Good luck Captain. The trick will be staying injury and illness free over the winter but also getting plenty of miles in. I would recommend running regular xc races as well.
Who else is starting to think of next year’s goals?
What?? the season is just starting! If you have aspirations for next year then I would recommend you run the xc season.
thecaptain, that is a target indeed! best of luck sir.
Best of luck thecaptain. I think my next aim is to get back to a reasonably swift half-m - precious pb is a shade under 1.40 so I’d like to get back to that. Also, let’s see how close to a 20m 5k I can get.
Like DD, I’m a fan of the ‘Running for Weight Loss’ app and today I’m going to start the 10k plan. To start with I’ll actually be running shorter distances than I have been recently but it’ll be interspersed with walking so I guess it’s just getting me used to being on my feet for longer. That’s cool – I really don’t want to get injured!
I've stopped using that now wallop. It did the job - with a bit of dietary work and the RfWL app, I dropped around 8-9kg from Jan to the Summer - although 1.5 of those has popped back on due to a sciatica and beer fuelled summer. Now I just use online resources to work our interesting interval programmes and just use my watch to do them. One thing to watch out for with the RfWL app is when it tells you to sprint 100% - although I think that’s quite a way into their “programme”. You might want to do a bit of dynamic stretching after your warm-up if there are sprints (worth a quick read-up on these). Sprints can be pretty taxing on the legs and lower back if you’re not used to them. In general though, I found the RfWL app useful - helped with weight loss and kept running interesting, but mostly got me to love running again after a few years of only sporadic activity.
No sprints in the 10k programme, thankfully! I’m not really using the whole app content, just the running progression - I think it keeps me going when I might otherwise stop and walk. 😄
Have you got a particular HM in sight?
Good luck, the captain!
let’s see how close to a 20m 5k I can get.
I'll race you to it Darcy lad! currently at 21.39 on a fairly hilly parkrun course, but I had a mole at the counter from about a mile into it! I'll certainly get below 21 at next attempt, it's just a matter then of seeing how close I can get.
Dalbeattie Hardrock on sunday - 10 miles on the fire roads of 7 stanes route, then Jedburgh half with the good lady at end of the month.
Am at 21.39 on Ashton Court which is 2.5up and 2.5down (I’m not sure I mentioned how much of a bastard the up is before, have I? No! 😬) and 21.07 at Arrow Valley - 2 laps around a lake so flattish. Might go and give Eastville in Bristol a go tomoz - it’s pretty flat I think. Just need to go easy on the FN Beers. It won’t be a pb for sure but haven’t done one in a while.
let’s see how close to a 20m 5k I can get.
This is my winter goal too, 20:21 is PB so at Dudley Parkrun which is pan flat bar an absolute sod of a hill in the middle. Sub-20 must be on!
I'm doing Abingdon marathon on 21st, aiming for 3:40 once that is out the way I will also be aiming for a sub 20 5k. Last one in August was 21:14. Not been sub 20 since 2014.
No park run this week for me. I think I'm gonna aim for one a amonth or there abouts.
Riding/pushing up beinn a bhiurd instead.
Stuart I'm out culter way now. Auchenblae was an awesome location for all things outdoor and although I rarely go to the office so can be based a good bit away the wife teaches in the city now rather than at mearns and we value the time to do stuff and not being car reliant over the cheaper houses and a 2hr commute in winter.
What?? the season is just starting! If you have aspirations for next year then I would recommend you run the xc season.
The hill running season is definitely coming to an end up here and my head is ready for a break. I know I should run some XC races but I can never be bothered. When winter comes I tend to go back to my first love, winter climbing.
It's new shoe day. I bloody love new shoe day!.
Asics Roadhawk FF, again, like flying slippers, I love em!.
York marathon a week on Sunday.
Ran it last year (first road marathon) with an aim of 3:20. Went to pot at mile 18 and finished in 3:40 so I’m having another go.
Didn’t do enough training so I’ve been on a 16 week plan this time around which I’ve mainly stuck to. I’ve had several 53 mile weeks with the rest in the 40’s.
8 miles planned tomorrow and 4 Sunday then a gentle week to keep ticking over.
Consistent Marathon training has really brought my times down. Ran 18:40 for 5k and ran a half marathon 4 weeks ago aiming for sub 90 ... 1:30:07 🙈 a big PB of 3 minutes so missed the sub90 but still a good run I was pleased with.
any tips for my final week?
Dalbeattie hardrock 10 miler tomorrow, weather looks 'interesting'..... 🤣
Rest up stox, you can't do any good in the last week but you can certainly do harm! I usually do something like 2x2k at marathon pace a few days out just to get s feel for it on fresh legs.
Today I learned that 3 hours is not enough to fully digest a massive Mexican meal, and I had to stop halfway round my long run to throw up 😆
Still, another 24K done so it was worth it.
Hope everybody’s had a productive weekend. Didn’t manage to get a pr in but took my boy, 5¾ for his first junior parkrun this morning at Eastville in Bristol. He loved it. Although he flagged a bit around 1.5k, and we had to slow jog for a bit, he mustered up enough for a sprint for the last hundred m or so when he heard some footsteps trundling behind to overtake. 😀
Brilliant Darcy, it's great running with the kids. I hardly ever get the chance to have a go at a time at PR as my 11 year old daughter is usually with me. I try not to moan at her to go quicker, as I'm really just happy she's doing it. Most of her friends couldn't walk 5k never mind run it!.
Yeah beautiful day down this way.. another hack around QECP, back on my road to fitness.
Dalbeattie hardrock is a tough gig, undulating fire roads for 6 miles, great, 4 miles of rooty rollercoaster, hmmm bit tougher!
Need to try run and bike next year, done stellar performances, run course record gone at 56 odd mins, impressive stuff. Some boys on bikes were close to the hour for the lap too blimey.
1.22 for me, pretty pleased as I've never seen the course, so pacing was tough.
Nice work NoFearInTheBridge. 👍
See two lads have died doing the Cardiff half. No cause of death yet. I've heard in the past that with all the advertising to keep well hydrated people actually take on board too much and dilute the electrolytes to a dangerous level. Just something to be aware of that taking on too much water is just as bad as not having enough.
Anybody watching the adventure show? The Lairig Ghru hill race is featured, organised and containing several interviews with rugbydick (Andy) from this thread Oh; and a fat lad in a pink vest at the back in the start scenes 😳
Just something to be aware of that taking on too much water is just as bad as not having enough.
Hyponatremia - odd that it could cause a death in a half marathon in October, though.
No cause of death yet for the two lads. The drinking too much was just something I had heard of in other races.
Just watched the AS larig ghru hill run
Those Battle kids (locals) are tough as nailed propper meillers (that's a good term) turned him self inside out.
Heart attacks at finish line according to web site. Undiagnosed heart problems are not unheard of. Very sad but the vast majority of runners gain substantial benefits. Or so I'm lead to believe. Knowing two exercise-induced heart attack victims (one of which died) does give me a little pause for thought....
The young fella, Kieran Cooper, in the AS is local to me, bloody impressive every time he runs!
Can't be thinking like that.
Its not just runners cyclists are just as vulnerable to this.
See one of our own In Messiah .
He was out enjoying a wee bike ride long he had done all his life and kieled over in the woods. RIP. Brian
Safer to do than to sit on the sofa there is no doubt about it.
Even though I'm genetically disposed to have thin heart walls I'm as yet undiagnosed as an off the record chat with my doctor mate basically said if we diagnose you we are going to take away everything you enjoy. He reckoned I was better to continue as is and take my chances while monitoring for any oddities.
I'm far more worried about becoming a badger under someone's car wheels the risk is much higher.
Had the pleasure of going to Junior Parkrun today, just to see what it’s all about as there’s a new one local to me and on a running route I do occasionally. And let me tell you, it was wonderful. A field fully of happy, smiling kids and some of the most positive, encouraging adults I’ve seen. Nicely competitive at the front, and just really positive at the back. So far away from other kids sport I’ve seen and been involved in where you have the dreaded “competing dad” on the side. If you have kids of the right age I heavily suggest you get them involved, I don’t so will be volunteering instead.
Sunday saw my 2nd A marathon of the year, Bournemouth, with a goal time of sub 2:25. I ran this one in 2016 so know it's not the fastest with some cheeky little lumps along the way, that time I ran 2:40:09, 10 seconds slower than I wanted! Weather was pretty good, cool with just a light breeze. I started perhaps a little enthusiastically, covering the first 5km in 15:51, but a significant portion of that was dropping down to sea level. On a hilly course it's important to gain time by hammering the descents in order to save the legs on the ups where where you will lose some. Despite this, it was a bit too quick, 2nd 5km was 16:58 with some climbing, then 16:36 for the 3rd. Came through half-way in 1:10, which anyone can tell you isn't the ideal pacing for a 2:25 goal, which ultimately came back to bite me later. I had a significant lead over 2nd place although when running the hilly loop around 30km I was surprised to see 2nd place running in the opposite direction to me. Shortly after on an out-and-back he had closed in significantly, and at the turn-around near Sandbanks he was only 20 seconds behind me. Slightly demoralising to be caught with 5k to go, but I assumed that I would be able to sit on his shoulder and let him do some work into the wind, and get him on the line, however the legs had other ideas. Blew up horribly and the 2:25 finish went out of the window as my pace dropped in the final 3km, finishing a minute behind the winner in 2:26:49.
However, the winner had run a rather different route to everyone else, which explained why he was running the wrong way at one point, and also why he closed in so quickly in a short period. Remains to be seen whether the results will stand or be adjusted.
Despite knocking just over a minute off my London PB I'm rather annoyed with myself at my poor pacing, having closed down fast starters the last time I ran here by keeping my powder dry at the start. Pretty sure I could have hit my 2:25 goal by going slower at the start, which would have also meant winning.... First time I've got it so wrong in a marathon, so can't complain too much.
Got a week for the legs to recover before the first XC race of the season!
Cheers, Rich
How do New Balance trainers size up? Some very decent trail shoes at very reasonable prices it seems.
I'm a Salomon or Adidas shape usually, tad wider in front foot. I just seem to wear through both these at a rather rapid rate...
Our suggest me some budget size 9.5's, prefer waterproof as we are heading into winter.
I'm also in the market for new trail running shoes with winter approaching. got away with my decathlon road shoes so far but with the slop on its way i need something with grip or ill be face surfing on the downs.
not looking for waterproof as feet dry eventually and im not running long enough to take advantage of it (circa 10k)
looking at moremile cheviot pace or decathlon kipprun race (mainly as the other kipprun models are all quite tall , heavy padded and large heel/toe drop).
Nursing a toe nail thats black and blue + rather tender after 10k in my old trail shoes last night which appear to be marginally too small for me - they have been ok for an hour of general circuits in the woods at trail tribe but less than ideal for running it seems 🙁
My cheap chinese 2000 lumen rechargable headtorch was a success for now though - while i wouldn't choose to run through the arctic and rely on it with my life .... tis fine for a run in the woods - although there doesnt appear to be a charging circuit it just applies volts to 18650s so ill charge them in my own external 18650 charger.
Don’t buy those ON Cloudventure waterproof trainers I bought.
Slippy As **** on roots and South Downs chalk 🤨💩
Re. trail shoes, the Decathlon (Kalenji?) off road shoes look good, they're a touch narrow for me but they look the part. There's also some interesting looking shoes on the Asics clearance site.
Grippy is definitely needed - a couple of flat-on-my-arse moments this lunchtime...My (now worn flat) Adidas with Continental Mountain King(!) soles are the best, most grippy shoes ever. But have worn out quickly and now seem silly money...
Sportsshoes.com and just filter down to size and needs, I tend to stick to Asics, and always get a decent pair for around 50 quid.
Matt, NB seem to need a half size up for me, quite small made. I just bought a pair of Goretex trail shoes, ran a few times in them, won't be buying them again as they're too bloody hot (sweaty feet are blistery feet) I don't think running shoes need to be waterproof, they're so light thy dry out in no time.
Oh, and I log my shoes on Strava, 500 miles and they're no longer running shoes.
i made my choice.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/kiprace-trail-4-yellow-id_8487943.html
my road shoes( https://www.decathlon.co.uk/run-active-shoes-id_8488626.html) have been a good buy and stopped alot of aches and pains i used to get
500 miles and they’re no longer running shoes.
That's twice what i generally get, most start to feel different at 250 miles and they're relegated to short, muddy runs.
Aye, My BiL does 250 too, he also has 3 pairs and alternates, doesn't use the same pair twice in a row.
No London Marathon for me next year, just had that confirmed. So, where to next? An ultra perhaps? Manchester again (and train properly for a PB!)? Or maybe Edinburgh? Or something completely different like the Windermere marathon. Hmm.
I don’t think running shoes need to be waterproof, they’re so light thy dry out in no time.
A bit like the annual what winter tyres for my car thread, it depends on where you live and where you run.
Today was puddles, puddles, puddles - and yet I had dry feet at the end.
I often run around freezing air temps, and in the snow when it arrives.
My running shoes also get worn for hill walks etc, so waterproof is useful.
Well done Turboferret, banging out 16m 5k's for hours.. great result 🙂
So, where to next? An ultra perhaps? Manchester again (and train properly for a PB!)? Or maybe Edinburgh? Or something completely different like the Windermere marathon. Hmm.
Go abroad? Do a race in France or Spain or wherever? Nice excuse for a long weekend away.
And my shoes usually get to 800-1000km before I get round to changing them.... last road shoes were at 1200km 😀
