The Annual Running thread – beginners/ultras/whatever

Well I’ve just managed a couple of five minute sessions on the treadmill as I attempt to make a comeback from my niggling knee injury that has kept me out for almost a year. Go me 🙁

My preference is trail/cross country over road. But I will do tarmac over lunch just to get a run in.

A lot of clubs will run tarmac in the winter and trails in the summer, though I’m sure there are exceptions to this.

The other benefit I’ve found is that I now know my local area better than I ever have through running every inch of pavement and trail within 10 miles!

Right then, anyone running the English XC Nationals this weekend? The weather is looking far to nice for XC, rather disappointed we won’t be knee deep in mud.

99% of my club running is at the track. If I wanted to run on the road or trail I’d just do that myself!

I run solo, but I’d recommend trying a club if there’s a local one that suits. In my case I really prefer road running in daylight and they mostly go over the fells at night (after work) so it doesn’t really work for me though I did enjoy it when I made the effort to go out with them.

Well done @mrsparkle

Dark Un

Ah cheers, man. It was a good night.

I’ve got a place on the Tor des Geants… just need to convince Mrs. mogrim that this is a good idea 🙂

Just completed the Steyning Stinger half marathon – a super hilly, but lovely route! Thanks to @john_l for suggesting this event earlier in this thread.
Time for a relaxing post race beer in the garden 🍻

Just completed my first half marathon event in Paris. Great atmosphere and temperature. Managed a 1hr 50.

It’s obviously half marathon season. I had a lovely day out at Haweswater Half, a little slower than last year, but I’m a little older, so that’s fair enough.

On the subject of half marathons, and having a target to work towards. I’m going to enter myself for a local half, which will be my first and only running event.

Currently I’m not following a plan. I run 4 miles tues/thurs lunchtimes, and something a bit more fun on weekend, like a 6-8 mile trail run. I just run – trying to stay at a comfortable pace, I’ve not done intervals/speed work. I’ve been running since last Autumn.

It’s 12 weeks until the half. Would it be best to follow a structured plan? or just do what I’m doing and bump the milage up incrementally? I have a Garmin watch, but their plans are minimum 16 weeks.

I’m not fast, just want to complete it. My avg pace is around 9:30/mi ish.

Bump up the mileage, but also make one of your lunch runs a bit more structured with some faster intervals.

Bump up the mileage, but also make one of your lunch runs a bit more structured with some faster intervals.

Pretty much this.
Try and get over 10 on the weekends.
try and inject a bit of pace over the lunch runs.
Keep it simple.

This will interest some of you
https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/tunnel-vision-helps-ultra-runners-enter-dark-side-2023-03-17/

I’ve been looking at doing a local trail half marathon near the end of May. The local club have a 10 miler as part of their club championships on Good Friday so I figured the GF race was a good one to do as part of the training for the half.

As I’m a complete numpty when it comes to training, I decided to try out the Garmin training daily suggestions to see how it went. As such I’ve been following the daily suggestions as closely as possible, allowing for work etc.
So far, so good. It’s been concentrating on base stuff mostly but has started adding some threshold and sprint work in the mix.

I was hoping for sub 1h30 for the 10 miler and as close to 2h as possible for the half.
Garmin seems to think that I can manage a 1h22 for the 10 and 1h56 for the half.
I think they’re a bit optimistic but we’ll see!

For anyone who’s used the Garmin training stuff, for the race will the watch suggest pacing as it does for the daily suggestion runs?
If not, should I look to set up a workout for the race at the pace I’m aiming for and follow that?
Should I just ignore the watch and go as hard as I can for as long as I can and hope I don’t blow up spectacularly?
Answers on the back of a postcard please…

Started back at the gym and been doing some 5k’s on the treadmill. Now the clocks have gone back might dust off the trail shoes and start running around the bridleways again. Though I know a few will be like a quagmire with this rain we’ve had recently around here.

First half marathon done. Super super pleased. When I first started training in Jan I wanted to do sub 2.30. But then training was going really well and sub 2 was looking achievable.

Then toward the end of Feb I injured my achilles so since then I’ve done less than 20k over just three runs since 19 Feb so sub 2 was looking dicey.

Anyway I did it and actually my official time is 1hr59mins15s so over the moon

The Sheffield course is err, quite up hill for quite a long time so had to pace it carfully.

Nothing left on the table either. Don’t think I could have even done another 100 metres! But, I’ve done it and got the time so yeah… Super happy.

Looking at the Dronfield Big Dipper in Sept next but must rest the achilles now until its fully healed. Physios orders!

@crossed, I’ve never used the Garmin for races though friends have used the PacePro feature and found it works well. I think that feature factors in the course and gives you a pace per mile breakdown for the event.
Personally, I just go and run hard, but I know many people prefer a more measured approach.

@kuco, spring trails are the very best. After a winter on the road getting out on the trails is just bliss.

@lunge – the pacers in the Sheffield Half today were all using PacePro. They said it is incredibly accurate.

In training I’ve house been running to how I feel and have tried but to be a slave to watch but for an event where you want a time, particularly on a course like today, it’s a great tool 🙂

An interesting week for me this week.
Ran Wednesday and felt appalling and somewhat broken so took 3 days off, breaking a 258 day streak.
Had an entry for Wolverhampton 10k today and didn’t want to waste it, though I was worried about about feeling broken 4 days before.
Turns out rest is a good thing and I got round in 37:36, 3 seconds off a PB without really pushing at all.
I’ve also learned that I’m like a bear with a sore head if I don’t exercise for 2 days on the bounce.

I was hoping for sub 1h30 for the 10 miler and as close to 2h as possible for the half.
Garmin seems to think that I can manage a 1h22 for the 10 and 1h56 for the half.
I think they’re a bit optimistic but we’ll see!

I’m not quite sure what to make of Garmin’s predicted times: mine are way off for short distances, but look pretty accurate for half and full marathon. But however accurate they are, they’re predicting road race times. You mentioned you’re thinking of a trail marathon, which will presumably include at least a bit of climbing, and possibly rough/technical surfaces. Personally I’d just do the race to the best of my abilities, and not worry too much about the time. If you repeat the race next year, though… 🙂

Good weekend here: quick 7k on Friday after work, then 21 yesterday and 26 today – over 50k for the weekend, which is pretty much where I need to be. Weird weather – yesterday I got sunburnt, so today I made sure to slather on the 50+, and then nearly froze to death when we hit the top of the mountain and it was blowing a gale!

Has anyone got any good advice for tapering before a race?

I’m doing a 10 mile on Friday morning and apart from heading out for a slightly hilly hour run today and an hour club run on Monday evening I’ve nothing else planned. I may try and head out for a couple of gentle plods on the bike now the weather is drying up.

What do the hive mind suggest for the next six days?

I’m not quite sure what to make of Garmin’s predicted times: mine are way off for short distances,

Yes they are well off, I would be happy running the ones Garmin tells me I should…

@crossed, I find tapering is very personal.
If it was me, I’d be running right up to race day, but making sure Thursday was short and easy. I find my legs feel better when they’re moving than where they’re not.
I’d say to be safe that an easy 5k on Wednesday and then Thursday off would work for most.

I find a few short quick runs in the days before help my legs.
They sometimes seem to start at the pace they finish their last run, so slow running feels counterproductive in a race build up.

Just wrote a post but it won’t go (403 forbidden). So you can have a content-free line of worthless text instead.

Today, I finished running every single public road in the London borough of Southwark.

This started back at the end of 2020 when I found I was doing the same routes every time, and consequently running too fast/hard. I wanted to slow down, take less risk of injury and enjoy pootling along more. I noticed that Strava had a “heatmap” feature, so started “colouring in” the roads around me. Later I found citystrides.com, which takes the Strava data and keeps track of which roads are complete.

Anyway, there are 1859 roads in Southwark (as far as Open Street Map knows), a total distance of 475km. However, I’ve apparently run over 2000km in order to do them all.

For a fair chunk of them, I’ve been listening to podcasts – a lot of Adam Buxton and Blindboy. And for some reason the locations are strong memory triggers for whatever podcast I was listening to at the time. So now there are quite a lot of streets near my home that instantly make me think of Lee Mack or Louis Theroux or a blindboy monologue on catholic relics or whatever.

Final Road? Rotherhithe tunnel. Less grim than I expected. The cars muct have thought I was an absolute lunatic though.

Completed first marathon at the weekned. Time wasn’t anything like I wanted but not that unexpected (training went to poop around December with illness, work/family commitments etc).

Longest run prior to the start line was about 25k (which was a 10k run, then a mix of run/walk for the next 15k) which obviousluy wasn’t ideal prep but I thought, why not??

Knees started to hurt at 15 miles, up to which point I’d felt ok (started with the 5hr pacer, and then was strategically dropping to 5:15, then 5:30 where I’d hoped to stay). By 17 miles I could only run for 200m ish at a time so just decided to walk the rest (with a 50m waddle/jog at the finish).

Ended up at 6:21, but just beat a guy carrying a washing machine (which was necessary as my kids said they’d disown me if he passed me!) so I was alright with that!

Legs were totally shot on Monday, managed to walk/hobble into town for some lunch then after being driven home for 1.5 hours I couldn’t acutally get out of the car and into the house under my own steam!

Tuesday was ok as long as I didn’t have stairs to contend with, and today I just feel like I’d played a game of footy yesterday. Can tell the legs are heavy but no soreness. No toenail’s have fallen off, my nipples didn’t get shredded so all in all I’ll take that as an almost 48 year old who doesn’t do enough exercise!

If you’re on the fence about doing one, go for it. Not sure I’ll do another (although part of me wants to) but it’s been ticked off the bucket list

@dannybgoode – good effort on the Sheffield half. Quite a course! That last couple of kms into town felt like a looong way when I did it. Sure you’re sorted with physio but Charlie at Fit4 Physio (Hallamshire Tennis Club) is really good. She’s a runner herself and her husband is member of Dark Peak so she knows her stuff when it comes to running injuries.

BigDipper is an interesting one – comes past my house and certainly some decent hills in it! Not the same course by any stretch but if you fancy a 10km in the same area then there’s the “Barlow not quite 10km” in July. Pretty hilly too. https://www.barlowcarnival.co.uk/the-barlow-not-quite-10k/#:~:text=Friday%2014%20July%202023,of%20those%20famous%20chip%20butties!

Quick bit of last minute advice before I race tomorrow…

I’ve not really thought about fuelling for racing up until now. I never usually eat or drink on a run, in fact the only time I have was on a 22km plod home a few weeks back and that was only because I was running about seven hours after breakfast!

So tomorrow is a 10 mile race starting at 0930. I’ll probably be up around 0600-0630 and I’ll have my usual oats and fruit for breakfast with a couple of cups of tea.
It’s not going to be particularly warm, around 6-7 degrees, so I’m not overly bothered about drinking.
Is it worth bothering with gels etc during the race?
I’m aiming for somewhere around 1h25-1h30 as a finishing time.
Should that be doable without worrying about fuelling?

My mate and one of our club coaches at Liverpool Pembroke and Sefton, Tony O’Brien. World champ (to add to a number of British and Euro champs and records since he turned 50.

World Champ

Well done @chomp, completing a marathon at any pace is a significant achievement.

Sorry to miss your post @crossed, I never consider fuelling for anything up to half marathon (say 1:30), if it’s super-hot I might grab water but even that would be mostly to pour on rather than drink, and that’s not an issue in this weather. You could possibly benefit from a gel but it won’t be a big deal either way. Hope it went ok!

Well my 10 went fairly well.

Aimed for sub 1h30 and ended up with a 1h24, not sure I could have gone much faster to be honest. According to Strava it knocked 6 minutes off my 10k PB!

Next up is either a 10k or half at the end of May, just need to decide now which distance with.

I have “a bit…” of a running shoe problem and am currently looking to get rid of a good few pairs. They’re all UK size 12 and all in good condition.
Some will be put on eBay but in truth, I’ll not get much for most of them and would rather they go to a good home.
So, if anyone (knows anyone who) could use a pair of size 12’s, maybe someone new into running or someone who’s a bit skint at the moment then let me know and I’ll happily send them a pair. All I’d ask if you/they cover the cost of postage (£5 ish I guess) and perhaps throw a donation at your charity of choice.
The shoes are:
Sketchers Maxroad 5, blue, 30 miles.
Nike Pegasus 39, blue, 50 miles.
Nike Terra Kiger 7, black, 80 miles.
ASICS trail shoes of some kind, grey, under 100 miles.
Nike Pegasus Trail 3, green, 200 miles.
There may be others as I get into the depth of my shoe cupboard.
All shoes will be washed before I send them.

Anyone running the London marathon? I’ve entered the ballot every year for 18 years and got in this time. Training has been ok but, for various reasons, I’m super slow, so expecting 5 hours plus. Currently have a cold, which is annoying but at least it’s now, not in two weeks!

Well I don’t know if it is related, but I’ve long completed the C25K but efforts dropped off a bit recently. Went out on Tuesday morning for a five miler and by Sunday, was looking for an emergency doc appt who then diagnosed cellulitis in the left foot. They “suggested” it could be trauma from running but NHS website says it is usually a scratch or nick. I did have a super sharp but very small splinter or thorn in my sock Wednesday/Thursday so maybe that. As a committed novice, the thought of getting problems when trying to keep fit by running is a little concerning.

@colonelwax – congratulations on getting into London. I’m upto 14 years and still going. 😩

Good luck!

New shoes time for me. Any suggestions? Currently on Nike Pegasus which have been great. A little spendy though, so any other suggestions a little lower in price but with same fit and comfort? On needs, I’m out three or four days a week for 7-10 mile outings mostly on road (some trail too).

@saxabar, assuming you want a good, all round trainer (as that’s what a Pegasus is), then I’d suggest:
Puma Velocity Nitro, £50 on Start Fitness the code FORDYRUNS gets you an extra 10% off at this shop).
Saucony Ride 15, again, about £50 for last seasons model at a few places
Reebok Floatride Energy 5. Buy direct from Reebok and sign up to the newsletter for 20% off the £85 full price.

You could also look at the Puma Deviate Nitro if you wanted a bit more bounce, £70 at Start Fitness.

Edit, Nike have just released the Pegasus 40, you may well be able to pick up the 39 in the sale.