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[Taka]

That's some good going, gents. Didn't PB at this week's Parkrun, though all signs were pointing to "yes" that I should have. Made a couple of new friends which is a rarity for such a solitary activity for many.

Started ramping up my mileage each week to prepare for an autumn half marathon. Plan is to run at least 5 miles each week at goal pace (around 11kmph/9 minutes per mile) to tune my body into how it should feel so that come race day, it feels completely natural.

[PeteJ]

Wow well done C, that sounds horrible! I need to get into riding again, only used the bike a couple of times this year.

12k row tonight in very messy waters. One of the hardest rows technically but all good practice! Hands totally blistered now which doesn't bode well for next week. Maybe I should try gloves...

[charlesr]

I just assumed you would wear gloves.
What does everyone else do?

I have 11 days to get ready for a 5 mile off road run My legs are well beat up after that mtb race. I think I'm just going to start tomorrow with some really slow runs 5-8 miles.

[PeteJ]

I don't know anyone who wears gloves, in fact one of the guys did for the row on monday and he says it made things worse! Oh well. Another 15k last night in perfect conditions, for some reason I found it particularly hard. A few days off now then a big one on Sunday, then two short ones during the week before the race on Saturday.

Just over a week to go before the marathon - any tips or advice on diet leading up to event? Also I have room to take a small amount of food and drink on board, suggestions for energy bars?

[charlesr]

If you haven't trained on a changed diet, my advice is don't try changing it now. Just eat your normal stuff. Don't try carb loading if you have never done it before either (eating extra carbs in the latter half of the week up to the event) - it will mess you up if you aren't used to it.

Can I send you an energy bar to try out? It's from my range and it's what I used in my 7hr bike ride at the weekend. It's peanut based. If you are up for it, send me your address and I'll get one to you before the race. I'll also send you a couple of L-argenine portions if you want to give them a go: I'm looking for some feedback I can use on fliers - but recommend not trying this until after your race because they are quite potent.

[PeteJ]

Sorry C, didn't see this reply! I'll PM you my address, don't worry if you can't get them out in time!

I'll carry on as I was diet wise then, though I'm cutting out alcohol and possibly cutting out tea and coffee too! I usually eat mostly pasta-based foods so I guess I carb load often anyway, just not 'officially'.

Tried to get out today for our last big practice row, unfortunately the wind was far too strong so we couldn't safely launch. Ended up doing a 10k indoor row which quite frankly sucks, but it's all good in the end.

[Taka]

Went for my long, steady run yesterday morning along the Birmingham canals towards the South of the city. Only intended for it to be a 10 miler but I was so in the zone, I decided to push it to 12 instead. Had a good pace to me and I'm bang on schedule for a sub 2 hour half marathon, though I know I was running faster than my recorded splits due to my GPS watch freaking out at times due to powerlines from the neighbouring train track and nearby pylons.

Feel absolutely fine today, no DOMS or anything.

[charlesr]

Is that the furthest you've run? Well played.

[Taka]

It's the furthest I've run since the Silverstone half marathon. I did a 14 mile training run back in the autumn but I'm looking to keep the long runs fairly consistent now with views to running a spring marathon - keeping my fingers crossed for a London marathon ballot place.

[PeteJ]

Well tomorrow is looking worse and worse weather wise so any hopes of victory have been disguarded for hopes of survival.

Starting to get quite nervious now so tonight I'm going to put my feet up and watch a film (Four Lions) and try not to think about it!

PS - thanks C for the package, received and will let you know how it goes!

[charlesr]

Good luck man! What else are you taking with you for food?

[PeteJ]

I've got some bananas, mars bars, a pasty, energy bars, stuff to put in water to make energy drink and energy gels. Plus a few beers in the fridge for when I return!

[Taka]

Best of luck, Pete. Weather's looking grim but these things are sent to test us! Let us know how you get on.

[Taka]

Went for my usual 5k Parkrun yesterday and I think I PBd by a few seconds, though I can't be 100% certain until they send out the results which they're a little behind on. I finished 61st out of over 270 runners, up from 68th previously.

EDIT - The organisers are having issues with their timing equipment so everybody has a finish time of 59 minutes 59 seconds, but my finish position stands. They have allowed everybody to submit their own times if they recorded one, so I will submit 23:25 which is a new PB for me!

Went out for a long 10 miler, but only managed to do 8 miles. I did score a new 10k PB though so not all bad.

[PeteJ]

Our race was changed from an offshore marathon to a quarter offshore three quarter river race due to the conditions. As it turned out the weather improved quite a bit during the day so they could have got away with running the official course, but safety first and all that. The organisers claim it was still 28 miles but it was more like 22 miles.

We continued our traditional poor start and were way down in tenth or so off the line, but after a few minutes we hit the kind of horrible water we're used to and started to make good progress. Within the first hour we got third place and were chasing down the leaders when we hit the river, and unfortunately no matter what we did we just couldn't close the gap. The whole first half of the race was against a strong tide and by the time we turned we had little fight left. With the tide in their favour the two leading boats put on a surge and put out an impossible distance on us.

In the end we did it in 2 hours 45, third place and about 8 minutes behind the winners. Pleased I did it and chuffed with third, but personally speaking I just didn't have the fitness to race hard for the full distance. Good experience though and the pint in the pub afterwards was one of the best I've ever had