runners united (burning up pavement, burning up threads)

Oh thank you moshi, that's a very kind offer. I'm sort of thinking that, as I have never really done much cycling (a 20 mile or so ride every couple of years as an adult probably !) a hybrid would be useful anyway and would get me into cycling before I try anything too complicated - but I would love to take you up on that offer next year sometime if I stick to my guns and am seriously looking to do triathlons.

mrsW - that video is great. I trust you've been pratising your cartwheels to get you over the finish line...

driving - glad your fears have been allayed !

I um'd and ah'd all afternoon about going for a cycle tonight but then I made white chocolate and raspberry brownies and ate one. It was so amazing I had to have another one so I made myself go for a 10 mile cycle first!

hello

best wishes to mr hat ouch I hope he is a non fussy patient

driving it was the best gig I have been to over that past 12 months, a real fun party Enjoy I am slightly
re DP I am glad it seem there is nothing to worry about, but of course one worries, and btw mammograms HURT instrument of torture that thing is, surely something better can be invented

hang in there with the dreaded tappering you will be primed on the day
best of luck

I dragged myself around for 5 miles today, heavy head and sore shoulder from a restless night but the point is I went out and did it,

Yes it's a big race weekend coming up for the MN runners! We need to get t-shirts printed up for next year's events How is everything going Squix and Backwardspossom? Driving you are top of the list

Thanks for all the wise words on tapering. Just getting out and running for 5 miles today - driving, we are running and suffering in parrallel this week - made me feel loads calmer. I think part of it that you spend so much time running and thinking about running that in the last few days when you aren't doing so much, there is a big void to fill - and I'm filling it with stress and worry!

Top tips Moshi, will pack my fit flops, tracky bottoms and a large cake - have got a very long list of stuff to take with me, having gone through all the pre-London posts to get everyone's tips. Assuming you are not doing the triathlon this weekend, is that right?

Nabbed this from the Marathon Talk facebook page today :

which I can't decide whether is inspirational or intimidating.

Futurity I hope your friend is coming to cheer you on at the very least! Congrats on getting ten miles under your belt.

Iread, hope the recovery run goes well!

Glad you are on the mend Wheely and thanks again for the sponsorship.

Goldberry enjoy running club, am looking forward to going to mine again once I'm out of marathon mode (couldn't hack the pace of running club as well as doing long runs at weekends, my legs aren't up to it!)

Hope all injuries are healing. Happy running.

Message to MrsWeds applies equally to possum and squix of course. If only I would check the list before posting (doh).

misscrazy - you are RACING not running. You know you can do it! You are racing against yourself and your pride. But racing nonetheless.

Before I forget - pack favourite post-race beverage and snack, flip flops, compression tights and baby wipes for after the marathon, MrsWeds. All very useful. Do NOT wear skinny jeans. Your feet will swell and you may have to cut yourself out of them.

Should of course have said NOT worry about lending it!

Well done on your 10 miles futurity. The warmth saps my energy too but it does get easier the more you train in warm weather. Starting well hydrated helps a lot when it is hot.

I did a slow 15 miles today and felt good although my shin pain is still there. I was sort of hoping it would go away but may have to be more inventive if I want to start my autumn marathon training injury-free. Mind you, maybe I should start as I will no doubt go on and just keep my injuries .

Tapering is horrible. I felt fat, slow and twitchy.

wheely - I think I did offer before but you are welcome to try my road bike you know. It is carbon fibre and fast but quite old so not shiny and new so I would worry about lending it. I think we are both shorties!

finally got a moment to get on here and catch up! Taping hell sounds awful MrsWednesday ...I will be thinking of you and drivingmisscrazy this weekend. Hope the weather stays cool for you both.

I've got a few more weeks until my half. Did 10 miles this morning...it was hard..its the warmth that just drains me so much and it isn't really THAT hot! Stuffed jelly babies into me and drank water so that helped. Almost ran into a swarm of bees/wasps (not sure which..didn't dare get close enough!) which was scary. Took so long to do 10 miles...I think I may have to put back my goal to 2 hours 30 mins (was thinking of 2 hours 20mins) as I just can't see how I can maintain a faster pace. Whose idea was it to do a spring/summer half marathon!? Oh yes..it was my friend...who has dropped out!

debi - I think I've decided to go for a hybrid and just get as good a one as DH is prepared to fork out for (well it is my birthday ). Then see how it goes. Although just did a 'bike finder' thing on halfords and it came up with no bikes for me - assume it must be shortness. Probably need to go there or to a proper bike shop.

Any recommendations for makes/ bikes folks ? I think driving and doyou linked to theirs a while ago. Will go and have a nose !!

Argh - I just lost a message too. MN must be having a funny turn.

Anyway, in summary -

mrsW please repost sponsorship page or PM me, I'd like to add to it.

driving - you'll be fine, I'm sure !

I missed the gym again today - still feel really thick headed but hoping its the antibiotics which I finish today. But on the plus side, I have lost a few pounds this week, which is more than I have done in the last month. Must give up running - it clearly adds pounds .

paws the marathon route in Chester is a bit different. They were in the local paper recently advertising it - and they were holding up a copy of the map, so it might be online - worth a search? I know that part of it will be around the walls (those steps are going to be interesting )
Thanks for all the good wishes - bum's feeling a bit better today - I'm going out for a slooow 3 miles this evening. Hopefully it'll loosen me up a bit!! Then Pilates tomorrow night to put everything back in it's place!

Argh - having trouble keeping up with the thread again! drivingmisscrazy - you were right, I did pull out of my race. Good luck with yours, and you too MrsWeds. I haven't been running much over the last week as I've had this on-going stomach pain which I was beginning to think might be an ulcer or something, but it seems to have pretty much gone now. Off to running group this evening.

Had a quick look for your sponsorship page MrsWed but seem to have lost it amongst the millions of messages on here...! Would you mind re-posting? As everyone says, taper is always awful... think a light short run might help, at least psychologically, providing you really do take it easy.

MrsWeds I hated the tapering phase - worst bit of the whole thing. I just stuffed my face and felt really out of sorts. Now, where's that sponsorship page?!

Grr...Have suffered the same problem as you sciencebint. Typed out a message and it's disappeared.
Anyway, only just getting a chance to properly catch up on the thread-it moves so quick!
Well done iread! Amazing achievement.
Hat Poor mrhat, it sounds painful. Hope he's on the mend soon.
And have sponsored you MrsWed.

Thank you very, very much for the sponsorship, I am humbled by everyone's generosity (and am now feeling the pressure )

Great time on your half Iread, fantastic achievement! Wise words on the marathon...

I am in tapering hell, convinced my legs are about to drop off (various ailments in both of them), irritable, have over-eaten, am restless, got a cold, tired but can't sleep....ARGGGGGHHH.

Given that my legs are a bit uncomfortable, should I still go for a short run tomorrow? Was planning on doing my usual 5 miles home but have convinced myself I will do myself some damage.

Hat, your poor DH (and poor you, if he's anything like mine as a patient!). I'm glad you are managing to get out and that things seem to be improving.

Rubbish attempt at catching up, am taking myself off to bed and will try harder tomorrow!

Sorry to hear that hat - they clearly breed them hard wherever your DH us from! Hope he's back in action soon.

sciencebint if I also spent as much time running as I do worrying about when I'll be able to run I'd be on the fringes of the Olympic squad!

Very sad news indeed about Sammy Wanjiru - really talented athlete and so young. Read a bit about his back story in the papers - grew up running 10K to school and back everyday and had a slightly strange crooked arm running style as a result of carrying his school books under one arm on all those runs growing up....

Just checked my run on runkeeper and it had me cutting loads of corners that I didn't cut and running through houses! So I actually did 4.5 miles in 41 minutes which is a decent pace for me.

sciencebint - thanks for asking. No date yet but mum is under strict instructions to eat and fatten up as she was weighed and the scales only registered a measly 35.15kg. My sister, the nurse and I all stood there doing the mental calculations and all sort of came to the same conclusion: "less than 6 stone and around 5.5 stone - how could anybody possibly be that light?!!!"
Even at 4'10" it is ridiculously light. My mum has always been a feather weight but I recall her being around the 6 stone - 6 stone and a bit mark when I was growing up.