Runners United: Where we support each other through the good runs, the bad runs and everything in between.

[Themasterandmargaritas]

15/10/11 - Donadea Forest Trail 10k - rhetorician
16/10/11 - Abingdon Marathon: MoshiMoshi
16/10/11 - Aviemore 10K: Piffpaffpoff
16/10/11 - Richmond Castle 10k: Stickylittlefingers
22/10/11 - Shockabsorber 10K Richmond Park - sfx
23/10/11 - Thruxton Mass Attack Duathlon- DebitheScot
23/10/11 - Big Fun Run 5k Edinburgh Holyrood Park - Bumply
23/10/11 - East Coast Run 10k - Ibbydibby
30/10/11 - Great South Run: Wheely, squix
30/10/11 - Nairobi Standard Chartered Half Marathon - M&M
05/11/11 - Glendalough Trail Run - rhetorician
06/11/11 - Lancaster Half Marathon - Fannybanjo
06/11/11 - Bonfire Burn 10K - Futurity
13/11/11 - Stebbing 10 Mile - bonkers20
19/11/11 - Maasai Mara Half Marathon - M&M
20/11/11 - Leeds Abbey Dash (10k) - DrNortherner
27/11/11 - City of Norwich half marathon: ibbydibby, MoshiMoshi
27/11/11 - Bicton Blister (10M) - RunningAllDay
22/01/12 - Four Villages Half Marathon (Helsby) - Fannybanjo
19/02/12 - Brighton Half marathon - Wheely
04/03/12 - Milton Keynes Half Marathon - pawsnclaws
11/03/12 - Cambridge Half Marathon - Futurity, Runnerstipple, Cherry (what have I done??)
25/03/12 - Edale Skyline - (21 miles. 4,500 ft climb) Hatwoman
10/03/12 - Blackpool Half Marathon - DrNortherner, Fannybanjo
01/04/12 - Reading Half-Marathon - RunningAllDay
22/04/12 - VLM: ibbydibby
29/04/12 - Shakespeare Half Marathon - FairyBasslet
27/05/12 - London Bupa 10K - Futurity
09/06/12 - Blenheim Sprint Triathlon - Cherry

encyclo, reckon it is better to know that you are having work done, and someone lined up to do it, than to waste 2 years being passed from builder to plasterer to damp proof person and back to builder again. Speaking from experience.

In brief, we have a damp patch on our lounge which our local friendly much-sort-after builder looked at in Oct 2009. He decided it was prob due to crack(s) in brickwork, masked by rendering. Said would do it in Spring when weather drier. Spent much of last year trying to pin him down to date, in meantime had bathroom revamped, involving input from same builder.

2 attempts to get him interested this year, but he did not show either time. In desperation DH rang him and asked who he could recommend to do the job...he suggested local plasterer (odd we thought), who came round and scratched his head, thought it was problem with damp proof. 3 damp proof companies came and looked - no prob with damp course. Contacted another local builder who told me to chip off a bit of rendering and coat with PVA solution (??).

Finally got 2 non-local builders to quote. Chose one of them to do work, but he had got stuck into something else, so chose other who is here working now. Feeling wibbly as know nothing about him. But we are getting something DONE.

It has been 2 years of me feeling v miserable about our grotty louge - no point in redecorating/getting new furniture until damp prob sorted. So have not tended to invite many people round. Sorry bit of a rant there.

ibby and THAT is why I hate building work! we have an ongoing issue with our extension roof - admittedly this was a lunatic design first - it's made of glass blocks set into concrete - set into a steel frame. It looks gorgeous. The problem is that it's very difficult to get anything to bond to concrete and that the steel expands and contracts according to weather conditions. Result: constant low-level leaks...everyone in the world has looked at it, slapped every sealant known to man on it, and still, from time to time, it leaks. It's very making, especially as it cost an arm and a leg...

Building works from Hell!!! As ITV would no doubt put it. Sounds horrid Ibby!

encyclo, you survived the weekend without physical violence, I salute you! She sounds mad..... Sorry about the pooing also. I think we should have another thread mantra, as well as LFDT of course. It can be "The thread that shits together, stays together". So poetic!

Glad baby back to violent kicking Rhet, though poor DP must be shattered. I was awake from 4.30 last night so have just had 45 min nap, but must get off and get that girl from playgroup!

Oh God ibby what a nightmare! 2 years to do a relatively simple job? That's freaking nuts. At last you're getting sorted though.

(sticks fingers in ears) la la la ...I can't hear you talking about evil building work and I'm sure someone mentioned kitchens...

I am currently packing my kitchen up as it gets ripped out tomorrow ...should (fingers crossed) only take a week to do which I know is nothing in the grand scheme of things ..I'm just not very good with living in chaos (and the microwave in the lounge!)

futurity when we first moved to this house (built in the 1930s) it had nothing - no heating, no hot water, two functioning sockets. The day after we moved in, temperatures plummeted - hot water bottles, thermal underwear, you name it! We had building done, and the first Christmas in the house I spent washing up in the bath...nightmare. Never again (although would love to convert attic, and put ensuite up there - on the grounds that we are going to have two teenaged girls in the house). No money now though.

Oh lordy ibby you have the patience of a saint - at least there is action now and hopefully a lovely dry lounge will soon be yours! futurity good luck, I hate upheaval too, I want things done, like NOW! We desperately need a new bathroom and I just can't face it. I want to move out for a week and come back to a lovely new bathroom. I've been putting it off for a year now, so I really must sort it. But it's our only loo in the house and with all the toilet visits required since joining this bug ridden thread I might just wait til we are well and truly in the clear ....

I managed a nice relaxed 6 miles this morning, legs okay just a bit heavy, arms were complaining about pushing the buggy but at least the wind has dropped and the sun is shining. Happy days .

I'm glad you survived the weekend encyclo without commiting any serious crimes - you too are a saint. As for hills, I used to fear them too, but as I live in a hilly area I just had to get used to them. I would walk/run up until eventually I could run up in one go. Now wierdly I enjoy running up hills - strange I know . You could always imagine your MIL is chasing you ....?!

encyclo your MIL sounds like one of those people that is always right, no matter how bizarre and contradictory she is. I know someone like that . My MIL comes out with some classics - apparently Asian people can't drive and black people all have lovely teeth. Those are the nicest things she has to say about them. Love her "reasons" for not liking the Irish. I know some wonderful Russians by the way, I'm interested in hearing her reasons about them!

I have a love/hate relationship with hills. I dread them, but once you get going they're normally better than you fear, and tbh I find a workout with no hills boring.

All this talk of house renovation is making me , we would love to move but the market is dead dead dead at the moment. We will probably put the house on early next year, but am dreading it.

I'm starting to worry about being left out not having the trots at the moment, does it mean karma is storing up an avalance of shit ready to strike me down some time soon?

I tried a bit of a pace workout at the gym this morning and really enjoyed it. Ran 4.5 miles total, of which 2 were 10 minute miles or better (don't laugh, but that used to be my warm up speed before I got old, fat and slow a bit slower). So after my warm up, I basically did 2 x .25 miles, then 1 mile, then 2 X .25 miles at 6 mph pace, with some 5 mph jogging inbetween. It felt good to go a little faster, and I even ran the last .25 at 8.5 minute miles. Not quite the wind in my hair, but it felt good!

Oh no! DH just texted. He's on his way back from Amsterdam with ...... the shits!

This is getting serious, Shitgate is now crossing international boundaries. And we are meant to be going away for a couple of days tomorrow.

it's the second time in a row I go away for the weekend and come back to a new thread several pages in already :) seems I've missed much... ahem.. shittiness I'm not so sure I want to catch up with ;)
Didn't manage to fit in a run this weekend which is a shame as we were in the forest and it was really lovely, lots of walking and err a class of zumba (which I'm not planning on doing again anytime soon). Feeling a bit wheezy because of a dog allergy but back to training tomorrow.
Not sure when my next run is, slightly nervous when that happens! Need to be looking for my next 10k too...even though my trainer has told me I should run less, certainly not run for such long distances because of the noise my knee makes, something to do with my cartilage, anyone else got that?

moshi wow @ your marathon! Just amazing, how do you feel about it 7 when is the big move?
rhet lovely race report, well done on your 10k! Sweet that dd was there with you at the end, dd saw me running my 10k last time and it was lovely :D

Gotta get back to work for now, happy running everyone!

paws I am so sorry but I must confess to laughing wildly when you said your dh was coming back from Amsterdam with the shits. Tis not funny I know , but I thought it might be something glam like a diamond ring, or a hand bag, not the shits........

I need a big dose of LFDT to get me to running club. It's freezing, raining and blowing a god damn gale, and we are doing Tempo running. My least fave.

DrN my DH is a wonderfully generous man, but sadly that generosity usually extends to every cough, cold, virus and bug going. So not only will I get to hold his clammy hand while he chucks up, I also know I'm next in line for Evil Arse Syndrome. If there was an emoticon for an ironic smile I'd do it here. Would it be horrid for me to spray him with Dettol as he walks in?

Good luck with the session tonight, you know You Can FDT!

would it be completely and utterly batty to sign up for a 5k on dd2's due date? It's local...

rhet as a woman who have birth to her children 10 days early, 6 days late and 1 day overdue - yes, YABU

oh dear...sorry paws had to have a chuckle at your feeling left out of shitgate and then in the very next paws, sounds like SG is coming home with open arms. Hope you escape the arse madness!!!

Do it do it do it, DrNo!!!!

Feeling very tired and emotional and terrible night's sleep. Really need an early night but scared I will wake up at 4 again. Grrrrr. When I picked DD up today from playgroup the PG leader was asking about how she behaves at home and was saying she has meltdowns, daily, when asked to do things like try and button up her coat etc. Also, she won't choose a book from the library to bring home every week and up till now they have been picking the book for her. She didn't get a book home today because she wouldn't pick one. The lady said DD is lovely and really good at playing with the other children but when asked directly to do something, goes into a tantrum. Apparently she said to her a few times, when asked to do something "Mummy does that". I guess the other children must be really independant. I have been making an effort to get her to dress hersellf etc, but she is not naturally that independant. Not sure what I can do to stop her losing the plot at playgroup, as she doesn't really do it that much at home....

hmmm, I think it might be Rhet. If baby isn't here by then I think your DP might be a bit exhausted and probably not take too kindly to your plans!!!

I noticed in the kitchen calendar, that DP has booked a haircut 3 days after due date and I was like WHAAAAAAAATTTTTT????

Not sure Rhet, does she depend on you for transport? When I went into labour with ds2, DH was in such a flap he reversed off the drive and started to drive away without me. I was not best impressed, being doubled up in pain at the time and decided anyone else would have been preferable.

Labour with ds3 was horribly fast (so fast he got very distressed and I ended up having an emergency cs under ga - not fun). I think I would err on the side of caution, unless you're prepared to sprint back to DP in 7 minute miles!

hmm - yes, she will need me for transport. It's not important - DP thinks that if I sign up that will guarantee a timely arrival...

I am sort of joking - on the other hand, it's no further away and would take no longer than an average trip to the shops - I'd bring my phone, of course.

peach we have the opposite issue - DD is slightly too independent for her abilities - and she is as good as gold at nursery, but less compliant at home and does go off on one when asked to do things (a lot of 'no, I won't' today). Is it her way of ensuring that she gets some attention? I don't know how many other children she's with, but she is used to a lot of one on one time - or has been. It sounds like she is just frustrated at not being able to do the things that are asked of her

Ran 7 and a bit miles today, very easy - squally out, and a very cold wind. But it felt good and I needed to run away from the utter chaos of the house (I'm not very tidy, but find toys and clothes strewn everywhere randomly quite hard to cope with - but this is the result of leaving a 2.9 year old and a pathologically untidy nearly 34 weeks pregnant woman downstairs :o) and even more so, away from my inability to produce any work.

I realise from these posts that I am sounding like a right arsehole - really I'm not, but I am tired and anxious and miserable about the doldrums that my career seem to have fallen into.

Briefly popping into give rhet a very unMNetty hug. Cheer up love. Worse shit happens. You are just tired and dealing with a preggers DP. It will all seem brighter when the little one has appeared. Albeit with a sort of surreal taint due to sleep deprivation.

Off to San Fran tomorrow with the DCs to see schools and, hopefully, secure school places.

Other hilarious news is that it appears from closer inspection of my splits I was on course for a 3:09:30 marathon. Ha ha ha ha ha. No wonder I blew up. I have been training for a 3:15...

Oh and get out there DrNo you big wuss. Are you northern or what?

It's hard rhet I guess you're expected to do everything be the strong one when it's your DP that's carrying the baby, but you've had a hard week too with all that worry and stress.

i can't really help with the work other than to sympathise, but it must be just like running - sometimes it all seems to flow seamlessly with bearable effort, other times it's bloody murder much harder work. Just hang in there.

you are all so nice - thank you. Really I'm sure it's all fine, just having a wobbly week, and DD's dad and gps are coming for the weekend, which is lovely for her, but quite hard work for me (cooking, etc); they leave sunday and then my mum comes the following thursday for a long weekend...then it will be november -peach look away - and the baby will only be 4 weeks 2 weeks for you peach away

moshi is probably right that it'll be easier when the baby is here in many ways. And you've got a ton on your plate as well m'dear by the sound of things. You trained for a 3.15 marathon, and did a 3.15 marathon - I just think that's amazing. Next time you'll probably manage the 3.09 I'd say. You know you can do it!

Apologies rhet I've not been up to date on the thread and had no idea you'd had horrid time with DP and baby this week. . All I can "sensibly" add is that, life doesn't stop on the due date, if your DP is happy with you doing the race, then go for it. DH didn't hang around my legs on my
due dates!

Hope everyone else is well, will do proper catch up tonight.

On a brighter note, all well here, everyone shit free (dear Lord please don't strike me down again) and I have made in past 24 hours; flapjacks, apricot and pecan cereal bars, choc chip cookies and lemon drizzle cake. As they say... Da Bitch is back.

Moshi good luck for SF tomorrow.

sticky and ibby- Trying to 'calibrate' the garmin won't help I don't think. There's unlikely to be anything wrong with it generally. I was just spectulating that it might have stuggled with a twisty tree covered route. You could download the route onto something like runkeeper and check it against the map to see if it cut corners.

Rhet we all have weeks like that. I know I do anyway. And in our jobs it's impossible to hide it!

That reminds me fanny, I was meant to make flapjocks (meant to say flapjacks obviously but the typo cracked me up so I've left it!) and keep forgetting.

I went out tonight for an easy 3.5 miles. I really don't want to push it this week and risk the shins so took it easy and they were ok. I felt 1 of them for a couple of minutes after a mile or so but that was it.

Good luck tomorrow Moshi, hope the kids love it and it's a productive trip!

Rhet, you don't sound like an arsehole at all, you just have a lot on your shoulders at the moment and am sure things at work just add to the pressure. Thanks for your thoughts on DD. I think starting preschool is just a lot for her (and me!) to deal with and she is not used to be told what to do by anyone except me and DP. She's not that naturally independant so I have never pushed it, but then there's the whole thing of getting them independant for pre-school, so they can be ready for school, which I think they go to far too young anyway. Where does it end? Fostering independance in a 6 month old to get them ready for the next stage. Probably i am being pfb about her and I think that the bottom line is, deep down I don't really want her to grow up, but instead just hang out with me forever. Sigh. I shall pull myself together tomorrow after hopefully a good night's sleep.

Fanny, it's official, you are mad. Do you only have 2 gears lassie!!! , glad you are all feeling better.

Just got off the phone to my dad. His wife is in hospital as hasn't eaten anything in 3 days and has been losing weight rapidly recently with stomach problems. They are both worried about cancer obviously. Her husband died of cancer and so did my mum, so are dreading diagnosis, but will just need to see what the test results show. Not sure how my dad would cope if it all happened again. Grim.