Anybody else waiting for their London marathon ballot rejection email today?! 😁

@slowol music to my ears that! I’m in Middlesbrough and the cinder track is my current best option to look into.
Thanks

The Frog 62 now has a rack and some Ortlieb front panniers. Needless to say daughter thinks they’re the bees knees!

So now I am thinking of taking her and her brother on a little overnight camping trip. She is 8. He is 6.

Not planning to go too far, just a mini-adventure.
I need to find a traffic free route with campsite options

Had Anybody got any advice? Kit recommendations for kids?
I’ll need to get them a new sleeping bag each.

Daughter can carry some lightergear in her panniers and on her rack, I’ll be carrying the rest.
If my wife comes we can share the tent carrying between us.

Regretting selling the trailer now!

you’re right, there was no mention of MacBook (Air) in the presentation though. Guess we’ll find out at 1?

Well I’m non the wiser whether anything has changed 😆

Is there a new MacBook Air due?

Been chewing for a few months over getting my wife an Air M1 (the standard model). I notice Currys are selling them a bit cheaper and when i check the Apple website they show pre-orders starting at 1pm today.
Couldn’t see anything online in the recent announcement relating to MacBook Air ?

What events and goals have people got planned for this year?

Edinburgh marathon. Just started week 4 of my 15 week plan. So far so good. Looking to improve on my (pretty comfortable) York 2018 time of 3:18 and run <3:05

I bit the bullet on an alpkit Skyehigh 500 last year as I needed a bag for cycle touring. Too’d and fro’d over many bags including their lighter Pipedream bag but after seeing a review of the skyehigh 700 I decided to go with the Skyehigh 500 .

Only used it a couple Of times but I love it. Can pack it down quite well in the stuff sack and i found it very very comfortable . It’s only the second bag I’ve had so I’m no expert on these things. No regrets though.

We Got a Bosch something or other before Xmas. I’d have to check which – the Mrs ordered it , before I realised how much it was! 😳
Very smart tho, uses very little energy … and it’s very very quiet.
she is over the moon with it.
It was about £700 mind.
Keeps her happy :-)

Two labs. Aged 9 and 10. Both insured with Petplan who to be fair have been excellent when we’ve claimed.

All claims have been done direct – other than the excess we’ve not had to pay out lumps.

Lab 1 had a hip op at 3 yrs old. New hip didn’t work so had another op 2 weeks later to remove it. Wiped out our 7k limit in an afternoon (no charge for that second op). We now claim about £300 of pills for her every couple of months and have done for years now.

Lab 2 bust a disc in her neck Xmas 2020 – that wiped her 7k limit out. MRI alone £2500 😳

Needless to say we’re paying £90 each a month now. Scary! Started at £26 when we got them.
We are claiming our fair share of medication for one of them throughout the year.

Well, there’s an argument that non-alcoholic beer is even better

10/10 for effort but not interested in that either! I got one at the finish line of york marathon 2018 (because it was there) and soon realised I shouldn’t have bothered!

There is something to be said for a couple of pints

Maybe .. but I don’t drink!

I thought i’d done well but That’s a result @convert!

Aside…… Does the @username thing actually do anything?

I usually receive an email to let me know I’d been mentioned in a post.

@covert similar story. Turned out ok tho.
I ordered Jan 2nd so they were closed until the 3rd. Figured they’d be busy but Despatch is supposed to be 5 days so I emailed on day 6. Got an email back. Said they were busy and it’s been marked for urgent Despatch in 1-2 days.
Day 3 and no Despatch so I emailed again, said I’d just cancel it if it’s not despatched soon. Received another email. Apologies etc . Then got a Despatch email. Should have arrived the next day but then DHL delayed it by 24 hrs.
Arrived in good condition. I’d ordered a C120 7.6. They sent me a c125! No complaints so far

New shape Pug 3008.

Thanks for the replies. I’m aware schools ratings can change .. I’m not worried about the schools in the area we’d be looking to move to. Equally I don’t have a crystal ball. We can’t stay where we are and we need to move to reduce the commute time / distance. The kids school is absolutely the main push tho.

Agree with this. I think the “kids adapt so easily…” trope ( tripe?) Is just something trotted out by/ to adults to justify their decision and make themselves feel better.

This Comes across like I’m being unfair. Clearly it wasn’t great for you but Short of moving in the summer holidays right before secondary school starts (and somehow having a place in that school!) I don’t see another option.

My view is it’s a get it gone now job while they’re young and they can then move up to secondary school with their friends / make new ones. But I’ve posted on here for peoples experiences – good or bad.

Not great for cleaning cars and damage any form of concrete slab or pavier.

I find mine is great for the car and paving. Infact, that’s why I bought it!

I’ve got a 2016 C4 Picasso (not the Grand version). Had it for 4 years and taken it to 50k. Been fine. No issues.
I just wanted something reasonably practical as a second car with three independent isofix rear seats and space for two dogs. Does the job. 1.6 diesel. 55mpg. I do like it.

Bike wise you’d be better with the grand version. Standard car is not the roomiest for bikes – evenfor my two kids bikes never mind carrying mine too.

Cheers @lunge.

I followed a Ben Parkes plan for last weekends half so I’ve been doing interval sessions, tempo runs, long runs … track work… the lot.
I just need to get stronger in that second half.
I think you’re right about the long runs. I did miss a couple so I think I need to make sure I get those in and I need to be upping the pace in them too .

I got a Nilfisk delivered last week for
My dad from the Nilfisk Outlet.

https://www.nilfiskoutlet.co.uk/products/subcat.asp?mID=Pressure-Washers&sID=Compact

They actually sent me a better model from what I ordered. Paid an extra £5 to give it a full years warranty. Refurbished unit but looked as news. Seems fine so far but clearly not had a huge amount of
Use yet

I need to work on my endurance …. I am
Struggling in the second half of my half marathons when I’m aiming for these kind of times. If anybody has any pointers I’d love to know how I can improve on that.

This is now an
Official request for advice! 😁

it’s looking like I’m going to do another half in 6 weeks. I’ve had an easy recovery week this week after Sundays half and then I’ll be picking the training back Up this weekend.

I think I need to run long runs quicker (don’t do them all at easy pace). Maybe start some long runs easy and finish them quicker.
I Plan to do a little swimming and some S&C work in the gym.
Oh and watch what I’m eating.
Seem reasonable?

@teaandbiscuit thanks….

If I put my BM half time in (it’s the only race I’ve done in over 12 months) it’s spitting out 18:56 5k which I reckon I can do. I think I’ll be having a good go at parkrun in the next week or two so I’ll see how it compares.

It’s showing 3:01 for a marathon. I’m aiming to go sub 3:05 end of May .
Although by mile 9 of BM I was never running another half ever again let alone going through with my marathon plan 😂

A race of two halves! Well done. Having done that, what pace strategy would you use next time?

Run the second half faster 😂😂

Seriously it’s something I need to work on. I think if I’d stuck to 6:40/mi pace from the off I may have struggled. The 1:27 was always a big ask but I was basing it on my Cambridge 2020 performance where I also struggled mentally and physically in the second half.
I need to work on my endurance …. I am
Struggling in the second half of my half marathons when I’m aiming for these kind of times. If anybody has any pointers I’d love to know how I can improve on that.
I just need to factor that into my training, and do some strengthening (weights) exercises too.

@teaandbiscuit Not too bad thanks, 1:27 was the target and I ended up running 1:26:52 (previous PB was 1:29:00 in March ‘20). So I Knocked over 2 mins off my PB.
Considering this time last year I was still looking for sub 90 I shouldn’t moan.
I ought to have been over the moon but I was more disappointed than anything else as I found it really hard going from mile 8 and couldn’t keep my pace under the 6:40/mi that’s I’d been aiming for. I could / should have taken another minute off really. Easier said than done.
I got under the target time because I ran the first 6 miles quick and banked the time. That wasn’t a mistake … well not completely. I intended to go out quick , just maybe not as quick and not for 6 miles but I got running with a lad from my club and went with it until he pressed on and I eased off a bit.

These are my splits .. by mile 6 I was averaging 6:22/mi so yes too fast but then all of my focus was on keeping my average below 6:40/mi ! The second half was Really hard work 🤢 and I’m gutted that those mile splits were over 6:40. Great race. Well organised. Not easy getting a place!

First race since March 2020 for me tomorrow!
The Brass Monkey half marathon in York. Been following a Ben Parkes plan so be interesting to see how I get on since I’m planning to use his marathon plan for Edinburgh this year.

That assumes you’d have spent +£20k of your own cash – would you really have?

Yes.

First lab had 2x ops at 3 year old. Well over 10k. Documented on posts here. Still doing ok and we claim several hundreds of £’s of medication each month for her.

Second lab bust a disc in her neck last Xmas aged 8. 7k all in just to sort that.

We’d be >20k down without insurance … And counting !!

@thelawman thanks very much for that. That looks like a good option.
The only issue would be that it states one Pet is welcome – we have two (well behaved, older) labradors.
If the owner does pop up I’d be interested in knowing if they’re a bit flexible on that!
Thanks again

My lads jumped out of bed this morning asking if we can get his up and running so hopefully I’ll be reporting back similar to @BigJohn!

On my 8 yr old daughters list – Pot noodles! (ahead of the iPad and iPhone 13 on the list!)

6 year old son – 20 packets of crisps!

Yep. About 3 years ago now.
I only use Facebook now for my running club because that’s where training sessions and runs are posted.
I Deleted all friends off it. Just Cant bear the shite on there.
Got rid of Twitter and Instagram at the same time.
Not missed it for a second.

Well I’m in Middlesbrough and there’s zero chance I’d be getting any Kip that’s for sure. Can’t settle when it’s like this outside.
Can’t remember knowing wind like this and we’ve had done tremendous thunder rumbles.

We’re supposed to be driving to Milton Keynes in the morning to meet family for a Xmas lunch. I’m really concerned that that isn’t sounding like such a good idea especially with two kids in the car

If it’s a race I’m always checking on my pace. Find it too easy to drop off pace without realising especially as the tiredness starts kicking in

Thought I’d share a couple a pictures from my running clubs trip to The Lakes this weekend. Unbelievably great weather considering it’s the middle of November. A fantastic weekend of running with 35 of us attending and various run/walk options over 2.5 days. Great food And possibly a bit of alcohol 🙂

Big fan.
Incident on 57th street is right up there for me.
Particularly the live version from a special Japanese exclusive live CD

Thanks – taking a punt on that for my lads 6th birthday next month!

Following with Interest.
The ‘big’ ongoing RC thread is great but hopefully this will focus just on the OP’s requirement

@turboferret amazing effort and even more amazing time! Well done.
I can’t comprehend running a marathon at that pace. Just insane!

I was pretty much stood where that was taken .. just next to the funnel that took you up to the finish.
Just Been through my pics and one of your Bedale club mates snook into a picture but you didn’t make it.
I was only trying to catch my club mates (NYMAC) on camera

@j4mesj4mes it’s a great event … I was there spectating (couldn’t run it yesterday). Well done .. it’s hard work isn’t it!