Sub 3h15

Jools - 7.11mm is a bit zippy for you isn't it for an easy run? Very impressive in any event! There has been no noticable improvement in my back but I am at the physio again tomorrow so hopefully he can loosen everything off again. I have also wondered about a chiropractor, but I know very little about their work to be honest.

Giggles - I just got a touch narked, that's all!! I agree entirely with your post above B&B, that post felt completely 'wrong' however which way I considered it. These forums are all about support and advice in any event, they need no 'carrot' dangling.

TR - fair point about Christina, I have thought about her from time to time. She got a raw deal from the forum and from the coaching offered, she was badly let down in my opinion.

Fraser - I am not too worried about the SSX having new blood in it's ranks (a very positive thing in many ways), although in an ideal world, a balance might be nice. As you say, 'not having time to post' er, rather defeats the object!!

Fraser Wells wrote (see)

Sue C - Found your rant. I agree entirely with you. Anyone who's proposing to devote several hours a week to proper marathon training surely can find 5 minutes a day to contribute to forums. I suppose the issue centres around whether one has to have "proved " oneself as a contributor already and whetehr that really matter. But to say "I haven't had time to contribute" is a bit ridiculous. I'd understand it if "I hadn't known or cared until now about forums" was the real reason....

B&B - thanks, I know it annoys folks that new folks get chosen over regular posters and there seems to be a lot of jealousy surrounding the SS thing. Maybe regular posters should be chosen, but I guess the whole point is trialling the schedules on folks that dont know what they are doing. 

Christina is a friends wife and I havnt heard from them since. Lots of folks felt for her, I know from off line discussions that she didnt get the support she was expecting to get, and some of the public expected more from her forum wise. But like I said I think that there are reasons for the way some folks treat the SSers.

MM put a lot into his thread and it was good.

I dont follow the ~4hr hopefuls, but I'm sure that they will repond very well to some structured coaching. From my experience most of the 4hr folks would benefit simply from having a pointy (or shitty) stick aimed at their backside to get em out of their comfort zone a bit.

Sue C - I agree, the forums are about support and advice esp for folks that belong to unattached harriers and dont have any training partners to get out of bed early for. They also work best when folks tell it like it is, rather than "good jawb" " never mind keep plugging away".

.

I posted on the thread itself but I was pretty riled by the implications that we are all poor parents as we spend time posting on the forum. There are some amazing people on here, who are fully committed to both running and their families, in some very difficult circumstances.

Busy busy thread,  well done KR on getting selected and you have my vote but it was a close call with UpsyDaisy.

Long run for me this evening, last long one with no gels, 23 miles in 3:07 at an avg of 8:08.  Didn't feel too bad.  That's the third 20 miler or more unfuelled, going to move on to long runs  with MP efforts as per MM's advice but using gels.

TR what you say is spot on. In addition I suspect that a large proportion of serial long distance runners are highly self-contained/self-motivated/like being on their Jack Jones/don't need to be in a group/don't need affirmation that they're doing the right thing - and therefore don't really get that some people do need support/affirmation/sense of belonging etc etc and will be undermined by unfeeling criticism.  It's not on to heap pressure on people who are only running for fun.

Welcome all, and welcome back Sue & CG, not seen you here for a while.

Despite the Hoff connection, voted for KR

Stupid rush of blood to the head today, entered my very first 10k (mistake 1) the day after Boxing Day (mistake 2) on an apparently not very flat course (mistake 3) somewhere near Maidstone and haven't time for even token appropriate training (mistake 4). Then looked at the relevant thread to find Keir apparently also making his 10k debut - could be the slowest smackdown in history...  - what time are you looking for? I'm embarassed already.

Great run Barry - I couldn't imagine doing something like that in the evening!

7.08 for me tonight with the club, although I was actually on my own at the front from 1 mile to 5.5 miles. First mile was around 8:30, but churned out the next 6 at just under 7 min miles for 50:49 total @ 7:11 average. I was working, but it felt good, but then at 5.5 one of our super-quick twins (1:10 half) cruised up and started to have a conversation with me - it was rather one-sided!

Down t'club for me as well. Post parents evening. Nice to get back down the club. Havent run with them since the summer. The ice meant the pace slowed in places, but a respectable 9miles in 65mins. Also did 5m this morning, so not a bad days running.

Views on SSX - I agree with all of the above. Definately not voting for Charlie though. He sounds like a right tosser

Poacher wrote (see)

Stupid rush of blood to the head today, entered my very first 10k (mistake 1) the day after Boxing Day (mistake 2) on an apparently not very flat course (mistake 3) somewhere near Maidstone and haven't time for even token appropriate training (mistake 4). Then looked at the relevant thread to find Keir apparently also making his 10k debut - could be the slowest smackdown in history...  - what time are you looking for? I'm embarassed already.

Mistake 5 - Challenging me to a smack down  I normally like sub 40. Ambitious target would be 38 something, but Xmas pudding eating would be compromised to achieve that. I asked at the club about the course today. Fast on the way out and drags up in the final 2 miles, but not hilly as such. Fancy a pint afterwards?

Forgot to say - Great final run Barry. All looking really good. You've built up really nicely for this one on the back of Abingdon. Is sub 3.15 still the target?

Thanks Poacher & Barry B for the support.

I'll be honest here - I'm absolutely pegging it, but also absolutely looking forward to it at the same time.
One of the reasons I joined this thread was joining in with MM's thread for the SS this year. I really enjoyed it and after the big day was over, I was looking for a regular forum with other runners with not only the same goal (if not apsiring higher) but also sense of humour. MM's thread was a great read everyday pretty much and had a good balance of witty banter (favourite hat) and also informative input from both MM, LIz and other forumites. I think it was a great credit to him that even though the SS race didn't go to plan, he stuck in there and showed his true colours, gritting his teeth and achieving his 3.12 marathon as we all knew he would. Just goes to show that he was a good pick from the contenders this time last year. 

Looking forward to hearing about the Poacher versus Keir 10k smackdown. Will you be dressed up accordingly in WWF spandex complete with masks to hide your true identity?

Getting ready for my marathon training regardless of the outcome of the SS - I still have that place in Brighton on the same day! 10 miles tonight split into 2 miles easy 8.10 mm pace, next 2 at PMP 7.22 mm  then another mile at 6.59 pace. Repeated this again, however my next 2 easy miles turned out to be more PMP pace and felt copmfortable so carried on and the last mile at around 6.45 pace.
73.41 for the whole 10 miles which works out at 7.22 pace, which would be a very nice marathon goal pace in Paris!

Beware Of The Fish wrote (see)

Great run Barry - I couldn't imagine doing something like that in the evening!

7.08 for me tonight with the club, although I was actually on my own at the front from 1 mile to 5.5 miles. First mile was around 8:30, but churned out the next 6 at just under 7 min miles for 50:49 total @ 7:11 average. I was working, but it felt good, but then at 5.5 one of our super-quick twins (1:10 half) cruised up and started to have a conversation with me - it was rather one-sided!

BOTF - Was it one of those conversations where you just nodded your head and grunted?

Brilliant long run there Barry, is your marathon in late January? As you did this unfuelled during the run, did you carbo load a bit during the day or yesterday? I've heard of that doing a 20 miler easy unfuelled and then next time a quicker 20 miler with MP blocks but with gels - was that from MacMillan?