RW Forum Six - Sub 3:30

DD, awesome racing, sir!  What a muppet 'short racer'/cheat though.  Oh well, you're in a great position overall so bring on the overall win   I am definitely coming to the Milers tomorrow night so I'll PM you later.

Simon, I'm so rubbish I would never have seen that as a chat up line   And poor OH might have been a tad upset if I'd got his number 

Minni, good dreaming action there!  The Pistorius situation has really got my back up too.  Now, I know absolutely nothing about the SA legal system, but I've done a fair few bail applications in the UK in my time.  If the prosecution had essentially put their evidential case at that point, I would have been storing it all up as a ground to either get the case thrown out or to appeal any subsequent conviction on the basis that a fair trial would be impossible.  I make no comment on the merits of the case, but let's just say I spy another OJ Simpson debacle coming on.....

Spoons, I shared your pain this weekend and was in the hurt locker too .  Well done for getting out.  I hope you're feeling better.

Freemers, wow check you out!!!  Speedy work.  Sounds like a really tough session but you totally nailed it 

Oompa, I'm still not revising my time!  I'm too much of a chicken given how tough I'm finding my long runs now.  Sounds like you've had a good solid week, nice running   And well done for, er, managing the fajita situation...

FRC, good to see you're still a speedy cat!!

Chick, great intervals in the cold.  Brr!!!

Sarah, that sounds like you had fun in the mud!  I live in Dubai.  I have a lot to live up to given DD's amazing results!  

Barry, great x-training session.  Hang on in there!

Free/Carrot/Gazelle, happy racing 

AA, nice long run.  How was the footie?

Kiwi, happy spinning!  After a good year of doing it, I'm a confirmed spin addict.  I've cut myself down to 2 sessions a week now as it's too tough to fit in with full on marathon training, but I love it!

O4S, nice miles and nice compliments, albeit losing a little in their delivery

Simon, happy birthday!!  Sounds like you celebrated in style. 

Total disaster of a weekend for me.  I did a really good spin class on Friday morning, and then went to a brunch.......................  Let's just say that my 45 min planned recovery run didn't happen yesterday as it was all I could do not to   The only element of 'recovery' that happened was managing to eat something by about 3pm.  Oh well, 17 miles planned for later.  Back on the straight and narrow 

Hey Folks

SS: The perils of a Dubai Brunch, I also went to one on Friday but got off lightly.

The mystery of the speedy M50 has been solved, he gave his number to a 28 year old. I have now been promoted to 2nd which makes me even more peed off that I didn't realise Mr Mapleleaf was a M50.

Cycled for 90 mins this morning, was going to do 100K but it was so windy out on the cycle track that I bailed after eating sand for the 1st hour, I went out into the wind at an average of 16.7KPH and returned at an average of 51.1KPH.

Swim set of 2K also done, I enjoyed swimming today

excellent stuff, DD!

2old & AA: great long rungs banked

Oompa: oops! Where are bushes when you need them ?? 

Sarah: great running, you are flying!

Happy Birthday Simon 

Hope Gazelle is having a good race.

Did my 17 miles today trying for 12 @ MP but the race course was a slippery/slidey mess. Completely awful. Some new snow came down overnight but the temps are now around 1.5 degrees plus and a few hundred runner's feet turned the whole course into an ice rink. Wish I'd had my Yaktrax with me . Managed average 8:11 (which is shit) including falling over twice but didn't hurt myself - it was more a controlled fall .  I ran the 2nd 10k chatting with a French girl. It was great to have some company. Not obsessing too much about not hitting MP today - with THAT kind of running surface it just wasn't happening.

69 miles for the week. 7 days of running. 8 runs banked. Doing ok

Oh no Freemers.  Hope you feel better soon. ((()))  The 2:40 run is pretty good though so I wouldn't be worrying about that.

Like you say Chick, not the day for 12 @ MP.  Again though still a really good effort.

Duration run for me today.  I was determined to try at stick to 9 m/m because I've had a high mileage week and because that's what it said on the tin.  Got dropped off and ran the Castles marathon route (missing a couple of loops out) and picked up at the end.  Both Freemers and I are doing it in September.  The snow came on and the first 5 miles were grim.  You couldn't look up and I was running straight into it. I looked down and I was just white!  Luckily it passed and the following couple of hours were more pleasant.  3:15 - 22m - avg 8:50 with the last two miles the fastest. And my highest week ever: 77.5 miles!

Freemers - I have some concerns over the marathon route and going to drop them an email.  The roads for the first 16-18 miles are quite busy and very twisty.  I can't see that they will be closing them and I'm wondering how they are going to police it.  There are some stretches where there are walls or hedges at each side of the road and practically no verge.  The cars were coming around the corners quite fast and we had to stop and stand right in the side.    I think I'll be looking for some assurances that they have taken this in account.   

Well done everyone still getting those LSRs in this weekend with the return of the white stuff

Freemers - hope you're feeling better, sorry to hear you were sick

Happy Birthday for yesterday Simon

Sarah - well done surviving Belvoir, great to hear you enjoyed it

Chick - 8:11 isn't shit at all in ice and snow.

Hope Gazelle got on well today?

I survived the Nationals yesterday!  This was my first XC race.  I didn't realise when I entered it that it was the Nationals, I just thought it was a little low-key cross country race at Sunderland.  Fool.  There was a little group of us from the club, including a team of four ladies.  We decided to pair up and run in twos - power in numbers!  It had snowed overnight so the ground everywhere was saturated and freezing cold.  I did around 400m warm up and my feet were soaking wet and freezing to start off.  Lovely.  The start was really wide, wide enough for everyone to start at the front!  Parsnip said it reminded him of a scene from Braveheart with everyone charging forward in a long row.  I never planned to race it - I didn't want to blow up half way round - so my clubmate and I took it steady and picked our way through the muddy, boggy two-lap course.  People who'd run the course before a few years ago mentioned that there were a few hills - I actually preferred the running uphill and used the opportunity to overtake a few runners.  Easier to climb in mud than it is to descend!  It did get gradually harder as my legs tired from running through the mud.  But as I ran around the course I realised I had a big smile on my face - I actually enjoyed it!

Completed the 8K in 43:06, 262/427.  Placed much higher than I expected to.  I was never going to break any records, I'm just pleased I finished it as it's the first time I've tried a cross country.  It was fun trying to get changed afterward, caked in mud and freezing cold.  We then waited for the men to come in from running their 12K - all coming in looking like they'd done battle! 

Back to reality today with an 18 mile LSR

Well done Carrot and everyone getting the long runs in.

hope you feel better Freemers

I did 1.5 hours in the gym. No hangover today

Brilliant time Carrot!  Well done!  Are you club doing the NEHL?

er hang on Freemers.  I've just had a look at the race sheet and you'd put 2:45 down as your target today.  So, 5  minutes under that and you are ill!  Don't be hard on yourself.

Freemers:  ((( )))  but to be honest I would have been delighted with that time even feeling 100%

Chick:  sentiments as above!!!  Always a worry in those conditions that you might go over and injure yourself

Carrot: our club was meant to go to the Nationals, but couldn't get enough ladies prepared to travel to Sunderland from Bristol.  Shame, we could have met up and enjoyed the delights of Sunderland [which I don't think I really appreciated when up visiting the outlaws]

DD:  that is exactly what happened to me on the NYD 10 km - I eventually got reinstated as 1st F55.  People must realise this sort of thing is likely to happen if they give their numbers to a decent younger runner

14 miles off-road today with BA, so very leisurely, lots of mud, stiles etc and also primroses, daffodils, new-born lambs and snow!!

Sarah, well done on the half PB a little while ago, and also for following it up with a good 20.

DD, maple leaf isn't going to get you again! Still job done in terms of the overall series.

Freemers, poor you. Fantastic just finishing let alone running a good time when ill. Hope you feel better soon.

Carrot, what a race to pick as your first! Good finishing position as well.

Hope Gazelle's 10k went well.

Great long runs banked AA, Minni, 2Old and FRC. Some big mileages banked as well, including from Chick and Minni.

SS, comeback continues to go well.

Spoons, good to see that you're back out there too.

This week I've banked about 65 miles cycling. Some of it into icy wind and snow - probably would have wimped out if I wasn't going to report back here. 2 x 10 mins runs on the treadmill. No knee pain , but on the second calf was playing up . Also 2.5 hours yoga/pilates. Could do with fitting in something like a spin/circuits class though as I tend to pootle along a bit in my cycling so that, along with all the traffic lights, means HR stays pretty low.

Carrot -  Well done, sounds like you have a taste for the XC.

Freemers -   Bad news about today, hope you have made a quick recovery.

Chick -  Nothing wrong with that pace in the conditions.

2old/Minni -  Very good long runs from you both.

Simon -  Belated happy birthday.

Becs - must have been cold on the bike....