Minni, is Ruth a nutritionist? Are you taking advice generally or just specifically for the VLM? I'm really interested in hearing more. Also, what is shunting? Is it helping?
Chick, scorching paces 
Sounds like you're feeling in a great place, that's brilliant to hear!
Barry, really well done on the x-training session. Another idea to break up the 3hr sessions is to alternate between rower, cross trainer and bike. Last year I did 3 sets of 20 mins on each, trying to keep heart rate steady between the different pieces of equipment. Other times I would do the first set steady, the middle set hard, and then back to steady for the final set. It at least gives some variation in an otherwise dull, dull, dull session 
Spoons, nice turbo.
DD, it's OK, we had a man with BBM contact to his bookies 
Still wasn't quite the same without the cold hard cash exchange element. Really well done for a great effort on the tri. Shame it didn't go to plan, but it sounds like you handled it all well, enjoyed the bits you could, and I hope the post-race ciders were good.
Sarah, I'm with you on the copious amounts of fruit and veg!! Minimal cheese for me, sorry, FRC, but it kills my stomach in high doses. Nutrition is so personal, the hard part is working out what works - and carrying Immodium Instants should it all go wrong mid-race 
Gazelle, really sorry to hear you've been so poorly. I hope you get well soon.
I had a good day yesterday. Spin session followed by core in the morning, 4.5m recovery run in the evening. I took my spin session comparatively easy and ran the RR really easy and I now feel back to normal after my blip this week. I'm also going to back off the mileage in my LSR today but add in some marathon pace. The aim is to do 15m comprising 3.5m easy, 8m@mp, 3.5m easy
