Play it by ear. If you feel like it you could do DH, but your legs and arms will still be working hard. I wouldn’t, personally. However I am going to treat swimming as a rest from running and biking because I only seem to be exercising a small area of my shoulers and it doesn’t take much out of my overall energy stores.

Molegrips – there was a race weekend in Llanfrynach this past weekend. Pen y Fan was on the Saturday and Fan y Big was on the Sunday. Some very quick times on the short (3.5mile) Pen Y Fan course on the Breconfans website; certainly a good eye opener.

I had my nieces birthday on the Saturday so could only do the Fan y Big loop this year. Still it’s a bloody brilliant course and was effective in highlighting how little hill work I’ve done in the last couple of months. Still nailed the descent with a couple of sub 6.30’s; 9.13’s average though for this bloater.

Sorry about the shorts….I didn’t realise how *ahem* short they are.

Also; you may be interested in Waun Fach this coming weekend (7miles) and Brecon Beacons fell race (19 miles) on the 2nd weekend of August.

They is proper shorts none of this down by your knee rubbish!

Looks like you are running on carpet there Seanoc!

@nosemineb

Let me know when you are doing a reccy on the BG I may come along (work and other stuff permitting) There is a lot of information on the FRA forums and regular reccies but I am sure you already know if you have friends who have done it.
I would love to do it but a bit too far away to train in the area very much.

LOL!

_tom_ DH at Woburn is perfect for a rest day.

Probably better to think of it as recovery time… not rest.

Hm, the Beacons fell race could be interesting. On a Thursday though?

I’m thinking of running the 4.5 miles to the pool tonight for a swim session.

Strava Speedgoat challenge looks interesting. 50km/3352.8m; may have a bash on the Saturday starting from Garwnant – never broke 3000m in one run though.

I think I will make the distance, but not the climbing.

Well I ran to the pool, mostly off-road which was nice. Swam hard for 20 mins, started feeling a little bonky, chugged some lucozade which upset my stomach, walked slowly for half an hour then ran/stumbled home, uphill. Not so bad overall, but quite tired today!

Swimming was pretty good too.

Sounds like you need to re-think your nutrition Mol 😛

I must be weaning off sugar.. it tasted so horribly sweet like never before.

What had you eaten before to be feeling ‘bonky’ after that amount of time?

Eggs and bacon for breakfast at 8am, then a salad with chicken and beans at lunchtime at 12, then it was 8pm before I had the drink.

I can see a bit of an issue! You need to train, think and eat like an athlete.

Get yourself a copy of The Feed Zone.

Just need to get a grip and dig in.

Interesting reading, I used to love running on the ridges around Pen Y Fan. Used to go up on weekdays, usually bumped into some squaddies who enjoyed a bit of a pisstake at the fact I was up there for “fun” while they were getting paid.

So no running for me for a few years (this is a bit Runner’s World forum/you go girl sorry). Went diabetic, got my insulin levels sorted so I could run, then got compartment syndrome in both legs.

Finally having surgery next Tuesday, so finger’s crossed I will be making my running comeback by the Autumn.
Will be looking for a 10k race around North Oxfordshire if anyone has a recommendation?

You need to train, think and eat like an athlete.

Thanks for that gem!

Colonel wax – that sounds grim, but glad you have a way forward even if it does involve knives.

Will be looking for a 10k race around North Oxfordshire if anyone has a recommendation?

Cherwell Joggers might be worth a look. There were some races out of Banbury but I forget which webiste.

Cheers Molgrips.

Not overjoyed at the prospect of surgery but it’s a bit depressing watching mates fell race & BGR attempts, supporting my Mrs at the London Marathon etc.

Can’t wait to get out for a run!

Ta TSY. There’s the Banbury Tri but I think that is a bit ambitious.

Will check out the Cherwell site.

Good luck with the comeback colonel wax!

Colonel Wax – I’ve been one of those squaddies and I’ve got to say that there’s nothing more annoying than spending your weekend on the hill with a weighted Bethan on your back whilst being buzzed by fell runners that seem to float and skip up the trail.

Good luck with your recovery by the way.

Ta for the good lucks.

Did always feel a bit unfair passing the Army lot with boots, rifles, massive backpacks etc. Still, gave them a chance to moan at me instead of to each other 😆

Here’s a proper athlete in action…

I like to think of it as a warning to the children. Dinas Bran, with longer shorts.

Had a brilliant week this week. 52 miles is my highest mileage ever. Did 20 miles this morning with the last 10k under marathon pace. was nowhere near bonking. My yasso 800’s are under 3 min. All is looking good. How was everyone elses week?

Ran the ‘Hay Tor heller’ on saturday night 6+miles with big hills nad descents over Hay tor on Dartmoor. Fanastic event – 150th out 257 finishers only did 1hr 6mins but well pleased and the winner did 40mins!!!

Next event ‘Charmouth Challenge’ ‘most southerly fell race’, about 8 miles, new date as it was postponed from July because of weather now 16th September. Fantastic event over Golden cap on Dorset coast – can recommend it – you still have time to enter http://www.charmouthchallenge.co.uk/

Got up at 5am and drove 2.5 hours to do this:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/202190104

Being a flat land dweller from Cambridgeshire, the elevation…well the fact it went over 20ft…was ‘interesting’. Will be going back to do the full course sometime this year hopefully.

Anyway, it was awesome weather, and was probably the best run I have had in my life, and easily the best 2hrs15m of this year.

Well done Jamie – your heart rate chart looks like you were about to explode towards the end! What a weekend for it!

Ingleboro race for me. Very pleased to scrape under 55mins, just missing out on top 10.

djglover – that’s great. When’s your race?

Cool! That’s quite a height gain compared to Cambridgeshire 🙂
Was the 1/2 Skyline an organised event, or just a reconnoitre?
I did a local 10K race, and my normal training method of train easy, race hard worked as well as it normally does 🙂

Edit/

Just checked that heart rate! 😯

@Ian It was just something to do 8)

re: the heart rate. Seeing as my heart is not draped across the top of Loose Hill in bloody fragments after exploding, I can only assume the readings were off.

*checks pulse*

Fairy average 35 miles for me, this week should be a bit better with a 6 mile race on Tuesday, 5 mile race on Friday and (hopefully) a nice 31 miler over the Brecon Beacons on Sunday.

Rarely feel benefit from going over 40 in one week though, usually pick up a niggle.

Rarely feel benefit from going over 40 in one week though, usually pick up a niggle.

This.

A few times I have hit 50+ miles per week in the last few months, and also seem to feel a bit rough the next week. Drop down to 40ish, and all seems fine.

It takes a while to get used to higher mileages but it is worth it from a performance point of view.
In my experience runners running around 60 to 70 mpw tend to see most benefit and again in my experience the benefits tail of a bit. It becomes difficult to do more than that unless you are training twice per day.
More serious runners continue adding miles but if its not sustainable week in week out then its not as effective.
Dont be scared to run more miles would be my advice just be careful of overuse injuries.

How many of you take water out when running? The temps here are up in the 30s, which means I get to the end of long (1.5hr) runs feeling dehydrated… Any suggestions? Just take a bottle?

Finally having surgery next Tuesday, so finger’s crossed I will be making my running comeback by the Autumn.
Will be looking for a 10k race around North Oxfordshire if anyone has a recommendation?

Nowhere near Oxfordshire, but there’s a fun 10K in Madrid at the end of October if you’re interested, be a nice weekend away 🙂

Any suggestions? Just take a bottle?

I work on making sure I am hydrated enough before the run, as hate to carry anything with me. Anything over 13ish mile and/or if the heat is like you say, then I would consider routing a run near a shop to get a drink….or go out very early when it’s cooler. Also, definitely wear a hat and maybe something to cover the back of your neck if you are going to go out in the hottest part of the day.

Not tried them myself, but there seems to be lots of new hydration options for runners, in vest, rucksack, bumbag, bottle form.

Dont be scared to run more miles would be my advice just be careful of overuse injuries.

I’d happily do more miles, but I like my wife and my kids so more miles means less maintenance (stetching, conditioning and recovery). A 5 year old and a 2 year old, oh and work, are a huge pull on my time; it’s a hard balance.

I tend to take water on steady state runs over 2 hours.

I work on making sure I am hydrated enough before the run, as hate to carry anything with me.

That’s my usual tactic, I can’t stand carrying things either, but it’s not always enough at this time of year. Will have a look at running specific camelbaks, the Mule I have for the bike isn’t particularly comfortable on long runs.

OMG I haven’t read this thread but complted my first half marathon yesterday off road in 2hr 10mins 4 secs with not much training so super chuffed, main problem quads are screwed I can’t walk down stairs and my feet are mullered. Under my little toes I have blisters on blisters and the right foot in the heat yesterday has pulled all the skin off it…it’s so sore I can barely walk let alone wear shoes, any advice please? Not had this before

Any suggestions? Just take a bottle?

I would never carry a bottle. On long runs I used to go via cemetary that had a tap or if convenient leave a bottle somewhere or do a loop that goes past your house or somewhere you can get a drink.
Never felt the need to be drinking lots when running and I have done a lot of long runs over the years without carrying a bottle or an iPod funnily enough, or tying my jacket around my waist come to think of it!