The Annual Running thread – beginners/ultras/whatever

Tour du Mont Blanc…

just got back from running the tour…

last minute plan a couple of weeks ago, so we went with no real plan or prep. Plan was to see if we could run it in 3 days, carrying all our kit and tents, so we could just run and stop anywhere.

pulled it off in 3 days chamonix to montroc (and a couple of hours the next day to enjoy the views along the Grand Balcon, back to chamonix from montroc, on the fourth day)

We pulled in for a cheeky bus ride from ferret to champex, to miss one of the low level/valley sections and allow us time for all the high level variants.

running with a 15kg+ pack was hard but worth it, as we had a couple of nights in amazing spots.

i would highly recommend it, one of the best distance/adventure runs Ive done.

whole trip cost us around £400 each!

we were away for 6 days and got to hang out in chamonix and get in some of my favourite runs after we had finished, can’t believe we had the legs after running the tour.

total distance for the whole trip, tour plus two extra runs – 131miles

Awesome 💪

running with a 15kg+ pack

Erm… no fanx.. 🧟‍♂️

Ouch! After a few (very flat, no elevation gain at all) ParkRuns in Harrogate and improving times really well (getting below 8 minute miles), I went back to an old favourite run of mine (not done since I had a bad injury when training for the London Marathon) which comprises more hills (216ft of climbing over 3.9 miles – with the last approx 1.8 miles all uphill back to the start point). Today I am aching all over and I only managed average 8.57 miles.

Still, I’ll rest a few days (apart from today’s spinning class at the gym) then going out to do it again. And improve my time.

I just did my first run for a few years this morning. Took me an hour and 15 minutes to do 7.5 km by jogging a minute then walking 2 mins… In my defence I have had a second round of cardio ablations a few weeks ago after suffering from permanent atrial fibrillations for a few years, so I am happy to have done that.

My plan is to do 2 mins run 2 mins walk, 3-2, 4-2, 5-2 6-2, 8-2 and when I can do 10 mins of jogging followed walking for 2, then start varying the distance and adding in some hills.

My target(dream) is to do the Davos mountain marathon next year, but just baby steps for now.

Fort William marathon (my first and last marathon) completed at the weekend. I’d no idea if I could do the distance or how fast so happy with 4:36 (basically mid-field).

I think I’ll stick with halfs from now on (or maybe a few duathlons).

Did my first race since the BG yesterday, the Glenshee 9. Felt really bad the whole way round but must’ve been moving ok because I came in first v40. I must look my age because when I crossed the line the marshall asked tactfully what category I was in!

Well done on the marathon scotroutes.

SDW Amberley To Chanctonbury in the melting/swealteeing weather on Sat.

Should have done it at midnight really 😜🔥

And on Sunday went for a bike ride on the roadie (first time in 2 years)

Cannock Chase 10k yesterday, hilly course, loads of gravel and very hot meant I was happy to sneak under 50 minutes. What I was less happy about was my Achilles going at about 5k and having to limp though the 2nd half. Not sure going round The Money trail afterwards helped it either. Said Achilles is now locked solid and I walk with a gangster limb. Good job i haven’t got a half marathon in 2 months and a 220 mile road ride in 1 months to prepare for…

Well done Colin, superb result Spin!. Hopefully just a minor tear Lunge, hope it clears up for you in time mate. Not much running for me this weekend, wedding anniversary on saturday, so Mrs Nobeer and I went to Callander for a couple of nights, nipped up Schiehallion on friday afternoon, Ben Vorlich and Stuc a Chroin on saturday, then watched Euro champs 2018 womens road race in Glasgow (brilliant event btw, can’t wait to go watch the mens next sunday!) and then a 9 mile easy paced training run together in the evening. Quite thirsty this morning!.

Got a hilly 10k in Dundonald on wednesday night, may do my hometown Prestwick 10k on sunday, I’ll see if I can get a babysitter.

Feeling pretty strong ATM, think my goal for the year of a sub 20 minute 5k is very close…

Did the Lochnagar circuit of 5 munros with a couple minor diversions on Sunday, great conditions (perhaps a tad too hot for running when out of the breeze)

I’d always meant to have a crack at this on the bike, but went out from Aberdeen with a coach of hillwalkers who were doing Lochnagar on its own, then I split from them to run. I’d hoped to do it in about 3’30 but eventual moving time of 3’45 and 45m of rest/craic stops. Knees were beginning to hurt by the end, some quite steep descents.

Bravo sir!

Well after having to miss couple duathlon signed up to earlier in year for various reasons, including no training due to touch of depression.

Happy to say I didn’t pull out of Gateshead Trail 10km this morning, crossed line at 59:02, not bad for a fat lad. Had continue for nearly 100m after line as garmin said it was short of 10km, mates did too, and nearly double the advertised climbing. Now to find another event to enter to keep training up 😁. Also knocked over 15min off the last 10km I ran so that’ll do.

Bravo Niall!

It’s great that this thread has continued to be just as populated with us running apprentices, not just the the experienced guys.

Back to running yesterday did 15 miles mainly off road average of 9.01 mm so very especially as that’s after a 2 weeks all indulgence:)

I’ve had lower back (just below the ribs) pain.

Descending off the Downs as I try to put into practice what Karibu (Sam) says I ought to be doing has left me with vibration shock in my lower ribs in my back.. bit annoying getting out of bed… that “oooouuuf’ moment.

So, not been out since last Friday ..

Weathers been a pants tho’…

🌬💦🌬💦🌬💦

Cheers nobeerinthefridge, it’s been a great thread so far and I’ve found it encouraging to keep at it.

Seem to be stuck at about average 5:30km, need figure out how speed up – either working on my stride or pace. Yesterday was 1st time I ran a race or in a group and did find having targets/people to pick off or keep up with helped if found self slowing, maybe need try get out with a club.

Just need keep it up. Good work firestarter.

TBH I’m pretty sure the thing that has had the most effect on my speed is just running more, and more regularly. I’ve never been particularly slow or fast though, my second 10k (and first at sea level) as an occasionally running cyclist was 40:30 mins and my PB 6 years later as an occasionally cycling runner is a mere 3 mins quicker…though now I’m pushing 50 any gains are something to celebrate!

+1 for the mix of participants – I like hearing about the relatively talented/ambitious and also those who are starting out at a slower level. I’m looking forward to restarting more serious running over the winter – summer has been more cycling and fun events etc…picked up a vet prize at a local 10k a few weeks ago which was a welcome surprise, the field obviously wasn’t very strong and it was very hot and slow…but they all count 🙂

Well after an enforced lay-off due to injuring myself a couple of months ago I’ve finally managed to get back into some running!

Nothing major for now, just slowly building up again but with much better form after some advice from a physio. I’ve also got a load of strength and conditioning exercises to be going on with which will hopefully help prevent any future injuries 🙂

Just catching up with this thread here and there’s been some pretty epic runs by folk on here recently!

Took my lad to a junior parkrun (2k) this morning.

In a fit of stupidity I decided that it would be a good idea to follow him round.

What actually happened is that he cleared off into the distance, and then had to hang around for four minutes at the finish waiting for me to finish  – took me 11m, 47s.

I knew that my lad would be quicker than me (he’s represented Hampshire at cross country), but I thought that I would be quicker than that – I thought perhaps around 10 minutes.

It has come as a bit of a wake-up call, I am far more unfit than I thought 🙁

Does anyone know if there are any websites that are useful for planning off-road running routes?

I use Strava to plan a lot of road riding routes but it tries following roads when I try to get it to follow footpaths or bridleways.

If not then I might have to just try riding the routes first then save the GPX’s as running routes.

I use Garmin Connect..

Its shit, but betterer than MapMyRide which is my other planner.

For off-road, footpaths and bridleways etc.

But if you want a definitive map, you Council produces a web based map with all access routes on. It’s da Law for them to comply innit.

Bikehike.co.uk is great, you can use Google map (road following) simultaneously with OS maps and off road routes.

Well todays cheery morning post is that I’m off to the physio this morning to see how long I need to not run for in order to clear this Achilles problem that keep persisting. As I have a half marathon in 9 weeks the hope is 4 weeks or less, we shall see. Decided to enter a couple of winter runs last night to cheer myself up so at least I’ll have a few things to aim for.

It’s funny, 25 years of football and cycling and I was never injured, 2 of running and I almost always feel I have a niggle or a tweak somewhere. This is normal, right?

Yeah, normal.

My switch to trail running had me in bits as my legs and back started to stretch out, hammys and ankles that were tight or short meant pain for weeks (felt like months)

And the rolling ankles on roots and rocks..

And now shock strain in my rear rib cage as I practice hooning down the Downs at full chat instead of Mr Flouncy…

No, I find (road) running has been great, especially for my back which struggles with too much cycling (old injury). Have had one or two minor niggles but rarely anything to stop me running for any length of time. Fell running a slightly bigger risk with rolled ankles and falls.

OTOH one of the club fast men (proper gazelle-like) is almost always broken. Quick as **** when he runs though 🙂

It’s funny, 25 years of football and cycling and I was never injured, 2 of running and I almost always feel I have a niggle or a tweak somewhere. This is normal, right?

Quite the opposite here, My knees and ankles have never felt better, had various injuries over the years playing football. I put it down to running being a lot less ‘dynamic’ ie running in one direction instead of constant turning, awkward foot placements, riding tackles etc.

There used to be this oft quoted myth that runners have issues with their joints later in life. In my (anecdotal but wide) experience this is not the case. I know lots of older runners, many now non runners, but few of them have issues that would not be typical of people that age.

Thats not to say runners dont get injured (I have had more than my share) but a period of inactivity normally clears that up.

I think the ‘running **** your knees’ myth is perpetuated by folk that just really don’t want to run! 🙂

For route planning, I use a variety of research methods, but always plot the route in Garmin Connect.  It has improved a lot with the ‘popular routing’ option which appeared relatively recently.  I always have the Strava Heatmap open so I can see where other people are running, and sometimes OpenStreetMap to check for byways etc, and Google Street View to see if particular junctions etc are difficult to spot.  Sometimes the popular routing option doesn’t like to play ball, but switching to freehand assuming you know where to drop the points works well.

I travel a lot so plan and plot a bunch of routes in advance, that way I always know that I’ll be running somewhere runnable and popular, hopefully not getting too badly lost either, assuming I can follow the little green line on my Garmin.  Case in point was a week in Bath last week, I ran some fantastic trails I would never have found had I just headed out randomly, and never had any risk of struggling to find my way back, or had to consult a phone for a map.

I also cracked my first ever 100 mile week while down there.  Also 6 weeks over 100km which is a first too.  Hopefully more consistent increased mileage will pay dividends for my autumn marathon.

Cheers, Rich

Consistency is the key. Never managed (or attempted) a 100 mile week and anything over 75/80 just led to exhaustion and a following 30 mile week. Usually managed consistent 50-60 mile weeks but I am a great believer in highish mileage as long as it is not too slow.

100 miles at an average of 3:57/km so not particularly slow.  Nice easy week this week as I have a 5000m tomorrow so want fresh legs.

Cheers, Rich

Hats off Rich, that’s quite a pace!

Puy lentils are now on the list of banned substances, was so very close to shiteing myself on last nights run through Old Prestwick golf course…

Got Paisley 10k on sunday, this weeks running has improved after the lentil issue, 5 miles on monday and tueday, 8 miles yesterday, and doing my first proper hill rep sprints today. Then 2 days off before the 10.

Timewise, I think if all goes well a 42 is possible, my brother in law is pacing me, he’s a good runner, so that’ll help.

Brilliant.

Ive done 0 miles and 10 pies.

Sounds good, I fancy a week of pies.

Ran a 5000m on track Wednesday night.  Historically I’ve been terrible on track compared to the road, which I think is partly mental.  You know that when the 2nd half of a road 10k is faster than your 5000m time, things aren’t quite stacking up right!  In preparation I had Monday off running, so not the biggest taper in the middle of fairly large marathon miles.

However, I decided against spikes this time, as I think due to my slightly delicate heels I’ve been subconsciously holding back a bit and running rather conservatively, so on with the big fat magic Vaporfly 4%.  I was in race 5 of 7 of the night, with a pacer for 74 second laps, so an even pace for 15:25, however I was in front of him the whole way as I slotted inside a guy who sent off the front from the start.  I rather rudely sat right on his shoulder for 10 1/2 laps until I felt he started to fade slightly with 800m to go, and then hit the front and picked it up.  He was very nearly swallowed up by the chasing pack, but I was well clear on the line to finish in 15:10 which I was absolutely delighted with.  Nearly a minute knocked off my previous PB 🙂

Back to the marathon build now.

Cheers, Rich

That is rapid @turboferret.

My entire running right now is slow and gentle as I’m trying to remodel my running action to stop me getting injured all the time.

Does anyone have recommendations for trail running poles?

I want to try them out in training this autumn and winter, specific trail running poles seem quite expensive, so really what I want is a cheaper alternative to try out the concept, and if I get on with them probably buy a lighter set when I enter a race or 2 next year.

So what I want is something that breaks down small enough to go into a pack side pocket, is quick to assemble (so I actually use them) fairly robust (I am considerably larger than the average trail runner), I think I would prefer the z-pole style for speed, but would also like some length adjustment. What I am not that concerned about at the moment is the weight.

Any ideas?

Jesus H, Rich, that’s uber impressive!

Well done Turboferret. Its whats done on the track that is important so thats a proper PB. I have a couple of road ones that I would like to claim but really its the track one that counts.