Well the email’s arrived and it’s yet another year of disappointment on the London Marathon front.

I reckon I’d be better off just paying the $350 or whatever it is and trying to get and entry for the New York marathon or some other interesting foreign one.

My e-mail is in…and the link keeps timing out so I can’t see what the outcome is. Annoying.

hey folks…. i have signed up to my first running event…

i’ve signed up for the LONDON LANDMARKS HALF MARATHON… Help!!!

i will keep an eye here for top tips, but feel free to add anything to my thread too 🙂

@spawnofyorkshire – I’m another one that’s run Lakes in a Day. My 2nd 50 mile completion, albeit a decade after my first. Blog at http://pyrosyard.blogspot.com/2021/10/lakes-in-day-2021.html if it’s of any interest.
I’m also part of the safety team for it most years, any runners this year would have passed by me on the river crossing.

@pyro really enjoyed reading your blog, bought back some good (and bad!) memories of the event.

@fingerbang or any other BG curious runners, I’m based in the Lakes if anyone wants company on recce runs?  I’m currently recovering from injury but will be building up mileage over the winter.

What’s everyone got planned for 2023?

@doommountain, yes definitely – I note you’ve fully recced the BGR? Left to my own devices, my next recce is probably Leg 3 but park at Dunmail and then out and back. Trouble is that’d be a 12 hour ish day so might be best left to spring now and I might have to train for that sort of distance and time out in the fells. The other plan is to camp at Wasdale and do a leg 4 and 5 recce over a weekend.

You just want the clear conditions and long day of spring/summer but with the car parking and lack of crowds of autumn/winter

Im up for some 2022 recceing but might struggle with days off work now.

If I do the BGR it will be next year, subject to a injury free and regular training winter, or 2024

My BGR book collection is growing, I can’t recommend the Peter McDonald book enough – nice pictures and detailed route information:

Having taken a few years off running events I’m back as part of a team for Equinox24 in sept. Having done it a couple of times before I know what to expect but dragging some friends along with me, one of whom is doing it solo. a bit of friendly competition to see if the team or him can do the most laps.

@Pyro – great write up, hasn’t put me off 😀
Is there any section you’d recommend to recce? I’ve done the descent from Fairfield to Ambleside before including that god-awful ‘step’ in freezing/icy conditions, otherwise most of the route would be new to me. I’ve done plenty in the lakes, just not the route of the LIAD

What’s everyone got planned for 2023?

The usual, I’m currently just jogging around waiting for the 18 week countdown to Manchester Marathon. With a few 5/10/21k warmup/test races over the winter. Thinking of doing a 5k on Saturday (the very flat+fast cycle track at Barrowford) to give me a benchmark.

Unlike last year, I don’t think I’ll try to fit in any regular zwifting (cycling) over the winter. Didn’t really work out that well last year, too much of a distraction and my running mileage ended up being a bit low as a result. I’ll try to fit in some outdoor bike rides when (if!) the weather is good though.

What’s everyone got planned for 2023?

Stay injury free and enjoy my running but I would like to be in the top 100 for my age group V55 (i’m 58) over 5km. At the moment thats sub 18:30 which if you think sounds quite easy then try it when you are my age…. It really does get difficult past 50… With a bit of luck that time would get me around top 30 for the V60 so at least something to aim for.

@spawnofyorkshire – Depends how much you want to. They run some official led recces closer to the event and they’re well worth it, especially for the technical descent of Halls Fell and that descent off Fairfield and avoiding the ‘step’. The sections after Ambleside are well waymarked, so less imperative to recce, but I’d done Ambleside-Newby Bridge with a mate anyway just so I had rough landmarks in my head to keep track of my progress.

@v7fmp, welcome. Your plan of run more and faster is a good one.

What’s everyone got planned for 2023?

Assuming I don’t get our club place for London, a spring ultra I think, at least 50 miles, perhaps 100km.
I then quite fancy a year of getting really fast over 10k and seeing how close to 35 minutes I can get.
Perhaps an autumn marathon…maybe

What’s everyone got planned for 2023?

I want to get another ultra under my belt, looking increasingly likely to be Lakes in a Day next october.
I also want to get some speed back, I was 21min 5KM / sub 45min 10km not that long ago, but a series of injuries and doing a masters degree set me back. Can’t see myself being that speed again, but i’d love to be in position to knock out sub-25min 5km’s without difficulty again.
I’ve entered the 23km on the Lakeland Ultra day in July, I finished the Ultra last year but didn’t fancy that course again. Going to bosh the shorter distance and be there to support my three friends doing the 55km

Aside from all that my primary goal is to not be in chronic pain anymore. My slipped disc and associated sciatica is brutal at the moment and really putting me off getting out running

@Pyro – Great advice, thank you! Will def head up to do the Halls Fell and Fairfield sections and will keep an eye out for the organised recces

really fast over 10k and seeing how close to 35 minutes I can get

@lunge Blimey, that’s quick! 3:30 per km, I can probably do that for about a minute : )

I managed to get a place in the Lakeland 100 for next year. Will be the biggest thing I’ve run, just want to make it to the finish line in one piece.

What’s everyone got planned for 2023?

A 100miler here in Spain, just not sure which. Guessing it’ll be somewhere around the start of summer, so I’ll need a 100km ultra at Easter to build up to it. I’m planning on signing up for something around this time of year, too – this year I didn’t and as a result I haven’t been doing much for the past couple of months. I certainly haven’t stopped, but I do need something to aim for to keep motivation up.

@lunge Blimey, that’s quick! 3:30 per km, I can probably do that for about a minute : )

It’s 2 mins off my PB, which is a big ask, but the PB came with no focussed 10k training, no taper and basically just turning up and running. Which means I now wonder if I prepped properly I could get close to 35.

It’s funny how that can go sometimes – my 5km PB was a parkrun where i didn’t give 100% because i finished and went straight out for a further 10km. Got injured the next week so never got to see what i could do with a proper effort, i could have been close to breaking 20mins.
My 10km PB is the first 10 of a half marathon, and again i wasn’t giving it the full beans.

I’m going to head out for 5km loop now, feeling inspired after the chat on here today

Lots of news from me. Did my first marathon, which was also my first trail race at Beachy Head last weekend. I was so happy as I ran and had a few lovely chats. Partnered up with some dude on the Severn Sisters and we encouraged each other along.
Must play to my strengths as I did it in 3.42 despite having the most incredibly sore muscles by the end. My training has been a couple of short to medium runs a week so this was a huge step up. Hopefully I’ve a lot of room to grow.

To that end I’ve joined my local running club and participated in their track night and club run. Exciting times!

Finally, have just bought some Altra walking boots as I love the feel of their shoes. Am a convert to a wide toe box.

P.S. I ran the marathon in Speedgoats. Whilst I love the feel of Altras, I don’t feel fast in them.

Had a quite wonderful day out on Saturday at the Snowdonia Marathon. Such a brilliant events, really tough but hugely enjoyable course, great atmosphere, just an awesome event.
It was clearly not a PB course, which meant you can just go out and run and not be constantly looking at the pace on your watch. This really enhanced the enjoyment of it.
Even so, I was still top 10% in my age category and seemed to be one of very few runners who didn’t fall down on the final descent.
I’ve never enjoyed a marathon before, but this one I did and will definitely be entering again next year.

That looks epic @lunge !

As a begineer runner, it’s mindblowing!

Has anyone done Maffetone training?

I have just completed a 4 week starter course on Nike Run Club, I really enjoyed it. The next plan on the NRC platform would be a 5k plan ( https://www.nike.com/pdf/Nike-Run-Club-5K-Training-Plan-Audio-Guided-Runs.pdf ), but I’m going 5k already, so contemplating where to go next as a begineer. Considering something like MAF or 80/20 to try and limit injuries.

The NRC plans have quite a lot of speed work, prob 2 out 4/5 days. As much as it is fun, my goal is to get further along the journey injury free first, build some base.

@lunge : Highland Fling at 53 miles in late April next year..?

@fingerbang

A good recce is to start from Rostwhaite at the bottom of Borrowdale, head up towards High Raise, then do the rest of 3 & 4 from there, but its big day out, then do leg 5 the day after? That way you can leave it until later in your training when you have enough light to do it in a oner. Then doing leg 3 from Dunmail as far as Sca Fell Pike is a good reccie and you’ve covered all the ground on that half between them.

Whereabouts are you based? People get carried away with reccying the thing to death, the long days out in the hills are more important than getting every single trod bang on, or getting the exact summit cairn on Grey Knotts. If you can reccie every single leg once before your attempt that should be sufficient.

The Bob Wightman Website is good, as is https://www.dpfr.org.uk/pages/view/bob-graham

I’d concentrate on getting a good stable base over the winter locally, seeking out as many hills as you can, even an all day doing hilly hikes is good. If you’re body is capable of doing a 12 hour hike it may be better doing that over the winter ratehr than 4 hour runs, its all about getting time in the legs, and sorting out what your body can tolerate in terms of food, shoes and chafing. I wouldn’t go out of my way to get the reccies in now at the expense of missing them in the better weather when you have more time.

Quite a few people in my club have done reccie’s of the rounds over 3 days, either staying in bunkhouses or wild-camping along the way, some have said that doing it that way was better than the main event itself.

Good luck!

Glad to hear it @lunge. I had a similar experience at the very local (and very small) Bentham marathon a few years ago, which had a similar elevation gain/loss of around 1000m over the course. Very different to my usual even-paced “on the limit” performance where I’m aiming for a time.

Hit my target of sub-19 5k at the weekend. Nothing particularly special in absolute speed but actually pretty close to my best ever WAVA for the distance (I was just over 80%, I’ve never topped 81%). So that’s a reasonable benchmark to start off the winter training.

Barry, I haven’t used MAF specifically but I do a lot of steady jogging. 1-2 harder workouts a week when I’m in full training (Jack Daniels). Works for me. I seem to stay injury free and enjoy my running.

Was anyone else at the OMM at the weekend?
I was on Medium score with one of my Itera teammates – though I’ve been chronically short of motivation and she’s had a chest infection, so neither of us were on top form at all. We made one atrocious nav error on day one that knocked us down the rankings a bit, but not as far as we expected, other teams must have struggled in the clag as well. Day one started from Langdale and we headed up and across the fells either side of Bow Fell and Crinkle Crags, before crossing round towards Cold Pike and down to the overnight at Cockley Beck. Day two we stayed lower to start with, up Moasdale and round into Eskdale before climbing up past the Esk Falls, traversing round under Pike de Bield Moss, then up Yeastyrigg Gill onto Esk Pike and back via Angle Tarn and Rossett Gill. A slow plodding hike for us more than a ‘run’, but not a bad couple of days out

@pieface

thanks for your reply. If you’ve done the BGR then tell me about your exploits? Im in Barlick which is great for lakes trips as can go via A65. I’ve had a look at the Bob Wightman website, its interesting that you can approach the BGR from a walking background as long as you’ve done long days in the fells then that’s valuable training.

I still can’t get my head around Billy Bland and his nephew did a strictly walking only route in 1989 and got under 24 hours. I’d not thought about starting a recce in Rosthwaite but that is good to know.

I’ve really enjoyed the recces so far and can’t wait to complete them. I totally get they’re probably the most enjoyable part. Although I’ll get summit fever at some point and have to get an attempt in

newbie here and started the Frankfurt Marathon at the weekend.

been keeping a lurking eye on peoples experiences

Was a great event and thoroughly recommend it as an event.

It was my first marathon having completed the Aviemore half twice before – managed 1:57 for the most recent event and that was 100% on the fire roads/trail so was feeling okay about the full one

it was a 10:00 start on the same weekend as the clock change made it 11:00 for the temperature

Training had been going okay and had a realistic goal of sub 4, being on the larger side 108kgs (6`1″partly overweight with flab and partly upper body muscle)

Was much hotter than expected and started in the high teens which was always going to make it tougher for me as I hate the heat.

Was going really well until km 25, almost enjoying it!! bang on pace averaging 5:35/km was trying to hydrate and was taking on fluids at every second station, which is more than i do for my training runs. but feeling good and well in control – or so i thought

25 – 30 got a bit tough, legs were getting sore, outside hamstrings mainly, but was still bimbling along and overall average was 5:40 so slipping but was hoping to get to km 35 and then hope to get some of that back. had to pause for a few hamstring stretches and walk for 15 seconds before running.

struggled to km 35 getting some cold shivers but was feeling it in the legs and walking more, couple of minor pukes, then from km 35 to 38 i was in the bad place. paused at km 38 pretty f’d to be honest tried to go again and saw the 4:30 pacers pass me who were in the wave behind me and i think that took the last bit of motivation i had left.

I pulled the pin and skipped from km 38ish to km 40.5, threw away my timing chip and hobbled to the finish to get my drop bag, “ran” – not really but looked like i was – the final 300m as the streets were rammed and was feeling so low at that point. The final 100m or so is indoors in the arena rammed with people so felt quite embarrassed.

didnt take the medal and gave away the finisher tshirt i had bought to somebody who earnt it.

sat down on a beer bottle crate and fell asleep for 10-15 minutes.

had thought about walking in from km 38 all the way home and as soon as i shortened the course regretted that i hadnt done that, but the last mile was a real trudge, i stopped more than i started and would have paid for a lift – I was well and truly done.

Was mentally tough for the hour or so after, really deflated having trained conscientiously for the previous three months, had done 3 or 4, 20 mile runs and had been told by the coach that would be enough.

on the plane home that evening i stopped beating myself up quite so much came up with a bit of a plan and have entered the rotterdam marathon in April.

Plan to start that weighing less that 100kgs ideally closer to 95kgs.

Will keep the (remote/online) coaching but will definitely run 40km between now and April – if just for my own headspace

not sure if i just hit the wall or if something else happened or if my training was out, they have a pretzel “fun run” on the saturday – 6km I did that but at a glacial pace – 7:00/km – not sure if that had a detrimental effect on my Sunday

Just started week 3 of c25k, so it’s 90 seconds run, 90 secs walk, 3 mins run, then 3 mins walk. All that twice. I do an out and back run, turning round at halfway and landed back at my start point bang on the end of the test. 10:10/mile over the entire session so my logic is that 5k should be 30mins. Keep feeling the push to just sold it one day and see what happens if I just head off and see how far I get, but v mindful of injuring myself so going to keep ticking along for now.

I’m also mindful that c25K is possibly aimed at those who haven’t done a great deal of exercise so maybe it is overly cautious for me, but having never really run, I’m just going to stick at it. So far (touch wood) all seems to be going well. Need to get some better trainers now though.

@rockhopper70 I did c25k all the way through last year. I stayed unjury free until a few weeks after where I developed shin splints, I was running fast. They very very common for new runners.

This time I’m doing the Nike Run Club, much more fun.

Echoing what @Lunge said about the Snowdonia Marathon taking any pressure off of times (unless at the front obv.) – I also did it and in doing so completed my first marathon. Plenty of ups, but that simply put aside any worries of getting a decent time so I’d say it’s the perfect 1st marathon for anybody wondering which to do! 🙂 Took loads of pictures (that’s Snowdonia for you), and fell on the muddy descent when someone changed direction in front of me & swerved out the way, but had a fantastic time. The fact that I didn’t finish absolutely goosed obviously means my pacing was out, even if my legs were tired. Pleased to have run the whole thing including the last ascent which seemed to be a walking section for all around me.
Bloomin’ Loved it

What’s everyones go-to headtorch currently for trail running? I have been looking at the exposure models having run them on the bike for years, anyone tried one?

Im just using alpkit qark at the minute. my only issue is that there is no warning when energy runs out – so you can be plunged into darkness unless you have a backup

I like a top strap which the alpkit has but I don’t think the exposure has

Finally did my first run after a month off due to injured little toe, nearly 4 miles. Enjoyed it, decent weather, day before the last few wet days. Probably could have gone back to running sooner. Then on the bike commute home, a puncture and no spare tube meant walking the bike home the last ~1.5 miles. As I was wearing the running shoes jogged 1.25 miles pushing the bike. Definitely felt like more though. Lower legs felt it next day. /endreport.

Now and again I’ll have a go at running and usually go too hard and injury myself. This summer I gave it another go but didn’t get hung up on my pace and it’s starting to pay off now.

Today I did 8 miles in 1hr02 with a (hilly-ish) 10k of 47:06 which I’m fairly happy with.

Fitness has ramped up and it shows with my biking. Zwift have had a look in yet as I’d rather don the head torch and go for a run.

@seantemple I have an alpkit Qark, Petzl Actik React and Petzl Swift. The Swift is my torch of choice as it covers all situations hands down, but it’s expensive. If you can’t stretch to the Swift, the Actik is a good choice, the Quark is ok but too compromised (straps, button size, bezel stiffness) to make it an easy running light.

The Quark is powerful and versatile, but the cost shines through in the straps being awkward and the buttons not being very easy to use. Both of the Petzls are small, slip on and off in to a pocket easily, and plenty of power / battery life for your needs.

On lowest power the Swift is fine for all running and lasts for days, mid power is plenty, full power is immense.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good pair of waterproof running trousers?

I’m looking for something that will be comfortable enough to actually wear for a few hours of wet winter weather on the fells rather than something just to tick a box for mandatory kit requirements.

Another big requirement is decent leg length as I’m 6’4″.

The Inov8 Trailpants and the OMM Kamleikas look like possible candidates. Any views on those or any others I should check out?

@mrb123, have a look at the Harrier Dartmoor trousers. They’re on pre-order so reviews will be limited the rest of their kit is really good, the Exmoor jacket I have is a lovely bit of kit.
Dartmoor Waterproof Trousers

Myself and the wife both have the Inov8 options.
They are great for foul weather although if it’s just raining a bit I wouldn’t bother as you’ll be wetter from sweat than from the rain.
They are waterpoof though, without question.