The Annual Running thread – beginners/ultras/whatever

(Not lunge, but…)  At a guess for the 1′ on / 45″ off workout you’d probably repeat 8-10 times. This is just an example of an interval workout, and I’m sure lunge won’t contradict me when I say that other plans are available and also beneficial

Yeah, something like that, but importantly, this.

dont let the perfect be the enemy of the good and don’t overthink it

Basically, you want to do some hard, short efforts with some easier recovery time in there. It could be 40/20’s or 60/45’s or whatever but you get the idea. I’m not athlete so haven’t dug into ultra specifics, but the principle is the important thing.

Couldn’t see this mentioned here, or in the BG thread – Nicky Spinks completes the double Ramsay
<h1 class=”content__headline “>Fell runner’s 116-mile feat adds to summer of sporting triumphs</h1>

Took the opportunity today for a road run which I normally hate and really avoid if possible. The weather and scenery made it hard to resist though.  A 10 mile circular of the Isle of Great Cumbrae off the west coast of Scotland. Worth it for the views of Arran alone.

Superb lotto.

Missus and I found ourselves child free one evening a few weeks back, jumped on a ferry at 7pm and had a wee cycle round, was lovely and quiet, hadn’t been for years.

Me and the Mrs did a steady paced 14 mile offload loop today. Not bad as we’ve only been running a couple of months so very happy so far.

14 miles is a good off road effort. This weather is making running so much more of a pleasure rather than a must do.

Thanks,  yeah it’s lovely isn’t it. It’s hard to actually not go out. I’ve not touched the bloody bikes lol

What are peoples thoughts on recovery shakes and when to take them?  I wouldn’t have one after every ride, considering it more appropriate after a long distance multi hour ride or a particularly strenuous effort.  When it comes to running my thinking so far is the same, i.e. leaving them for after the longer run of the week and not after every 5K, however as a newish runner wondered what peoples thoughts are?

I’m finding it far too hot for running actually. Slogged round a local 10k race in a very pedestrian time, cycling is a better bet in this weather IMO.

Re recovery drinks, anything with a few calories in and a lot of water is a good bet really.

Up until recently i hadn’t run since school cross country (i’m 39 now) – this was mostly due to rugby taking up all my energy and ruining my joints.

Now I’m getting back into it and really enjoying it. Aiming for the London Duathlon in September and as I’m competitive to a fault, I want to get the best out of myself.

I started pretty slow – 2 or 3 km on the treadmill building to a few 5k efforts but when I found that my knees weren’t exploding, I started to get impatient and extended and speeded up the runs.

I’m at the point now where 5 and 10k runs are comfortable (I wouldn’t have dreamed this possible not long ago!) best times on non-measured courses – just garmin tracks so likely to be a few percent off – are 19mins and 41mins.

Average weekly distance is only 10-15 km as I mostly ride but every so often i foolishly chuck in a much longer 15-25km run.

I get a sore knee from patellar tendonitis but i ice it regularly and that seems to keep on top of it. However, after longer runs I get pain in my lower stomach / groin / hip flexor region. Dr Google indicates “sports hernia” but i’m sceptical.

How can you tell which pain is just pain, and which is damage?

I’m considering going to a sports physio for a “running assessment” to see if technique and posture are efficient/ going to cause injuries.

Are these assessments worthwhile?

I think i’d probably be more sensible to do fartlek/ interval type training to reduce the impact while keeping intensity high but i the appeal of long, off-road runs is growing – partly inspired by this thread.

Doesn’t sound good to be getting sore knees from such low mileage. Regular gentle miles is the way to build up without injury. With the odd bit of harder running for improved performance/fitness.

First ever marathon event on Saturday.

I’ve not ran more than a half in 5 years.Currently my knee blows up after 14-15miles.

Course is over Long Mynd, so not exactly flat.

This is going to hurt, but It’ll be fun.

Despite not doing a huge amount of training (various football knocks) I managed my first ever ‘podium’ recently, Ythan Challenge (12k, mostly offroad, a few obstacles including wading across a river). Had learned a fair bit from my attempt last year, had better pace and tactics this time and ended up as one of those days when everything went perfectly, ended up 7th overall out of about 300 which was enough for a trophy for 1st veteran

Does anyone run in ON shoes? I currently run in Brooks Glycerin and they need replacing. Looking into options and came across ON Cloud, look odd but reviews seem to be very positive. Anyone tried/run in them? Currently running up to half marathons but want something that I can go longer in if needed

Also looking at Brooks Ghost. Need a cushioned, neutral shoe and ideally don’t want to pay more than around £75/80. Any other options I should look at or just buy another pair of Glycerins?

Yeah, me.

Look back in the thread for my thoughts.

Fort William marathon then….

I’ve been chumming the Missus on a few longer runs as she preps for FW and we did 20 miles yesterday, so I thought “ach – why not”. Two weeks of abstinence (from alcohol) ought to do it, yeah?

One question though – even though we were running through lovely Rothiemurchus FOrest and had wonderful views of the Cairngorms, the birds, the Green Lochan etc, I found it a bit, well, mind-numbing after a while. Any suggestions for ways to relieve the tedium?

I have a pair of On Cloudflyers, they’re OK, haven’t set the world alight for me but they do the job. I’m not unhappy I bought them but I won’t buy another pair, I think there are other shoes that do a better job. They’re a bit narrow for me and feel a bit dead to my feet. They’re fine for a quick blast in but I’m not sure I’d want to run long distances in them.

For a cushioned neutral shoe I like ASICS Cumulus, they fit my feet like a glove and have proved just the right tool for up to marathon distance. Bear in mind the common view is that version 19 (last years) is to be avoided, I’m a big fan of the 17’s and 18’s, I have heard good things about the new 20’s too. The ASICS clearance store is well worth a visit. If not, you won’t go far wrong with Nike Pegasus, they’re the default shoe for many runners for a good reason, very neutral, cushioned but not too much so and easily available.

Thanks Lunge, I’ll check the Nikes and ASICS out

And by contrast for trail running I love the cloudventure peaks, can’t say what they’re like on road because I don’t run roads.

What I will say about clouds and cloud x is they’re really “leisure” trainers, y’a can run in them but the “clouds” are squashy and the cut in the tread isn’t wide enough so they pick stones up… which is a bit boring.

Bloody H.O.T at QECP this morning…

Plenty of early birds out playing before it really warms up…. dry, hard, hairy… awesome.

Just found this thread. Been running on and off for a few years, probably only about once a week at the moment to supplement my riding. Will be checking back into this thread though from now on.

Looking to get a pair of new shoes to replace my New Balance Boracay. I am a fore-foot striker and like to use a shoe with a low heel to toe drop. Something around 4mm has worked well for me in the past. Only looking to spend £60 max as I’m not going to be using them a lot. Anyone got any recommendations for me? Thanks in advance.

@swoosh, try the Kiprun Fast from Decathlon, very nice fast shoe, not much drop and dirt cheap. They don’t quite fit my wide feet but I know a few people who swear by them.

New Parkrun buggy PR at the weekend, down to 17:39 by my watch at Tooting.  I reckon some fine tuning of tyre pressure is required, they are a bit soft at the moment.  I’d like to manage a sub-17 with the buggy although a course with gravel and some tight turns might not be the one!

TF = Machine – excellent work…

@lunge thanks for that recommendation. They look like they might have a 10mm drop but I will certainly check them out.

@swoosh, there’s also the Kirpun Race, no idea on it but it looks a little flatter so might work

Just wanted to post here that yesterday I did what was possibly the most enjoyable run I have ever done.

Wyre forest in the warm rain (I love running in the rain), the smell was amazing, the trails were perfect, it was warm enough to take my top off, I had my best trainers on, legs felt good, it was just about perfect. That I arrived back and got offered a beer in the hot tub by my wife make it even better. The closest to it is/was Ibiza seafront in the morning sun, but this is a bit more repeatable given the location!

Went back this morning and did the Parkrun there which was also magnificent, albeit the hill at the end was a killer.

I’ve not done much forest running before and this has proved I need to do much, much more of it,

Run the blades 10k last night at whitelee wind farm, near perfect conditions, paced my wife to a great time. Cracking event.

View this post on Instagram

Good start to the weekend, pacing @mazabout to a cracking time in her first trail 10k, perfect night for it too. Really good event too, and the best goody bag we've had yet!… . . #10k #trailracing #runscotland #running #run4life

A post shared by Greg Bowie (@ayrshirealps) on Jul 21, 2018 at 1:37am PDT

Had an absolute stunner yesterday. 43k up over the Downs and a break for shakes n flakes for lunch then a loop back.

By golly it was hot ☀️☀️☀️

11 of us well paced fun n frolicking in the baron footpaths and drovers roads of the Down above Silsden.

Beer in the Hare N Hounds was most welcome I can tell you. 🥨🍺

Well done BB, sounds a top day!.

Turns out I might be better running early in the morning than I thought…  Always thought that as I ride in fasted ok, then that’s what worked for me? had a banana, some strawbs and a small coffee 10 minutes before doing the 8 miles into work yesterday morning, I was wayyy better.

Felt strong, only a steady 8 miles/min average, but happy at that.

Took me two days to recover 😜

Friday night on Kingly Vale loop for me, aiming for a 15k jolly to see the blue moon in 👍🌚

I’m now three weeks and no running….

MUst get back on the horse..

Sounds ace BB. Matt, get running again, it only gets ‘easier’ the more you run.

I’ve now decided to switch my running from KM to Miles as I up the distance a bit, as most of my running mates talk miles and mile pace, and I’m fed up doing the conversion in my head when tired!. Also makes me run further, I’m less likely to just head out for a 5k dash, as 3 miles sounds a bit pish!.

Yes, it’s daft, but it seems to work for me! 🙂

Northumberland coastal run this weekend.

Beadnell to Alnmouth, 14 miles, pick your own route 🙂

Glad to be back doing this again, its a great route and great event.

“out for a 5k dash, as 3 miles sounds a bit pish!.”

5k isnt 3 miles

A few weeks ago a mate and I ran the Scottish 4000s. He had been planning this for a while and needed some support. Nobody else was keen, so said i’d come along (this was Monday, run was on the following Saturday)

I’ve been upping the mileage this year, but still not doing huge amounts, and still mainly riding (700 miles running TD) but the longer mountain runs are what i’m about. This was to be a real challenge though, especially with a bloody 55 miles ride in the middle…

We started at 4am at Fort William and went up Nevis via the Red Burn. Forecast was awful, weather was, well, awful. CMD was sketchy in the wet. The climb upto Aonach Beag was basically a grass wall. No visability, and I think we were about 2m from the “path”. Over to Aonach Mor and down the Fort Bill DH circuit. That’s the first 4 ticked off.

It was now very heavy rain, but good news, we were promised dryer weather in the east and the Cairngorms… Set off on the ride, both felling good, and batting along at a nice 21.5mph ave. Until a puncture just outside Laggan. No bother, we each had a spare tube. Ah, those both had holes in… The tyre also had a hole in… Least it wasn’t raining. Ow wait, it was, alot. The bloody rain was following us. Tied a knot in the tube, made a boot for the tyre, and very carefully we nursed the wheel (which was also badly buckled) to the start of run leg 2.

Thankfully leg 2 was only 20 miles and about 8,000ft of climbing. We knew the first climb was long, we knew the weather was still awful, and we knew the plateau was fairly featureless. What I didn’t know is just how slow this would make us. The run, now best described as a walk took along bloody time to get to the 5th 4000fter (Cairn Toul). Nearly 3 hours. By this point I was pretty done in. The prospect of another 4 4,000fters wasn’t one I welcomed, so with that in mind, we carried on to Sgur an Lochain Uaine. The weather, still the same, the visibility, nothing. Still, 6 down, 3 to go. It was getting fairly late now, and we reached the 7th (Braeriach) at about 6pm. Had some food. I then admitted defeat. The next section was going to mean we dropped down to about 2,000ft before heading upto Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm. The climb was also meant to be the hardest of the day. I was tired, my feet and knees were hurting, and for some reason, I was tired…

We headed down, finally out the cloud at around 2,000ft and over the Lairig Ghru and the Chalamain Gap to Cain Gorm. Finally, reaching the car after 16 hours on the go.

In hindsight we totally did the right thing, if the weather better, we’d have pushed on. But, that’s the mountains of Scotland for you. Bloody awesome.

Strava links if interested:

https://www.strava.com/activities/1703417032

https://www.strava.com/activities/1705149222

https://www.strava.com/activities/1705088462

Well tonight’s “blue moon”run up and over the Downs was…

erm…

Wet, and cloudy.

So I chose a route that would keep me high, on the tops and then down through the woods and forests then back up top for the final couple of k, just so I could watch out west for the moon..

But..

It is  torrential rain and thick low cloud on the tops 🤩🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤦‍♀️

Still, the temperature has dropped 15C and it was really bloody lovely running in the rain and mist..

The Downs are spectacular any time of year, but tonight the low mist and brackish crisp trails were wonderful.

23k of glorious trails.

No moon…

Northumberland coastal run this weekend.

Beadnell to Alnmouth, 14 miles, pick your own route

Glad to be back doing this again, its a great route and great event.

Oh shit, is it this weekend?

Thats one run I really wanted to do..

Totally forgot about it 🤦‍♀️😰

We started at 4am at Fort William and went up Nevis via the Red Burn

Coorrrrrr blimey.. 🤪😳

Thats awesome, I’d never be able to do that kinda t’ing.

…..

So it looks like miles are the recording measure dejour 🥊

Not for me, I will carry on clicking the k’s out.. just seems right for me from years of riding ..

Some really inspiring stories and thoughts on this thread. It’s great reading and getting to understand folks aptitude and attitude towards their own styles and pace.

Keep on keeping on 👍👍👍

Aye, thread is ace, great to see a spread of abilities and experience, hopefully attract some more noobies (like me!) again…

No running this weekend, had a good weeks training, got some corbetts to crack on Arran tomorrow, mibbe a bit of biking on Sun evening.

Darcy, what you up to? Been quiet….