Runners United - Conwy Cockwatch, a live birth and Alex "Rhet" Ferguson in one thread. What more could we ask for?

great race reports - I think that the good luck snog is where I have been falling down all these years! I loved the Bog of Despair - it brought back the IHMOID - ah yes, horizontal rain, driving gales - those were the days. I'd like to do that run again someday - not next year, but maybe the year after and I can bring the family - it's a lovely part of the world

sticky squix I too have trail shoes - they're goretex and cost me less than any pair of running shoes I have ever owned - I like them a lot and find the cushioning fine. They are ASICS Lahar, but I secretly hanker after some Inov8 ones -I have other gear by them and love it all. I run a lot off road so in the winter particularly it's good to be able to keep dry. Like you, I wouldn't wear them to run on roads for that long, esp when it's wet because they aren't very grippy. Had to laugh at you calling them 'runners' - that's living in Ireland for you (or perhaps it's just southerners who call them trainers!)

I too like the smaller events - last one I did started from a community centre and the same thing - short queue, proper toilets...the only thing is for a slower runner that there's a danger of being so far back from the field that you are running it alone. I want to do lots of trails too - I think given that I am not going to break any records that it might as well be scenic and fun.

There's a lovely piece in RW this month about a couple celebrating their golden wedding anniversary by running a marathon - they've done lots. They are in their mid 70s. So cool.

No baby yet, although DP keeps telling me it won't be long (she's been saying this for a week now...)

Great race reports squix and ibby. Impressive times especially in such conditions.

I love reports, they make me feel all teary and ready to sign up for more races!

Glad Kate sleeping a little better. Have been trying to think of some useful advice but can't really other than to keep repeating 'this too shall pass' . You sound Very happy though so hope you are coping ok.

9-10 miles for me tomorrow, then have to think ahead to rearrange week as dd1 off on Wednesday. Am hoping I can sneak her into the pool and she can sit on the side for my swimming lesson as I only have 2 left this term. The swimming teacher says she doesn't mind but the pool staff might. I then have dd2 off next thurs (to do with polling stations for a by election) so won't get in full schedule then either.

Tri-wannabes (futurity?). I had a Email about the women's only Tri at Dorney lakes next year and I am now contemplating it again as the novice distances are only 200m swim, 5k bike and 2.5k run). I had been worrying about my swim stamina but might manage the equivalent of 8 lengths. Think I'll keep plodding with the swimming
And then review after my HM in feb.

Thankyou sticky might leave the though as planning 10 miles tomorrow, was supposed to do it wednesday but boys off. Had to reschedule my whole week .
peach I could put my hair in bunches too. Not sure if to do your idea or fanny pack. I think maybe the gloves flapping around might annoy me though.
Well done squix, great time. Sounds like you had fun with all the mud

sloppy=slippy.

Squix! great report! I wish I'd been there, it sounded really fun.

I love my trail shoes. They were last year's ones (and therefore cheap - yay!) so not sure if I can recommend them as such, but I did find that there are lots of hybrid shoes that still have quite a bit of cushioning despite also being trail. The ones I used to x-country in as a teenager had no cushioning whatsoever, but I think they'd be classed as fell-runner's shoes these days. There was quite a lot of choice, so definitely a case of try them and see.

They are brilliant tho - I was slowing down so much for down hills and doing the silly dancing round puddles, and now I can pretty go much as per usual. The only problem is on sloppy pavements - I do have to start off on pavements to get away from the house, and on them they've less traction than my normal runners.

Well done ibby! Fab race. And sonic - again
Back from this morning?s adventures feeling a rosy warm glow (or is that windswept cheeks)! I look a bit like this .

So picked up friend at 9am after porridge at 7:30 as planned, after a dreadful night?s sleep due to the howling wind and rain. At about 1 am I thought ?no chance?. But by the time I got up the rain had stopped even though it was still mightily windy. Headed off to Stirling ? half the sky was dark grey ? half bright sunshine and we got to the campus at Stirling Uni in plenty of time. Parked and headed down to pick up our antlers, noses and T-Shirts ? it was sooo chilly that most of us put our T Shirts on, on top of our other gear.

T?was very hard deciding what to wear (like ibby) ? I settled on a long sleeve technical T and then a warmer top layer and Rudolph T shirt ? part of the course I was too hot, part I was cold. We decided not to wear antlers to run in as they would impact our aerodynamism (cough, cough), but in all likely hood they would have blown off anyway. Quick trip for a wee ? very different from the huge queues for porta -loos in mass participation races ? short queue for 2 proper indoor toilets ? much more civilised.

I don?t normally take part on the warm ups for this sort of thing but did today ? definitely needed it ? by the end of the warm up I could just about feel my fingers. We set off to the start with warnings of ?watch out, it?s boggy out there? ? there were about 250 max in the 10k (then a smaller field about 75 ish in the 5K which started an hour later which my friend was running in).
Set off feeling good but as soon as we rounded the corner of the playing field realised just how boggy it was ? all thoughts of a PB went away and I decided that getting round without falling over and with both shoes was going to be my new goal.

I sort of had an idea of what the route was like as I had done the route as part of the R4L over the summer. The first 1k was pretty much undulating on a pebbly path round a lake and I had the chance to look up and remind myself what a glorious setting it was. The rain was well away now and it was glorious sunshine and the wind seemed (seemed mind you!) to have died down. I knew that there was a hill at about 1.5k and today it was v.v. tricky ? at this point the route went off the track and the next about 2K were run on the grass/mud/in the water! The hill was very slippy so I slowed right down and contemplated buying trail shoes on my next trip to the running shop. The top of the hill was not much better ? at one point I had to trot along and hold on to the wire fence to avoid slipping over.

We then went on a wee jaunt round a loop that was only there for the first lap before joining the 5k route again - but this meant going through the bog of despair! I just about managed to keep both my shoes but I saw at least two coming off and lots of shouts or ?eurgh? and ?yuk? out of the bog and onto the path with soggy, soggy feet.

The rest of the first lap was on the pebbly path again, glorious view but the wind came back with a vengeance and I had renewed admiration for rhet on her ?infinite half marathon of indefinite duration? ? I guess your conditions were much worse than that but, boy I found it hard! Also for Hat who I am sure trains in much tougher conditions most of the time. Down a bit of a hill, up another one into a wee bit of shelter and round for lap 2 and for the next layer of mud. Same again but this time the hill was twice as muddy ? as it had taken a real battering ? the 5kers must have found it really squelchey.

We didn?t go through the bog of despair on lap 2 (thank god) but did go round a very muddy gate that required a technique of sliding feet whilst holding on to the gate post. I actually really enjoyed lap 2 ? has really whetted my appetite for more trails and cross country ? and got covered in even more mud. Headed back towards the sports field for the final lap of the track and heard ?oh look, there?s squix, go squix? ? it was one of my new running club folk ? I?ve only been twice so it was great to be recognised. Round the final bit of the track (springy) through a big puddle and over the line.

Time on the Garmin was 54:59 which was great for a 10k but distance on the Garmin was 5.4miles so quite a bit short - but I reckon it makes up for the two ?Great Runs? that I have done this year that I measured loads over the 10k and 10 mile marks. Then off to change my soggy socks and muddy tights and back in time to see friend finish her 5K in a brilliant time. Coffee and mince pie at the end too. Then off for lunch, home, DD loved the antlers so I was gald I hadn?t lost them and it was dark by the time I got out of the bath.

So thoughts on todays run:

• I like smaller events, less toilet queues, more friendly
• I want to run more cross country and trails
• I will buy a pair of trail shoes if I am going to do more (any recommendations?)
• It?s not worth dancing round the puddles when your feet are already wet.

orange a bit like this only this one is less pretty than mine (mine's red

Oh and peach - leaves - they take ages to mulch, so one (notice the pronoun there) ought really to rake them up and put them in a separate compost to mulch for a couple of years, before using the resultant compost on one's perfect garden. If you leave them, they'll hinder your grass growing. If you're lucky enough to have grass, not just a load of moss like me.

I like the wait for the wind to take them away approach though! They'd been making me feel guilty for the last week. Can't tell you how happy I am they're gone!

I don't know why we can't all use those elastic on gloves peach? I do it for both DDs . I did see a kit you could buy at huge expense to do the same thing on amazon - and they called it idiot string I hope I'm not bullying my poor DDs. But it would be good for grown ups, you know when you're wearing gloves, then have to fumble for keys/change on the bus or whatever? I'm wearing fingerless gloves, but will have to go for the full things soon.

Am I convincing anyone?

Sorry, first paragraph for Sticky.!!!

She was ibby. Less so today, slumbering/feeding in my lap while DD1 and I watch Toy Story. Will try for a wakeful eve! at your leaves. What will happen if I leave mine? ( never really had a garden before), will they decompose into thin air or just turn to mulch which will need tidied in Spring (clueless emoticon)

Orange, what you need is a long piece of elastic. Sew gloves on either end and wear down sleeves of long sleeved top, like what a toddler would have. Not sure how it would look on a grown woman, but then didn't you get ID'd recently? Am sure you can carry it off!!

orange I got a little bag just for holding keys/phone/gel pack/spare pins. Had it three years now - it's made of neoprene, doesn't move and am very happy with it.

wow ibby sounds like you ran a great race! And hooray for jellybaby couple. People are so nice!

and yay Kate for giving peach a few more hours kip last night! Was she a bit more wakeful during the day too?

orange sounds like you could do with a bit of r'n'r too. Have some , and or any combination thereof that you fancy!

debi I think oysters/wine mightn't stay down too well if I had them mid race. I'd love them after, tho. Perhaps you have to be French to cope with such things?

It's been so windy. Like ibby I was up a lot of the night listening to it, and if not, dreaming that all the tiles had come off the roof, or that I was that woman in a boat in the Twinings ad. Hope it's a bit calmer tonight. Tho - slattern's result :) - all the leaves in our garden that I've been procrastinating about have gone!

Glad you had a better night peach. I think my day was made worse by being up at 4 with ds1 vomiting. He only had a tummy bug 2 weeks ago. Abit strange.
Don't know if if fanny's bag holds a water bottle too. It more a place to put my gloves. Ten mins into a run I take them off.

Good lord Debi, that Medoc marathon sounds mental. I do love oysters and wine, but flipping hell, during a race. A marathon no less. Bleeuugghhh!

Sorry about the pmt, orange, am sure DH doesn't think you're a psycho. Have you got any emergency chocolate?

Well done Sonic and Ibby!

ibby, sounds like you ran a great race. Enjoying it? Well you can't ask more that!

Rhet, I think 6 is ok for now, especially with a wee bamina around. You are extremely self-motivated so I don't think you need a race to kick you out the door. Re. Names, we never told anyone what we were thinking of as, like others have said, people are very quick to offer opinions but once the baby is named they have to say "oh, lovely!!" . June, Calypso is a supercute name, very pretty.

Ladies, ladies, how many more housework injuries must we endure before we learn. Just say no girls!!! Poor you fanny. Who's Winston?

Loch Ness sounds brilliant! Reckon you defo need to go for one or the other though, bit much too weekends in a row, unless you turn the intervening week into your holiday? Actually no, guess that wouldn't work with school. Just Loch Ness then. You must run in tartan though. I insist!

Had fairly good night last night! Longest wakeful period was 1-3 which isn't long at all! I think in total I had about 6 or 7 hours sleep so feel pretty awesome today. Went out for nice lardy pub lunch.

Fanny Loch Ness marathon route is AMAZING. I was thinking about it for next year, but think we're fairly set on trying for another baby soon. Well, we were before this job came up, so you never know...

ibby great race report and great time, well done!

Debi I was reading about that too. They can keep the oysters, I'll just have double the wine :)

Well done to sonic, too! :)

Have had the laziest weekend ever. Although spent Saturday night marking Higher reading comprehensions. Lost the will to live and went to bed. Wonder why I bother sometimes... away to finish the marking off now. Oh, and there appears to be a zit party on my forehead at the moment. Not impressed...

Still not done job application. Am stressing. Might explain the spots.

Great report ibby .. :) at good luck snog with your husband. Fantastic time!

Is Fanny's bag one which goes round the waist and carries water bottle as I think I need one of those. Needs to be able to hold phone as well.

Great reportibby.
Fanny where did you get your fanny bag from? Is it good?

Loch Ness sounds good Fanny, sorry about your fall. I used to hate it when DH was away when DCs were younger. Still hate it it now, but a bit more manageble!

So Norwich Half marathon report.

Pre-race Bad night's sleep as was woken by wind and fretting about possible cancellation. Woke to a sound that has not been heard in our neck of the woods for some time - torrential rain! Had breakfast and then faffed around fretting big time about what to wear. Shorts? Cropped Ronhills? Running tights? Club vest only? Club vest over t-shirt? Club vest over long sleeved top? By ow rain had stopped and sun was out, so plumped for vest only plus shorts. DH (also running) patiently waiting with his already packed bag - he is v organised, I am not.

At venue parked car, and heavens opened again. Thinking earlier that sun was out for good, I had not brought a coat! Everyone else getting out of cars in waterproof jackets! I had 2 tops on top of running vest, and nicked DS2's gilet, which kept me warm and cosy. Fortunately downpour was a passing shower, and once that was over, there was no more. Walk from carpark to race start v open and exposed and made me wonder whether vest and shorts was a good idea. Met up with running club friends (another good reason to join a club - for support at races) and fretted again about attire. Many were wearing vest over top, but a few like me had only vests. DH and I joined queues for loo at same time, amazingly when I came out he was still waiting to go in!! He said the queue was mainly for the cubicles.

Start agonizing waiting for the off, had good luck snog with DH then we parted to stand in time appropriate pens. Freezing at this point, and better dressed friends told me later that I was covered in goose-pimples. Started to the strains of Chariots of Fire which was great. Walked for about a minute, and then slowly jogged off.

Mile 1: told off by friend for wearing orange gloves
Mile 2: windy (but not cold)
Mile 3: windier (still not cold)
Mile 4: sheltered and gorgeous sunshine (finally feeling glad I had vest and shorts on)
Mile 5 Saw a lot of club members who were there to support us - was lovely having so many people shout your name. In fact someone running beside me commented "wish my name was too
Mile 6: Couple at side of road with biggest dish of jellybabies ever
Mile 7: Pass close to start and on to second lap.
Mile 8: Passed DH's friend, which was a surprise as he is usually a faster runner. Windy at this point, even more so than in first lap.
Mile 9: Struggling in the wind
Mile 10: Thinking about the finish
Mile 11: Enjoying the sunshine, and the prospect of the finish not too far
Mile 12: Tiring
To end: Atmosphere for final mile or so fantastic, so many people cheering and encouraging.

Managed a sprint finish, heard name called out, met by DH (1hr 44) and DS2. Knackered.

Chip time: 1.54.10 Gun time: 1.52.25

What I loved most about this race though was that I managed to enjoy it I think usually I find the first few miles in a race quite a struggle.

Great time, and looking forward to others' reports

yes I have heard of the medoc, right up my alley...

No monkey...no secret training plan...just the runners world one stuck to the fridge which I will no doubt end up scribbling on when I realise that I put the wrong estimated finish time on

Great time sonic well done.
Oh fanny you ok? tThe Loch Ness looks good.
Well done ibby, great time too. Looking forward to all the reports.
Having a very bad pmt day, just shouted at dh then burst into tears. Think he now thinks I am a psycho.

Have you heard of the Medoc Marathon in France? I've just been reading about it in Women's Running magazine. It sounds amazing. The have oysters and wine instead of water on route!

Had to abandon the post as something is up with the pc, taking forever to type anything so I've had to use my phone - our pc is in the dark ages and I'm seriously considering upgrading it to a new one, but as always £££££. Or I guess we could have an ipad or playbook or something, and then only use the current pc for when we really need it?

Just had to send DH down to Morrisons to buy a new emergency iron, as the old one has just blown up as I was getting stuck into work and school shirts - see, further proof that housework is A Dangerous Thing. PMSL at fanny's carpet burns. I'm very accident prone and often fall over my own feet. We used to live in a tiny terrace with very very steep stairs and I fell down them so often it was embarrassing.

Not feeling great today, not sure if I have a proper cold coming or just brewer's flu - only had two glasses of wine but that's a lot for me now on my new regime. Also just had to brave the boys' swimming lessons, and it's hotter than hell in there.

Just going to do a brief run today, then Shred .

Well done ibby , look forward to the full race report.