Forum menu
Cheeky half? It’s my favourite distance as it feels like a challenge and isn’t all about pure speed.
If you are comfortable at 10k it’s not a huge step up.
Ok, might try and create a nice route from home then.
Might need to take a half day at work though so i don't eat family time.
Any recommendations for soft flasks (<500ml) that don’t taste plasticky. Got two hydrapak ones and they still taste horrible.
or tips for getting rid of the taste.
I bought some decathlon ones and they seem fine. Have also been using them for biking sometimes
Don't bother with Salomon ones. They are technically great but still taste of plastic 3 months in
Today being the 16th means I'm on day 16 of the 496 challenge. 136km done so far for the month, only 360km to go over 15 days.
It's been quite enjoyable to be honest and rather addictive. However, knees are starting to hurt now and calf's are very tight. Not to mention a blistered toe which I guess is par for the course.
I think it's very doable challenge but the hardest thing is committing to running every day and finding the time. Pace is still too quick to be sustainable for the month (approx 5.30/km).....must learn to slow down.
Much respect to those ultra runners smashing out 100k+ in a race
What’s the 496 challenge? Not heard of it before?
Much respect to those ultra runners smashing out 100k+ in a race
I reckon maybe 10% of the field in your average ultra is actually racing!
I think the 496 is running the distance in km's that corresponds to the day of the month, e.g. 1km on the 1st, 2km on the 2nd. For a 31 day month that totals up to 496km.
@69er_Gav that sounds genuinely tough as you get into the back end of the month, good luck with it all!
That's the one @Straightliner
Definitely tough last week so we shall see how it goes.
It's a fair point about actually racing @Spin . I guess that sort of distance you're doing it to finish as opposed to win, aside from elite racing that is of course.
It’s a fair point about actually racing @Spin . I guess that sort of distance you’re doing it to finish as opposed to win, aside from elite racing that is of course.
I wasn't doing it down, just joking really. Well, half joking. 🙂
Finally, finally it's happened, a potential end to my shoe saga. After buying and sending back 8 pairs of shoes (full list available if requested...) I have finally found a pair I like in a most unexpected place.
See, after trying loads of heavily cushioned shoes (ASICS Novablast, ND 1080's, Reekbok FreshFoam, etc...), I really didn't like any of them. So I stepped back and worked out what I did like in a shoe and kept coming back to me Nike Streak 7's, a low, light and fast shoe, I have more fun in those than anything else bar the Vaporfly's. Sadly, they're not available anymore, and in truth I do need a touch more cushion for every day use.
Enter Adidas SL20's. Cheap (£50 ish on Wiggle), light and very simple. First run in them last night and by gosh, they felt amazing. Fast, comfy and no where near as narrow as the Adidas shoes I've bought in the past. Highly recommended.
Just need to work out whether to try and get on the Vaporfly 2 drop next week...
@lunge Been running in Hokas for ages (well just a few miles jogging every other day really) due to the stiff forefoot and my dodgy toe joints. Bought a pair of Nike Vapour fly 3's ages ago because they have the carbon plate. Wanted them to help with my toes not for any performance benefits but they feel great. Always preferred Nike shoes. Force me onto my forefoot and toes where I like to be! The Hokas dont and first run for a while last night on the treadmill ran 5 miles getting faster at close to 7 min miling towards the end and feeling easy.
I think the treadmill may be my go to place for a bit until I am confident my calf wont pull after a mile or two outdoors. It is not like the real thing but better than not running at all so I can live with that for a bit.
Continuing my attempt to get fit for the summer (I never run much in the winter months - I hate running in the dark, wet and cold) with an impending GNR in September covid permitting, I have been upping my mileage with a 5 mile run last weekend (9.15m pace). Last night I went out for a shorter run (just 2.6 miles) but pushed myself harder and managed a 8.24 pace on a hilly course which I haven't normally got to until June / July time in previous years. Injuries permitting I am feeling really happy and hoping I will be able to keep this up and better my last GNR finish time from 2019 (1hr 59m).
I just wish somewhere had old stock Saucony Guides in as mine are wearing out a bit now but I don't fancy spending >£125 a new pair.
@lunge - Oh dear, this will potentially open you up to the other Adidas race shoes, Adizero Adios, Adizero Pro, Adizero Adios pro etc... Welcome and enjoy and prepare to be confused.
I've not tried the SL20s but have heard good things...
Oh dear, this will potentially open you up to the other Adidas race shoes
Yeah, I fear this may be an issue, but I'm seeing it as a positive in that it opens up another brand to look at.
At the moment, I think, think, I've got what I need for the moment, my beloved Peg 36's are great as a cushioned trainer, the SL20's and the Streaks for fast work and the plated shoes for racing.
Obviously, I say this as a man who has already put a reminder in his diary for the Vaporfly Next% 2 release date...
Help needed to avoid anymore spending 🙂 Encouraging my 17 year old son to do more running. I bought him New Balance Fuel Cell Echo which seemed fairy cushioned & neutral but he is getting foot pain in his sole? Never had myself, so no knowledge. Mainly quick 3 miles to 6 miles, he has no real interest to go further. Not many cheap runners these days, so don't want to spend £80 and have the same problem.
@cat69uk, some shoes just don't work.
I'd maybe suggest trying a few pairs and seeing what works, most of the big brands do free returns.
For a good value start point, have a look at Nike React Miler, Adidas SL2 or Reebok Floatride Energy 3.
My "sort of" 1 year streak was completed on Saturday. I say "sort of " as I had 5 days in November where I picked up a niggle and had to revert to a walk and 40 mins on the turbo, so it's an exercise streak rather than a run streak i guess. Still pretty chuffed about it. Can't see any reason to stop now either.
Unrelated, and this may be a question to those of us who've run ultra's or marathons. I've been trying to do a 18-20 mile run every 4 weeks to get my body used to that kind of distance. Every one before this weekend has been on the road at under 8 minute miles, mostly at nearer 7:45's and I've always finished them feeling pretty good, tired but certainly not exhausted. This weekend I decided to try and do the same distance but at the speed and style I intend to do my ultra, so rolling trails, aiming at a smidge over 9's, taking it easy and walking up anything steep. And it really beat me up, felt dead at the end of it.
I've not changed my fueling at all (I try and train without fuel), the elevation was very similar, the trails were fast and pretty much mud free. All very odd. Feels like running slower is harder than running faster. Anyone else encountered similar?
Yes, can empathise with this, although at a much different level/volume of running. I do 20/25 miles a week and find slow runs taxing on the legs. Sometimes more so than a hard interval session.
Feels like running slower is harder than running faster. Anyone else encountered similar?
Yes. You may find that once you slow too much you become a bit less efficient. If you race at say 5 minute miles then your long runs may be at say 6:30 pace. If you try to run your long runs at 8:30 pace for example I think its unhelpful. You need to train within a range.
Train too slow and it is tiring and injurious without any real benefit. I ran once with a local club and their Sunday run was ridiculously slow and some of them were decent runners. I am talking at close to a fast walk. May has well have stayed in bed.
How long is your ultra?
Glad it's not just my body being weird!
Ultra is 40 miles and is in May (Covid pending!).Target pace is/was 9mm ish which i've somewhat plucked out of the air!
For context, target marathon pace is 7:30mm ish (maybe a touch faster, it's not until autumn so plenty of time to build over the summer).
My weekly training runs tend to average at just under 8mm, some a reasonable amount quicker, some slower.
@lunge - I try not to set target pace for any events/training. I don't wear a watch so it's easy not to have any reference when out running. I just go by feel and if I feel good push on and if not, then my body will slow me down. This is just my way and I wouldn't advocate it for others but I've done it for so long its normal to me now. I figure the training I've done should set me up for the racing, and as it's not a set pace in training then I'm not hindered by that when racing. Also, if I've not done the training well enough then I wont perform on the day. If you can do a set pace in training for a distance then why not in your ultra, why knock it back to a theoretical pace because it's within your perceived comfort zone as manageable? Don't limit yourself on pace. Once you get deeper into the mileage it'll be more about your fuelling strategy and keeping that where it needs to be. The longer you're on your feet the more things will start to hurt/ache, but then you'll know that from the training and it wont be a shock but you will need to manage it mentally.
You know best Lunge but I think your 9 min milling for 40 miles is conservative. It depends on how you react to the longer distances as well its not just training some people perform really well over longer distances and some less so. I have a friend who ran 62 mins for a half but couldnt run faster than 2:17. He should have been running 2:12 or under but he just didnt seem to have the makeup to do it. He ran 46:30 for 10 miles (still on the UK all time list) I think your 7:30 pace for a Marathon is slow. if you are running 7:45 for 20 in training I expect you can run a fair bit per mile quicker even with 10k added on.
The reason I have 7:30's in my head for a marathon is that gives me a 3:15, if I start thinking about going faster than that then a whole world of pain awaits as I go for a sub-3...
I think you're right on the ultra @alanf, I need to run it on feel (within reason), my mileage is high enough that I know I can do the distance, if I slow at the end it's not the end of the world. When I entered it way back on the heady days of 2019, I wasn't running as far or as fast as I am now so set myself the goal of doing it in under 7 hours (1.5 marathons at 9mm, plus an extra hour), I need to amend that goal I think, maybe 6 is doable?.
I suspect just eating during long runs will add some pace, I'm doing up to 20 without food or drink at the moment. That and having people around me will both help.
@lunge - It might be that the off-road long run took more out of you due to the uneven surfaces, different muscles used for uphill effort and presumably more ground contact than road running where faster (something to do with cadence?)
@lunge
I know what you mean about targets but, imo, that's a big jump between 3.15 and 3.00
As you get closer to a round number , it is a lot more tempting - but there is value in targeting 3.05 or 3.10 too. Don't know how old you are, but this helps me see a point to those figures.
My age group is 45-49, "so good for age" is 3.10
That's very tough, but a lot more achievable than 3hr dead, and it makes the 3.10 target so much more psycologically valuable than if this didn't exist - if that makes sense.
hope this helps.
London Marathon 2022 Good For Age qualifying times
Age Men Women
18-39 sub 3:00:00 sub 3:45:00
40-44 sub 3:05:00 sub 3:50:00
45-49 sub 3:10:00 sub 3:53:00
50-54 sub 3:15:00 sub 4:00:00
https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en/enter/how-to-enter/good-for-age-entry
Hmm, good for age is 3:05 then. Interesting...
The other thing is sometimes we all just have an off day.
Yours may have coincided with the first trail run, but not actually been caused by it. It's hard to tell from a sample size of one. You might go out next week, find your flow, and smash it.
But I would also definitely be trying to do more regular running on the surface you intend to ultra on from now in.
eedit. just spotted your comment about training unfueled.
20 miles at 9 puts you at 3hours on your feet.
By slowing down, you're taking longer on your feet, you could been eating deeper into bodies energy stores.
I've always seen it quoted as 90 minutes energy available, not by distance, so fueling might be more critical than when you were running faster.
Be aware though with the good for ages, that you have to be in the first x amount of times below those cut-offs, so it's no good just thinking you can run 3:04:59 and be in. It's not guaranteed.
@lunge I sometimes finish a slow run feeling knackered while the same distance at a much quicker pace would leave me feeling fresh at the end. Efficiency I think is key, and what you're used to. When I go for a slow recovery run I try and make sure it is really easy, and not in the zone of just getting you tired but with minimal fitness improvement nor shaking out fatigue.
9 min miling does also sound pretty conservative and assuming the terrain isn't really challenging then I'd be looking to be a bit more ambitious
@lunge, definitely practice eating during your trainig runs, even if you don't feel that they're long enought to warrant it. When it comes to tyour big event you'll definitely need to be topping up your carbs, which will mean a gel every 30 minutes or so. If you don't train your digestion as well as you're running, it may not be your fitness that stops you finishing the race!
Try a variety of types of food too. When I ran the Capital Ring last summer I carried a kilo of solid food which I couldn't stomach at all, while gels and fluids were going down fine. I very rarely take anything on a training run, although if it's going to be long and hard I might snaffle a gel before and halfway, but I know I can neck gels without any issue. Unless they are Gu of course, they're rank 😮
definitely practice eating during your trainig runs, even if you don’t feel that they’re long enought to warrant it. When it comes to tyour big event you’ll definitely need to be topping up your carbs, which will mean a gel every 30 minutes or so. If you don’t train your digestion as well as you’re running, it may not be your fitness that stops you finishing the race!
I do eat on some long runs, I do a couple closer to the event when I try and use the same gels that the event will be offering, last thing you want is an adverse reaction on race day though I have a pretty strong stomach! For the ultra I have an idea of what will be at the feed stations so will know what works (jelly babies, soreen, jam sarnies) and what doesn't (anything nut based!). Weirdly, I quite like the Gu gels, and I like how small they are so they fit in a key pocket on my shorts.
But for the majority of the training I do without as I think it helps me become a bit more efficient. I can do up to about a half without any food before or during, anything more than that and I need some breakfast and/or a gel at some point. It's also quite interesting seeing how your body reacts when it does bonk, and how much more you do once it happens.
Three weeks since the sprain, decided for an easy trot around the same loop having done some gentle beach runs and a bit of road.
Passed the bit I rolled my ankle on (walked down obvs) feeling smug. Rolled the bloody thing again about 3km afterwards. Was looking out into the bay and not at the trail...
Livid. Heard it crack again, maybe not as bad this time. Considered limping out to the nearest place to get a bus/cab like last time but after a few painful paces it went numb so I finished the loop at a very lopsided hobble. If I can bear weight on it tomorrow I think I'm just going to keep going. And avoid that trail...
I managed a new PB yesterday, 18:46 for a 5K which I'm pretty chuffed with, not bad at 49 years old 🙂
(It was on a track which made life easier, but still had to do it!)
Nice one Mogrim, decent time that!
Rapid Mogrim, very rapid.
Very impressive Mogrim!
Nice one, I’ve been aiming for sub 20 but not quite there yet. And given I’ll be riding more now for the next few months I think it’s not going to happen! Autumn, maybe.....
496km Challenge
An update on this month long challenge, running the date - 1km on 01/03, 2km on 02/03, up to 31km on 31/03.
Sadly yesterday (24km) was the last day for me. Crawled in after 24km with sore knees and a buggered hip. I guess 4 back to back half marathons is where it gets tough.
Absolutely gutted as mentally and energy wise I'm pumped to be out there tonight, however joints are saying no and I fear long term injury by continuing.
On the whole, I really enjoyed it and would recommend if your body allows. Still happy to have hit 300k in 3 weeks and even more buzzing to get out for a big hill run once recovered.
Best of luck for anyone out there pushing their running boundaries!
First trial outing for my resoled original Vapofly 4%'s, which I am naming the Vaportrail 4%
Had a Vibram zegama sole glued on by Cheshire Shoes
Didn't quite get the segment I was aiming for, but wasn't too far off
Not quite so good for my lunchtime recovery run though, a combination of my knackered 2nd toe, a hole in my sock and some flats I haven't worn for a while made itself quite obvious early on 😮
In other news, is anyone else watching the British Olympic marathon trials live from Kew Gardens?
@turboferret, that toe looks horrible.
I quite like the idea of the VaporTrails, might have a look in time for my trail ultra!
@lunge, it looks worse than it is, just a bit of skin worn off. Need to find a robust solution for protecting it while putting toe socks on and running.
£42 for the Zegama sole, I think I'll get some glued onto a pair of fairly fresh Next% - these have worked as a proof of concept, but the shoes themselves have quite a lot of miles on them so have certainly lost some of their pop. Not necessarily ideal for super technical trails, as they have quite a high stack height and aren't the most stable shoe in the world. When I posted about these on a Facebook group last year there were several voices calling me an idiot and 2 broken ankles awaited me 😀
That's interesting, I have a pair of VF's with 100 miles in them, a few more miles and I might do that.
Followed some advice on this thread and just did my first sub 20 for 5k.
19.54. Very happy with that.
Bloody hell, some of the km splits on here are mad.
Was happy yesterday with my 22:30 5k. Going to have to work harder now
Good work vanilla.
I’ve till not broken 20 mins for 5k!
And at the opposite end of things from all these people running fast 5 and 10kms...
I've had a fairly pleasant week off work including three days of jog/hike/shuffling round the Leeds Country Way - just under 100km circuit around the outskirts of the city. About 18hrs trotting in total, 37km/6:30-ish, on Wednesday (Golden Acre to Woodlesford), 29km/6:10-ish on Thursday (Woodlesford to Morley) and 31km/5:30-ish on Friday (Morley to Golden Acre). First day was lovely, great trails through Harewood and Bardsey, fallen to Barwick to refuel at the shop then round St Aidans to the finish. Blister problems on Thursday slowed me down a bit, and the constant drone of the motorways was a bit of a crap soundtrack for a tough day. Sorted the feet out overnight and had a great day through the nicest pieces of trail through Cockers Dale, up Pudsey back and round Fulneck, with some cheeky climbs late on but a lovely downhill finish. The normal guide splits it over four days, but three worked better for both my training plan and getting trains back home each evening. The slightly uncomfortable 5km walk back home from the finish line was enlivened by stripping at the local shop to pick up a can or two of liquid anaesthetic!
Yep - another one here that isn’t going to run <20min 5ks but still - did a nice (but windy and hilly)6 miles today at 9.15m pace - happy with that and happy I went out when I could have made many excuses to do something else.
Seems to be struggling with what I think is a very mild sprained ankle. Doesn't really 'hurt' but I know its not right and feels uncomfortable. Usually goes the next day after a run. Seems to have been a few weeks now, even with blocks of no running. Not suite sure what to do, grr
Not sure if this is appropriate for the group, but does anyone want a pair of brand new Nike Vaporfly's Next% 2 in a Uk size 12?
I bought a pair when they were released last week and despite all the reviews saying they were the same as version 1 with a slightly roomier upper, but they don't feel quite as good as the first version to my feet. For the cost I want them to be pretty much perfect and they're not.
DM if you're interested?
Anyone else doing the virtual Royal Parks half next week? Managed 2/3 distance today, so the extra 1/3 distance is gonna be a struggle but doing it in aid of MS Society, so will be impetus to drag my sorry arse around. Hoping for sub 2hrs 🙏
Those sub 20 5k times make me sad and jealous!
I’m currently 5 weeks post Covid and it’s destroyed me. Just totally empty and struggling.
Had managed to get myself back down to 23 minutes for my 5k but on Monday ran a 36 minute and had nothing else to give. HR through the roof compared to before.
Hopefully get back soon. I’ve got the 4 day Tour of Tameside booked start of June and don’t think I’d complete it right now. Will be gutted as it fell right with work days off last year but got cancelled and has fell on my leave this year. Fingers crossed.
Good luck @Dickyboy
Less than 2 weeks to go 🙂
Good luck TF, looks hard work that does.
I'm still managing to do semi-regular runs. Still with the Merrel Trail Glove shoes, happy with them, fairly well adapted to them now provided I don't over do things, like say suddenly deciding to do 10k back toward the end of February. The 10k felt ok but the next time I went out to do a run 6 days later, and having not taken it too easy on the bike, I barely managed two miles before needing to walk. Discovered how slowly it's possible to jog though, haven't had the need to try that before. The past two runs I've been warming up with a slow jog instead of jumping jacks etc. Today decided to try for a fast 5k after 8 minutes jog to warm up. Managed ~ 23 1/2 minutes, a minute over my best 5k.
it's that semi-regular post again where I urge those of you that aren't to think about joining a running club. Had an absolutely amazing club run last night, 10 miles as the sun goes down with a good group that finished with a proper smash-up for the last 2 miles. The only thing missing was that the bar was closed when we got back. Just lovely.
You get to meet so many diverse people. Our group last night had a guy who 10 miles is long run to, and another who has no only a 100 mile PB but also a 200 mile PB.
Awesome stuff.
And another semi-regular post - Lunge's latest shoe reviews.
First up, the Nike Vapor Fly Next% 2.
Well, what a disappointment. The internet seems to be absolutely raving about these, saying how the new upper and laces take an already good shoe to the next level, and I just didn't get it. The new upper is stiffer than the old one and has some more structure around the toes, the toe box is also a touch roomier. But for me, this didn't work. The extra structure added some inflexibility around the little toe and the increased volume meant the fit wasn't quite as good. I did 40 or so miles in mine after I posted about them about to see they'd bed in, they didn't and are now on their way back to Nike.
The midsole and outer are the same as v1, so no comment needed there, they're brilliant and really this is what the shoe is all about.
It's still a very comfy, super fast shoe so it's by no means a bad shoe, I just don't like it as much as v1. It has dropped a few £££ in price mind you.
Next, the Adidas SL2.
No this, this is a hell of a shoe, though note this is for the SL2 not the newer SL2.2.
Light weight, fast, bit of cushioning, lots of pop, these make you want to go fast. They feel under foot like a slightly beefed up racing flat. They're not the shoe to reach for if you want max cushioning but they're a great every day trainer if you want a lighter shoe. The upper is stunning, so well made, really comfy, very impressive. 50 miles in and they're fast becoming my go to shoe, I have another pair on order already!
Only complaint is they size small, go half a size up if you can.
Bear in mind to begin with you can pick these up for £50 or £60, that's a proper bargain.
@lunge is this the adidas shoes
i can only find a SL20, in need of some new shoes and I have been please with my terrex
Might have to join a club at some point. Did 15km yesterday in 1hr 25 which i was happy with. Legs feeling it a bit today but i clearly need to run more to get used to it.
Didn't help that my run was half road half trail and i wore my minimal cushion merrells. Ordered some brooks cascadia 15 as brooks like my feet
Big fan of running club too, lunge. I'm average, enjoy my running but never going to break any records etc. I was always a bit nervous about joining as I thought it'd all dead serious folk. I now love a good club run - meet a few likeminded folk, bit of chat and then always that "will it / won't it" pick up the pace for the last couple of miles 😉
@karnali, yep that's the one. Cracking shoe and it can be had cheaper than that in a few places.
@dhased, agree. We have a huge range of paces at ours, slowest being over 12 minute miles, fastest nearer 7's which means all can be involved. Runners seem to be generally nice people, there are few morons there. And it's even better when the bar is open for a post-run pint.
@lunge - do those Vaporfly 2's still have a fixed / glued footbed in them? I need to use a more supportive footbed in my running shoes (plantar fasciitis). Want to give a pair a try but can't get on with flat footbeds.
@dashed, yep, still the same stuck in one I'm afraid. I suspect most race shoes are the same as a sewn in footbed will be lighter. Plus Nike don't want another episode like the below.
Runners seem to be generally nice people, there are few morons there.
Most clubs get rid of the idiots pretty fast, and it's probably pretty self-selecting too: if you don't get on with people you probably won't join a club anyway...
And I had a good run with my club last night: an inverse pyramid, 3000m + 2000m + 1000m, all at 5K pace. I wouldn't want to run on a track everyday, but a couple of times a week is great.
Catching up on the thread here...
Well done @vanilla83, missed your sub-20 time 🙂 And sorry to hear about your covid woes @RDL-82, hopefully they won't last long.
Those "Trailflys" look great for parkruns, but I don't think I'd want to take them up in the mountains - not enough padding/protection underfoot or for the toes, and that's ignoring the chance of a turned ankle. Ideal for Richmond Park of course!
if you don’t get on with people you probably won’t join a club anyway…
Club membership is necessary to run in some of the regional leagues and national races. Some races accept guests but even the most solitary runners join clubs so they can run in for example regional cross country leagues and selection races for the inter counties (or historically) the National XC. Same with track leagues and regional and national road relays. there are open track events but you wont get many chances to race unless you are a member of a club and can race in those leagues.
Running is a solitary sport mostly and I ran in many team events where people would turn up on race day, compete then disappear. You knew who they were from results sheets but they didnt turn up for club training sessions and many were just normal blokes just did their training mostly alone.
The number of non Harrier/competitive clubs has grown a lot over the years and its typical to see large groups of quite slow runners now when we were younger it was mainly just "odd" people who ran in clubs and they did it almost exclusively for the competitive side.
What @lunge said - joining a running club 3 years ago at the age of 41 is hands down one of the Best things I’ve ever done.
If you’re thinking about it, just do it. Go along and give it a try.
Parkrun is brilliant Vanilla, it’s where it all started for me (sort of). Always friendly, loads of support, it’s awesome. A few clubs use it as a recruiting ground too.
Not all clubs are the same, so you may change clubs a few times until you settle. I joined my current club as they were local, have a lot of heritage and a lot of status. At first I was a bit put out by the lack of structure and organisation, based on how other clubs operate. Also it seemed to be 6 clubs in one. However over the years it's the lack of structure and expectations of members that I love. I rarely go on club runs for various reasons, I'm one of those that turns up for key races, run for the club and occasionally take part in the odd club event.
I’ve signed up to Parkrun due to this thread
Don't forget to warm up beforehand! 10-15min with a few sprints towards the end or similar, get the blood flowing and wake your legs up.
Rather pressing question:
Can anyone recommend a small running backpack? I need one for an upcoming ultra but don’t need to carry much, 1 litre of water, a phone, a map and a some light food is all that’s needed.
Went for a run with my current one and it’s not quite comfy enough.
Ideally any such pack needs to be delivered by next weekend so I can use it in my last shakedown run!
Harrier seems to be getting decent reviews and aren't overly expensive, their Curbar 5l should cover what you're thinking of.
https://harrierrunfree.co.uk/collections/race-vests
Gutted my half marathon didn't go to plan today, achilles tendonitis hit me just 3 miles in, pretty sure its because I'd not been doing my normal warm up & warm down walks recently, I had been managing between 7.5 to 10.5 miles every Sunday for the past 8wks, so a proper pisser that it should happen so quickly today ☹️ at least I have a qualified physio in the house to get me better.
Can anyone recommend a small running backpack?
not cheap at RRP but I really like my Patagonia slope runner.
not cheap at RRP but I really like my Patagonia slope runner.
You're not wrong, RRP is not cheap is it?
What are you getting with that compared to something like this for 1/3 of the price?
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/unisex-trail-running-hydration-gilet-5-l-flask-holder/_/R-p-307934
Why buy any outdoor gear anywhere other than decathlon...
I got the 4L version for ~40% off, and it came with two hydrapak ultra bottles. I don’t do ‘ultras’ but works well for carrying jacket, gloves, buff, camera etc on moors runs.
Why buy any outdoor gear anywhere other than decathlon
Well, yeah, that's what I'm trying to work out.
As proved in my many shoe posts, I don't mind spending money if there's a good reason why, hence asking the difference.