lazy baggins today - happily clocked my 40 miles last week as planned but my sore throat is still hovering in the background.  I think it might just be my hay fever - anyone else starting to suffer?  Living by the coast for the last few years has made me forget what it can be like, I think.  Still, tablets started and hopefully they'll be in my system by the end of the week.  May/may not run later as I see fit but hey as I've learnt from here ... I'm not gonna get any fitter the week before so if I need a rest I'll be taking it.  I'd rather feel better on the start line than stick to my programme and suffer!

Happy Bank Holiday all x

Amazing running all those folks who ran Sunderland - especially tough as a small field. WELL DONE you should be so proud of yourselves! Such an achievement - I also think it is very hard to keep motivated when others have already done their marathons - last year I kept on getting more and more nervous. So an extra big well done!

10 miler was hilly and muddy - my legs felt very heavy so managed a 1:35 again. The last 100m was around the edge of a boggy field - yuk! So no sprint finish for me! Going to try and force myself out for a 4 mile recovery run as my milage has been pitifully low over the last 3 weeks.

Emma - I think the mileage is supposed to be low following a marathon  Well done on completing a ten mile race so soon afterwards!

I ran five easy miles today.  I struggled mentally with it - and had to force myself to stop  You'd think that the natural thing would be to want to rest following a marathon, but I feel quite the opposite - I'm missing the long runs!  Reading Emma's post - I know I'm not alone.

It's my birthday today.  In itself, it's not a cause for celebration any more, but I've now got a pair of trail shoes (Asics - Trabuco).  Probably the worst kept secret in the world, because the kids idea of keeping a surprise was "That's not your birthday present daddy - it's running shoes that we've got for the dog's birthday".

I ran my fastest ever 10k today - 52:50 - quite happy - 1st 5k in 26:50, so finished better than I started - getting used to negative splits

I hope Oscarr is OK And congrats to other runners over the weekend.

mcs - I am totally addicted to flap jack. I have to stop making it soon as I am not able to not eat a slice every couple of hours!

Well done Anthony - I have no idea how to make my legs run that fast and cope with feeling like I am about to have heart failure!

Managed a 6.7 mile run in 61 mins - supposed to be a recovery run - more like tempo?!

Happy Birthday for yesterday Ten - how are the dog's shoes?  Have you tried them on yet?

Nice one mcs - respect to the mileage!

Sore throat is much, much better today but I'm going to take another day off to be sure!

Missed Nel's talk mcs - any pearls of wisdom you can pass on?

Hope you're all recovering well from the weekend... onwards and upwards

AC8 - whoop whoop

Well, best laid plans and years of training.........for  those interested i did the inaugural Marathon of the North on Sunday and here's a short race report.  Summary is time of 4:27, place 674th out of 1085 finishers and 58th out of 99 M50+ finishers.  Target for the race was sub4 hr and my previous PB is 4:10.

Day started with 10 min taxi ride from my mums to the Stadium of Light, home of my beloved Sunderland football club.  After finding the brick with my name on it in the wall of the stadium it was starting gun fired by Charlie Spedding.

Plan was set off at 4 hr pace and review at 10m,half and 20m.  First mile spot on, 10 mile in 92ish, half - bang on 2 hrs, 20 miles in 183 mins so bang on target.  Felt very comfortable and strong up to this point and had gradually worked my way through the field from half way as others slowed - kept a steady pace of just over 9mpm for the full 20 miles.  Energy levels strong with carb loading, gels and water working to plan.

At 20 miles the legs started to seize - managed to keep running up to just past the 23 mile marker then was forced to walk/jog to finish - did last 10k in 84 mins.  So, 9:09 avge pace at 20 miles ended with 10:13 avge pace at end.

Really enjoyed the course and my run down memory lane through the town i grew up in.  Enjoyed most of the race and for 23 miles a PB (if not my target) was on the cards.

After about 3 miles a guy whose first marathon it was started to run with me and asked me for help as to how to run a marahon - we ran together for the next 20 miles which was great fun and i was able to extol the virtues of negative splits and steady pacing to him , if not by example ("do as i say, not as i do").  He finished in 4:14.

Didn't see Rosie as i thought she wasn't running based on her posts last week but have had a good text exchange since then and she ran a very good steady paced run and finished well - she's all set up now for another PB attempt at Edi.

Reflections - it's too early to make those to be honest - i'm very confused and it will take some time to gain clarity - after 10 marathons and years of structured training i seem to buck the trend of "the more you put in the more you get out" - with this year's HM time of 1:46 my marathon on sunday was double HM plus 55 mins and my marathon PB of 4:10 is double plus 38 mins which in anyones book is extremely far outside any norm.  Sunday was 17 mins slower than my recent PB.

I really thought i had got this years preparation as right as i could get it with all the help from Sam, Ruth and everyone on these forums and my own experience of training for 9 previous marathons.  Need to take some time to reflect. 

Oscarr, don't worry about it and give yourself time, this is a blip and that is all.  We all have bad days at the office and the last 3 of marathon is an easy way to go about getting one at least you could enjoy the town.

Well run your time is still cracking and a marathon completed is never soemthing to be sniffed at...you are a star

Thanks Choisty - only trouble is most of my marathons are blips - thanks for the encouragement though, much appreciated.

Oh Oscarr please don't be dissappointed (tricky I know) but everything we do and experience helps us become the person that we will be - and we all improve and grow as much as we choose to from our experiences. You have given me such support ofver the last few months and I am so sure that you will come back even stronger.

How bloody frustrating though - just try to focus on the fact that you were on target for 23 miles - which is so impressive. And that you were 99th in your catergory!

My Marathon times have been  - 2010 2x 1/2 + 37, 2011 2x1/2 + 46 and then this year 2x1/2 + 34! So All of my marathons are blips too!

We all still think you are amazing!

hear hear Choisty. 

oscarr - maybe you are just one of those folks who are not destined to be sub 4 hr runners no matter how much you do. Just as I will never be as fast as I'd like to be at 10ks. It doesn't mean you have done anything wrong. It's just maybe a sign that you're stronger at half, 10k and, I know for sure, over the country!  And it certainly doesn't mean you shouldn't run them and enjoy them for the benefits they bring. If a sub 4 day comes along - wahey - but if not - you are still running very respectable times as it is.

Of course saying all this I know, will probably make you even more determined and you'll prove my 'famous last words' wrong.  Either way - you are a shiny star and it's been fantastic tagging along on your journey.  4 months of constructive training has brought much knowledge and thought-provoking wisdom to us all.  You did your best on the day and that's all you can do - you did a grand job whatever you may be thinking just now!

Well done Oscarr, apologies for not texting back I am on pay as you go and ran out of credit...... Congratulations on finishing No 10 Marathon that is amazing. You will be proud of it I am sure in the future when you look back.  I found on Sunday doing 21 miles that at 18 miles my legs were seizing up and had to battle on to get home. I had gone abit quick to start with but my skinny legs are an issue and they just didn't want to work, how the hell I am going to do another five miles is going to be interesting in on the 27th. A mental battle I reckon. Got home in just over three hours but it was a fairly flat course I chose..........got to stay positive!!!
CONGRATS OSCARR you did great enjoy the "Tuesday legs".   Have a listen to Marathon Talk from last week and Tony's Trials. I listened to two shows on my long run I was laughing out loud while running listening to him talking about his marathon efforts hilarious.

Oscarr - you have times I'm still dreaming of, and you've just completed your tenth marathon!  I should be so disappointed!  What percentage of the population have completed ten marathons?  

The thing that makes a marathon such an attraction for us all is that it's so damn hard, and we sometimes forget this during training - only to get a sharp reminder on race day!  It's worse, because we pin so much hope on one day and we cannot simply go for it again soon afterwards when it doesn't work out.  However, the training is still there.  I don't believe that either of us did anything wrong in training - it just didn't happen on race day, that's all.

I plan to pick up where I left off, but concentrate on building more speed.  I'm gonna blitz my time next year - and I hope you'll be joining me.

You did well - even if you don't think you did!

Just been out for an interval session, that was hard work, ran a couple of 7.37minute miles ouch amongst five others...............my legs are done in.................wish I had done my marathon now like you lot!!!! How did Rosie do Sunday must go and check her time........ no doubt another sub 3.45......how does she do it?????? 

Emma just had two flapjacks small pcs is that okay??

mcs flapjack allowed if you are running like that - I've finished my latest batch and must not bake anymore - apart from as gifts for people!

Addicted and getting a bit bloaty!

Rosie is simply amazing!

Hello all

Oscarr - CONGRATULATIONS, on your 10th marathon, amazing. I would love to have your finish time. I know you are dissappointed but really focus on the positives and enjoy your recovery.

Emma - I can't make flapjacks...because I will just eat them all!

mcs - well done on the intervals...keep going..you are nearly there!

I did a gentle 4 miles this morning, foot a bit sore now but not as bad as last week