Not as far as I know, this one is called La Balade du Roc Noir, and the big one the Pierra Menta is described as “compétition internationale de ski alpinisme”
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Looks like hard sweaty fun!
Noticed the Pierra Menta is in Beaufort-Areches - we had one of the best single days skiing there many years ago as it was loaded with powder and hardly anyone around so laid loads of fresh tracks. Been meaning to go back sometime but not been since that day.
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A bit left field but have any parents had an invite from school for the kids London Mini Marathon? We’ve had one from LO’s school, it’s on Sat 26th April (day before LM) and is only 1.6km for Yr6, that’s a warm up for LO 
Apparently each school can enter 50 pupils across two distances (yr 7 and above are 2.4km I think)
It’s ‘approx £25’ and she’ll be away all day on a Saturday. Not sure if will be an epic adventure for her or just big expensive few mins of running.
Any of your kids done this before?
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Obvs no kids but I thought there used to be a kids race on the same day but around KM 38 and started early so they were done before the elites and wheelchairs came through?
Edit: it would be expensive but great 
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T100 London entry window available again - £390 FGS + 5% Active further robbery 
I’m sure it was nearer £200 quid when it first opened?
https://in.registrations.protriathletes.org/london-t100-2025
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Cheers. I’ll find out more tonight. Mrs FP was talking but my attention was being grabbed by Paddy Mayne.
Yeah eff that. That’s iM level prices, they need to deliver the same level of event.
£200 for the Olympic I believe - not a chance for me. Plus ad the faff of getting your kit to the Excel then to just ride on a congested and dull route down to Big Ben and back 
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Subsidising the elite race.
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Exactly.
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I’ve managed to get my entry to the Canyons race in April changed from 100k to 50k, bit gutted as the longer route looks much better but a combination of flight times and the fact I’m not sure how the next few months will go for training means that the shorter race is a bit more realistic. And I would have had to get up about 2am!
To channel Fruity, probably better to try and look after myself now and survive both the season and longer!
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Just seen more about this race you posted, the Sir Bani Yas.
As if the first middle-east long distance race wasn’t bonkers enough, being set off a cruise ship + deserted island combination is sure to be an experience!
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I think Laidlow is getting a decent appearance fee as well.
You can go and watch, presumably it would be a bit less crowded than the marathon itself the day after, and getting a video of LO crossing the finishing line would probably be pretty neat and make a great memory for her.
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She wants to go ‘on her own’. (meaning on the coach with her school friends) .
She’s all grow’d up 
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Brass Monkey half in York tomorrow, it’s going to barely get above freezing but they say they’re gritting the roads. I’m not sure how to pace it, the leg hasn’t been painful but just doesn’t feel completely right so very nervous to go at a race pace.
Current plan is to maybe start steady and pick it up about around 10K depending on how I feel. I thought I was getting a bit of form but the recent cold weather has left me struggling a bit.
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Start slow finish … with no injuries.
Hope it goes well.
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How did it go?
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Looks like Jeff bossed a 1h34
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Short version, as Fruity says I managed 94:16, tactics largely went to plan, I can still walk and didn’t want to throw up at the end 
so generally pleased.
Longer version! It was a cold grey day and barely above freezing, but actually no ice or frost but the air was damp. I decided that keeping warm was the priority, especially for the legs so went with a thick L\S top and 3/4’s. Didn’t bother with the Nike’s but used an old pair of semi-flats.
I waited for the 1:40 pacers at the start and went over the line with them to avoid being wreckless although I knew it would be quite busy. Took the first K fairly steady but was always just in front of them and slowly drifting away, but was doing around 4:35/K’s. I decided to loosely aim around that pace for about 7K, the first 5K was just under 23, felt pretty easy and no obvious sign that the leg would give up.
Ran with a couple of lads from the club for a while before one dropped back and the other moved away, I thought I might catch him later but he kept going. Got to 10K in 45:33 and some quick maths put me around a low 96 which I’d have accepted, chugged a Maurten and got a mouthful of water to wash it down. Put in a few slightly faster K’s then backed off for some reason.
I was hovering around 1:36 at 14K and the plan was always to pick it up at that point if the leg was alright, it was having the odd moan but nothing that felt like it was going to give up, possibly overthinking it.
Managed a faster K then ended up talking to someone for a K which made me slower, it was clear he was starting to struggle and I pushed on when I reached 16K. Was going past a lot of people at that stage. Was moving around 90 minute pace by then but there’s a railway bridge and draggy climb over the A64 to make things a bit tougher. But I was starting think 94 was on so pushed a bit harder.
Kind of knew I wasn’t getting under 94 when I saw 800m to go so eased down with 200 left 
although I’d been slowly reeling in a lad from the club.
So, pleased that the early 14K pace felt comfortable and maybe around 70.3 pace, the leg wasn’t too bad and I feel alright now with no major tiredness. Little bit frustrated that before Christmas I thought I might have had a chance of sub 90, the faster trainers might have got me a minute and if I’d gone faster from the off, but that would have been a tough day.
If things go alright in the next 8 weeks I might push a bit harder at the Boro half and see how that goes.
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Great result
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