Running

I wasn't joking!

Ha, I thought it was a reference to http://www.lfgss.com/conversations/128345/

Was that an organised event?

it was, but it was my own take on it, someone along the way removed my entry from the list...

Not an organised event, it was my regular training loop, ride to Richmond park and padlock bike shoes and backpack to bike with 3 small bottles of water and 3 gels in it and briefly pause on each lap to ditch the empty bottle and pick up a fresh one and new gel!

That's pretty much my plan (should I do such insanity) as I live just over a mile from Roehampton Gate.

Either that or my HM commute (which goes through RP from Roehampton Gate to Robin Hood Gate) and add in two RP laps before running on to SE1.

id definitely recommend doing a big marathon as your first one, variation in course and other people massively reduce the boredom!

I love that 3 lap challenge. Except for the very first time I tried, where I had to call my mum to pick me up as I ran out of water, food and was frozen. Was good that they live just a mile away.
@Greenbank, run there, run round a lot, run home. Its quite enjoyable.
Or if you live in Putney, run down the towpath and then round. Thats more fun and varied.
Oh and plus 1 for the big marathon> small.

any of our ultra runners got some good training plans?

didn't get into london, so signed up for manchester on Apr 10th instead.

plan is to do the Hansons Method again for a 3h20 golden time sub 3:30 actual plan for manchester then ramp up into ultra training at that point and enter the Ox Ultra at end of May (36mi) then go balls out to see if I can hit 10 laps at the spitfire scramble (59 miles).

need to drop 2 stone by christmas and get back to a comfortable 7:30 mile 10k pace before january. gonna be tough but need the motivation.

^ If you are up in manc during your training and want to recce some of the course with company gimme a shout its my side of town.

@Greenbank, run there, run round a lot, run home. Its quite enjoyable.
Or if you live in Putney, run down the towpath and then round. Thats more fun and varied.

Yup, have walked the towpath and then back through Richmond Park / Wimbledon Common / Putney Heath with Mrs GB (she was training for a charidee marathon walk): https://www.strava.com/activities/349640315 (ending at a pub naturally)

The reason for cycling there, dumping the bike and doing laps is that I can have a stash of water/food/gels in a pannier on the bike and visit that every 10km. Even if I put in a couple of extra laps on my extended commute I only have to carry stuff for the first 3km until I get to the park and can leave stuff somewhere. I then pass home with 12km to go and can grab something else stashed behind the fence. Doing the towpath first would be lovely but I have to carry everything I want for the run for the first 20km before I can stash it.

I'm lucky that I don't suffer from boredom as I can empty my head or think about complex problems I have to solve at work and it takes my mind off everything else. Something I've practiced over years of Audax cycling (10+ hours of solo riding) that also helps with 1.5+ hour pool swims too.

I've got the head for endurance stuff, just not the legs/lungs to be fast whilst doing it.

No london for me either. Late season marathon recs?
Berlin I guess...

Only Autumn ones I've done are Berlin and Beachy Head. Depends what you're looking for but Beachy Head ain't quick! Others I know of through recommendation include Chester and Abingdon over here, and overseas fast ones also include Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Valencia, Florence and Chicago.

I've been eating absolute shite since Sunday's marathon and not run a step. 34 miles on the bike today though, which was very pleasant indeed.

@rhb I'd say I'll probably not be up there before but will keep it in mind.

I was actually meant to be up there this weekend for the Still Waters Run Deep (running not cycling) Alleycat tomorrow night but have to go to GF's friends party in Ipswich instead :(

did the race last year and it was a right grin as they're a good bunch. If you fancied taking part tomorrow you might get a last minute spot on their FB group as people have dropped out. https://www.facebook.com/groups/StillWatersRunDeep/?fref=ts

last years race vid:
https://vimeo.com/109283360

No worries. Thanks for the tip about tomorrows event, will check it out on fb. Video makes it look a team event tho?

P.s. Jutland St is fun to run up, don't you think?

Beachy Head is not quick. It's also rapidly approaching and as usual I am unprepared.

Didn't get into London, which frankly is a relief.

Not quick doesn't mean not fun tho? I've heard plenty good about beachy head.

Just remembered took pics on this mornings run, was completely surrounded by distant fog at one point (2nd pic, view was same 360deg) edit - camera struggled a bit.

2 Attachments

23 miles all off road this morning with 2800 feet of climbing, feeling pretty good at the moment. Need a snooze now though :)

Oh no don't get me wrong it's a great race. Hence why I keep going back. Think this year is number five in a row.

plan is to do the Hansons Method again

Didn't that lead to injury and illness last time though?

I'm so sensible with my diet but had a pretty shitty day yesterday so sat down and had pizza and a couple of beers to watch the rugby. Woke up this morning with a bit fuzzy head but headed out for a run anyway, just ran the fastest 9 miles I've ever run in training!! What the hell is that about :D

^ > pizza and a couple of beers

Carbs innit.

XC Opener bonus. My race starts at the same time as the 3.5hr Frozen themed party my daughter has just been invited to.

Bullet well and truly dodged. XC ftw.

^ pizza and a couple of beers
Carbs innit.

Yep, big homemade pizza for me last night before today's Half.

1:37:33 - Only a 1min improvement, over the same event last year...

^ needed more beer?

Everyone is faster (and sexier) when drunk

I had a large glass of Lidl £2.50 Rose wine.

Tasted like Ribena.

Just looking at my splits from this morning again, I guess although I've had a crap year racing I have actually managed to get quite a few miles under my belt and it seems to be paying off :)

My 1/2 marathon race pace is about 6:40 m/mile pace but in training if I can run at 7:00 m/miles and throw in a last gasp 6:50 final mile that's a great fast training run for me.

This morning I ran 10 miles and 8 of them were 6:30 m/miles with other 2 6:40s. I don't think I've ever run a 6:30 mile in training and it was easy, I just hope I can keep it going another 3 weeks and have a good Snowdon :)

To continue the generosity of @juanito and @Arducius...
I've finished reading it so if anyone would like a copy of Running Free then drop me a PM and I'll pop it in the post. May have a few copies of Runners World going spare as well if you want them.