RW Forum Six - Sub 3:30

Chic, sounds a good deal, 410 is about £150-160 at moment, really half price? friend with a 405 having battery problems... maybe I should tell him to drop it and do that.

As for tests, straw coloured at moment. sort of the colour of cats back in my avatar.

Cold lager shandy? softy southerner drink of choice!

Ah.. you mentioned Shaggy  

FRC - Yes I bought a 410 this summer for 165 pounds on amazon, looked like a bargain as original rrp was 320 pounds.

I drink lots of tea. And beer. And wine. Not much water though..... 

Freemers wrote (see)

Let's not forget we all use the Shaggy pee-colour test to check our hydration levels, don't we?

I think of Shaggy every time I pee or have a bath. 

What a day.  Slept in so ate my breakfast in the car and have just returned having a dry bagel in the car for my supper. 

But I did manage a session of 600 reps early evening before a meeting.  However, was running late so didn't have time to shower before the meeting and had to do a wet wipe wash.....

Not the best day.

I go by pee. But I like water anyway and have a habit of just drinking while bored so I generally don't have to worry about being hydrated.

Great report Bro. And hopefully you haven't jinxed everyone for VLM.

Eight miles including another trip out with the running club tonight. I think I'm going to sign up.

2old, body pump was what got my injured & aging legs working again last year. great class for building up, and also testing for injuries. 610 is good, but for some reason missing the course feature I like, to help navigate. not sure why.

simon, I'd only buy at the low price.. thought chic meant £80 quid.., rare to see RRP now. Or I'm just a cheap skate.

Minni, sounds a busy & stressful day. where was lunch or no time?

Horrible hill repeat/ sprint club session tonight, 10 x 400m with hill from start to middle, then flat sprint section. Stayed with top group, but very tempted to drop back one, legs felt tired and stats seem to back that up (1.31-1.38). recovering from the half still ? (plus Sunday's 15 mile LSR).

Weeble. wrote (see)

 But I have a habit of just drinking while bored so I generally don't have to worry about being hydrated.

2old wrote (see)

Re water - read that no one has died in a race drinking too little but drinking too much ........ I'm working on running without having to stop too often for water.

Very true 2old.  We appear to have developed an obsession with drinking water, which is not necessary.  Animals just drink to their body's need so why do we insist on pouring more than we need down our necks?

I have two Labs.  Mother Lab hardly drinks and never has.  A bowl of water would last her several days since she just takes very small amounts at a time.   Baby Lab drinks a bowlful at a time and she needs a refill several times a day.  Both work and have the same amount of exercise and both are fit and healthy.

For the record, BA ended up in hospital after one of our 100 mile events - had drunk too much water and was suffering from salt depletion.  He was completely out of it and even I [tough old boot that I am], was seriously frightened.  It was a warm day and he was worried about dehydration......................

Minni wrote (see)

I have two Labs.  Mother Lab hardly drinks and never has.  A bowl of water would last her several days since she just takes very small amounts at a time.   Baby Lab drinks a bowlful at a time and she needs a refill several times a day.  Both work and have the same amount of exercise and both are fit and healthy.

Minni - A bit like humans. Kids will scoff anything infront of them if it's free, where as adults know there limitations, normally, as long as it's not alcohol.

Our pup doesn't drink much of the water we leave out for him, although we mix his dry food with water so he gets some that way. Our old Rottie used to drink loads - although mainly from extremely muddy puddles as I think he prefered a bit of grit with his water

FRC - yes, you're probably still in recovery mode. The next one will be better

Weeble - great to see you're getting in some miles these days. How is your hip feeling? No problems I hope?

Minni - I was also thinking about Shaggy the other day when I realised we really should have given our lawn one last cut before winter. You know how he liked to mow

I'll admit I am a southern softie on the lager shandy front...although I do like a real ale every now and again. And a really good single malt

Thanks for the suggestions re the run route simon  - unfortunately i didnt get back to where im staying untill 8.30 so too dark to run along them so i just did a boring few miles towards city centre up palentine road then turned back. Last year i was here over a weekend and did a long run along the tow path that runs along the mersey which was a fantastic run but not one i fancy doing in the dark!

The Lab that i take running is absessed with drinking - he will drink off my hand from a bottle every couple of miles and yet will still make a b - line for every puddle he sees along the route! i know you're not really meant to let dogs drink from puddels but as long as they from recent rainfall i dont stop him!

I on the other hand am terrible for letting myself get dehydrated - not yet when im running but im general daily life - never drink water really

Morning everyone.  Yey I can walk again!

Minni- well done for squeezing in that session on a busy day.

FRC- sounds like you're human after all. Rest!

Chick- glad to hear you won't have to fork out a full price on a garmin. Sounds like a good deal.  Hope you're ok and the bruises are healing.

2Old- body pump- ouch!

Weeble- so pleased to hear that you're back out running and enjoying it.  Everything ok on the injury front?

I drink when I'm thirsty. Our bodies seem to be able to give us the correct signals about everything else so I don't understand why it would be different with drinking. Agree that there's nothing wrong with being slightly dehydrated at the end of the race, it hasn't killed anyone.

I'm allowed to go for a 3m shuffle later this week but will probably wait till the weekend. Mr B asked me how my legs are this morning and when I said they're almost back to normal he didn't look to pleased.  Think he was hoping I would be incapacitated for a little longer.

Ciao, made it back last night, quite eventful flight, plane got hit by lightning flying through a strorm when leaving Pisa, half an hour later pilot informed us all systems were ok, that's a relief.

Journey out was uneventful, not like Brol's, landed at Pisa and hour on the bus to Florence. Friday we walked to Expo and picked up all the stuff, v nice Asics tech top.  About 3 hours walking including sight seeing, OH not too happy as she did n't bring trainers and feet were hurting (me not too sympathetic wth comment, "are you trying to look stylish for the Italians").  Anyway managed to try out a bit of Italian " Where are the toilets please". Found out later my phrase book uses a very old Italian word for toilet , no wonder I was getting strange looks.

Expo was near the Rugby Stadium and managed to pick up tickets for the Italy v Australia Game on the Saturday. Spent Saturday on sightseeing bus and watching rugby.  Really good day and they nearly beat the Aussies. Pasta meal Saturday evening and early night.

Up for breakfast Sunday morning, and walked to start, showed OH where finish was and made relevant marks on map for her.  Agreed she would try and see me at Duomo(35K) and at the finish  and if not at finish we would meet up back at start where kit lorries were.  Really well organised, lots of kit lorries, got into my pen 3:00 to 3:30 early and did warm up, passed "keep warm" t shirt to OH about 10 mins before off and agreed if for any reason I was n't back by 2 meet back at hotel, pens were now rammed. Saw the 3:15 pacers with balloons tied to their shoulders at the front of the pen.  Born to Run was now blasting out and then we were off, bit crowded at the start , and pacers were pulling away but not too worried. 

Gradually caught up with first pacer of three, split for first 5K 22:45(4:38 pace), even though it did n't feel that warm was sweating by first drinks stn, decided to alternate water and salt(electrolytes) at each 5k stn.  Pacer were really good grabbing extra drinks and sponges at each stn and passing around.

Had moved up now to 2nd pacer and next 5K was through a park and feeling comfortable, at 10k in 45:34 (4:33 pace).  Had first Gel

Back into the town and decided to move up to the 1st pacer as it was still pretty crowded and did n't want to get caught out in the narrow streets.  15k in 1:08:47(4:38 pace), over the river arno for the first time and lots of bands/support. 2nd gel

Back over the Arno and at halfway in 1:36:24(4:31pace) pacer doing a great job. Field now thinning out and roads a bit wider.

25k in 1:54:05(4:31 pace) and still feeling OK, had 3rd gel at 1:45 and still taking on water/salts.

30k in 2:17:08(4:36 pace) still on the pacer's shoulder.  4th gel taken.Problem at 32K we caught up with wheelchair athlete and his support van was blocking road, Italians were giving the driver major grief.  Only hill (railway bridge) on course at about 33K.  Looked at my watch when there was 10k to go and  we were on target.

35k in 2:40:38(4:42 pace), 5th Gel. Was starting to feel in a bit but 7k to go in 35 mins, 5 mins per k and I was feeling very confident.

Went through Duomo (huge cathedral/dome) at 37k and saw OH, still feeling strong lots of crowds to lift you but then down a lot of backstreets with very little support. 1st 3:15 pacer started pulling away,  and I was struggling.  Next 3:15 pacer went past me, tried to stay with him but could n't. Then final pacee went past  Had to stop at 39k and walked for about 10metres,  told myself just to keep going. 40k in  3:06:02(5:04 pace)and knew 3:15 was n't going to happen, legs would just not move quick enough, but I think the mental toughness again let me down. tbc

Finished in Piazza San Croce lots of crowds, time of 3:18:18 but last 2k had got close to 9 min mile pace.  Had a bit of a wobble and lent against the fence, medic checked I was OK.  Could n't see OH, collected medal and started walking back to the kit area got a bit emotional thinking about things but then realised I had two decent times in 5 weeks that I would n't have dreamed of in August

Got back to the kit area and no sign of OH, it was only 1 O'clock so got changed and spent next hour waiting/hobbling around.  Still no sign by 2 so went back to the hotel as getting worried, she was there as had got lost, me not too happy as she had managed to find Prada/Gucci shops etc on her travels.  Spent an enjoyable evening with the Italian family out eldest daughter had stayed with on her exchange.

Monday was more sightseeing (climbing the 400 steps the Duomo sorted my legs out) and gift buying.  Stopped off the leaning tower at Pisa before flying back.

Going to have a serious think about training but that's a 3:15,3:16,3:17, 3:18 for 4 of my maras so maybe that's my limit.  Will read back later.

Barry: The wall got yer, nice attempt and has to be there next time.

Generally speaking i'm in the drink too little rather than too much camp, but  last year one of my club mates who insisted on training in the Dubai heat without drinking collapsed in a 1/2M on the finish line and spent two days in hospital, now thats taking it too far! In general up to a hours running I don't drink other than in the height of summer.

Cycled pre dawn, was watching the full moon set, then only the planets were left visible and the sun was still sleeping when I got home. Will do interval session tonight. 

Barry- great race report.  Sounds like it must've hurt in the last couple of ks. You will nail it in London, I'm sure. Lol about OH getting lost and finding Prada. I like her style.

Minni wrote (see)

Freemers wrote (see)

Let's not forget we all use the Shaggy pee-colour test to check our hydration levels, don't we?

I think of Shaggy every time I pee or have a bath. 

haha - i too think of shaggy in both those situations haha

Barry - great report  - well done for toughing out those last few K's. i think you're tougher mentally than you think!