The Annual Running thread - beginners/ultras/whatever

Managed a very slow 10 miler yesterday morning, felt in my lower back and hips later in the day. Mainly off road and lots along the beach but I worked out I have ran 16 miles quicker than i ran yesterdays 10 (albeit 20 yrs ago!)

Day off today then steady club run Tuesday,

Need some advice on shin splits.

I have what I think are the early signs of shin splits. I've been doing alot more running than usual this year (320 miles so far) including more recently some 40-50 miles weeks, and 10 days ago, a fairly hard half marathon. Mixture of road and off road, split about 40/60. Only other change is I bought some Saucony Freedom ISO shoes, which have more padding & support than my previous minimalist shoes.

I've tried these stretches, and so far, they seem ok: 

Any other ideas for stretches?

I am going to work towards doing This Event. (the marathon, not the ultra) Anyone done this race before?

I was taught a fantastic stretch from the XC captain while at uni when I was suffering from shinsplints.

Stand upright with your feet about shoulder-width apart, and put all of your weight on the outside of you foot, lifting up the inner edges.  Hold this for about 30 seconds before your run and you should be good to go.  Worked wonders for me, very simple and quick too.

Cheers, Rich

Jeez! modern running shoes are ace, aren't they?!

Got a couple of pairs yesterday, one road, one trail, they're like bloody slippers, dying to try them out!

After hitting my 100 mile a month targets for both Jan and Feb, I've been a bit lazy this month, about 15-20k a week, reckon I'll ramp it back up again in April.

Thanks Rich, will try that.

Nobeer, I've just been trying out my new race shoes too. Same as the old well-used race shoes only newer, fractionally lighter and definitely bouncier. Just one last beasting before I start to taper for manchester marathon....

Need some advice on shin splits.

Be careful with this. I was plagued with them as a junior and on one occasion they became a stress fracture. Ice is your friend and NSAID's (I couldnt take them) as well as rest. In my experience you should stop running for a bit, they are not something you can "run through" believe me... I have tried!

I’ve been trying to keep up with the running, doing run/walk sessions two or three times a week.

I'm now up to doing 5-6km each time but run 14min, walk 2min. What’s the general consensus on the best way to go up to longer runs without overdoing it?

Should I just keep upping the run lengths over the next few weeks, adding a bit each week?

My main concern is avoiding injuries.

Notmyrealname

Go slow for longer.

I’m now up to doing 5-6km each time but run 14min, walk 2min. What’s the general consensus on the best way to go up to longer runs without overdoing it?

Dont walk 🙂

Mix your sessions up, shorter and slightly faster, longer and a bit slower. Fast running over short distances makes you a better long distance runner so try to introduce faster and slower in the same run.

I'll give that a try and see how it goes.

Starting to up the miles now and simultaneously enjoying it and feeling busted! Rest day tomorrow then the first two hill races of the season Saturday / Sunday.

How’s training going thecaptain? I’m way back from where I wanted to be. Hoping a long run this weekend will get me back on course!

I’m doing Manchester marathon on 8 April. Training had been going well until a chest infection which means my longest run to date has been 15 miles which was 12 days ago. Behind on schedule but hoping to do 20-21 on Sunday . Appreciate I’m getting it in late , but is is better than not? It’ll be my first marathon so these kind of distances are new to me.

Doing Manchester too.  My first marathon so just trying to get round. Did my long run weekend before last then twisted my knee doing a trail half marathon so a week off but back on it tonight to check everything works. What times are people aiming for for Manchester?

Santacruzsi, I did Birmingham last year and my longest run was 20 miles 2 week before so you’ll be fine. My training plan for Manchester also involves 20 miles this weekend so we’re on the same page.

Anyone after a time? I was hoping for 3:30 but I think 3:45 is now more realistic given how my training is going.

Am considering doing a duathlon on Sunday. Yeah, shoot me now. It’s only a play-one - just for cycle-run practice. It’s 2k-15k-2k. Currently, my road bike has Look clipless pedals - and my shoes are just Velcro fastened so they’re reasonably quick to put on and do up. I could use easy-on-off laces in my trainers. But for those distances, is it really worth changing shoes? Or should I just swap the Looks for clipped pedals and cycle in trainers? I’d nearly have the 2k faced by the time I’d changed shoes. (Well, no, I wouldn’t  ut you know what I mean...). Opinions?

DD, I did a similar distance one last year and changed shoes, for the time it took I reckoned it was worth it, 15k on flats doesn't appeal to me at all. Stretchy laces in my runners and velcro cycling shoes. I did debate doing the last run bare footed as it was on a track but that wasn't allowed by the race organiser. If it helps I didn't win (finished 3rd) and the distance between me and 2nd place was way more than the the time it took me to change shoes.

Thanks lunge. That’s kinda confirming what I thought myself. I don’t really fancy cycling the 15k in trainers either.

If you are attending the QECP Trail Marathon this weekend I'd recommend you get there early, it'll be busy..

DD, I guess it's swings and roundabouts, I did a 35k bike/10k run/5k bike in trainers and toeclips rather than changing shoes. Slightly complicated by the fact I'd have had to carry the extra shoes with me on the bike if I had changed. But I don't regret that decision and would do it again even though the event is much longer than yours (and hence the changing time is less important). BTW I did win 🙂

Lunge, training going great here, PBs at 5, 10k and HM and I'm now ready to taper. Thinking of a rather ambitious 2:45 at Manchester...don't think I can really do that but want to give myself the chance.

I think if I had to carry shoes, I’d definitely do the whole thing in trainers, but **** it, this is just to practise going from cycling to running before my thing in May, and it’ll give me an idea of what it’s like transitioning from cycling shoes to trainers. I have no ambition to place in this other than to finish and not embarrass myself.

Best of luck thecaptain and to the rest of the marathon dudes - you’re all awesome. 😎

Well QECP was busy.. I don’t do “sportives” of any kind (running or riding) and this being my first trail marathon I’m not too sure I’ll do another like it either... Too many people.

Did my best, according to my garmin it did it in 4:53 and that was being paced by my Uber fast trail running mate, who in the last 8k ran off and left me to vomit in my sleeves.. alone.. and I don’t blame him.. bless him for his constant encouragement and pace..

It was very well run, the trials were typically sloppy clay and chalk for the area, some of the top wooded sections nice and loamy.. got caught too many times catching people up and trying to pass them.. then having fast folks pass me.. then 10k in it thinned out a lot but by then I think the half marathon entrants had started to finish.. I felt always on the back foot.. don’t normally run that fast and often would blow up and then recover an a downhill bit then pace on he flat (ha!) but today was just on the edge of the top of my normal pace..

Weather was nice and grey, light wind and not cold !

Now thinking of the South Downs Eastbourne to Brighton Seven Sisters event, apparently it’s not as busy and plenty of folks walk it..

First two hill races of the season this weekend, not entirely convinced a double header was the way to go, proper jelly legs at the end of today but as Nietzsche never tired of saying, that which does not kill us makes us stronger.

Anyone else racing today?

Dont walk

Followed this advice and just went out for a steady run for a little longer today.

Managed 8km in about 46 minutes without any walking. Surprisingly it didn't feel too bad and I quite enjoyed it.

It's not fast or far compared to most people posting on here but I was pretty happy with that!

I went to a running shop in Tunbridge Wells

Whats the name of the shop please as only have Sports Direct or Sweatshop here in Maidstone so would be nice to have some sensible advice on my next pair.

Over the last 10 days I've managed three 2k runs which have been my first for the last 4 weeks since my knee niggle/ongoing back issues.  Trying to keep on top of my yoga/physio exercises routine by doing it at least every other day which helps a lot and hopefully net week I'll be able to up the distance a little for a run.

Planning to run monday 2k, wednesday 3k and sunday 2k and see how that goes and then start increasing the distance over the coming weeks for the half marathon I have booked in for May 12.

Anyone else racing today?

I did my duathlon. Was on standby list so thought I’d have a few beers on Saturday night, forgetting I’d lose an hour’s sleep. Chucked bike in car with kit and headed to event to be told “Yes, you have a place, here’s your number.” 😮 So I racked up my not-ridden-in-anger-for-around-5-years bike with all the full carbon, tri-bar equipped mean machines and quietly shat myself  😀

Both runs either side of the bike were ok but man I sucked big time on the bike. Had some proper chubsters pass me. Swapping to laced up trainers (couldn’t find my eleastic jobbies on Saturday) while knackered after bike ride lost me another few places - got nicely into running rhythm around 6-700 m but at that stage there wasn’t enough of the run left to catch the guys I would have caught. Put on a wee sprint to catch one on the line but ended up halfway down the field of 50ish with a time of 50.06 for 2k run, 15k bike, 2k run. I’d have been happy with 50 before the race - just need to accept I have work to do on the bike. And it was excellent practice.

I did my duathlon

I don't know why there aren't more duathlons about. Running and biking are a logical combo, why throw that swimming pish into the mix?

One of my mates was taking part in the Barkley Marathons this weekend. He DNF'd but there isn't any shame in that!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barkley_Marathons

That's a brilliant film if you haven't watched it Spin, proper hardcore yet grassroots stuff.

Mrs Nobeer as been aiming to get down to sub 30 for a 5k for a wee while now, she has only been running for maybe 5 or 6 months now, her PB was 30.23 before the weekend. So, she asked if I'd go with her and pace her to get down to her target, truth be told, I let her do the pace as she set off at a good clip straight from the off, just kept talking to her and encouraging her, ended up doing a 27.12, the wee flyer that she is!.

I was buzzing all day after that, so chuffed for her.

Whats the name of the shop please as only have Sports Direct or Sweatshop here in Maidstone

I see this a few times, are Sweatshop not a 'proper' running shop / is their advice not good?  I know they are a SD brand now, but the staff seemed knowledgeable enough whenever I've been in to my local branch, and i run most weeks now with their group run.

Is Barkley really running though? Sure it sounds tough but 100 miles in 60 hours can't involve very much running! One of our club members did a Bob Graham last year and described it as mostly a hard walk...

Mrs Sparkle did Darwen Heritage Half Marathon yesterday. It's a hilly bugger. She was hoping for sub 2 hours and got 1:52. Happy bunny.

At the same race another member of our running club was first lady. Impressive but even more so because the day before she reccied Leg 4 of the Bob Graham course! #machine.

Meanwhile I did Kendal Winter League fell race at Helm Hill. 28th out of 88 runners and 4th V50. I am pretty pleased with that, tbh. Plus I've now done enough races to count for the League results.

One of our club members did a Bob Graham last year and described it as mostly a hard walk…

I'd suggest said member may be a bit of a gobshite.

A bit harsh. There's a lot of walking going on, 'cos you ain't gonna run all that! Billy Bland said 'It's a walk' and did walk it in sub 24 hours to prove it.

Oh he wasn't meaning to imply it was easy or boast at all. But at roughly 70 miles in 22 hours or something..that's not really running speed, though I'm sure he jogged sections.

Not a gobshite at all, a very modest and pleasant person in fact. But he knows the difference between running and walking!

Aye, but is your mate Billy Bland? no, thought not.

People always concentrate on how hard it'd be to run up that amount of hills, but my respect is for what those guys do going down the way, phenomenal running, and bloody hard on the body.

The runners do a double bob.

Impressive stuff.

Even getting your head round the logistics and remembering the route must be tough, especially when yer hanging out yer arse.

I also did the QECP event in Hants yesterday, but only the half (not the full marathon).  Got 12th place (1hr 45mins) which I did not expect!  217 finishers.

Some serious climbing on that course (600mtrs per 13-mile lap).  The thought of doing a 2nd lap for the marathon - I have no idea how anyone did that.  Fair play to you, BB.

Now foaming at the mouth for another event to enter to keep the motivation up!

Decided on a recovery run at lunch, 5k, struggled to hold 8 minute miles and was blowing the whole way round. Upload to Strava to find my heart rate didn't go above 130bpm which is at least 40bpm lower than I'd have expected. I suspect that either fatigue (likely) or imminent illness (hopefully not). Either way, my legs now feel shot...

I’m ****ed today ..

Needed a walk on the beach to stretch my legs and back..

It will be some time before I do another like that, there is the Northumberland coastal event that takes my fancy.. but the Eastbourne-Brighton is next.

I am definitely not turning into a marathon “specialist” I did this because it’s on my doorstep and I run at QECP three times a week (between 10-20ks) so thought “yeah, why not let’s see how I go”

As I said, it was a bit too busy for me.. I am really solitary when I run, or with my mate (but he’s too fast for me, don’t really know why he waits TBH)

I run mainly because I get very frustrated with work and life stuff, not anxious just frustrated. When I’m pacing out something happens in my brain and things clear out, or I discover other thoughts about how to approach tricky situations. Riding never did that for me, don’t know why because essentially pacing is the same.. So I trail run.

I have approached trial running with less structure than I applied to my training when riding. When riding I had all sorts of interval structures and tapering regimes, build programmes and the like and it became too much, I lost the love for just riding out.. I seemed to be chasing some far off nirvana yet at the same time I never entered any events nor competed.. ok I did the odd CXer event but that was just for fun.. I rode mainly for the freedom from sitting behind a desk and the need for discovery and freedom and sunlight..

Trial running is much more intensive and all encompassing. I’m so absorbed when running I can “feel” the environment.. that’s an odd thing to say, but it’s true.. it’s not spiritual, I just feel absorbed and cocooned within the moment of the plod and sounds and wind and crunch and stains..

A few days off, back over there on weds for a 10k loop..

This thread is way more enlightening than any riding thread I’ve ever commented on.

Well done all for your efforts, some days just getting out and plodding is enough.

☄️🥊

2nd Park run of the year, perfect weather and got a new PB and first sub 20 of the year, 9th overall and first in my age category which is my best yet too. A bit annoyed I didn't break 19, went out really fast in a cluster of folk who were probably aiming for a sub 20, at around 3'45/km and when they began whittling down and slowing below 4min/km should have pushed on past instead of tailgating the leader for a bit.

But at roughly 70 miles in 22 hours or something..that’s not really running speed, though I’m sure he jogged sections.

The average pace you need to do one of the big 3 24hr rounds looks like walking pace but for some of the climbs you'll be going at less than 1mph so you need to make up for that by moving a fair bit faster where possible. The strategy most people adopt is to walk all the ups and run (at a steady pace obviously) the downs / flats.

Yes, Bland walked the whole thing but it's worth remembering that he was an exceptional athlete with unrivalled local knowledge and that he was by his own admission totally busted afterwards, more so than when he took the running record for the BG.

That said, there's no doubt in my mind that an experienced hillwalker who can run a bit is much more likely to succeed on a BG, CR or PB than a good runner.

The runners do a double bob.

Er, eh? What's that in reply to? Only two people have done the double Bob Graham  - Roger Baumeister in 1975 and Nicky Spinks in 2016.

Er, eh? What’s that in reply to? Only two people have done the double Bob Graham  – Roger Baumeister in 1975 and Nicky Spinks in 2016

Probably the chat about the Barkley Marathons. It's about the same as a double BG in terms of height gain but less in distance (assuming the BM is actually the 100 miles they say it is).

Ah, ok. Ta.

Is Barkley really running though? Sure it sounds tough but 100 miles in 60 hours can’t involve very much running!

I haven't heard the post match analysis yet but I suspect there's much more to Barkley than the numbers suggest. The chap from our club that just tried it is pretty hardcore (think solo, on-sight, winter BG) and only managed 3 laps. He's very much a runner but yes, that kind of thing isnt running as Joe Public would recognise it.

Spin - Thar Eoin ? Trying to find an update ?

He’s very much a runner but yes, that kind of thing isnt running as Joe Public would recognise it.

I was thinking about this as I was running this weekend. I consider myself very much a runner but I struggle to have 'running' conversations as I am pretty ignorant to the road side of things that Joe Public recognise.

I have had numerous conversations where people start talking pace, 10km times, sub 40 mins, sub 3 hours marathon, negative splits, looking for flat courses?, PB's (not the trainers). Have you done this race or that. The conversation falls pretty flat with the honest answer of never having run a road race and I 'think' my time would be around x amount but??? I think at this point they think all the gear no idea and wander off with an energy recovery drink and a vegan paleo recovery energy bar

I have however done multiple marathon and ultra races, multi day stage races and some of the toughest mountain/fell races around. I think nothing of packing a tent and off I go over hill and dale and often come back battered bruised and bleeding, caked in mud and snot to sit in pub eating pies and drinking beer.

We are all runners but we are very different. I like that broad church.

@marcus Eoin pulled out with a broken shoulder. Made two laps before retiring.

https://twitter.com/RichardDonovan7

That Barkley Marathon thing just strikes me as your typical USA made up "tradition"

I have ran in local races that have a better "pedigree" Lets just make it as obscure and esoteric as possible and people will love it. bull****

Cheers ajf - yeah, just found it on his Facebook page.

That Barkley Marathon thing just strikes me as your typical USA made up “tradition”

I have ran in local races that have a better “pedigree” Lets just make it as obscure and esoteric as possible and people will love it. bull****

Prejudices fully to the fore there...

Personally I think it's more likely that the founder is a genuine eccentric.

I see this a few times, are Sweatshop not a ‘proper’ running shop / is their advice not good?

It was reflection on the comment from the original poster who received poor advice from a Sweatshop and based on the general disinterest from the teenager slave labourers in my local branch.  Given that the OP was able to provide a good qualitative account of his experience with another running shop that is local to me and my own poor experience of my local Sweatshop, I would rather take my hard earned elsewhere.

If your experience with your local Sweatshop is different and you are happy going there then that is great 🙂

First Trunce of the year last night.

It's the signal for summer to begin 🙂 so obviously today its pissing it down!

The river Don was carrying a bit more water than usual and on crossing 2 I hit a hole in the river bed and went below knee deep stumbled, and just about managed to stay upright, but was pretty wet from then.

A change to the start, further back down the track meant times were down from last year but makes it a little bit tougher also.

A good turn out saw just shy of 400 complete the course.

South Yorkshire road leagues start Wednesday 🙂

That awkward moment when your runnning partner does a nostril-clear out, you feel a splash on your leg and just hope it was because he stepped in a puddle at the same time. FFS. Can’t people just slow down a bit before they do that shizzle. 🤮

If your experience with your local Sweatshop is different and you are happy going there then that is great

Ah, but that's the point. I've only bought one pair of shoes in the past 20 years being new back to running, and while I thought the advice and info was good, how do I really know?   Attentive and friendly doesn't mean factually correct.

Is it acceptable to take my shoes and insoles to an indy LRS and ask them if they think they're right for me, or will they just try to upgrade me anyway?

That Barkley Marathon thing just strikes me as your typical USA made up “tradition” I have ran in local races that have a better “pedigree”

Do your research. The Barkley marathon exists in the format it does because of ingrained stuck-up attitudes like yours. That's why the rules change, way it's so hard to enter, and hard to win.

Do your research. The Barkley marathon exists in the format it does because of ingrained stuck-up attitudes like yours. That’s why the rules change, way it’s so hard to enter, and hard to win.

Can you unpick that for me so that it is coherent? Why is my attitude "stuck up"? I would even say it is you who is "stuck up" selecting this as some great example of "inclusivity" It is simply Hollywood style faux "uniqueness"

I have no issue with the event itself but would you have singled it out if it hadnt been on Netflix?

The whole point of the marathons is to stick two fingers up at the sorts of races that you've mentioned; the ones that have tradition and pedigree. It's set up solely to take the piss out of those sorts of events; the ridiculous entry barriers, the rules (that keep people away), the difficulty of the event itself, all of those things are a parody

You've dismiss it out off hand because you thought it was trying to be the sort of race you laud because of their pedigree, but you missed the joke, which I guess means he's closer to the mark than I thought he was TBH.

It’s set up solely to take the piss out of those sorts of events; the ridiculous entry barriers, the rules (that keep people away), the difficulty of the event itself, all of those things are a parody

Wow, contrived, is that really what you think? You seem to have drunk the koolaid!

The races I "laud" have very low barriers to entry, you seem to be lumping "pedigree" along with "barriers to entry" not what I am talking about at all.

Anyway, back to the running. Checking in again as I think I am making progress having been in at the start of the thread and then not as I stopped running again for a month or so when my injuries caught up with me. I think the longest run I did was about 5km, but I tried going for a proper run and overdid it - sore achilles which took over a week to settle down, so I had a rest. Ran again a couple of weeks ago, instead of doing the continuous runs I'd done before I tried something like the c25k programme with runs and walks and I seemed to recover from it OK despite doing a decent pace. Last night I did something similar with two 1.5km runs and a final 1km run with rests between - probably pushed it a bit hard with a fast pace 500m in each run, the fastest at almost 4min/km pace (it seems strange that's now a fast pace, I've run a half marathon at that speed!) A bit stiff today, but crucially no pain from my achilles, so I might be back on it. I have noticed my lack of ankle flex for doing other things and started to address that, so that's probably helping.

Anyway, back to the running

Yes please.

My mate Jonny does those ultra marathons.. y’no those Sahara and across China things.. he did one last year in the New Forest running a circuit of 5miles and over 24hrs to see how many laps he could do.. He thinks nothing of running into work from Beaconsfield into Town.. Mans a bloody loony, good job he’s got his own company eh.

Anyway, he started running as a fat 19st lad back in 2004.. beer and crisps, pies and chips and all manner of MDMA abomination on the dance floor.. I remember it well, the conversation we had..

He said “shit night last night, I’m done drugs, I’m done pies, I’m doing the London Marathon next year”

And we fell about laughing, seriously if you saw this pasty looking fat lad you’d never have imagined the determination and motivation he had.. Was impressive but we all sort of said “yeah, wot evz” 2 months in and we caught up.. and he’s looking trimmer.. you can tell these things when you know someone well.. and he’s done nothing more than stop scoffing, dropped the beer and walking into work..

Then the story gets a bolster when his entry comes through.. and he turns up, we wait by the Appt Nr Canary Wharf and we see him run past.. We were ecstatic..

Time rolled on, he did more training and is where he is now..

All it takes is a change of mind, heart, planning and determination..

His advice to me when I took up trail running ? Take it easy, pace yourself down, enjoy the plod, one day at a time..

Managed a 10k PB the other day, even though I wasn't actually trying for it - headed out planning on doing a brisk 5k on roads, nice evening so thought I'd extend it, went off road along river and through park, took a couple pictures, stopped for a piss. By the time I got back on roads at about 8k thought might as well keep going to 10, last k was down Aberdeen's main shopping street so dodging in and out of shoppers n phone zombies, v surprised to have knocked a few seconds off pb. Reckon there's a minute or two can be chopped if I'm not mucking about.  Bodes will for first race of the year (Kilomathon in Edinburgh). Interval training seems to be doing good.

I’m still suffering, bailed out of my recovery run yesterday so did it today.. not good sensations TBH.. blew up 3 times on the climbs.. I guess my heads not in it ATM.. some days are like that though aren’t they.

Classic taper weekend for me. Nice and easy 10 miles, marathon pace with a little injection of pace for the last mile to get the heart rate up. Long warm down, lots of stretching, lovely stuff. Felt awesome, marathon pace was easy, fast bit at the end felt good, really chuffed by how I felt as training as not been going to plan.

Then I walk from my house to the garage, 5 metres and feel a twinge in my calf, the same calf that stopped me running over Christmas. Said twinge has now got to the point of discomfort when sat doing nothing.

So, once again, the week before a marathon will be spent with feet up and calf iced. May try and do some mobility work and perhaps 20 mins on the turbo later in the week to make sure my legs don’t get too languid. For the 2nd marathon on the bounce I’ll spend the eeek hoping that whatever it was that twinged was not important and heals in good time. FFS.

Not been back to this thread much since I damaged my ankle ligaments first week in Jan. Which meant I  missed the Gloucester half I’d been aiming for. My first (and possibly last) official road race and I was seriously cheesed off I couldn’t even limp to the start line, never mind run.

So after 12 weeks (been riding for the last five) I headed out on a flat, easy 5km to test the ankle. It’s a little uncomfortable but not sore and didn’t get any worse. My running fitness appears to have gone back to zero tho.

See how it is tomorrow. If it’s okay, going to try a few more short, slow runs. Not risking injuring it again. They do the gloucester half in Aug, so I might aim for that.

Really good to read this thread tho. Some amazing stories and achievements.

Doing my first marathon at the weekend - Manchester. Anyone else’s?

my training hasn’t gone to plan due to illness / bugs / flu. Ran up to 20m once last week ( but late ) and a few 15s, plenty of halves and regular weekly miles.

Bit it concerned about the lack of training - any tips? Just crack on?!

Yeah I’m looking forward to Manchester and physically in great condition though personal stuff is intervening...hope I can put it out of mind for 3h as it’s a shame to train all winter for nothing!

Sorry to hear of injury worries from others too.

Woke up and my calf is feeling much better, an evening of lethargy and ice seems to have done the job. Mobility work in the gym today and lots of stretching and I think, hope, that it'll be OK...I bloody hate tapering...

Best of luck to all doing Manchester!.

Had a week off last week, then did a 10k training run with the wife yesterday, first time she's run the distance, and in pretty brutal conditions, driving sleat, she was great, just dug in and got it done.

I've been super proud of her running, she's hardly been running log at all, only 6 months and now loves it. Went out with her a couple of weeks back as she wanted to get below 30 for a 5k, I said I'd help pace her, but she basically nailed it herself, and ran a 27.12. I was buzzing all week after that, so chuffed for her.

Signed up for race at your pace 100 miles again this month, I find it a great motivator, and a 10k round Culzean castle grounds at end of the month to target.

Just got back from what turns out to be my first 5k for 8 weeks!  I hadn't run at all for 6 weeks, resting completely for three before restarting yoga and exercises for lower back and hips.  Over the last two weeks I've done 3 runs a week of ~2.5k to get some fitness back and after a 3k on monday decided to push on a bit more today and go for 5.  Plan is to rest now until saturday/sunday and then have a gentle 3 and the repeat again next week and see how things go.

Fingers crossed back and hips seem to be holding up well but will take a Naproxen after my warm down yoga just to be on the safe side.  Nice to be out running again, will be even better to get on a bike again!

The weather in Harrogate over the weekend was atrocious.

I took my running gear (as I always do) planned to run over Simons Seat and back, ended up ditching all plans due to snow/rain bloody horrible wet weather.

Sometimes, sometimes you just gotta leave the kit in its bag.

Between illness, crap weather and work that's my first run in 10 days this morning.

Great to be out but by heck it felt hard work (and was slow) and slippery on all the ice.

Sorry to anyone in Dunblane who witnessed me coughing up a week's worth of phlegm on the way round.

Thankfully nobody was out along the river yesterday to witness me blowing out my arse and snotting everywhere.  I did find an enormous spread of wild garlic though so will be making pesto and garlic oil at the weekend 🙂

QECP 15k, back home and the Sun is out. Conditions are bloody awful underfoot but the Sun is out and it's warm. Short sleeve running T-shirt and long legs and shades..

Phew..

Don't suppose anybody wants a Salomon trail 10 pack do they? Bought and worn to Wooler and then the OH bought me an ultra vest for xmas. This one.

www.sportsshoes.com/product/sal1760/salomon-trail-10-running-backpack-~-ss18/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtZzWBRD2ARIsAIPenY0-_Z_um98l4VzGAEPsnkJObBHiVUysoN7bzvQS52NWrfLgITjUTKIaAl9iEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds