Les herbiers

One hill interval to blog, 500m up the finish chute day one tour de france. Two months, nine weeks, average 120+km per week, same as last year. Easy week this one, when i feel light on the toes will step it up again. City2surf not far away now, a race:-)

Lac Ribou

Three nights spent on the outskirts of Cholet by Lac Ribou. Managed a couple of long runs, some short intervals, 4*30sec&3:30, bike ride into town and back.
Spent two nights here in 2008, didn't even know the lake existed until 10 mins before leaving in 2008...had to explore some more...tranquil, nice running, tourist park near empty.
Now back to Les Herbiers, 20km, to play Tour de France:-)

Cholet

By the sea 4 x 1500m,1 min rec,all 5'30", from stage one start to stage two to stage one finish to cholet 2008 time trial to camp, still 30 degree at eight forty thanx god a cool change tmoz

Beach

Noirmoutier de isle

A two week beach holiday who da thunkit? Cockles and mussels,salt,sea,sun and gelati. Market day and very hot. Here for another four days before heading to the finish of day one tour de france, lots of time to get speedy.

Actvac handicap frylink: Ss 1843, sk 2005, missy 2230, hiedze 21? Pete gold :-) gb need to look

Choo choo

La plage @ Fouras

Short Intervals : 6 x 2.5 min

6 x 2.5 min, 30 sec recovery. The toe blisters still a nuisance.

This morning left Rochefort for La Rochelle, via Ile d'Aix, then onto Ile d'Re, explore and stop off for a night or two.

In the new week along the coast further north to Ile de Nourmoutier and the Passage du Gois (a passage only possible at low tide). The Tour de France starts from this point next weekend and follows the coast road we will have driven before turning inland to Les Herbiers (finish of stage 1 where we will be).

Finally after 7000km of driving, 1000 km of running, 60 min of planking, 10 small tour stages, 3 rolls of ankle tape, we are here for the start of the tour in Vendee.

Merry-go-round

Boyardville

Fort Boyard

Pilgrimage today to see first hand the film location and name of a popular game show on French tv we have watched for the last 4 summers. Viewed the Fort from the beach during the morning run. Another easy run this afternoon after I have tended to some toe blisters...yuk bloody mess

Rochefort

From the etap, 80 minute run into town, maritime museum, along the murky Charente, to Pont Transbordeur (old punt to the island, Isle' D'Oleron, we are visiting tmoz), back through museum and town.

On the beach : Long Run

Noon run along the beach today at low tide. Legs very weary from sand intervals yesterday. Due for another recovery week. With the Tour de France not far away I will postpone to coincide with the first week in July.

Lacanau Beach

Bordeaux : Lacanau

Booked into Les Grands Pins tourist park at Lacanau for three nights, 50km west of Bordeaux. All the amenities including two water spouting dolphins standing proud by the pool,
This morning early on the beach, the tide is high, 6,5,4,3,2,1,1,1,1 min intervals with 30 sec recovery. Temperature already over 20, another 30+ on the way...not a cloud...

On the beach

Dusk at the beach, Bordeaux

Puy de Dome : Bordeaux

After a rainy start in Annecy finally hit the road. Stopped off at Puy de Dome, iconic volcano, extinct, in the massif centrale.
Out of the carpark, start running through pine forest, soft paths, start heading for the summit, come to a road, people cheering me, I am in a race, start passing runners up the steep trail towards the summit, peopke cheering louder, can I win? I can do it, push harder, I think I can...I stop to take photos of the runners, pass them again, try not to breathe when I pass them, take more photo...man tells me not for from the top...I can not win...bandits can not win..,I don't even know where the start was::-) too funny...ps Minnie in 2nd the feminine
Night at Mont Dore, a petit pizza to warm, on the other side of Super Besse, Puy du Sancy.
This morning complete the long trek, Bordeaux, jog on the bike path, a long one, 85 mins

Wet

Yesterday a long run along the lake at Nyon. Perfect weather. 85 min...great to run at near sea level again.

Today nothing yet, wet, should clear off apres midi

7 weeks average 120km+ planking all the days

ACTVAC XC 12KM 8KM

8km: Jbhifi 31:30 (GCM SOON GOOD LUCK TO YOU & L&P) ; kt 33:30 (another good one) ; H + PSW 35 (both very fit)
12km: sk 57 (bravo)

conditions cold and very windy

richard 6min in the race we shall not mention:-)

Les rousses : jura

A few days in the jura with the weather so nice. The lake is still brisk with only three quick dips. Pique niques make up most of the day broken up by the daily runs and watching tour de suisse on tv at four pm en direct. Todays run in the jura of 80 mins with 20 mins of intervals with 15 sec recovery. The scenery magic with lush pasture cows and bells stone fences and pine trees. I can only imagine how nice to ski here with hundreds of km groomed xc trails. Now if only there was internet up there :-)

Yellow furry thing

More hills before the depart of tour de suisse from grindewald. Animations and freebies, riders sign on. Streets lined with folk sitting in cafe. A yellow furry thing says hello from switzerland.

The devil?

Andy Schleck?

Tour de swiss : long hilly run

Somehow ended up in Grindewald deep in the alps , nothing to do but up or down jog . Tour arrives today , departs tmoz from here .

La toussuire : long hilly run

Waiting for cadel final stage criteritum du dauphine can he hold on to a podium position ? Long run in the mountains on a perfect day 90 min total climb 400m at 1700m asl. Go cadel

Criterium du Dauphine : Hills

Snuck in a second run while waiting for Cadel at Collet d'Allevard, Very normal for me to do a second run, although not normally as hard as the first.
From 1400m asl up to 1600m asl and return. Found some more wild strawberries...the blueberries are disappointing at this altitude..near to non-existent.
Cadel struggled today, held onto 2nd place...will be at the finish at La Toussuire tmoz to cheer him om.
Then who knows where... Brittany still looks so cold, barely a day above 20..did someone mention Bordeaux???

Hackett 5km

L&p 1938 ; jbhifi 2010 ; kt 2034 ; sk 22 ; psw 23
well done all...close tussle the girls

Annecy : Tempo Run

Up early on the bike path, same run as a week ago, out to the tunnel of doom in 23mins, return in 14mins, nearly flat out.
Chasing Cadel again in Criterium du Dauphine today and tmoz, very exciting yesterday...should be more of the same, two mountain top finishes, all to play for.

Les Gets : Strength Hills

At Les Gets for the finish of stage 5 in Criterium du Dauphine. Cadel sits in second place, I sit on grass in a sunny place.
Today from the village at 1150m asl, winding up a soft woodchip path to the top of a ski run @ 1520m asl and return. 50 minutes up, 20 minutes down.

Long Intervals : 6 x 8 min

On the veloway from Ugine, 6 x 8min, 1 min recovery. Couldn't help but notice they mowed the wild strawberries on the bike path verge...lucky a few still there.
On the way to the Suisse border to meet up with the Dauphine at Les Gets tmoz. Will return to this region for the final two stages on the weekend.
Last 6 weeks (in Europe) 120km average. Still ages until my next race of City2Surf. I can't get more fit, will start to work on getting more race fit in the next weeks.

Easy day : Criterium du Dauphine TT Grenoble

Today's entire run consisted of running the 2.6km between the parked Kangoo and the start/finish of the time trial. 16km all along the same road as the riders flew on their speedy machines.

Tempo Run

Easy run on the bike path, out to the lake with huge trout, man sitting on a bench, line in the water, dozens of huge trout just standing there, all looking at the hook...
Harder on the way back (25 out, 14 back, nearly flat out).
Watching Criterium du Dauphine on the box today, Lyon far too big a city for me...Grenoble time trial tmoz, same route as Tour de France in a few weeks time...very excited to be seeing both...go Cadel.

Long Run : Ugine : Criterium du Dauphine

On the bike path from Ugine 82 minutes, last 15 minutes at lower threshold, through a small village...two stops for wild strawberries.
Following the run, straight back to Albertville to see the depart and sign on of Criterium du Dauphine...watch the stage finish on the box in the hotel. Go Cadel.

Etap

Giving out the white ones at criterium du dauphine. Count is five already ; - )

Pennington 8km

Jbhifi 3321 1st female ; kt 3423 3rd female ; psw 3758

I can only imagine how boggy or tufty the grass. Definitely a working course. Good running all.

Vache

Pennington 12km 8km

Jbhifi 1st female 5108; l&p 5110 ; sk 5929

Annecy again

Spent the night in a camp ground, our first of this trip, same one as in 2008, solitaire du lac.
On the bike path, my favoutite of all the world, 24 minutes out along the lake to the tunnel of doom, almost flat out back, 14 minutes, very hard at the end.
Tomorrow begins Criterium du Dauphine. We will see 6-7 stages. Many of the Tour de France riders will do their final praparations. Soe were on the bike path yesterday and today. Some have been in the mountains.

Annecy : Long run with tempo

Arrived in Annecy at lunch. The bike path a constant procession of bladers, bikers, walkers and joggers.
The beaches filled with pique niquees, also more than a few swimmers.
Me a longish run, 17km, 8 minute temoo run in the middle.

Col de la Madelaine : Hills

Drove to 5km from summit of col 1590m asl ran to summit 2000m asl and return. Similar height gain and gradient to yesterday, although at altitude. All up 65 minute run (35/30). The snows of yesterday melting in the sun and near normal temperatures.

Snow

Cold front moved through overnight, loads of snow down to 1000m asl, most of the mountain passes closed, lucky we moved off the mountain.
This morning drizzle, not above 10 before lunch, sun came out, not a bad afternoon. Drove 50km to a different valley, d'Arc.
Long run up Col de la Madelaine from the valley below. Over 400m of climbing at an average of 7%, stopped at the 800m level.
87 minutes of running today. 127km last 7 days.
Have been doing planks, must do before consuming wine, not possible during or after.