French Books : Learn in Your Car French Complete
Mood:  hungry
Topic: french learning

Learn in Your Car French Complete (Learn in Your Car) (Audio CD)

 

The whole package is very well designed. For example, the listening guides have an index on the outside back cover so you can quickly find the CD and track you want. Very handy! Then, if you want to hear only the French, you can adjust the balance of your speakers to eliminate the English portion. The pauses between the English and 1st French repetition give you time to test yourself if you already know some French. If not, just wait for the 2 repetitions in French, each with a pause to allow you to repeat what you've just heard. The English voice (male) and the French voice (female) are both pleasant and very clear. Excellent quality and amazingly low price for what you get. Highly recommended to all!

See more French books & learn French here in Paris by Podcast

 

my VMA is 17.1 km/h
Mood:  happy
Topic: sport

Hi everyone !

OK, so I finally did my “VMA test” on Thursday  evening.

As I said a few days ago, VMA stands for " Vitesse Maximale Aérobie" in French. Unfortunately I don't know the word in English, it would be something like "maximal aerobic speed". It is the speed at which you are using your VO2max (this is the aerobic capacity, the maximum amount of oxygen that can be utilized by the body.

So here’s the answer : my VMA is 17.1 km/h.

 

 

To be strictly accurate, I “scored” 16.9, but the trainer told us that due to the rain and the wind, we could actually add 0.2 km/h to calculate the real value. So my 16.9 turned to 17.1 km/h !

With this figure in mind, I can calculate my theoretical time for different races : marathon, half-marathon, 10k, etc. Of course, the performance on D day depends on too many factors… so these are just some indicators, I know I will have to train seriously to reach these scores. But at least I know what I can hope, and what I can forget ! For instance, I now have the “proof” that I will never be able to run the marathon under 3 hours? That’s important, because I won’t spent useless efforts trying to do it, knowing that my body just can’t do it, for physiological reasons !

• Possible marathon time : 3h07 – 3h17
• Possible half-marathon time : 1h22 – 1h27

That’s interesting, because so far my best times have been : 3h30 for the marathon and 1h31 for the half-marathon. It seems I can do better, particularly for the marathon

By the way, I mentioned a race for this Sunday (a 10km race in Issy-Les-Moulineaux). The race will take place next week, on December 17^th ! I mage a mistake in my calendar !

Have a nice day :-)

Yannick
from Paris, France

http://www.myPhotosInParis.com
http://www.myTeacherInParis.com

 

resting and raining...
Topic: sport

Hi everyone !

OK, nothing special yesterday, I did not train, mainly because of the rainy weather.

Tonight I have a VMA test at the Stade Paul Fabert in Paris, 17ème.
I will finally know precisely what my VMA is, at last !

VMA stands for " Vitesse Maximale Aérobie" in French. Unfortunately I don't know the word in English, it would be something like "maximal aerobic speed". It is the speed at which you are using your VO2max (this is the aerobic capacity, the maximum amount of oxygen that can be utilized by the body.
I'll let you know tomorrow what this test was all about.

This test will also be a short training session before my Sunday's race (a 10km race in Issy-Les-Moulineaux).

Have a nice day :-)

 Yannick

http://www.myPhotosInParis.com
http://www.myTeacherInParis.com
 

a short presentation of myself

Hi everyone,

I'm going to make a short presentation of myself, so that you can have a better idea of who I am.

 

Size : 1.88 meter high

Weight : 70 kg (it varies between 69.5 and 71).

Foot size : 45 (European size !)

Age : 31

Experience : I've been running seriously for one year

 

My current shoes : Adistar Cushion, size 45, weight : more or less 352g

I have been running with them for more than one year.

I should buy another pair of shoes in December, maybe lighter ones, like the DS TRAINER XI, around 252 g.

 

My races :

Paris half-marathon 2006 : 1h31'40"

Paris marathon 2006 : 3h30'40"

Amsterdam half-marathon 2006 : 1h39'30"

Boulogne half-marathon 2006 : 1h44'30"

Boulogne half-marathon 2005 : 1h34'30"

 

My objectives for 2007 :

- run a half-marathon in less than 1h30' (fall 2007)

- run the Paris Marathon in less than 3h20' (15^th April 2007)

- have no injury

 

That's all for today.

I will show you my training plan (10 weeks long) in the days to come.

 

Have a nice day.

 

Yannick

yannick [at] myPhotosInParis.com

Welcome to my Marathon in Paris !
Hi everyone and welcome !

This is my first message for my very first blog, in which I will share with you all my training sessions for the Paris marathon (15th April 2007).

I finally decided myself to create a blog for the following reasons :

• make a good preparation for the 2007 marathon : by sharing this experience with you, I will have to be very serious
  
  
• get in touch with some runners worldwide : maybe we'll meet one day in Paris or in your country, and run a race together :-)
  
  
• improve my English : writing short messages / articles in English twice or thrice a week should help

I hope you will find helpful information.
Have a nice day.

Yannick
yannick [at] myPhotosInParis.com
http://www.MyPhotosInParis.com