Saturday 8th November 2008

Morning

what - rest
why - SW counties 10k tomorrow

Not had a very good week running as too much going on and tiredness. 

morning.

Hope things look up for you soon Hilly. Good luck for tomorrow.

What:3.5 d&d
Why: to just keep ticking over
Last hard: yesterday I reckon
Last rest: 26th October

I'm really quite enjoying just running how I feel rather than constantly trying to keep my HR down.  My legs are starting to remember how to run rather than shuffle and the faster miles don't feel quite as hard as they have done recently.   So I will continue to enjoy the short sharp stuff for a while longer.

OH's birthday today. We're off out to watch a firework display tonight with brother and his family and some other friends, followed by a takeaway and beer at brother's house (no need for them to get a babysitter that way). So another beer fuelled run for me tomorrow I guess

Have a good day all.

Hilly - take it easy. I'm still only recovering (strange as it sounds) after 2 very easy running weeks. The catch was all the travelling and lack of sleep. It can really take it's toll on you.

Stellina - thank you for the very small slice of your cherry and almond cake

Scobos - it's only fat I'm looking to lose. The only downside I can see is I'll have to start dressing in even more layers to stay warm.

birkmyre - thanks for the suggestion re: the British Milers Club site. I've already got MG's one. Trying to collect as much as possible to see where the similarities lie.

Only done 1 run instead of 2 yesterday (skipped the lunchtime one to have lunch with Mrs TT), but having managed a best pace of 25s per mile slower than normal for HR all week the threshold stuff (5 x 2k - run on HR) suddenly came in at only 8-11s worse than expectations. In fairness though I did feel ragged for a lot of it, pretty much like when I first done one of these threshold sessions a few months back, but it does seem to force adaptations quite quickly for me. About half-way through my jog home my HR suddenly dropped almost right into normal range for me, so maybe I just needed something to force things through. We shall see what the HR does today.........

What: Yesterday's Level 2 lunchtime run today.

Why: Playing catch-up.

Last hard: Yesterday.

Last rest: Sunday.

Lyrics: No.

Good luck to all racers!

Ditched the XC today as feeling rough, will still try and run later, but havent got the race legs today, Jnr also not great, and along with the week we have had, not advisable to drive 75m sit in the cold and wind for 3 and 1/2 hours for jnrs and my races, may be the easy option today but the sensible one.

Take care

Afternoon all,

I had a road to Damascus moment today (very appropriate considering where I've just been) when It suddenly struck me what the reason is for the declining standards in UK distance running.  The final piece in the jigsaw was the photos accompanying the article on the 1983 NY marathon in AW.  The missing ingredient is -

facial hair

Look at any race photo from the 70s or 80s and count the number of goatees, sideburns, zappata moustaches, etc. compared to today - our very own Tom is a case in point.  Over the years, there's a direct link between declining race times and the number of blades in a disposable razor.  I rest my case.

• What:  10m.  Something seems to have clicked.  It's either 12 days reduced mileage, or 6 days at altitude on the hills of Jerusalem.  Just hope it keeps up. 
• Why:  base
• Last Hard:  Thursday
• Last Rest:  108 days

Have a good one!

Morning all,

chin up Hilly - hope you guys will be settled soon.

Happy birthday Mava's other half!

LOL AF

What: last long brick of 60M bike and 15M run, aiming to negative split the run
Why: last one and finding out where I am and how I recover from it, to tweak my taper if necessary
Last hard: Sunday
Last rest: 20 Oct

Good runnings all.

Hilly
Should be a windy race tomorrow, hope it goes well for you (but remember to finish behind the Devon girls please)

AF
You may have a point.  Should UKA sponsor collection bins for all shaving implements at future races?  Possibly more cost effective than training camps?

Lurgy more or less gone, achilles feeling good, may try an experimental couple of miles soon.

Afternoon

AF - LOL. Good one

Mava - Have a great night. Happy Birthday to your OH

What: 12¼ miles in 2:02:25
Why: Long run
Last Hard: Tuesday

Long run today instead of tomorrow party tonight and i know a long run tomorrow will be hard so better get it done today, surprisingly it was a good un today despite the weather

Ohmegod AF if there's a link between facial hair and distance running I have potentially the making of a champion!

Good luck for tomorrow Hilly.

Enjoy the firework display Mava - I loooove fireworks -  and happy b'day to your OH.

Have a good one Mel and hope you got the negative splits you wanted.

What: 1hr technical squad outing (in da boat!)

Why: Saturday is somehow a lighter day

Last rest: last tuesday.

Last hard: yesterday.

Lyrics: I'm a doofus, like my kids will say, no I do not know the lyrics.

Off to make some kind af apple cake, which kind I haven't decided yet. Virtual non-fat slices of it for everyone!

Hello

I met TR this afternoon! He seems to be running and riding well

What: BPTT in 23ish, then a 40 mile cycle to go see the racers at the Ballbuster on Box Hill

Why: If I'd known the rain was going to carry on.... I would not have gone out - wet wet wet

Good luck for tomorrow, Hilly and Gobbit!

Morning all,

AF - your studies are very revealing! LOL

Hilly - chin up from me too, have an outstanding race tomorrow!

Holly - theres a race called Ballbuster!?

Gobi - Have a fun 100!

IMel - that's a big brick, enjoy

What: 9 mile run to Kayak Centre, two hours coaching and plain having fun on the new Surfskis we just imported, then 9 mile run home all d&d

Why: Need to build confidence on long splits and up the mileage.

Last Hard: 38c by the time I got home at the end of the second 9 miler, straight into the pool, felt like the old cartoons where you see the steam coming off!

Lyrics: Nope

Have a great day!

RFJ - good decision IMO - Goodwood XC was at its bleakest, wind, rain cold etc - indeed all but the RRR tents erected down in the woods inorder to reduce chances of themending up in the channel (RRR tent survived, despite hazardous position). Course was particularly wet / slippery - managed to pick up a few places on last year but took me 1.5 mins longer:

What: 5.1 mile at 6.45s pm XC
Why: ts just such great fun
Last hard: today
Last rest: Monday

All set for Datchet/Eton XC tomoz

Take care all

AF - fabulous !!

Long time no post but tooooo much going on.

I did get to Australia .... flying out at night after an excellent cremation service and family lunch for my father 3 weeks ago. And I did run a marathon in Australia, round and round and round and round Centenial Park. I was still v tired when I did this and did have a liiiittle bit of wine the night before and it was quite warm and v sunny. I went out thinking "I am on sub 3 hr form on a good day, so let's see if it is a good day". Well it was a good day, just not a good day for me running wise. After a number of miles at sub 3 hr pace it became clear that the wheels were going to fall off, which they gradually did. The nuts came loose approaching half way which I reached in 1:28, then one tyre bounced off into the kerb followed by another one. A couple of cylinders seized and despite loads of water and food going in the energy was not there. So I let the pace and heart rate drop and just kept trucking round on my own to finish somewhat painfully in 3:24. I am very pleased to have completed it and it was witnessed + has a garmin track which is good. Cooling the legs in the sea at Bondi beach afterwards was kind of neat. I drank 4 litres of water mixed with hydrating tablets on the way round which is a great deal but never felt bloated - which says a lot for how those tablets help your body absorb fluid.

The return from Oz was v tough last week - the world came crashing back in with the Memorial service coming up, work needed on Dad's affairs, divorce stuff, big decisions on moving house to make and some other big life stressors around - but helped by some sleeping pills and a fairly determined "just fix things" approach has put things well on track again. The training slotted back into a rhythm this week with no probs post marathon - a result of taking the run easy.

The memorial service was today and went extremely well - over 250 people in church almost all of whom came round to the house (well yard and barn - there is no way they could all fit inside) afterwards for food and drink. 30 coming round tonight too for food. It has been a great day and I fortunately managed to do my address on family memories without dissolving into an embarrassing puddle. Very memorable and it was good to start the day with a lovely short run up Ham Hill which looks over the village here.

A ten mile race next week then it will be gearing up time for the December marathons.

RFJ
Thanks for your competition support. 

The great thing about weekends is that you can choose your moment to run.  Beautiful sunshine first thing, out goes Mrs 40 for her run.  Still nice at lunch time, so the best decision is to go & have a haircut.  Bit cloudy mid afternoon, so shopping with Mrs 40.

What:  2 miles in the dark, wind & rain an hour ago
Why:  Indeed

But for my first road run in some time it was a great feeling.  Achilles seems happy as well, but key test will be how it feels in the morning.

Micheal G, I would not have made it there, have been so tired and lethargic today, havent been for a run or anything so have just rested up and watched the odd DVD. Tomorrow is another day, well done by the way.

Nice one AF I'm a shaved for dynamics sort of a guy myself

Greetings from Italy.

Finished 100km in 8.01.33 and finished 7th in the open race and somewhere around 63rd including the internationals. I will post splits and a better report later but simply

3.48 for the first 50km
4.13.30 for the second 50km

I was also 4th Brit home.

Pace stayed until 40 miles and struggled for 10 before composure and maintaining pace to the end.

GB Manager said it was the hardest 100km course he had seen and I have to say I was surprised by the hills they had found.

Hope everyone is well and apologies for not reading back but it is 11pm and I hurt.