Paris marathon 2013 here we go! A.W's Sub 3 attempt!

Nice 7 miler AW and lookng comforrtable doing 7 miles in 53 minutes. Just been looking at the weather for Windsor at the weekend and it looks like snow most of Frirday & into Saturday! Hope it's okay to still run on Sunday.

Wondered where you'd been DS2. That's a good midweek 12 miler. What sort of weekly mileage are you up to at the moment? Frozen hair sounds funny - any pics? Did my reps round the perimeter and through a local park. Perfect route as all traffic free and no stopping for traffic or cross roads. Worked out a 1 mile loop and did it twice for each rep.

I think the conditions are okay at the moment Steve as most of the recent snow has melted, so just crisp air.

Went for a steady 7 miler tonight with a few quickish miles (6.40 pace) in the middle. A bit quicker than planned (48.10) but felt comfortable. Looking at the local weather from Friday onwards, it doesn't look like there will be much fast stuff to do for a few days round here - snow will be back!

AW - I hope the weather behaves. With the form your in and the flat nature of the course I'm looking forward to reading your report of a PB.

Steve - sounds like a solid run. I quite like this weather (as long as the snow stays away). It's easier to get the right clothing than it was with all that mild rainy stuff we had over Christmas.

Hi KR - No pics I'm afraid. I had driven to a park to do the run to avoid the foggy lanes around where I live and just wanted to get home and shower!. About 55 miles a week now. First time since 1994 at this level. Feeling ok and pretty fresh and srtill 16 weeks to go!

Good midweek 12 DS2 and for Steve. And a nice pacey section in your 7 miler KR.

DS2 - Looks like your back to some normality after being ill, all be it now busy with work instead!!!

Not looking great for my 10k on Sunday, had an email from the organisers saying they hope it goes ahead and are preparing, but keep an eye on emails in case it gets cancelled!!! Looking at the forecast it looks like snow at Dorney tomorrow and in to part of Saturday, guess I just have to hope its not too heavy or misses Dorney!! Everything's crossed it goes ahead and conditions under foot are ok, I actually feel in good shape and really looking forward to racing!

Got 5 miles done today in an average of 6.50 a mile with a middle two miles at HM pace in 6.10. I felt good tonight, and quick. I dont usually like to train in the evening, but had a nice run.

Having to hold myself back a bit this week, I'm a bit itchy to do more mielage!

Steve - Looking less and less likely my 10k will happen, or be raceable!!! Is there a contingency plan? I've found another 10k on Sat 2nd Feb, but that's the week before my half marathon?

What do you think?

I'm doing a 10k on Feb 2 - the problem for you is that you are easing down this week and for the half-marathon and will mean some switching around. Ideally, if you can do a long run instead this weekend, which might be difficult in the snow, then you could do the 10k on February 2 but you can't really afford to ease down for it as much as you have done this week

Shame about the 10k being cancelled AW and being in good form, wouldn't have been ideal conditions if it still went ahead. I'm actually looking forward to some snowy runs this weekend, probably XC on the long one Sunday .

AW hopefully the weather will be better in 2 weeks - maybe enter the 10km and do a long slow run of 2 hours  this weekend.

Ok, so I've entered the 10k for Saturday 2nd Feb. Lets hope things have cleared up by then! 

Instead I will head out and do a long run on Sunday. Can I do a bit longer tomorrow too as I'm not racing Steve? Maybe 8 or 10 miles?

The pavements are not too bad for the most part around here, might be different come tomorrow if it freezes hard, but don't think it will be too much of a problem getting my runs done.

Today's food diary.

7.30am - 3 slices of homemade wholemeal toast and strawberry jam. Skinny cappuccino.

11.30am - Special K and Dorset cereal mix and skimmed milk. 1 slice toast and strawberry jam. 30g Dried mango. Coffee with skimmed milk.

3pm - Apple and small piece of cheese, handful nuts and dried fruit, Graze oat bakes. Fun size Twix.

5.30pm - Bit of Brie and blue cheese (about 40g).

7pm - North African stew (butternut squash and chickpea), steamed spring greens and kale. Glass of water.

8.30pm - Muller Light yogurt. Glass of water.

yes do 8-10 miles slow tomorrow if you want.

Hi Steve, what's your opinion on the weather/snow and the impact on training? It looks like the snow will be around for at least a week and normal routes on pavements/running track will be compromised. What's the best way to adapt the training schedule to accommodate this?

Was thinking to go off road Saturday & Sunda (which I'm looking forward to), but what about next week when it's dark as I do mst of my weekly runs at night?

North African Stew sounds interesting Alex especially with the Kale, where do you get that from?.Cooking a Chicken curry tomorrow night with Butternut squash & chicken (and Garam masala) - very tasty. What 10k have you entered - is it local?

Just had an epic read back as I've not been online much lately. First a bug, then some bad news on the home front, then the weather.... I've still been getting all of my runs in though. Sadly mostly on the treadmill as the pavements have been icy all week. Significant snow yesterday meant a long run was possible outdoors today, but it was slow and hard work. Tomorrow's race has been cancelled already. I foresee ice, so I'm guessing it's back to the tready. Joy! 

Kale? Bleurgh. That stuff is vile. It's possibly the only vegetable I actively dislike. 

Hopefully Run Dorney 10k KR!!! If this one goes ahead, there seems to be loads of races from 5k - HM at Dorney Lake all organised by different people.

The stew was out of a River Cottage veg cook book, it was really good, lots of good stuff in there too!

10 miles done earlier today, took it very steady at 7.55 a mile as didn't want to slip on any of the slushy stuff. To be fair the route was pretty good, clear to the most part with just the odd bit of slush.

Pretty dissapointed my race did'nt go ahead tomorrow, but will just have to wait a couple of weeks for the next one!

Sounds like you've had a rough couple of weeks CC2, I'm hoping all this white stuff doesn't last too long! It's a pain in the backside! We seem to struggle in this country with the smallest amount of snow for some reason!

Hi All

AW, the race at Dorney being cancelled might by a blessing in disguise as it forces a decision. Onwards and upwards fit, healthy and injury free. 

I've just completed my week (46.75m) with an 18 mile (8mm) LSR on a treadmill . Fortunately the tedium was kept in bay (just) by the Big Bash cricket final on the telly followed by an ok Carl Lewis documentary. Don't mind treadmill running once a week but hopefully I won't have to do too many LSR's on one again. Dull dull dull.

Where possible, I hate compromising training for the weather but of course it depends on how deep snow is.

Did a parkrun this morning and the fairly firm snow actually made it a better surface than the soft mud that was on course a few weeks ago. Still ran slowly though. ad a bike ride and then club hill session where after terrible start got into ok. There was a little bit of snow on the path but a clear gap in middle to run up but slipped a lot of snow on way down without ever quite falling over. 

 where snow is runnable, I think best to do it but forget about pace and do your best. If dangerously icy, then I suppose treadmill is better than nothing, though I am lucky in that I always seem able to run on grass close to me, however much snow has fallen and it's lit sufficiently well when i do run in dark.

If you can't run fast on pavements becuase of ice, then it is best to go on treadmill or find some grass loop you can use or just do what you can and hope it clears up but forecast not good for next week.

Have a feeling my local track will be out of use this week and we will have to replace with a grass or hill session

snowed here all day so far but not too heavy and did long run that was effectively off-road even though two thirds of it wouldn't have been normally! Enjoyed running on mostly powdery snow - only slid badly on a few steep hills. Hadn't planned to go as far - 22 miles in 3 hours 15 - but halfway through run found my pocket open and no wristlet with bank card, travelcard and money and so had to retrace steps and original plans of possibly getting train back and drinks stop was no longer possible. Never found it but on plus side felt much better after 15 miles than usually do and fastest miles were easily 15 to 20 and wasn't desperate for drink or gel which would normally expect to need after 3 hours, especially day after parkrun and fairly hard hill session.