RW Forum Six - Sub 3:30

2old: for counting swim laps I use a sportcount chrono, it fits on a finger and you just touch a button at the end of each lap to count them and get a time at the end. There are other more sophisticated options including the new garmin swim that detect the change of direction and count lengths that way. For goggles I use aqua sphere eagle, for which corrective lenses are available: buy one lens to suit each eye and replace the original ones. In races though I use daily disposable contacts with regular goggles with no problem.

2old - I sit with my leg across the other. i.e. left ankle on right knee and v.v. That should keep the soleus relaxed and then i dig in my calf with my thumbs to find the muscle and roll it against the bone. Also can use tennis or golf ball. Working it with a roller works well as well. roll them with your toes pointed forward

So busy.   Remind me in future that I don't have time to be ill.

Bro - When are you flying out? Yes I did try and get hold of Stelios Haji-Ioannou, but he didn't return my calls, so no upgrade this time.
Re garmin, I would have your target ave pace as your main display on the 1st screen. Other stats are secondary, have a great time, with no natural disasters this time lol.

Forever - thanks very much for the info! I live not too far from there so have an idea about what the hills are like and I would tend to agree. I think hills are a very individual subject - one man's hill is another man's slight incline, it just depends where you live and train! I much prefer smaller races so will definitely enter next year...

Bro - I obviously haven't done SS but I do know that the bit from the stadium down to the sea front, and then along the front is pancake flat, but not sure about the rest. Last time I went I stayed over on the tunnel side, but that was up a big hill so don't know how they get around that bit keeping it flat!

Barry - plan is to keep resting until I'm 100% sure it's better. It's very annoying as pain keeps shifting around. I'm currently in a period of jarring/clicking/crunching which basically wakes me up every time I turn in the night, which is far from ideal as I'm a walking zombie at the minute. Deep down I know it is on the mend though, so will probably play cautious up to Christmas and view anything before then as a bonus

For you swimmers, something for your Christmas list: last Christmas I bought my sister in law an mp3 for swimming. It lies on you cheekbone and you can't hear anything when out the water but as soon as you put your head in the sound is amazing. I can't remember the name of it now but can look it up. No cheap - about ??100 but worth it if you spend hours in the water. Not long after Christmas she was forced to come clean and admit that she only swims on her back since she doesn't like getting her face wet. I wasn't best pleased!

Minni-good to see you got back to work which means one thing:you'll race this weekend if you get through your work. Not sure about the MP3 for swimming having given it up for running. Anyway Im too busy concentrating on the mulitude of technique points that are supposed to make me quicker and wouldnt want to be  distracted.

Forever-that elevation chart makes.the race look like the Dubai skyline .What is the net height of that hill?

Red-youre right to sit tight now and continue to be patient to avoid setting yourself back but hopefully the time for some active recovery will soon come

CD-thanks for the advice. Do you have to tap the finger device at each end of the pool? I use disposables in races and open water like you but was warned off doing it in a pool where the bulk of my swimming takes place.

Simon-couldnt you hack into the Easyjet computer to at least guarantee Bro the wider seats by the window? Not too much to expect really.

Ant-I will now go and annoy my OH and friends and do that massage method whenever and whereever Im sat down

Nice lunchtime run-cool but dry-at just under MP-9.2miles @average 7.21mm.

simon62w wrote (see)

Bro - When are you flying out? Yes I did try and get hold of Stelios Haji-Ioannou, but he didn't return my calls, so no upgrade this time.

Lol Simon... Thanks for trying although it's not good enough. I got used to travelling in style, you know! What is a girl to do now? Flying out on Saturday.

Red- I refuse to worry about the hills, all reviews say flat and fast. Trying to avoid the hills is probably the reason the route laps almost three times around the city centre....

2Old- sounds like a nice run

Cool but dry???????

Come and help me finish my ark - I can only take two runners...............

O4S-dont need an Ark here we live on a hill.Come global warming we will have a beach at the bottom of our garden.Simon better buy a boat or join you as he could even be below see level.

2old, re the swimming. Im thinking of getting a Garmin 910 for ultra duties. Can also monitor swimming even indoors, stroke rate, turns. ??250 but I was going to share mine with club tri pals, one was my gym & PT till last year. She got me & my old legs working again so owe her.??Rolling & flat courses? Not sure. My legs are more sore since half than marathon or ultra. Next race 10k in Dec 2nd now, or might do cheeky ultra.

Gazelle, apologies, I didn't know you lived nearby. Sorree. Bet you are doing loads of mileage hence club result so whats next target?

KFC, yes riding PB "train" since May, every distance PB-ed, but not overnight, see above, just over 2 years ago, I was struggling to do one slow run??a week, limping for 1-2 days after. Huge leaps this year but 6 months spent then building up body, and since explains pay??off.

DS2 welcome ! Tell us more. Minni, how are you feeling?

Shaggy suggested last time 5 x 20s for me, which I did over 8-9 weeks with kickbacks. Planning similar for VLM, maybe even 6 or 7 but including ultra training in that, so mid December to March. Endurance Dec to Feb then speed Feb to March, April taper.

Oh, described as most improved runner of year at club??last night by coach. Lots have helped me so was nice!??Glad they can't see me now, had lunch, now on train to London and have scoffed a yorkie, Twix & fruit cake. Wine gums last night. Starving the last few days.

Brol & Barry. Good luck both, but lots to Brol. This weekend is yours.
Brol??think you will be very popular if so few women running??.??

My setup on my 405, manual lap style.??
Main screen, time, distance, last lap - you forget and want to check, very handy.??Second screen, current pace, lap pace. If you use it, virtual partner, set to 7.56 miles per hour = 3:28 I think. Check occasionally.??My races have gone perfect since screens set like this.
I posted a link to dc rainmaker about

a dc rainmaker about Garmin pacing settings before, read here.

Ant - thanks for the info re soleus. Pointed me to some useful reading. As its an area I've never had problems with before I've decided I need to get to a physio to make sure I know what's up and how to sort.

Hmm, my chequered marathon long run record is exposed! OK, have a good laugh at these... (I've only picked out raced marathons)
2008: 3.49 - all on 4 milers, some 6 and one 10
2009: 4.17 (as part of an IM) - longest run 6M and didn't run for a month before the race cos I was bike touring...
2010: 3.42 - did 2 halfs, everything else was 4 or 6M
2011: 3.31 - 2x20 breakthrough! All due to joining this thread to motivate me to do long runs! In the race I got a stitch at 19M and suffered after that, but convinced without the stitch I'd have finished strong - thanks to long runs
2012: DNS, but did do a 19 and a 21 in training before I got ill

Yep, so not smart, I'm a good example of what not to do. Basically I think the reason why is because I ran my second marathon back in 2007 after doing 2 runs, total 10 miles. I knew that after that, no matter how little I trained that I was fit enough from other sports to be able to get round so I wasn't really scared of the distance any more. Its taken a while to kick that out of me...

Spoons - you can have a go if you want, but I think I've already taken most of the big chunks off my pb! Maybe 5mins is the most I'll get off it from now on.

Wow kfc, and I thought I undertrained for my marathon! I imagine having a very high level of general fitness from other sports helps a lot but I'm still amazed you put in those times with such minimal training.

Weather forecast for Norwich on Sunday is now wet and windy  although Saturday looks ideal - lighter winds, sunny and cool - so hopefully they've got it wrong by a day! Did my last quality session this morning - a little sharpener of 2 x 800 @ HMP, 1 x 800 @ 5k pace, and 1 x 400 @ mile paces - paces were 6:29/6:26/5:53/5:01 (the 5k and mile pace bits were a bit too fast!).

Rubbish KFC! Believe me you wanted to take a lot more time off the pb you could easily. The question is do you want it enough to put the training in...? ie a lot more long runs....

Daren - run it on Saturday instead and time it with your garmin. We always believe them

I wish it was this time last year and we were all going to be there to support you. Of course you will have Spoons and Freemers.

Thats the question isnt it minni!  I gues the answer depends on how long I manage to retire for come the new year...  (and if I can sort this calf out - am hunting out physios right now)

FRC -  Great report and congrats again, the pace you are running the shorter stuff don't think it'll be long before your taking more time off your HM.

2old -  Yeah getting excited for Sunday, target is, as always, 3:15.

Brol -  All the best for Sunday, go and have a great run and great time, smash 3:30.

kfc -  Very impressive  times off the training or lack of it. 

Good luck to the Norwich crew, Freemers, Spoons and Daren. Can't do much about the weather but have a good one.  Good luck to anyone else racing at the weekend.

I'm flying out tomorrow morning, I''ll try and let you know my time Sunday, but not back in UK till Tuesday evening, if you don't hear from me my number is 1432.

Help please - how do I marry up my HRM and garmin?

Civil partnership???

Minni - You put your chest strap on, and then turn your garmin on, and garmin beeps to say it's synced, simples. Which garmin have you got?

DS2 - Belated welcome, and well done in getting thru to Asics bootcamp, you'll have a great time.