To paraphrase the Cowboy, sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you.
Had to sack my PB on Snowdon about midnight last night. No issues up to that point but the weather crapped out. As often happens, by the time I realised I was getting cold I was already very cold indeed. Taking waterproofs off to layer up meant that everything was soaked and by this point I was shivering pretty badly. My margins were already quite narrow and I reckoned that left them even narrower so instead of carrying on along the ridge I dropped into Llanberis.
Met some very nice tipsy locals who gave me taxi nos and recommended a hotel that would still be open if they didn't work. So I ended up spending a (very reasonable in the circs) £70 for bed (about 5 hours of it) and breakfast (bloody massive!). Hitched back to my van in Capel Curig this morning and I'm now back in Inverness. All in all rather a surreal couple of days. Think I'll take it easy for a bit. 🙂
Great mantra from a great film Spin.
When you get to your level, I'd imagine the weather is pretty much the deciding factor between success or coming back for another day.
Ride on cowboy. 😊
It was a classic example of everything being fine and then suddenly not being fine.
I thought I'd be pissed off if I didn't do it but I'm not because it would have been (even more?) stupid to carry on like that.
What's next on the cards for you Nobeer?
Not a huge amount, caerkettan hill race will see me doing the 6 of 12 bog n burn series, river ayr way 40 miler, then jedburgh 3 peaks is 38.
Had a strong feeling of envy at all my buddies doing the Devil on Saturday!.
What about you?.
Think I need to regroup a bit. Ben Nevis is the next biggy.
Aye, feel a bit like that myself.
I look at some of the stuff guys in the club are doing, mega training, big races, and wanna do it too, but then...
I love my family time, hill walking and cycling, and have to remind myself that I can't do everything.
All in all, in 18 months I've came a long way, as has my wife, she's also done her first ultra, and is planning bigger! 😊
Nowt to you lot but after training for my hilly 32 mile ultra and the Yorkshire 3 peaks and no speed training at all I managed a 21.32 parkrun which is a 31 second pb 🙂
Well done mate!
That’s top work firestarter. Well done!
Have avoided Parkrun myself this Spring/Summer but I might pop down for one soon. Funny how a lot of training for long stuff can lead to a fast short one. My boy did his 17th junior Parkrun on Saturday. He got a Pb of 10.01 but I haven’t made a big deal of it as it was assisted by some hand holding after some little shit tried to elbow him off the path when he went to overtake him. It was an older boy and there was immediate bawling and a lot of “come on, ignore him, keep going, don’t give up...” I felt really bad for him. 😢
But once the tears stopped, he got some resolve, he caught the other kid, more elbows and this time my lad took a swipe at him. He put one more sprint in and then blew up. “He’s gone to pieces daddy...” 😂 [This is all very childish.] I made sure he waited at the finish line to applaud him over the line...not my finest moment but jaysus, can’t boys just behave themselves sometimes?!?
Unlucky with the weather Spin ☹️ Discretion is often the better part of valour though. There’s always another day.
Next up for me is an 18km trail run while I’m in France in August. Need to plan some stuff in for Sept/Oct before the “biggie” in November.
look at some of the stuff guys in the club are doing, mega training, big races, and wanna do it too, but then…
Everybody's different, some folk thrive on big miles others on less. I try not to let others programs dictate what I do but more miles is a big temptation!
and the Yorkshire 3 peaks
CX, run or walk?
Well it was a run Spin but it turned into a run and walk with a spot of the runs in the carpark toilet after trying a new drink on the way Haha I somehow hadn't realised the size of the task either but I enjoyed it. From car to car it was 6hr40 so need to try harder lol I thought under 6 was on the cards as my strava was 5hr20 but that was moving time doh...
Well done Darcey junior
Another well done for MiniDarcy, kids can be little gits sometimes right?
I've been really slack the last few weeks, with family and job stuff taking up a bunch of time but after seeing how tubby I am in a photo the Mrs took I've decided it's about time I started making the effort again. So lunchtime run yesterday (boy it was warm, I usually run early morning) round my usual work loop. Only about a mile and a half, and really ****ing slow, but it felt good to be doing something again.
Skateboard / rest day today, then I'm going to run again tomorrow, early morning if MiniMonkey permits, lunchtime if not. I need to get back into the habit of at least a couple of short runs in the week, then a longer run or ride on the weekend.
somehow hadn’t realised the size of the task either but I enjoyed it.
I think it's a great day out and not to be underestimated, it's a long way! Have you done the race?
Anyone any experience/thoughts on race to the king? 53 mile ultra along SDW from Arundel to Winchester.
Looks good, Mrs is keen, but it's a shit long way for me to drive if it's a bit naff.
No not the fell race spin I just did it on my own as a thing to do to prep for my first ultra. There is a 50 mile ultra that includes the 3 peaks a friend has done before I might give that a bash some time
The fell race is a good event although it's more of a trail race really.
Question for you fast ****ers - what is your limiting factor when running at PB speed (say at 5k and 10k pace)? Legs, breathing etc?
I’m curious as when I’m flat out it seems to be my stomach that gives in first! Not really a stitch (generally only like running on an empty stomach anyway) and not lungs, but somewhere below my ribs I get a horrible ache which seems really debilitating and I have to ease off - despite my legs feeling fine. I’m guessing it’s diaphragm and the answer is simply run faster more but curious to know what others feel.
Having done many failed attempts to get back into running i have restarted. this time i am mixing it up with hills and cross country, way more satisfying and gives me a challenge that makes me want to improve where i could just hold my own on a road.
However my left ankle is rolling constantly, anyoen got any good tips to buidl up some core ankle strength before the foot actually falls off?
Dunno mate, however...
Rolled my ankle quite painfully on a group hill training run, if I'd been solo, I'd have stopped for sure, but it was a beautiful night and I was really enjoying it, so carried on, maybe another 5 miles of rough moorland descending.
I was convinced it would be huge in the morning, but it was fine, a tad bruised, but fine. I have read in many fell/hill running books that these guys tend to err towards the thought that this kind of thing toughens up the ankles, which goes against medical advice that rest is required.
But that was 6 , mibbe 7 weeks ago, and I've felt nothing since, and did a few hill races too.
Purely anecdotal and completely non-scientific, but it's my tuppenceworth!.
Rolled my ankle badly a few years ago. Physio recommended some exercises including standing on one leg using the weak ankle and closing your eyes so you concentrate on balancing. Another one involved sitting with the ankle leg resting on a footstool then using a resistance band going around the sole of the foot then trying to turn the ankle left and right whilst holding the band either end for resistance.
Got home from work last night and really didn't fancy running (wife and kids away for a couple of nights so I fancied just slobbing it with beer and loud music) but forced myself out to do a fast 4 mile hilly training run (ran 10 miles on Sunday at training pace so wanted to get a tempo run in ahead of another training pace run this weekend). Anyway, I felt really good so pushed myself and got a PB by 9 seconds (32.57) and also a PB on the long 1 mile uphill slog which I have been determined to do all summer.
Then I got home and had beer.
Mrsheen try a wobble board. Amazon do a blow up one which is very good
Devil of the Highlands at the weekend was crazy hot and a lot of runners struggled with 30C+, especially when climbing out of Glencoe at around half-distance. Quite a high DNF rate and many experienced ultra long distance folk coming in around 1 to 1.5 hours outside their predicted times.
Seems we were quite lucky though in another sense; biblical rainfalls on Sunday afternoon led to the railway line getting washed away at Crianlarich.
After being race medic at over a hundred ultras in Scotland over the years, I finally took the plunge, finishing mid field. I also succumbed to the RD's generous offer of a beer in the heat at the finish. Bad idea and I only just kept it down...
Late update to the thread - did my main A race this year, the Lake Placid Ironman just over a week ago (and just got back, hence the late update...). If you've got the money and the chance it was an excellent race, possibly one of the best I've ever done when it comes to organisation and more importantly local support - there were loads of people sitting outside their houses, cheering us on all the way. Upstate New York is also stunning, loads of small lakes and beautiful green forests.
Final overall time was 12:26, nothing too special but more or less what I expected. I definitely need to work on my bike for next time!
@highlandman - just searched for info about the line closures - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-49285949 Let's hope it's not as bad as the similar landslip on the Settle-Carlisle line a couple of years ago, that took several months to complete.
Awesome stuff, well done mogrim and the highlander!
However my left ankle is rolling constantly, anyoen got any good tips to buidl up some core ankle strength before the foot actually falls off?
I'd go and see a good sports physio - sounds like some neuromuscular and proprioception training exercises might be beneficial.
I ruptured my ATF ligament last year - less than a month before a 6 week snowboard trip to Canada.
Physio had me doing various things including 'dancing over a line' and standing on one leg throwing a ball at the wall and and catching it, and one legged knee dips on a balance board to improve proprioception etc and reduce instability.
Did a multi terrain (half road half trail) 10k last night while on my hols, pb of 46.19 in hot humid wind and rain, had it all. That's two pbs in two runs, I think I might sleep in my tent and eat crap more often Haha and the panther brewery medal doubles up as a bottle opener bonus 🙂
10 mile training run today - took 9 minutes off my PB and completed.it in 1hr 31. Still room for improvement if I am to get my target time at the GNR.
10 miles here too, though lots of it was spent knee deep in floods.
Bloody brilliant though. 😎
I'm getting a bit fed up with carrying my large phone on runs so and as I have an Apple Watch 1 without GPS it is the only way I can time it with stats.
Looking at a GPS watch and the Garmin Forerunner 35 looks good value and does what I want. It would be nice to have colour, but then the battery life suffers. I also like the fact it is not touch screen.
Any feedback on these? Are they good enough?
Cheers!
Lots of fokks in my running club use them, supposed to be very good.
I wouldn't worry about battery life, even the colour ones will be better than your aye watch.
I get 5 days from my vivoactive 3, I run 25 miles a week, and bike 4 or 5 hours too.
Takes about 40 minutes to charge from flat.
So something like a Vivoactive - would that be more accurate at tracking distance than my Fitbit Blaze connected to my iPhone XS?
root-n-5th
I’m getting a bit fed up with carrying my large phone on runs so and as I have an Apple Watch 1 without GPS it is the only way I can time it with stats.
Looking at a GPS watch and the Garmin Forerunner 35 looks good value and does what I want. It would be nice to have colour, but then the battery life suffers. I also like the fact it is not touch screen.
The Forerunner35 has just been replaced by the 45, but there doesn't seem to be a massive difference between them. A bloke at work has the 35 & really likes it. I think he gets over a week between charges.
I bought a Forerunner 235 the Saturday before last. It lasted a week with 4 runs before I put it on charge (Sat afternoon). When I plugged it in, it reckoned there was still 20% battery left, but I had an 11km run planned on Sunday, so didn't want to risk it running out during that one.
If you want something a bit more fancy, the Forerunner 235 might be worth a look; it is fairly heavily discounted because it's being replaced.
Mine was reduced to £160, but then i got an extra 10% off because I was buying some shoes from the shop - so in the end it only cost me £144.
I am having an issue at the moment with Garmin Connect crashing my phone (a Lenovo P2) but I think with Garmin that's par for the course.
I've got a 235 and it's great, it managed to track my 32 mile ultra whilst being connected to the phone and used live Activity tracker all the way round so the mrs could see where I was and still have plenty of like left
So something like a Vivoactive – would that be more accurate at tracking distance than my Fitbit Blaze connected to my iPhone XS?
God aye.
There's a bewildering array of garmin options, pick whatever one suits. I like the vivoactive 3 as it can do big days in the hills, and has enough functionality for the sports I do.
Others prefer stripped back options like the 35 etc, there's good comparison tools and the likes all over the net.
Thanks for the replies!
If I went for a forerunner I think the 35 does what I need - the 45 looks a bit nicer with he colour screen but not sure worth the extra for me a the moment. the 235 looks huge!
Now that Vivoactive 3 looks impressive - what does that give me over the FR 3 other than colour and a never case? I guess more profiles and trainman stuff. Is the Garmin coaching stuff good as I do like the idea of it - not sure the 35 has it.
On another note, I've done four short runs in a week and my knee doesn't hurt!!!!!! You probably don't get what a big deal this is for me, but I'm just back from doing my 2 mile loop - I'm building up slowly so give me some time to build up dustance - and the knee is just a knee, not a throbbing mass of pain!!! Calves hurt a bit, but not too bad.
Also, the nasty little kick of a hill in the final section was agony last week, but today I got up it with relative ease. Feels good!
I'm not sure of the of the differences tbh, I used to have a vivoactive hr and went to the 3, tbh unless you go top end fenix I'm not really that sure there's a huge amount of difference in all of them.
The vivoactive 3 has more 'lifestyle' stuff which I like, as I wear it 24/7, whereas some prefer the likes of a 735 and only use it for activities.
In terms of knees, running has been the Best thing I've done for it, it's way more stable and stronger than before I started 18 months ago, by a country mile.
Knee problems, along with the old 'It's boring' trope are bullshit spouted by folk that have never done it, or are too lazy to start.
I'll admit that I had to push through some knee stiffness when I started, but that was due to a wee op I'd had done a couple of years back, so not unexpected.
But push through it I did.
Thankfully. 😊
^^ Yeah, the more I am running, the more I have realised how lazy cycling makes the body as you can quite effectively isolate a few muscle groups when sat on a bike spinning away. Since running more I have found various niggles, aches and pains and have had to see a physio to help me identify where my weaknesses were and alter things accordingly (for me my right glute wasn't firing properly and my calf was compensating for it. The net result was that my hips weren't straight. A few exercises later along with a focus on making my glute work on steady (ie slow) runs seems to have alleviated many of my issues.
Not sure single speed mtb feels lazy! Give the upper body a good seeing to too. Not sure how good running is for that but I suppose you are moving the arms.
Not sure single speed mtb feels lazy! Give the upper body a good seeing to too. Not sure how good running is for that but I suppose you are moving the arms.
Sure I can appreciate SS is going to give a fuller workout (I had one for a while myself) but in my experience running uses the whole body much more than riding does.
Not sure single speed mtb feels lazy! Give the upper body a good seeing to too. Not sure how good running is for that but I suppose you are moving the arms.
If you're gonna break riding down into specific types of riding, then the same can be done for running. My achievements are fairly low key compared to some others on here, but one race that was 16.5 miles and over 7000ft of climbing most certainly gave a full body workout.
I'd also say that road running asks more of your core strength than road riding does.
Canny sit down on yer trainers... 🙂
Yes, running feels as close to a time trial as I get without a bike. I don’t doubt it’s great for the whole body, but it’s remembering to keep form that I’m working on, so I use the core and arms to prevent injury. Slowly does it for me.
As for 16 miles and 7000ft I would have gotten a full body workout from crawling!
