Sub 3h15

Some very nice snow running.

Blisters Shame all the training has gone to waste.

Poacher Good to hear from you.

When I wear leggings I cover them with track suit bottoms or at least shorts, not sure if that is good or bad.

The snow started around 8am today, so it confirmed my enforced rest day. Still not sure about tomorrow. Leg feels better but still not 100%.

I went to buy new running shoes today, unlike two weeks ago I actually bought a pair. However, like two weeks ago I also bought a blu ray player. New trainers are Brooks Adrenaline GTS 13. As a minor protest and to help our high streets I also bought two paper books.

The cancellation of a January marathon is not a surprise. More of a surprise would be the cancellation of a July marathon due to excessive heat. I view it as a 50:50, and to be honest I've had two runnings in perfect conditions. My Uncle collapsed in a summer Blackpool mara. Nuff said. It would be a nice touch to get a 50% refund, but the T's and C's said no refund, so that's that, even if I do know where they live.

Right.

I'm off to the garage to rig up the bike for a (hopefully) significant turbo session. For tomorrow.

ogl legs are fine. But missed another run today.

Northumberland Coastal run entries open now!

What a sh!77er Blisters. Current conditions in the UK not suprising but after months of training a blow. But as you said a 50/50 chance this time of year.......

As John Lydon said (or rather shouted out of tune), anger is an energy! So hope you tore it up in your garage on the turbo. Grrrrr.!!!!

Was thinking of going out for a run in the snow to beat the earleist time out for a run, but decieded against it - well it is late rather than too early! Maybe tomorrow (or later this morning!).

Local parkrun has been cancelled - off road it is then!

Have only skim-read, but..... body milk???? 

Great session Jools, I'm rather jealous. We've had ice here all week so all but one run have been on the treadmill. Luckily my gym has no time limits, so as well as the usual shorter runs, I managed 13 miles on the horrible thing on Wednesday. Once you get past 99 mins and 59 seconds it goes back to 00.00 so onlookers think you're sweating and dying after only running for a minute or two. And people do look. A lot! 

Off out now for 20 miles on the snow while it's still run-on-able. 

AR - nice accidental 21 miler!
Moof - very dedicated. Did you make it home OK?
Bike It - a man after my own heart.
Jools - just need to improve on the prize-receiving now.
DS2 - can't beat a run in the snow!
Blisters - shame. Are you running VLM?
OGL - Yes, 28 laps in all. In previous years I have varied the direction, but so far all anti-clockwise this year. Well done on the MP session and intervals too!
Poacher - blimey. Take care now.
RFJ - well done on tackling the dreadmill.
Ant - glad you're feeling better.
SD - enjoy the new shoes.
KR - did you notice the earthquake yesterday or have I got your location completely wrong?
Hi Speedy. Hope all is well.
Did the 28 laps OK at a spookily metronomic pace - apart from the first 3, each lap was within a 3 second band. 44 miles d&d this week.

Morning, Speedy.  Nice to hear from you and hope all is well.  Heading off for my own 20M fairly soon and testing out the Yaktrax I bought just in case when preparing for Running Home for Christmas.  This is the first time they've been out of the packaging!

Gul: 28 laps!!!  You might as well just start track running...

Blisters: bad news on Gloucester but I suppose at least you can get back training without any time lost to post-race recovery?  Sorry, I was trying to find a positive for you and that's all I could manage!

Poacher: take care of you.

Bad news about Gloucester Blisters. At least you can go sledging down Coopers Hill today without worrying about ruining your taper. Is it an entry into next year rather than refund policy?

Take off the Yaktrax when you reach some clear road or pavement (or just run in the verge for that section Jools. 

Good luck Poacher. 

Nice mileage Gul. I guess that you must slowly be wearing a circular trench round that field!

Hope you've had an easier week Speedy.

How many blu-ray players does a man need Scooby? Are you starting a collection?

Snow here. Going to be a struggle to squeeze a run in anyway, but loks like today's 9a treadmill might be replaced by sledging. 

Gul  - I was going to say the same as Keir. Surely by now you've worn away a path to be forever known as 'The Gul Way'?

That's real determination, Speedy. Good luck for that 20-miler in (on) the snow - you too, Jools.

I was up and out at 7:15 and miraculously there was a brief respite in the deluge, so got 6.5 miles done in gradual progression from 7:50mm  to 6:40mm, plus a 200 metre "sprint" (hey, we'll use the term loosely, o.k.?) at the end. A quick shower and off to the gym for bike, weights, stretching abs and then sauna.

Now I have this spinning bike at home, how can I best use it to complement my marathon training? I don't want to wear myself out for my running sessions, but it would be nice to think I can use it to get my weight down, loosen up the legs etc. Any advice would be welcome, thanks.

Morning. Slightly hung over in sleepy hollow. I think that Keir has been the only one to correctly pick up on the mood. I'm not annoyed at all, the training is all focussed on being up to marathon fitness, not about running an actual marathon in January. The course was a bit of a tester anyway. The next one I have booked is at the tail of an Ironman distance in September. There are other opportunities before then to have a bash I'm sure.

er, I suppose that I had better get on that turbo the wife bought me......

Keir - I'm pleased you said that because that's exactly what I've been doing! 20-30 mins on an easy gear. Hurrah! Thanks for that.

Blisters - My last two marathons not having gone to plan, I have been forced to take the wider, and more sensible, view that the really important thing about marathon training is that it gets you into really good physical condition. The race can go ahead or not and you can reach your goals or not, but losing that weight, looking and feeling so much better and getting the weary old body into the kind of shape where you can go into a marathon with confidence is certainly not to be sniffed at.

Having said that, I "need" a decent result in March to stem the tide of crap performances in the last two years...

20M for me in snow, but sporting Yaktrax, which definitely made a difference.  Plodtastic (8.23m/m), but at times the snow was definitely the 6" which the BBC say fell at Filton (2M north of where I was running) yesterday.

Nice progressive Ant. Very philosophical and correct. I just need to remember that later in the campaign.

Jools Impressive 20 miles in deep snow.

Keir I currently have three x 3d blu ray players and two televisions. I always planned to buy two new ones,but approx six months apart. My mate is getting a new television, so he will get the spare blu ray. I can assure you there is a logic to my thinking.

5 miles recovery, at a blistering 9:40 min mile. I left the HRM at home and just plodded, leg felt good for most of the run. Slight tightness now, but should be fine for LSR tomorrow. Ground had compacted snow and virtually ice free.

I had to can the run at 18.77 miles as a) I was knackered and b) I had an appointment to get to. In some places in the woods the snow was calf deep and completely untouched, out on the streets it was slippery slushy muck. I suspect tomorrow will be sheer ice though, so best to get the miles in today. Avg pace was reduced to 9.04s.

Minni - thanks, you have mail.  Safe yes, but staying below the radar (not wearing fruit anyway) 

Minni what was your pace for the 17 mile run?

Yes I'm a bit gutted that the BM is cancelled. I wasn't expecting much but it's so long since I raced I really wanted to get some race feedback.

I need to run long tomorrow as I took a layed back week for the race. If conditions permit I may try for 20 tomorrow.