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The Annual Running thread - beginners/ultras/whatever

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My holiday read is the David Goggins book, "Can't hurt me". Wow. This guy takes fitness and ultra running to a whole new level.


 
Posted : 07/07/2019 9:32 pm
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Last minute entered a 20k/1000m local race on Saturday, as usual started too fast, blew up on the second climb at 13k, managed to finish Not Last. Need to start targeting weaknesses, noticed I always go backwards on anything technical, and by technical I mean something as innocuous as a level, narrow trod with loose stones under the grass. Foot rolls a bit, get paranoid and back off, repeat until 20 runners have gone past. Descending is just a disaster.

A recovery run would be nice but spent all today on planes and it's already in the 40s first thing in the morning so I'll not bother.

So next bunch of races will be in the lakes.


 
Posted : 07/07/2019 10:39 pm
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I thought that I had sabotaged my race when on Saturday morning was out for a very gentle jog with the boy in the buggy. Upon a request to go super fast and breaking into an easy stride, shooting pains from my left hamstring 😮 Didn't bode well for 25 laps of punishment around the track 6 hours later and I was dubious as to whether I'd start, let alone finish...

I was in the 2nd 10,000m race of the fantastic Highgate Night of the 10,000m PBs. They were using a new pacing system called wavelight with LED lights all around the inside rail of the track which would illuminate to a pre-determined pace. The green lights for my race were ticking over at 30:30 pace, the following red ones at 31:00. Given my 10k PB is 31:32, and I wasn't feeling on fire, I started fairly conservatively, sticking with the red lights. With 40 starters it was a bit crowded and apparently some without huge experience ducking and weaving without indicating. One of my friends got clipped and lost a shoe partway round...

I finished 6th in 31:14 which I was pretty pleased with, especially given how much I hate racing on track 😀


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 10:18 am
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Chuffed with my half on Saturday.
I've been running pretty badly recently, a combination of stress at work and lack of real mileage, so was really worried about how it would go and what kind of performance I'd put in. I'd said to myself that if I got under 2 hours I wouldn't be unhappy.
Started a little quick, but then settled in, miles 3 - 9 were all paced with 5 seconds or each other. I know the last 4 miles of the event really well so as I felt fresh pushed on a little and finished a smidge under 1:45. Not a PB for the distance but I was really pleased with it, particularly with the pacing. It might just have got my running mojo back too.


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 10:26 am
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Bugger - no running for me for a few days. 5 mins from home on a nice 10k loop in the hills and stepped in a rabbit hole. Total innocuous and just one of those minor stumbles but have tweaked my back and can hardly straighten up this morning. And that was minutes after I stood on a thick bramble and managed to trip myself up, shredding the inside on my left leg on the thorns! A great run all round...


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 11:04 am
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lots of good stuff over the weekend guys.

I had an easy weekend. Went to a gig in Inverness and bouncing about on my forefoot has agrivated my arch- feels like I'm stood on a golfball at all times resulting in a hobble back to the car and being outpaced by my heavily pregnant wife. - i had made loose plans to do the parkrun as a recovery run but instead its time to get the spiky ball out and i bought a new foam roller.

I've been spinning out from the long run for the last week on Zwift on the turbo but i dared to ride to work this morning. Anything other than a light spin resulted in seriously sore knees again.

MY IT band is like a banjo string , my back and neck are only a little less tight.

Just set my phone up with the Yoga and stretching workout apps for lunch time to nip this in the bud.


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 12:00 pm
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Trail_rat, were you at the Proclaimers at Bught Park in Inverness? We had the finish line of the Great Glen Ultra right alongside in the athletics stadium and had some fun musical moments that evening.

A completely cracking weekend; the race started in Ft Bill at 0100 Saturday, official times are not yet posted but the winner arrived in Inverness at about 1230hrs after 72 miles and maybe 9000 feet of climbing. At the other end of the race, huge respect must go to newcomer Naomi Andrews, whose visibly very painful finish after around 21 hours on her feet brought our day to a close.
After the runners' briefing, I'd set off in front of the pack and biked the course overnight checking waymarking and chatting to the marshalling crews at the checkpoints. Highlights of a superb long trail ride were a close-up of a pine marten near Bridge of Oich about 0400 and shortly after, sunrise seen from the high trail between Fort Augustus and Invermoriston. There were a handful of minor medical challenges at the finish line but nothing we couldn't handle readily. Happy days.....


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 2:15 pm
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no i was at Skipinnish on friday.

then went to the start of the pan celtic on sunday.

Wife wasnt keen on hanging about on saturday night as we were staying up in culbokie.


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 2:33 pm
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Folks, has anyone entered an organised race in France and had to do a "fitness to run" (or whatever you want to call it) certificate? I've seen a nice looking trail race about an hour from our campsite when we're on holidays there in August. Internet folklore, being what it is, is giving me all sorts of answers as to what a UK resident would have to do...with a lot of forum posts on various sites saying they'd just faked one. I'd be interested in seeing what the score is/was from anyone here who's done it.


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 4:18 pm
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DD: do it properly; go and speak to your gp and expect to have to pay a small fee for the privilege.
While it's unlikely to be a problem, there are so many ways that his could go wrong for you if you are injured or become ill while at their event. Many thousands of Brits run in events across France every year and the vast majority will get their statement and do it by the book.


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 5:03 pm
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@highlandman, I should have said I didn’t like the idea of faking something like that and am happy to go by the book for this. Will give the GP surgery a ring tomorrow to check if they’ll do something along those lines. Bit of a PITA but I’d like to enter races whenever I’m over there on holidays. The race I want to enter says in its rules:

“Foreign athletes, even if...blah blah...IAAF...blah blah...must furnish a certificate in French or have a translation if written in a foreign language...blah blah.”


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 6:51 pm
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@deadlydarcy - it seems it's standard practice in France. We had to supply a doctor's certificate to take part in the French Divide. This turned out to be "I know of no medical reason why X cannot take part in this event." on headed notepaper and signed.


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 7:07 pm
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DD How did the big race go? Enjoy it?.


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 8:29 pm
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DD How did the big race go? Enjoy it?.

I’ll probably stick something up tomorrow NoFeer, when I’m feeling less negative about it. Save to say, it just wasn’t really a “race.” 😐


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 8:50 pm
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Oooh, building the tension! I likes 🙂 Awaits tomorrows update with eager anticipation...


 
Posted : 08/07/2019 8:57 pm
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Did a few mountains on Sunday, thought I'd tick off a few munros, started at Baddoch near Glenshee, did the 2 munros near the ski bit then west to Carn a Gheoidh then north via An Socach and a high ridge back to Braemar. 35k/1600m. Not a route I'd do again all told, large sections of rubble, jaggy boulder / heather / bog bashing, not much path. Surprisingly chilly for July (MWIS had 'feels like' at -2 at 1100m). Pint was badly needed afterwards so popped in to the Fife arms despite looking a bit sporty for the surroundings, first time I've been in since it's became 'artified' (a picasso on the wall in a pub!?)

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Posted : 09/07/2019 2:03 pm
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Well, my GP has told me he won't certify me without a full medical - for which he will kindly rinse me of £110 - and then charge for the certificate/letter. Lovely. Time to try back-street/online dodgies. :o)


 
Posted : 10/07/2019 12:25 pm
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Ooft.

DrP to the running thread!.


 
Posted : 10/07/2019 12:56 pm
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So what happened in the SW coastal race DD?


 
Posted : 10/07/2019 1:29 pm
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Ah I dunno - I don’t want to whinge too much. It was a bloody expensive event to enter - and with parking & camping at their event village (again at extra cost), overall it cost us a fortune. The organisation was great - transfer buses etc all worked well and the campsite toilets, bar, showers etc were all clean and worked well. The overall atmosphere was great - friendly staff, marshalls & competitors - apart from the usual complement of merchant bankers one encounters at all “events.”

However, what I wasn’t prepared for was that this wasn’t really a race. There are sections in it which could be best described as “coasteering” - so maybe, jump in the sea, swim a bit then a long scramble across rocks back to the coastal path. All good fun. Except...you didn’t have to do them!! And inevitably, because it was single file, there were queues so you couldn’t do it at your own pace. You were just doing it at the pace of the crowd, which was inevitably slow.

We’d pass a group of runners - a difficult negotiation in itself at times - I think we all know how reluctant slow runners are to let faster followers through on single track at times - do our swim, scramble get back on the run and then pass the same group 30 mins later as they’d just not bothered doing the water section. There was no timing system to decide who’d done what. I even skipped the last water section myself and waited for my running partner to do it as I’d just had enough of the sea at that stage. If it had been a “race”, I’d have done it though.

So we have finishing times, but they’re fairly meaningless as an “unfit” person that didn’t bother with the water sections could easily have finished an hour or more before people who were “fast” but had done their bits.

So all in all, a great weekend was had by all. Whatever about it being a race or not, it was bloody tough. 1000m of climbing over 40km and 3500 calories burned. The post race beers were some of the nicest I’ve ever drunk. Good bonding with my training partners and we’ll do something similar next year, just not a RatRace event. I realise I’m shite really and not going to be competitive in my field, but I’d rather it was a race to compete in rather than an event to post on Facebook/Instagram with a chunky medal.

Nuff said. Off to put the same in an email to RatRace. 😀


 
Posted : 10/07/2019 5:05 pm
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Fair enough, that would piss me off anaw mate, well done though. 💪🏻


 
Posted : 10/07/2019 6:38 pm
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Sounds a very measured response and not whingy at all. If you’re not doing the water sections the alternative should be slower (or there’s a time penalty).


 
Posted : 10/07/2019 8:29 pm
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Cheers dashed and NoFeer. Anyway, moving on...who’s got what on this weekend? Anybody entered anything for later in the season?


 
Posted : 12/07/2019 2:23 pm
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ParkRun tomorrow morning - gonna try for a PB again (set 3 weeks ago, missed bettering it by 11 seconds last weekend). Currently training for the GNR in September.


 
Posted : 12/07/2019 4:47 pm
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ParkRun tomorrow morning – gonna try for a PB again

Er, ditto! Solo this week so no buggy to push so I’m going to have a crack at a proper warm up and see what I can manage. It’s about 2k to the nearest park run so I’m going to have a gentle run over there to get things moving rather than jumping straight out of a car an expecting to run quickly 😉


 
Posted : 12/07/2019 9:06 pm
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Nowt this weekend Darcy, I'll be spending most of it going cross channel back to Blighty, sadly.

Next Saturday Mrs NoFeer and I have run the blades ultra, 50k around a wind farm. It'll be a pootle, more of an exercise to see how the legs are at long distances, as I have 38 mile and 40 mile ultras on my tod later in summer.

Then Dunoon half the week after.


 
Posted : 12/07/2019 9:51 pm
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Well parkrun PB achieved (25 seconds off my previous PB) but definitely my lungs / breathing that is holding me back. Legs feel fine but struggling to breath properly. I guess the only way to improve that is to work on some speed training or track work??
Oh, and optical HR monitor definitely not accurate - virtually all of the run in z3 again despite going at my limit. Suspect it’s a sweaty wrist that interferes with its accuracy??


 
Posted : 13/07/2019 1:36 pm
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Na, they're just shit for anything active. If sweat was the culprit, chest straps wouldn't work.

I reckon it's a combo of vibration and the wrist not being a great place to get hr from.


 
Posted : 13/07/2019 3:57 pm
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Is there anybody running at Thunder Run next weekend? I ran it last year in a team of 5 and somehow got roped into going again this year!
It’s a great weekend. I’m definitely not watching the weather forecast already :-0


 
Posted : 14/07/2019 9:30 am
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DD, re the medical cert - if you've to pay that much for a doc's note which is pretty much useless, why not do a ramp test so at least you've got some useful data? I used to have to do them for my Spanish competition licence (cycling tho), didn't begrudge the fee as it gave VO2 max etc. IIRC the GP just does an ECG at rest which I doubt is that indicative of your capacity to climb for 20mins at threshold without dying! We got them done at the Uni, which was a fair bit cheaper than a private lab.


 
Posted : 14/07/2019 2:14 pm
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DD, re the medical cert – if you’ve to pay that much for a doc’s note which is pretty much useless, why not do a ramp test so at least you’ve got some useful data?

+1 - I've had to get a load of useless doctor's certs for various races, and all they do is measure your blood pressure and do a quick listen to your heart. You're-fine-and-that's-30€-thank-you-very-much.

If you have to spend the money get a proper test done.


 
Posted : 14/07/2019 6:00 pm
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Jaysus, it’s a fitness to race certificate for an 18km trail race with about 200 entrants and I should now go to University of Bristol or somesuch and get a full VO2 Max ramp test (or whatever it is) done? These certificates are an exercise in shifting liability from organisers to competitors and their doctors. From internet research (yeah, I know) it ranges from “my doc signed one for free” to “only after a full medical etc...cost me £200...” [For ref, I’d be somewhere in the middle leaning towards the £200 option.] I’d happily sign a waiver on the day.

The more I read about how seriously these certificates are taken, the more tempted I am to just fake one - but I know I bloody won’t at the end of the day. It’s just all bollocks though.

EDIT: Apparently, a quick visit to a French GP and you can get yourself one for around €30 but I have to enter online and upload a pdf. Bloody shite.


 
Posted : 14/07/2019 8:43 pm
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Not a regular poster on here but did the Wyre Forest Half Marathon today - a mixture of fire roads and trails. Have started to do a little bit of running recently but my longest run to date was a flat 9 miles on tarmac. Managed today's half marathon in just under 1 hour 58 minutes and only stopped in total for a few minutes at the water stops. Happy with that for my first attempt at a trail half.


 
Posted : 14/07/2019 9:30 pm
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A quick check on the route shows it as having 200m-ish of climbing stuc. Bloody well done on coming in well under the 2 hr mark on that one. Great stuff. 👍


 
Posted : 14/07/2019 9:48 pm
 stuc
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Ta.

Strava/Garmins saying just under 1200ft but not sure how accurate that is. Looking forward to trying to keep this running up.


 
Posted : 14/07/2019 10:05 pm
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So I managed to get a PB in the ParkRun - 22 seconds better at 23.35. then did the Race for Life with my daughters, their friends and their mums (took my wife's place as she was injured). A much more leisurely run but very impressed that 10 ten years olds and some mums that don't even run managed to get around 5k in 33 mins.


 
Posted : 14/07/2019 10:17 pm
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Well done Stuc! 💪🏻


 
Posted : 14/07/2019 11:59 pm
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Wee thought for those involved in the like of BGR, PBR, CRR....etc.

How do you find folk to run with you? Assume it can't all be people you know, and you'd really need local folks for the knowledge etc?

Are these support runners folks that are keen to try a round for themselves? Or maybe veterans of the various rounds?.

Not that I'm anywhere near even thinking about such madness, but, well, 18 months ago (with the exception of an embarrassing Edinburgh marathon years ago!) I hadn't ever done any proper running really, now I've knocked out a few hill races, half marathons, got an ultra this weekend....

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that in a couple of years time, I could be a few steps nearer....

Who knows?. 😊


 
Posted : 15/07/2019 12:26 am
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Club runners nobeer? I did a shift on the WHW for a friend. I don't go that often to club training nights, as I sometimes feel clubs suck the fun out of stuff. But they provide a good support network.


 
Posted : 15/07/2019 3:35 am
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PSA - Prime members get 30% off Garmin wearables for the next 48 hours, might find a bargain or two


 
Posted : 15/07/2019 11:25 am
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Aye, I'll be doing a shift on the WHW next year for a clubmate, but that's a different monkey altogether, its a marked path, no nav issues, the rounds are completely different. A tired runner must be very reliant on not only being paced but also assisted with route choice.

Spin, who was gonna do your winter round with you? Guys you knew, or do you post on a forum and ask for folks?.


 
Posted : 15/07/2019 12:02 pm
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First track session for me tonight. Eeek! Suspect it's not going to be pretty...


 
Posted : 19/07/2019 11:16 am
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Been trying to get some mojo back recently, still doing the miles but no pace and not much enjoyment.
2 things have happened:
1. I've entered a 1 mile track race at my local track. I suspect it'll hurt like hell but I quite fancy something different
2. I made a slight tweak to my commute run, and this morning, I ran it in the rain. Oh my, it was wonderful, I was slow but the tweak in route is really nice and running in the warm rain is such a treat.
Maybe, just maybe I'm back on track.


 
Posted : 19/07/2019 11:45 am
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Im not having a good month.

Since the lairig ghru ive been off the feet pretty much .

Did LG and thought i got away pretty lightly with no real "injuries" so to speak- just toenails and blisters.

Kept my self moving with the bike and swimming to let the blisters heal - lots of stretching etc.

at skipinish the following friday - i became aware of a golf ball in my shoe under the arch on the right foot - and the golf ball was growing. Spent a week hobbling and massaging the area with a golf ball. - thought i was good . Tried an easy run wednesday this week - nope its back within 3k .

MY IT band on the left Knee is good for a bit of dualing banjos - so foam roller has been applied liberally and my back has been stretched lots .

probably a couple more weeks of rest required 🙁


 
Posted : 19/07/2019 12:54 pm
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It's nae fun getting auld Terry.


 
Posted : 19/07/2019 12:57 pm
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If we’re talking injuries wondering if any of you had had peroneal tendinopathy? Overdid things a few weeks back and been unable to run since. Pain and swelling in foot seems to be easing slowly and just wondering if you have any tips? I suspect my calf muscles are a bit tight and a contributory factor so I’ve been stretching them a lot. Will go and see a physio soon I think if it takes much longer to heal.


 
Posted : 19/07/2019 3:33 pm
 Spin
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Spin, who was gonna do your winter round with you? Guys you knew, or do you post on a forum and ask for folks?.

I was going to run solo but have static support at two points. That's how I did my summer CRR and BG. Obviously you need to be confident on nav etc but it makes you more flexible. Most folks would lean on club mates but not every club has that kind of expertise. There's the fell runners forum and also a FB group called Ramsay Recces that people have used to find support.

I'm in the Alps just now with shonky WiFi but happy to offer advice on rounds when I'm back or better connected!


 
Posted : 19/07/2019 4:39 pm
 Spin
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A few thoughts on rounds...

How you do in races is a poor measure of how you'll do on a round. I regularly beat people in races who have much faster round times than me and vice versa. At the end of the day only one time matters and that's sub 24.

As for building up to it, racing has a place but massive days out are better, after all you only have to average 4kph to do a CRR! If you're serious nobeer, keep doing what you're doing but throw in some big hillwalking type days, try to keep the pace up but don't worry about it too much. By massive days out I mean 10hrs plus. Build up to doing a few days like that back to back. Mountain marathons are also good prep. If you can do the A class in one of them without too much damage then I reckon you're fairly well on your way.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 12:53 pm
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Watched the Eiger Ulrra Trail yesterday in places, very scenic 110km/6700m ascent. Might dust off my ultra shoes again and get an entry in for next year. Watching the lights as I sipped a bottle of red last night reminded me I’m an old man but still have some energy !


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 12:59 pm
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Cheers spin, done great food for thought there.

Did run the blades 50k yesterday with my wife, she was awesome, her longest previous run was 15 miles, so 50k was a stretch.

I found it tough, sounds silly (but hopefully not condescending!) That slowing down to her ultra pace actually made it very tough.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 2:00 pm
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After last weeks half marathon, which I'm going to call a success, I thought today I'd try a run in the Peak District.

I headed up to Kinder Downfall from Edale. Some walking involved and some scrambling when I missed a turning and ended up following the course of a stream, until I was actually pretty much in the stream. I need to brush up on my navigation as I'm so used to the main areas of the Peak by bike - found it easy to follow what looked like a defined path heading in the right direction which soon turned vague. Think I may invest in something with a better display than my Edge and revisit my map and compass skills as well.

Also bought a Salomon ADV pack in Hathersage. Really nice to run with - cant really tell it's there. Looked at the Alpkit bag but even though I'm not the slimmest of people the straps were pretty much cinched tight and it still moved around a bit.

Just over 12 miles in total - not fast because of the walking and scrambling bits but a really nice day out, and something I've wanted to do for a while.


 
Posted : 21/07/2019 7:22 pm
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Been upping my miles recently (although absolutely nowhere near the distances some of you guys do) and have done a couple of 6 mile runs (two runs over three days to push tiring legs a bit) in just under 9 minute mile pace but wanting to get that to around 8.30min - aiming to do GNR in <2hrs in September.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 12:15 pm
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Well done johndoh.

Best thing I've done for my pace is long slow runs combined with a tempo run a week, and a track interval session.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 12:38 pm
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Cheers nobeer - that's kind of the aim, however (due to injury) I lost a whole season in 2017 then nursed my way back last year by just doing Park Runs. Up until 6 weeks ago I hadn't run further than PR distance since January 2017 so I am building up the distance (which I aim to do on week day evenings) then aiming to beat my PBs in the ParkRun on Saturday mornings (which I managed last time out) when I have people to run against.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 1:25 pm
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Hey Johndoh, I'm doing the GNR and also aiming sub 2 hours. I'd echo what Nobeer says. I'm doing a couple of easy runs and a tempo/interval run through the week with a longer one on Sundays (about 8-10 miles at the minute). 9.09 minute miles is dead on 2 hours but I think you are right. In a big event like the GNR, there's crowds and faffing to deal with so 8.30 pace is reasonable. Coming from cycling I find that I have a decent level of stamina, its the pace that I need to improve on.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 2:03 pm
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Excellent - I am not quite at that distance yet - I could do it physically but just wary about getting injured so taking it quite steady. I might try for 8 miles on Wednesday as my family are all away for the night.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 2:12 pm
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Forgot to say, my long runs are slow. Like 9.00 - 9.30 min per mile slow. Similar theory to riding Zone 2 when getting cycling base miles in.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 2:24 pm
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That's not slow, my 50k on Saturday was about 2 mins slower than that! 😅

I like mixing it up, parkrun, track sessions, tempos, long runs, sociable work runs, long runs with my wife, but my favourite discovery has been hill running.

I always thought it was solely for wee skinny bastards, and I was always a big lad with questionable joints due to a life of football.

Turns out, well it is for wee skinny bastards, but I'm no bad at it either! Mid table obscurity is a result for me!.

Running has been the best thing I've done for my knees and ankles, and hill races combine my love of running and the hills, and also allows me to get a look at potential bike rides!.

Grand.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 2:45 pm
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Yeah my 10k pace is (currently) around 9 minutes albeit in hilly areas around my house (I can do <8min miles on the flat ParkRun I do. Will be interesting to see how I fare on a flatter 10k but unfortunately I can't do that from my house as we live on the top of a hill.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 3:17 pm
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Wee thought for those involved in the like of BGR, PBR, CRR….etc.

How do you find folk to run with you? Assume it can’t all be people you know, and you’d really need local folks for the knowledge etc?

Are these support runners folks that are keen to try a round for themselves? Or maybe veterans of the various rounds?.

Not that I’m anywhere near even thinking about such madness, but, well, 18 months ago (with the exception of an embarrassing Edinburgh marathon years ago!) I hadn’t ever done any proper running really, now I’ve knocked out a few hill races, half marathons, got an ultra this weekend….

It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that in a couple of years time, I could be a few steps nearer….

Who knows?.

When I first attempted the BGR, there were very few forums about and it was certainly pre-FB, even the FRA forums hadn't started. I didn't get much help from the running club I was in either but I was asking the wrong people. I eventually asked on UKClimbing and got a couple of people offering to help along with a few mates. I didn't make it round that time (or the next) but managed it on my third attempt. My success was back in 2005.

These days I'm a bit more involved in things and I usually point people to the FRA forums and the FB group (though I'm not on FB myself). There's plenty of folk out there willing to help, often as part of their training for their own attempts, and many will repay the help received with helping on future rounds. Local knowledge? There's a lot of info available these days, Harveys do maps of all three big rounds for example, but a recce run or two of each leg should be enough to figure things out - does depend where you live in relation to the rounds themselves of course as to how practical that is.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 4:23 pm
 Spin
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This isnt really running as most folk would understand it but it does say 'whatever' in the title so I'll share it anyway!

Over the last few summers I've been messing around with running style ascents of big peaks in the Alps. Nothing technically difficult but a bit more involved than just trail running. The sort of stuff that people traditionally do over two days with a night in a hut but done in one day from the valley.

You see quite a bit of stuff on social media from people doing this sort of thing but its actually still quite uncommon I think. At least thats the impression I've got from the comments and funny looks I've encountered!

Anyway, to cut a long story short I did the Mont Pelvoux in this style a few days ago, Pic Coolidge tomorrow and weather/persistent knee niggle depending I'm going for Mont Blanc at the weekend / early next week.

I never set out deliberately to do any of this stuff so I guess the reason I'm posting this is to show that if you follow those little daft ideas that pop into your head, have a crack at stuff and keep asking 'what next?' then who knows where it will lead.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 6:19 pm
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Pic Coolidge is a dead easy summit (assuming the one in the Ecrins), there's a walker's trail over the col and from there it's a very shallow angled rock ridge to the top, just one step that's awkward IIRC. Not quite hands in pockets but not far off.

Mont Blanc from the mid station of the Midi télépherique is also very non-technical, the hardest bit will be the crossing of the Bossons glacier. Only done it twice (in descent), once was a right maze the other was relatively simple.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 6:40 pm
 Spin
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Yes,the Ecrins one.Seemed like an obvious choice being pretty much unglaciated.
My feeling is that the Gouter Route on MB is the best choice for a solo runner so thats what I'm going with.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 6:55 pm
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Is the Gouter Route the one that crosses the Grand Couloir? If so that's a shooting alley, literally!


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 7:10 pm
 Spin
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The Gouter Route is the voie normale and it crosses the Grand Couloir. I'll be across it very early and very quick. All the other routes are to heavily glaciated for a solo imo.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 7:18 pm
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I last posted in this thread a year ago. I still mainly use my 'barefoot' running shoes for walking in. My toddler on his balance bike has recently got me running more frequently however. I still fear I'll get shin splints as I got them really easily, so haven't actually gone out specifically for a run.


 
Posted : 22/07/2019 8:40 pm
 Spin
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@whitestone: great wee jaunt up the Pic Coolidge this AM. Its a great view point. 5.48 campsite to campsite. I'm happy with that. 🙂


 
Posted : 23/07/2019 5:58 pm
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Haven't checked in for a while, did anyone run at Ambleside today? My first fell race, great experience although I ran like a total muppet, out of gas on the way up to Fairfield, a few were talking about dropping out due to the heat , it was not pleasant running temps!
So, wobbly legs and dizzy, walked most of the descent and still managed to turn my ankle. Thank gods for the beck at the bottom. Limped in an hour after Ricky, not last so happy with that. Next race on Sunday at Kentmere, if anyone is going up let me know!


 
Posted : 25/07/2019 7:01 pm
 Spin
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Nice one bob and good luck for Sunday.

My Mont Blanc in a day with no uplift thing is going to have to wait for another year. Miserable forecast for the days I had available for an attempt.

Back in the UK on Wednesday and hopefully my knee will be up to a Paddy Buckley attempt over the coming weekend / early next week.


 
Posted : 28/07/2019 11:44 am
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In awe of your running Spin, keep us posted on the PB if you go ahead with it mate.


 
Posted : 28/07/2019 12:47 pm
 Spin
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Cheers Nobeer, I don't think I'm doing anything particular awesome, I've just found a niche in running that suits my abilities and skill set!


 
Posted : 28/07/2019 8:55 pm
 stuc
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Does anybody have any experience of the Dark and White Events trail runs in the Peak District please?


 
Posted : 28/07/2019 9:21 pm
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Yeah, good luck with the pb Spin.

Kentmere went ok, climbed well but lost tons of time over the descent. 10 or 15 mins on the runners I was with at the top. Total rubbish, can't put my finger on why I go downhill so slow but need to work on it.
Next up is Turner landscape in Seathwaite... Anyone?


 
Posted : 28/07/2019 11:43 pm
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Went out for a longer training run to prepare for the GNR and ran at a slower pace (as suggested to me earlier in this thread). Managed just over 10 miles in 1hr 40min (with over 700ft of climbing) which I was pretty happy with as it's 3.5 miles further than I have run in over 15 years. Going to do a couple of shorter high pace runs this week to help get my pace up a bit.


 
Posted : 29/07/2019 9:22 am
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@bob_summers - I'm an infrequent visitor to West Cumbria with work and can't make any of the races work this year I don't think. Although up here today and planning a run out of Buttermere, into Ennerdale, up onto Pillar then loop back to Buttermere. Looking forward to getting out in the fells 🙂


 
Posted : 29/07/2019 2:00 pm
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Eeek! Just decided today that I really should enter the Great Eastern Run (Peterborough Half Marathon), so have just signed up.

Not raced since running for Thames Valley Harriers in my teens (hmmm, so about 25yrs or so!) and that was 400/800/1500m and winter x-countries.

Might go out at the weekend, aim to stick to 6min/km and see how far I can run.
I did 11km last week at 5:25 pace and probably had a few km more in my legs but had to get back home for my daughter's bed-time.

Time to look for a running GPS, I think 😉
Loathe to go with Garmin, but they seem like the best option. I was all set on the Forerunner35 around Christmas but the 45 is now out which looks much better & the Forerunner235 can now be had heavily discounted for about £165. Hmmmm. Decisions decisions....


 
Posted : 29/07/2019 10:31 pm
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Wilfred and I ran at the Sri Chimnoy 5k at Battersea Park last night with the intention of setting a Guinness World Record

Start video

16:11, 10th out of 189 runners, pretty happy with that 🙂

Will have to wait a while to find out in a while after submitting all my evidence if the record gets accepted, and how long I keep it for. Might need to do it again next year when child #2 is big enough to go in the running buggy, Wilfred at 16kg is getting on the big side!


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 9:33 am
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Wow, Turboferret, that is outstanding. Good luck with your entry.


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 1:01 pm
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Blimey TF - that is stellar!!


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 1:09 pm
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After some advice from you Runnerists, if I may. I run a couple of times a week, nothing serious, reasonable pace, and either 5km or 10km, over the last few years. Recently changed my running shoes after hammering my Salomons to death over that time - my bike kit gets better treatment - to some Asics. The fit is great and comfy, and give me no problems over 5km's but after about 8km, they really rub the pad of my right foot? No blister, rubs till its a bit sore and I find the last couple of km's a real struggle. I wanted to attempt half marathon distance soon but this is putting me off. Any thoughts? I dont have any running socks, I just use what I MTB in.


 
Posted : 30/07/2019 1:10 pm
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