Sub 3h15

I'm never serious Minni.  10 miles per bottle of wine is an impressive stat

Plan at the moment is to do the same as last year and don the purple paint, tutu and wings.  However, if training goes well then I may be up for a different costume and attempt a different world record.  I may be asking for suggestions in March!!!

How about 'fastest marathon runner pulling someone along on roller blades'?  I'll be on the roller blades!

Surely you need to continue ticking off the rainbow colours Martin. (p.s. I've already got my eyes on one of those records!)

Impressive stat Minni. Is this something that mentoring has driven you to, or a strategy you are going to try to maintain through 2013?

You can never take the girl out of the north east...

Minni I am working, so no kettle.  Not around much at the moment due to "winter training camps"' ha ha

Liking your other thread Keir but it's very technical, bit highbrow for us funrunners

Martin, abiding memory of VLM this year is seeing on the start line next to that guy dressed a runner bean, and Efe Col wondering what the heck he was doing associating with a bunch of nutters....

Indeed, 10M per bottle of wine is good going Minni (on the wine front). I'm alternating 90mins-2hrs of running and turbo most days this week, but am not doing so well on the booze front, just a few beers here and there.

Don't worry Poacher. I plan on reporting a shit in my hat on Sundays LSR. 

Minni Will that mean half a bottle every 5 miles on race day?

Really struggling with motivation at the moment. Not sure if due to just returning home and time of year etc. Anyway, finally forced myself out at 4pm for 9 miles. Approx 4 miles in my right shin started hurting slightly. I finished the run and it still hurts, no obvious signs of any knock. concerned it could be a sign of over training.

TR/Minni I'm sad to say that my wine to exercise balance is somewhat skewed. However, my inability to count accurately after a certain point in the procedings leaves me with the scales and the waist band as measures. Given the size of the waist band I'm going nowhere near those scales.

Gale force winds tearing across the country tomorrow. With heavy rain. That sounds like an incentive to use an indoor training device. Please shoot me after a certain point. (Hey, can I use the laptop when I'm training?)

SD - take care of that shin!
More wet and windy conditions here. I had planned to do a freedom parkrun this morning but part of the course was still under water. I had already decided that I need to ease back into a bit of speedwork to get ready for my sub 40 campaign this spring, so instead I did 5 x 300m relaxed intervals off 300m recoveries; turned out at about 5:17 m/m. Another 8.25 miles done and a rest day tomorrow, making a total of 32.5 miles this week, which brings me to 1492.72 for the year so far.

I did 7 bumpy miles last night, and came close to twisting/spraining/breaking my ankle not once but twice, stepping awkwardly on a kerb. This followed on from oh-so-nearly falling down the stairs the other day and bashing the sole of my left foot. In short, be careful, it's a minefield out there. And in there, as well.

Trying to work up enthusiasm to get out for another 6-8 miles, before heading off to Santander until Tuesday. The New Year's "celebrations", never all that effusive in Mrs. Ant's family (I'll be taking my own beer and wine, otherwise I'll be unlikely to get any) will include the San Silvestre, the traditional NYE race held in every town and village across Spain. Hoping to beat 22:00 for the 5.6 kilometres.

Hi all, trust everyone had a good xmas? Been lurking rather than posting - nothing of note happening here. Still base building and have managed 4 weeks totalling 150 miles which is best for many years!

Ant - had a rather nasty fall a couple of days ago myself near the end of a 10 miler. Hit the deck hard on my face. Luckily, other than a few grazes to my face and hands got off lightly. Right arm a bit sore now but not causing any real discomfort.

DS2 - good stuff. Thats a decent 4 weeks, I'm on 145 for Decemeber with 1 run to go tomorrow, which is my biggest monthe since March. How do you feel ? smoked or tired ? achy legs ?

Blisters - watching the Laptop or TV is cheating, I'll allow you a HRM display, other than that its looking at the garage door. 

SJ - made me laught to think of Ant sitting getting hammered on his own and everyone looking at him like some kind of freak show!

Gul - good years work!

TR - actually pretty good. I listened to the things you and a few others a while back and have taken my time and not run too hard most of the time. I'm running 5 times a week now and handling it pretty well. Last year I tried to run a schedule starting at 40 miles per week but wasn't ready so as soon as I started I felt really tired. This year I feel the base is good and I will handle 55-70 ok. Time will tell. How about you? Are you doing less on the bike/in the pool now?

DS2 - not less bike, less swimming for a couple of weeks as I usually only swim workday lunchtimes (with the odd extra swim in the summer months). My VLM running will simply be 2 or 3 running commute days and a long run, its not enough to get me under 2:50 but should keep me under 3hrs. 5 runs/week and feeling pretty good is a nice place to be, you have obviously slowed the running down. You have been building base, whilst building fitness without burning too many matches. well done so far. Look at it as pre-training training.

Well, that was a 19 miler on knackered legs to put hairs on your chest (if only I wanted them!).  Conditions were windy, wet and altogether vile.  Took 4 attempts to get the front door open when I got back because my hands were so bliddy frozen.  I enjoyed the last 5 minutes simply because it meant the run was nearly over...

Ant: have a lovely NYE.  I enjoyed SJ's image of you getting bladdered while the rellies sit and watch

DS2: sounds like you are base building nicely.

Everyone: stay upright

DS2 wrote (see)

SJ - made me laught to think of Ant sitting getting hammered on his own and everyone looking at him like some kind of freak show!

Sounds like last April in Chandos! 

I was a bit luckier than Jools this morning - conditions not quite as windy and the rain held off. Went off road and it was pretty darned muddy - plenty of slipping around and difficult to get traction on the uphill parts.

Ended up with 18.75 miles but felt like at least 20 - I'm too embarrassed to reveal the time but will claim it as a "time on feet" type run. Still, that's my longest run for a couple of months so no complaints.

Hope Scoobs is feeling a bit better.