Sub 3

Happy birthday to Dan A.  Don't worry about the V40 thing, you'll just turn into one of those blokes who obsessively scopes out everyone before a race to work out who the other fast, grizzled vets will be.

Jools, having turned V35 a few months ago, I can confirm its rubbish.  No-one thinks you're actually a vet - not you, not genuine vets, and not race organisers - yet you still have to put up with an irritating V35 next to your name on Po10.  Balls to it.

ZaTTu, it'll be a shame if you leave the club, but I suppose if you're not getting anything out of it I can see why.  Would've been nice to try to get a quick team together for some of those relay events though.

Nice training in the snow and ice by everyone.  It would be nice to have access to a prom like Marigold et al, but I've had to turn to a business park to do my reps.  At least they have the resources to grit the footpaths.

Running commutes - I do 4 miles to and 4 miles back from work 4 days a week, and it's a hell of a lot better than sitting with all the same people in the same seats every day on the bus.  The only downside is forgetting to do your backpack up properly, and turning round to see your packed lunch strewn all over the road, looking like the UN have been delivering underwhelming famine relief from the air.

I hate to reignite shoe talk (no, genuinely, I am sorry), but, since there are sales on and all that, I'm looking to get some marathon race shoes. It's too far for my normal race shoes (Asics Hyperspeeds, which start to feel a bit harsh after HM distance), and my bog-standard training shoes are too chunky and heavy, and not brightly coloured enough to make me look faster than I am.  I'm looking for some kind of middle ground.  I asked here before, and got some recommendations, but didn't write them down, and it would take ages to root back in the history of this thread.  Any suggestions?

DanA.. many happy returns fella, 40 sounds quite young to me!  Hope you manage a beer or two.

TR/TT.. all the best with those niggles.

Dids.. we stayed in County Hall for years on LM weekend.  We stopped a couple of years ago when they bumped the room price to £150 per night excluding breakfast.  It is a nice hotel, but not that nice!

Jools.. put your hand on your heart and tell me, did they book those rooms at Waterloo especially for you?

Legs a bit tired after last night's session so a steady 11m around the villages today.

Swear by my double days when in full marathon training. Only do 6 miles easy with a spaniel (they alternate days depending on which one of them looks more "up for it" ) before work but it seems to do wonders for my general fitness levels, always see improvements within a couple of weeks of starting them.

Spend quite a lot of time stoppng for  dog "pit stops" though.........it's like running with CRAB

Shoes - lovely.

Well Marigold swears by Saucony Fastwitch, but he's rubbish so I wouldn't follow his lead (unless you're a spaniel)

TR will be along shortly to say how he only has one pair of shoes for everything - work, weddings, triathlons, doing the garden etc. He's had them 114 years, and they're still going strong.

Charlie wears anything that weighs less than 50g, but then butchers the sole with a stanley knife cos he always gets blisters.

wardi is a Nike Lunar Racer man, which is handy cos they come with a free zimmer frame now

Quite a few others like the Adizero Adios - but a few folk didn't like it when they updated them, so have gone off em.

Erm, Al_P likes his New Balance MRC 1600s, I think Padams is a Saucony A5 Grid man, a few others wear Adizero Bostons etc.

I personally have about 500 pairs but they're all uselss, cos I can't run faster than 6'40 pace in any of em.

I forgot LD - he's a Mizuno man cos he's an ex-golfer so his shoes match his visor.

However, I'd ignore me cos I've been banned from doing a Spring Marathon by my better half. So I've entered thousands of other races on every weekend from now until 2036. Will be making a return for the 26.2 at Abingdon again though I think

well seeing as you mention it......................and whats with weighing them and then putting 12 stone (in my case) in them anyway ?

DanA - cheers, mine's a Fursty Ferret.....yum !

Thank you, Wardi ;)

It's a cunning strategy, LS21: race so much and then presumably promise that if you get a marathon pass you won't race so much?  Mrs. LS21 is a lucky woman...

Marigold: spaniel fartlek - key to marathon success, hopefully.

Nice summary LS

I asked here before, and got some recommendations, but didn't write them down, and it would take ages to root back in the history of this thread.  Any suggestions?

Have a pen and paper handy next time?

As you were. 

Busy tonight.

Happy Birthday DanA

Dachs - I used to run in Hyperspeeds and my feet felt a bit tenderised after HM's in them. Much prefer Adios now. A bit more to them and they're narrow-fitting and grippy so feel really secure on corners. Although I see now LS has provided a much more in depth guide!

Al_P - Nice session!

I have a 50m commute when I'm in the office unfortunately, so only do doubles when I'm working from home. Did another 10 + 10 yesterday. AM was 8m/m's and PM was 7m/m's.

Edit - That makes it sound like I'll run 50m in but a 100m double is too much. For clarity, I drive.

10m with 4 tempo for me tonight. Couldn't get my legs going so the 4 ended up averaging 6m/m's where I would have liked 5.45's. Oh well, I logged it as an MP session instead.

lol CD! I have yet to experience the posh loos, so I'll tell you in a few months time if they are enough to swing it. Having said that though, if Nell is going to be on the same start as TR.............

Dachs - Just having a crappy day and blowing off steam. I think, even without having access to a track, or being able to partake in club events, it's still beneficial to be a member of a club, especially as I'm intending to race more this year. Plus the benefit of the VLM bus is I can hopefully make it to the Red Lion afterwards
Depending on what you're looking for in a shoe, have a look at the Brooks t7. They weight about 210g in a size 8, but are very flexible, yet at the same time manage not to feel flimsy. I think, within reason, the structure and design of a shoe are more important than the weight.

Poor CRAB Marigold  Though is does beg the question if you also clean up after him!

"so I wouldn't follow his lead (unless you're a spaniel)" - if intentional then very good LS21

Some nice faster stuff going on.

A slow 10m here this evening. Ankle was ok and eased off as it went on. Will try running a little quicker tomorrow maybe.

wardi - i could bore for england on the subject of rising london hotel prices. I started on Crowne Plaza and now can barely afford Travelodge. Last london hotel i had was from Laterooms and included the last occupant's finger nail cuttings on the bed side table.

OS - it really is a case of getting used to doubles. try running ridiculously easy in the morning (Herts pace if you like). you'll struggle to get, say, 90 miles/week in off single runs.

CRAB - you are insane. Loveable, but mental.

Charlie - spot on. A running club gives you the potential for friendshiop, but only on YOUR terms. Why is there a need for a running club? As Zattu aludes to, they just waste your time. The people who organise things are no doubt a mixture of well meaning people, those who crave some sort of power and those who just need something to occupy their time. But running is a solitary sport and needs competition not some fuzzy, warm busy-bodies doing nice things.

nice to see TT getting off the temporary bench.

there's some fast and long running going on at the mo, I'm so far behind some of you folks at the mo.............just the way I like it, although probably a bit further behind than usual !

LS21 - I have a mizuno driver (the head is made of plastic) that I got second hand in the late 70s when they were an unknown company. If I replaced it with a metal big bertha I would probably gain 30 yards in distance, but I'm an awkward bugger  and only play once or twice a year. So I grin and bear it.

Al_P - Wanted to go and check out your quality run from tonight on Garmin Connect but even though we are "Connected" it says ".....only shares some information publicly" and I can't see your activties in a list like I can with others I am connected with - sort it out!

As you mention Golf - In this school photo, you'll notice a famous scottish golfer on the second row. I'm the next row row down with the stupid hair next to the bloke with the afro.

second row from the back of course.