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Well eight years after failing in my first attempt, I completed the Gloucester 10km yesterday. My proper running mate paced me round to a - to me anyway - very respectable 52m35s. It's a flat course and the weather was amazing, but not sure I could have gone any harder. I was very happy to turn off at the split for the half marathon. That's for another day/year.
I've quite enjoyed the discipline of putting the work in as I'm just not a natural runner at all. The event was superbly organised and I'd definitely do another one. Much more "fun" than running on your own. And I can still walk this morning which is a win, especially as my post run stretching looked a lot more like joining my riding mates in the pub and having a few beers!
Wrote some post race/post beer nonsense: https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/one-and-done/
Well done Alex, that's ace (though I've never get on with running with other people - I like solo runs the best).
Big thing for me is that - as long as I manage a couple of km today (I have a 5km cadence drill in my plan) I'll tick over 100 km run for March. That's a big volume milestone (or km-stone, I guess) for me.
Thanks. I was up to around 90km/month during the 100 days of exercise thing. But then I injured my knee and had to really scale it back in Jan and a bit of feb. Did enough tho to get me round. Knee was great so MUST keep doing the exercises!
I will carry on running for sure, but priority will be riding. Still if the weather stays as nice as it has been, that 7am run is definitely on the agenda. Sets you up for the day.
Did a 21km yesterday in the Pentlands, at a delibrately "easy" pace. Felt so much better than I have before when I've done it off-the-cuff with a friend and had to walk half of it. Turns out training works! Got my first sunburn of the year as well, mad.
I ended up getting sore hips at about 17km, which required me to stop and stretch my glutes a couple of times. Frustrating because effort-wise it felt really doable - but I am sure it is just conditioning as I haven't done anything longer than 15km this year. I also think sometimes a slow pace feels less "flowy" and seems higher impact. Might go for another long run this weekend, but perhaps leave from the house and do a road / mixed surface run. Really enjoyed myself.
Seems my idea of finishing my trail race in May in 2h15 might be achievable. Managed 2h20 yesterday on similar length and elevation, without pushing myself at all. Still though, not going to revise down the time.
FWIW I found during the December Marcothon (at least 5km per day for 31 days) that it wasn't totally monthly distance that did it for my legs, it was zero days of recovery. I'll not be repeating that in 2025. I'd much rather run a few, longer days.
I think i can finally call myself a runner, finished the London Landmarks Half marathon yesterday, fastest I have done the distance in training is 2 hours 33, got in at 2:09 hours and thought blimey i've knocked a huge amount off, only to find they had to shorten the course by a few hundred metres due to changing course with 15 mins to go due to "casualty on the line" at Charing Cross station!
Plan was to run 10:00 min miles dead on, but managed 9.5 mins miles despite it being really warm in centre of London and my 95kg diabetic carcass not liking the heat too much!
Great day though, and would thoroughly recommend it as an event.
@scud - well in. I was there yesterday running for Movember. I was well chuffed with a PB of 01:46:03.... until as you say the course was 700ish metres short. Was still pleased tho, as i wasnt dead on my feet. Great atmosphere.
@v7fmp, it was a good day, i daftly saw the Finish line and thought, i've got a left in tank, and started to "sprint (go a bit quicker)" and then the course turned right away from the finish!
Do you know what happened to the lady that was getting CPR and they had screens up around, hoping it was a good outcome?
Congrats on PB mate, that's a great time, next target for me is try and get down as close to 2 hours as i can, was just chuffed to get round at decent pace for me yesterday though.
@scud - i know what you mean, i knew it went right, but wasnt how far, so didnt want to go to early... once i knew it was in sight i gave it all i had!
I didnt know about the woman, hopefully all is ok. I think the heat probably caught a few out, felt hotter than expected!
I am already looking forward to next years event!
Managed to run my 2nd formal marathon yesterday in Brighton. Have run marathon distance several times but this was only the 2nd time in a formal race. Great day if I did get sunburnt:) also started a pen later than I planned (to be sociable) and so spent the entire race weaving through people. Managed 4:05 which I was pleased with given the traffic and that I had to stop for the loo half way round!
One more marathon before the summer and then I can really start to put the Km's into the legs
@quentyn great time that, a few friends from Brighton Mitre cycling club rode as support to runners and got a bit pink!
Thank you ! I have always fancied doing the ride Infront of the elite runners ! In September I am meant to be the support rider for a 40km trail section of a relay race.. apparently it's all gravel so I will be riding with the team carrying water, snacks and a 1st aid kit - really looking forwards to it. The only reason I am not running is that I have a marathon in Berlin the weekend after
Morning all,
Bit of an occasional lurker here an dlooking for a bit of training advice please.
This year I have given myself a target of running a half marathon a month with an aim of getting my time from 2:23 down to perhaps somewhere between 2 and 1:45. Last weekend I completed the Ibiza Half with was a really lovely experience and finished with a time of 2:12 which was done around 14 minutes from my previous PB. My training fell off a little in the last two weeks before the event however I hadn't been following a plan as such, more just trying to increase long run distance with a couple of shorter runs each week.
My next event is the Worthing Half that takes place on the 4th of May and I know that the course is about as flat as aflat thing can be so a good opportunity to push for a better time. So with just over three weeks to go, or two weeks of training and a taper week, I'm thinking perhaps two 5-8km runs, one easy and one tempo, and a weekend run around 18k for the next two weeks then on event week perhaps just two or three short 5-8km easy runs.
Any advice much appreciated 🙂
So with just over three weeks to go, or two weeks of training and a taper week, I'm thinking perhaps two 5-8km runs, one easy and one tempo, and a weekend run around 18k for the next two weeks then on event week perhaps just two or three short 5-8km easy runs.
That doesn't sound far off to me.
That sounds good to me @stayhigh - main thing to me in the last 10 days was just to try to stay "well" not over do it, try and get 8 hours quality sleep a night, eat right and stay hydrated - what actually happened prior to last weekends half, was horrible hayfever, 2 terrible nights sleep including night before due to party seemingly going on in our hotel and knackered legs having walked miles round the shops with my daughter on OXford St, including 2 hours in blinkin Primark!
So with just over three weeks to go, or two weeks of training and a taper week, I'm thinking perhaps two 5-8km runs, one easy and one tempo, and a weekend run around 18k for the next two weeks then on event week perhaps just two or three short 5-8km easy runs.
Sounds pretty good, although I'd perhaps change the last week to include a bit of higher intensity work at some point, while keeping the volume low. Something like 5-8 short interval efforts on the Wednesday before the race, for example. They shouldn't be full-on sprints, but just something a bit above race pace, say for a minute each (~250m at a guess) with another minute jogging between each to recover. Do a couple of km before and after to warm up / cool down.
I've got one last weekend of big runs before Taper Time in the run in to Peak Divide (week after Easter). Barely ridden my bike over winter, just done a bit of zwifting when it's been really foul, but have really enjoyed doing something a bit different.
Anyone felt very depressed after completing a marathon. I got a really good time and so should feel good, but no I have become depressed with everything the week after finishing. It is horrible.
Anyone felt very depressed after completing a marathon. I got a really good time and so should feel good, but no I have become depressed with everything the week after finishing. It is horrible.
Yep, absolutely textbook feelings. I find it's a combination of not knowing what's next and exhaustion from the event.
My way of getting out of the funk is booking the next one, though I realise this doesn't work for everyone! If not a marathon, maybe some fun 10k's to use the marathon fitness.
I think a lot of people get this. It’s a real though after the high. I think it took me a month to come down from the Lakeland100 last year. Booking another event can be a good way.
Thanks. It is good to know it is not just me. I also think I have been using running and cycling to avoid thinking of other stuff and now that has been taken away for now and that maybe why I am feeling it doubly hard, but that should be another thread. So get back to you lot doing cool stuff.
I did this event last week, it was the first run by the organisers
https://www.entrycentral.com/event/126867
I hit my target of 7 laps in under 5 hours so I was happy with that. The winner did 14 laps, 98km. Amazing accomplishment.
I really enjoyed the format of 4.3mile laps. Very safe environment to do a long distance event. There is another one in July which I am thinking of signing up for.
I’ve a training query I hope the wise folk on here can help with.
Did a 10k last week and now just want to maintain my running ability until I have another one in 8 weeks (maybe be able to do it a bit quicker and easier)
Can only really run twice a week so should I do 2 runs of around 10k at my usual very plodding pace? Or would I see more benefit of reducing the distance to say 5k for one of the runs and upping my pace on that one?
Or given limited sessions and distance will it not really make much difference which I do?!
FWIW I would do one run steady and the other I wouldn't shorten but I would do some sort of harder interval within the 10k, maybe 3x 1k hard with 1k steady between, a couple of k steady either end. ok that's 9k in total. Something like that anyway. Not really hard intervals such that you collapse at the end, just something around your 10k race pace, reducing to a jog between them.
Peak mileage 80 mile week done in my accidental marathon programme last week having said I'd not do a marathon this year. This escalation is ridiculous:
"No marathons in 2025, just have some fun, maybe try for a fast 10k"
"Everyone in the club is doing a spring marathon, you'll end up doing most of the work anyway, might as well enter one yourself"
"OK, I'll do a trail one in spring and just have a nice time"
"Well, if you're going to do it, you should do it properly, better start the block"
"Hang on, I can't turn a place in the Snowdonia ballot down, so that's one in the spring and one in the autumn"
"But family stuff means a fast marathon in spring 2026 might be a challenge"
"Chester marathon is 3 weeks before Snowdonia, is fast and will still give time to recover"
"OK, Chester is booked, and you might as well go for a GFA time"
So from none to 3, and basically a year round marathon block.
I am an idiot.
London marathon ticked off the list. Give me a mountain ultra any day! All that flat tarmac, in that heat, wears the body down. Enjoyed bits of it, but just glad I didn’t collapse before the finish like quite a few were! Carnage out there but brilliant support from fellow runners and the ever present crazy crowd. 4:10 and happy with that on the day.
Ran for the local cub scouts and raised over £700. Kept me motivated.
I have signed up for the Lochness Marathon.
Should be easy as its downhill.
In a fit of bravado i have claimed a 330 possibility. I have my work cut out 🤣
So from none to 3, and basically a year round marathon block.
I am an idiot.
pfft, my ultra list is worse 😀
Did one last weekend, bit of a nightmare. Mudfest from start to end, 68km of mud and wet, slippery grass. I've no idea how many times I fell over. All that, and continuous rain which turned into sleet up high. Not surprised there were over 40% DNFs.
Why did the London marathon as well this weekend. It's been a bucket list marathon for me for the last 2 years. Only my third official Marathon but I've run probably five or six this year in training. I really hope to get under 4 hours but in the end it wasn't to be as at 28 km. My knee and the heat just started giving me some problems. I went from 5:13 a km up to six and even 7 minutes a kilometre. Anyway, eventually I got over the line in 4:06.
Hopefully I'll be able to run it again next year and I'm also hoping that I can get below 4 hours in either Berlin or Amsterdam later on this year. Now to start training for the dragon ride, tour de Ricky and the London to Brighton!
Anyone know how on running/trail shoes size up against likes of Nike or north face? Do they have a narrow toe box?
I have a pair of Ons, think they're the cheaper entry level ones (CloudGo?). Size-wise wise I'd say they're about true to size, maybe a bit bigger than the equivalent Nike. And the ones I have are actually a pretty wide toe box.
I'm not a massive fan tbh, but it might just be the model I have.
Double post
I'm toying with the idea of signing up to the Lake District 5 Valleys trail event, 55k/2200m Ambleside to Keswick via High Street which is at the end of September.
I've not done more than 6km/30m since last July so I figure I've got just enough time to get enough miles in to grovel my way round.
I have been wearing On Cloudmonsters and Cloudultras for the last 18 months or so. Total convert here. I think they are excellent running shoes.
They are true to size and not narrow around the toes.
Good reductions for On trainers on sportpursuit but they are very white for UK weather!
One for the decrepid/injured amongst us please.
After a recent shoe update/mileage increase, I've now got pain in one of my heels. Deep ache not friction/blister pain. It throbs away after a run and I can ease it stretching/lifting my toes. I think it's the anchor point of the achilles being somehow bashed by the heal cup of the shoe. I've used the type and size of shoes before, in fact I put 1200 miles on the last pair (a few shoes ago) as I'm a bit mean with shoes and they were 'fine'.
Any ideas or similar experiences please? I know, I know: RICE. Well cycling doesn't seem to irritate it and I've got a 10 day trip starting tomoz so there's the Rest tight there 🙃
boblo, dumb question but the shoe update: same make/ model of shoe, or different?
My first thought is plantar fasciitis and/ or calf tightness, pulling at the bottom of the achilles. If it's the former, it may be because your arch is allowed to flatten slightly more than in your old shoes. If your new shoes have a lower heel drop that could also contribute.
Stretching your calves on a stair every evening before bed may be worth trying
No, they are different.
I mainly use Gel Nimbus nn's but occasionally go to Ghosts. These are Ghosts after 1k miles in Nimbus but in a later iteration than my last pair of Ghosts - if that makes sense? I don't think they'll be reducing heel drop as most modern trainers now look like foam platforms...
I thought plantar was on the underside of the foot/heel not on the back itself? I've never had it so don't know the detail.
I've started a new pair of Nimbus to see if it's shoe specific but I think the injury is there and not getting a chance to heal regardless of shoe type.
I decided to stop toying with the idea and entered the 5 Valleys Ultra afterall - best start getting ready to start thinking about making a training plan...
I ran my first half marathon (distance) yesterday. Mostly trail, just over 1000ft of elevation, pretty warm day for round here. Took me 2:33 which to be honest, I'm pretty happy with. Flatter on road I reckon I could get close to two hours.
Kind of enjoyed it - conditions were not ideal (had a bike ride with the eldest daughter and a big lunch before!) and I'm having a few rest days before getting back into it.
I'm thinking of switching up a bit and trying to improve my 5k speed. I struggled a bit to fit the longer runs in, and I'm getting out on the bike more while the weather's good.
So I'm thinking something like four runs a week. One tempo run (probs 5kish), one easy run, one longer run (maybe 8-10k) then mix in some hill reps and some interval pace runs ramping up the speed. I was comfortably doing 60 min 10ks during the half training, so I reckon start with 5:45 km/rest/repeat and see how we go from there. Do that for six weeks or so and see if I can get close to a 25 min 5k...
Does that sound like a reasonably realistic plan? Or any recommended ones to look at?
@flyingmonkeycorps, that sounds sensible to me. I might throw some efforts into you long run too, doesn't need to be over planned, just some 400m ish sections where you up the pace a bit.
Whatever keeps you motivated, interested, and not injured! Basically it's all about the steady mileage, the more you can be bothered doing, the fitter and faster you'll get. A few higher intensity efforts is fine too but not really very important compared to total mileage.
I decided to stop toying with the idea and entered the 5 Valleys Ultra afterall - best start getting ready to start thinking about making a training plan...
Egged on by my son I've just entered the Chiltern Ridge Classic 50k & 996m ascent, what could possibly go wrong....
Cheers - yeah I don't want to go too nuts with the efforts, but something a bit different should keep me entertained. A lot of my longer runs have been negative splits, so I'll probably chuck some of those in there too.
No, they are different.
I mainly use Gel Nimbus nn's but occasionally go to Ghosts. These are Ghosts after 1k miles in Nimbus but in a later iteration than my last pair of Ghosts - if that makes sense? I don't think they'll be reducing heel drop as most modern trainers now look like foam platforms...
I thought plantar was on the underside of the foot/heel not on the back itself? I've never had it so don't know the detail.
I've started a new pair of Nimbus to see if it's shoe specific but I think the injury is there and not getting a chance to heal regardless of shoe type.
Boblo, how have you got on - has going back to Nimbuses (Nimbi?) helped at all?