The Annual Running thread – beginners/ultras/whatever

Anyway got some time to put in some actual training for the run, can you know 2 mins of a 5k in 5 weeks?, from a 27min to a 25min.

I sincerely think you can. Intervals are your friend – do a 8 x 2 min session once a week, then a pyramid session another day (say, 1,2,3,4,3,2,1). You don’t need to be spending any more than 35-40 minutes per session – maybe a tempo run at the weekend. Your fast runs for pyramids/intervals should be faster than your desired race pace (which is 5min/k). Stick to a plan and I reckon you’ll knock 2 mins off your 5k easily enough.

PS. There’s something very soothing about running whilst it’s snowing.

Cant disagree with that.. lovely run out locally, up the estuary into the river, through the woods (technical rooty) up over the bridge, back down the other side through Manor Park Farm into the marina, caught the ferry across the Hamble to home.. all in light snow flurries and I could count on one hand the number of people out…

🤸‍♂️🗿

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: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2G5WCJBpps

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.