RW Forum Six - Sub 3:30

Mr Z – did your legs end up looking like your profile pic after your pit stop?

O4S – I think you win the prize of best thread holiday there, that’ll be absolutely amazing.

Bro – I’m not sure I can help on carb loading strategy as mine isn’t very sophisticated. It just involves shoving as much pasta as I can get down my neck the night before.

I decided to push myself this morning so turned my 7M into 1 slow, then as quick as I could go and hold on. Pacing was all over the place but I managed three 7’s and three 8’s and despite them wildly fluctuating with hills and wind, I ended up with a 7.53 average. Way off where I was, but given that was my first attempt at speed since July 31st it’s hardly surprising…

Barry – well done on your 198 miles. After the princely sum of 13 in Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov and Dec combined, I’ll have clocked up 147 in Jan provided tomorrow’s 10 go to plan. Very, very happy with that and should constitute a decent base to kick on from there.  

Oh, and one other piece of news. I spent this morning at the hospital and fingers crossed Little Redders should be receiving a brother/sister in the summer…

Red- woohooo!!!! Congrats

Congratulations Redwood

So that is going to be even more 9a runs Redders .....................

I presume you knew what you were doing so congratulations are in order??

DD:  BA is a past master in not listening, so when he complains at a later date I simply say that I told him at the time and he should have said something then. He has absolutely no idea whether I did or not and I can lie very convincingly

2old:  my holdiay blogs are famous [or should that be infamous] - I'll make sure you know the link.  BA has only just got round to reading last year's and was subsequently heard muttering about divorce..........

O4S - I'm not sure Mrs R has ever thought that 'I know what I'm doing' in that department! 

2old - surely "a bit like caffeine" isn't actually caffeine?  I wouldn't worry - hundreds of people use gels like that and I don't think any deaths have been attributed to them.

Red - brilliant news!

The reason I was confined to the TM yesterday was that the sales event I was at was outside Chicago in some suburb or other - no idea of where really and didn't want to get lost! But now I have moved downtown for the remainder of my trip, so this morning I took the opportunity for a run out by the lake.  I ran naked - out for about 1.45, which did include some stops so I reckon about 11 miles probably. Freezing cold and a real contrast from when I was here last summer. In fact I have photo evidence:

Chicago in late June

 Chicago in late January

 I managed to take these from more or less the same spot. Parts of the lake by the shore were solid ice today. In June it was close to 40 degrees on one of the days I was there.  Tomorrow the forecast is -12.

 Exciting news Red! Congratulations.  Great news on the run too.

DD - nice pain face.

Bro are you tapering for the HM? Taper madness doesn't discriminate, it can strike in the lead up to a HM.  You're probably still tired from your holiday too.   

Great photos Freemers, looks like a nice view on either day and no queuing to run there!  No need having to queue for a TM at 4:30am, bonkers.

Minni I tempo-ed outside in the wind tonight too, couldn't bear the thought of the treadmill after last weeks efforts on the damn thing.

Hows the calves today AA?

Hope the pummelling helped yesterday Spoons, not too sore after that?

I  did a run tonight - not a recovery run, not a tempo run, not an LT run, not an MLR, not intervals, not hill reps, not a progressive run, not a pyramid run - just a run type run!  Why do I feel as if it somehow doesn't count?

Off to Belfast tomorrow, leaving the house at 5.15am and back at 11.00pm if on time.  Wearing trainers and running tights, so might try and fit something in, but probably won't have time

Freemers - I see they've painted the yellow line in the road....

Very sad about the inquest, but it is her boyfriend who has likened it to caffeine, whereas the report says it's more like amphetamines. I wouldn't be put off caffeinated gels because of this.

Congrats Redders!

Becs, 10 mins sounds like it should have hit a mile, so it counts for Jantastic and that's what matters.  Sorry it's been mixed though, bloody drivers at it again!

On carb loading, my understanding is that you don't increase overall calories but have to change the proportions of what you're eating. If you're really fussed about not gaining any weight this can mean foregoing butter on bread etc to ensure you get sufficient carbs in without increasing the calories. I counted the carb grams very anally for my first marathon, and as it remains my best I still think there's something in carb loading properly.

Redwood: Congrats

O4S: I reckon your very "economical" with the truth when telling BA about your holiday plans, were kindred spirits after all I manged to keep a IM secret for months and still maintain when the subject is raised that Outlaw is not an IM but is a race over a IM distance, its all semantics

Re the lady and Amphetamines, well you need to know what your putting into your body but I must admit I don't check re sports drinks, gels etc but would be wary with regards to something bought on the WWW.

Cycled for 90 mins this morning, racing tomorrow but race is a loose term in this event, will be taking it easy, next week I will race.