sub 4 hour group,if anyone wants to get together

great re Basey's son.  The most important thing is that it stays fun for him and that he doesn't overdo it. He prob shouldn't run too much further than 5k.  Is there a local club with a nice junior section?

Jack's bd present hasn't arrived. Haven't even had the 'your item has been despatched' email.  Damn. 

AH - when I was younger (age 10-12) some of my classmates friends ran the GNR as there wasn't an age limit on it then. Cant imagine anyone that age running a half marathon nowadays (unless perhaps you're Kenyan!)

Thanks, AH, great advice as always. Duly passed on.

Ikle, 2-3 miles ideal as AH says for Basey's son in races, those multi terrain races, we did 2 laps, under 12s one, so 2.5 miles max. One of young brothers at club I thought was 17-18 but was actually 14, now 15. He tops out about 5 miles in training but has been struggling with a few injuries, body still growing at that age.

Ironblade, I've been more than that weight . Each stone feels like 30-60 seconds off per mile for me, or at least how easy it makes 8 or 9 min miles - so you will get there. Low GI food worked for me. 4 stone in 10 months.

AH , very OCD with the taper hand cleaning! I tend to just spot people who are going to bump into me, trollies, things that can injury me. Reaction time seems much faster avoiding all the possible accidents, or drunk people or dangers.

Scott, never looked at the routes on here. garmin connect is good for searching, also finding race course info to compare.

Knee & leg seems tons better, no pain at all, even before massage this lunchtime so maybe able to run cow interference for Jovi at the weekend for a few miles. Light run tonight, lots of stretching. No speed session. Honest

Light run for me tonight aswell and lots of stretching too... Will do a slow 3mile plod and that's it. Just trying to get the eating right at the moment before the loading starts...

Scott & FRC - I will post my race number later... will be in New Forest Runners club vest!

Cannot wait...forecast looking okay too!

hi DTF, fingers crossed for the weather, I have booked in to la fottoria, I think its called, to load up, and have got some whole meal bagels at home as well, hope I didnt dream that they are good before the big day??

I will be in Boston and district AC vest, cant really miss me, its yellow and black....

Scott have you had those bagels before?  Just don't try anything new in the last couple of days before the race, and especially on race morning.  If you haven't had bagels before a long run before, don't have them on race day.  Have whatever you normally eat before a long run.  This is Really Important!  The race is not the time to discover that your breakfast is going to make an early reappearance (from either end...).

And carbo loading is SO last year darling!

to qualify that comment about carbo loading, the thinking is nowadays that because you're drastically cutting the amount of exercise you're doing, you're carboloading by default because you're not necessarily using what you eat. 

These days I eat well but don't even eat a lot of pasta/potatoes/rice etc. It's seen me through a good few ironmans   The last thing you want is to put on extra weight.

i have had the bagels before, will be having usual breakfast of porridge at about 6am, and a bannana at about 7. maybe a coffee with my bannana...

was gonna have a bagelfriday and saturday.... wont go mad with them though.

taking the fun out of running AH. No carb loading?  Jeez. My local restaurants would be out of business too 

Nice bowl of pasta for me, some bread, tons of water. Also lots of water in the 1-2 days before Scott, possibly with electrolytes (zeros). I felt supercharged for Edinburgh.

Massage actually not too bad,, I thought was going to be mega painful around ITB , sore but not like an OWWWWWW.. more an Ahhhhh type noise if you follow.. My  right quads were tight and had then tighted everything around knee cap. no movement at all. Which explains why I was able to stretch and walk,, I did a quad stretch when stopping 2nd time. Light runs all this week and rest then maybe Ripon.

Well let me bore you, after GNR at 1.42.55 I know I must be able to do a marathon sub four........though I do prefer the shorter distance. 6foot 2 inches and 75 kilos so lean and tend to run out of steam around the 20 mile mark as I did at Edinburgh this year, though I so paced that race well. 1..57 for the first half then 20 mile mark was 3.03 then took me an hour and five to do the last 6.2 mainly due to heat and my son in law fell apart at 17 miles so we had been running together well till he got crap. The legs are my weakness, heart fit enough so probably need to do some weights on the legs. Never bothered with massage, too expensive. Not got a roller yet, just trainers and vests......so how do I improve. Running about 20 to 30 miles regularly and cycle to work too. 
All the best to all in the ironman and Abingdon etc.

mcs - did your son in law get cramp or was that not a typo LOL  In 2010 I did a 3:36 marathon at the Newcastle Town Moor off the back of a 1:42 half at GNR a few weeks before so sub 4 is definitely doable.

3:36 marathon off 1:42 is a bit unusual though Jovi?  I usually multiply the half time x 2.2 to 2.26 (Runners world thread).

mcs, not boring us at all, what were your long runs like, say how many 18 miles and over?

I did 5 x 20 milers or more for Edinburgh, including 18s, probably another 2. 20-30 miles a week is on the low side, I varied between 32-42 miles a week, 3 days running, 2 rest days for sub 3:30 same day as you and thats considered low on other threads.

slight change and I'm sure you could do it.

Am going to drown at the track tonight - esp as we will be on the grass rather than the track. It's going to be a bit boggy. I can't complain if I don't like the session - I set it...

Very exciting Scott and Dave - cant wait to hear..

AH - are you SERIOUS about carbo loading - not eating anything extra? thats strange.. what if you normally have a light tuna salad ? thats not going to help run 26.2 miles is it????

mcs - they do say two parts to the race - 20 and then the 6 - so maybe going too fast to 20?? run out of gas too early .... its the pacing thats tricky ..