Good luck Kid.A.
Just remember that it’s a slippery slope, I remember when I too was on couch to 5k, then parkrun, then a half…
Now, just over 2.5 years, 3 marathons, 65 parkruns (and 75 volunteer credits) and numerous half’s later, I about to enter an ultra having run 1500 miles this year already. It’s a dangerous game!

Cheers guys.

@lunge at this stage, I could only dream! You guys are all very impressive

So then fellow runners, talk ultra’s to me.
Debating next years goals, there’s various half’s in the diary, a spring marathon once I work out which one, but then my eyes fell on an off-road ultra…
40 miles on trails, 10 hour cut-off, late May, seems spot on to me.

Sounds a reasonable distance for a first ultra, not too far but enough to be a challenge. Is this year’s classification online? A simple check is to work out roughly where you end up in a normal race as a percentage, and use that to get an idea for a target time. You could also check out how many ITRA points they’re giving (if they are), anything under 3 is a very fast ultra with lots of running, if it’s 5 you should start worrying 🙂

Depending on where the race is you might need a load of new kit – a proper running waterproof, backpack, poles etc… get this soonish, you’ll want to train with it (poles in particular).

And check poles are allowed! 😉

And check poles are allowed

Good point, would be a bit of a mistake that 🙂

So what’s the deal with poles?

Are they pretty popular in the uk ultra scene?

I’ve done a fair bit of running this year and have done a handful of trail races up to 30km with 1,500 meter ascent. I’ve never used poles for running but did for trekking many year ago and think they’d be beneficial.

I’ve just entered a 45km trail race at the end of this month and wonder if I should grab a pair and train with them…

Will I be the only person with a pair?

Did my first race on Saturday following 4 + months off with tendinitis after Joss Naylor Challenge. It was a bit of a gamble really as I wasn’t sure if the ankle would hold up. 8 mile trail race. Terrain was mixed but not too rough. Descents were mud and grass rather than rough fell so was ok. Anyhoo – 15th out of 80 and 2nd V55. About a minute and a bit slower than last year but I’m bloody happy with that. Not in too much pain after either. Result.

Well done sparkles!

Jimbob, I’ve not seen many using them, one at Jedburgh ultra, other ultras I’ve done they’ve not been allowed (I think Scottish athletics events don’t allow them?)

So what’s the deal with poles?

Having been DQ’d from a race for pole use when it wasn’t even in their rules I’m fairly clued up on this.

Basically, check in advance and don’t assume.

As for whether they help or not, the jury is out. I’d say if you haven’t been using them then it’s probably not worth it.

What’s the race you were thinking of using them in? They tend to only be of use in races with large amounts of ascent and descent.

Poles are definitely allowed in this event. It’s the Peak District South 2 North although I’m going to do just the 2nd stage (which actually runs north to south…)

The mandatory kit list is a bit frustrating –

Paper map and compass (I have neither but have run these trails for a long time. They’re on my doorstep). I have GPS watch with GPX route and built in compass. My GPS watches have failed exactly 0 times in the last 10 years of owning one.

Spare head torch battery – spare batteries are £32 and mine would last 16 hours….

Just seems a bit overkill. Would rather they say use common sense although I know that’s not always particularly common.

Can’t speak for the race you refer to but a paper map is a reasonable request. A GPS watch might be reliable but unless it has OS mapping it won’t let you work out an escape route or navigate to the nearest help if it goes tits up.

As for being local, they can’t really accept that, it needs to be same rules for everyone.

Torch AND spare batteries seems a bit excessive for a 45k trail race.

Well done Mr Sparkle, was that Allithwaite?

So I got a new MTB and thought I’d be running less as a result but it hasn’t stopped raining since it arrived so I had a 70km week last week (off-road/hills) which put me at the top of the club’s Strava leaderboard. So I guess I’m recovered (couldn’t walk a month ago).

Anyway, now to the other leg. Sore deep in the glute. Nervy pain (piriformis?) which makes the whole leg throb, right down to the ankle/heel. Can sometimes ease it by getting right in there with a tennis ball, and a few stretches. What’s it likely to be?

Hi Bob, aye it was the Aliithwaite 8. Not a bad ‘un to try if you are over when it’s on.
Yep, that sounds like piriformis. Get some physio and be prepared to cry. HTH.

Completely forgot I have the Glentress winter half marathon in a couple of weeks! That’s the last race for a while, I’m keen to get back to more training and just enjoying my runs.

Looks like it goes up to the mast and uses some of the trail centre descents, should be fun!.

I was looking at that nobeer and was going to go if I didn’t get into the 7r. Still tempting as it looks a cracker and unlikely another 33 folk will sign up now. Cheapish as well.

Spare head torch battery – spare batteries are £32 and mine would last 16 hours….

You can probably also use a spare head torch instead – can you borrow one off someone?

So what’s the deal with poles?

They definitely help on long, draggy uphill climbs. They’ll also good if it’s slippery underfoot. They can be a help descending, but you really need to practise this a lot.

Yep, that sounds like piriformis. Get some physio and be prepared to cry. HTH.

I’m guilty of laziness here. I had physio on it years ago and daily strengthening exercises really helped (a lot of one legged bridges) but of course once you feel better you lose the motivation to do half an hour of exercises every morning!
Time to get back on it, also doing a lot of nerve flossing but not sure if that actually does anything.

Spare head torch battery – spare batteries are £32 and mine would last 16 hours….

best place to keep spare head torch batteries is in another head torch…

£32 gets you one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B076ZTCLJQ/

90g. edit: actually 35g.

I was going to say exactly the same thing – a complete spare head torch would be a good alternative to batteries – need not be an expensive one if it’s just a backup.

Certainly see the value in a physical compass and paper map – not much to go wrong with either of those. Having said that in an OMM several years ago (the wet one in Borrowdale where the event was cancelled on day 1 and caused a bit of a media fuss) I managed to carelessly let one of our maps blow away in the howling wind – so nothing is completely idiot proof 😀

Caught up on this thread last night to help me get motivated for my first run in months (family and job stuff has had to take priority) and stop me bailing cos it was a bit cold.

So thanks all, you inspired me to get out and run a very slow 2 miles and remind myself how much I love it, even on the shitty pavements around us. Calves are feeling it a bit now (although that’ll be partly due to humping boxes up and down stairs all weekend) but overall it went well.

Just need to knock a couple of minutes of my pace to get back to where I was now…

Well my daughter did her county cross country competition, absolutely hated the gloopy mud through Dalby Forest, chose not to race and took the organisers words to ‘help anyone in trouble’ literally and jog/walked with a girl that was struggling with a stitch. This made me smile inside.

Reckon you’ve got a goodun there @johndoh.

I always thought Dalby would be a better run than ride, mebbe I was wrong!

Happily my piriformis eased off enough to run home from work. Does tend to leave aching post spasm muscles around the hip though.
Quite happy to knock out the 10k in 50 odd mins, considering there’s around 250m climbing and it’s pitch dark farm tracks, I was quite pleased with that.

Anyway.. any genius ideas for stopping keys rattling? Usually wrap a rubber band round them but couldn’t find one.

Hide them in the garden in the morning, saves carrying em all day.

Reckon you’ve got a goodun there @johndoh.

yeah, it’s in her makeup to always look out for others (even down to tiny bugs and spiders) so not entirely a surprise but conversely she wants to win everything she competes in. Still, she’s qualified with her schoolmates for an indoor athletics competition which she is doing tomorrow, then a swimming competition on Tuesday 😍 I wish I had so many opportunities as a kid to do this stuff!!!

Re keys rattling – cut a chunk out of an old tube

For rattling keys get a zip lock bag or similar just big enough to get the keys in and then squeeze out as much air as possible. Added bonus of keeping keys dry should that be required.
I use this when I do the Trunce as there are 3 river crossings to contend.
It works a treat and no jangly keys.

Re. Keys ratting, I just take a single front door key in a shorts pocket.

Re. Keys ratting, I just take a single front door key in a shorts pocket.

I use a running belt – that way I can store my phone, car/front door key (depending on where I am running) and parkrun ID card. It also has little straps for race numbers which is great for when I inevitably forget to take safety pins with me. It can also be used to store gels/gloves etc. I find it an invaluable piece of kit.

Right then, just seen a comment on Insta about it now being leggings weather, I was horrified.
I can’t be the only one who won’t wear them until it’s sub-zero temps? It was 3 degree this morning and I was forced into a base layer but we’re a good distance away from covering the pins.

^^^ Depends on how far I am running. For a parkrun I have 10 minutes of being stood around in an exposed place for a 25 minute run so I would wear them.

If I am running from home and doing (say) 6 miles, then I wouldn’t but some people simply feel the cold more than others.

Also depends on how quickly a run is planned – a gentle recovery run will require more clothing in chilly conditions than an all-out effort. I must admit that I’ve been wearing tights for my morning commute for a week or so

WHOO – proud dad update. My daughter was in her athletics competition yesterday (local finals of ‘Sports hall Athletics’). She was anchor in an obstacle relay and, on changeover, she was in second place then was incorrectly held by a marshall for a couple of seconds but she absolutely blitzed her run and brought home the win for her team who went on to win the final by two points so proceed to the regional finals after Christmas.

Even better (as she suffers from severe anxiety issues when going to school), when she got there this morning her sports teacher was in reception spotted her and said ‘Here’s Super Speedy Izzy’ which made her really happy and she proceeded to go into school with a massive beaming smile on her face.

Now for the regional finals of her swimming competition next week 🙂

Well done to Izzy! It’s a confidence booster. Good stuff from others too.

Second round of the Surrey League XC on Epsom Downs yesterday in filthy conditions. Mud, rain, cold, lovely!

Last time out I took it easy as didn’t know if I could run 5 miles. Turns out I could but got slow time. This time thought I’d up the pace a bit and I’m really happy with my run – 11 out of 25 in team so I don’t score (first 10 do), but I was 3rd from last the previous time. Probably went a bit fast as got a new 5k record of 23:26 during race, hit the wall at 6k up the long drag of a hill at the back of the race course and felt properly crap, but picked it up again and managed a good finish.

Main problem was lack of traction – Bambi on roller skates for most of it, hunting out the long grass for grip which isn’t good for speed or energy conservation. Looking at some grippier shoes but without a big heel to toe drop as this seems to make my knees and groin flare up. Currently running Merrell Trail Glove with zero drop and despite tight calves, they are treating me quite well on road and dry trails. Any recommendations for the muddier stuff? Cheers.

Got to work on my route planning. Meant to do 10k yesterday on trails I would normally ride, less than halfway round I was on 7k, cut a big corner off and still ended up doing 12k and late home for lunch…

Looking for a winter running tight that is both thermal and windproof, ideally with the Gore Windstopper material. Any recommendations?

Ey up all , cant remember what my last doc update was on here regarding my collapse but I was made to wear a 24 hr ecg and it turns out they found a strange thing where my heart misses beats at night this was again some more worry but I was seen by cardiologist very quickly had an echo and all is well and apparently quite normal with fit (haha) people, nothing to do with the collapse and an accidental find as it were I still think lack of food or water the heat and a bad day were to blame

Anyway I did a really muddy hardmoors marathon in goathland yesterday it was very tough, but i enjoyed it, ripped open both my bloody shoes by mile 12 so had another 16 in shoes with big holes in 🙂 great event though

Oh lotto I have some thermal gore salamon tights that are very good

Did my first 10km the other week, just got to 7 so decided to keep going.

Hopefully my legs are getting conditioned for running now, using insoles and the plantar fascitis has not returned.

Been advised not to increase distance for a while, but how often should a relative newbie be looking to run each week?

After obsessing about running longer today, after an aborted junior parkrun as Izzy had hurt her foot in the competition earlier this week, I had a precious few minutes to myself so did a 1.5 mile run as hard as I could – painful to say the least !!! Ran just over 7 minute mile pace for the first mile (the last bit was really steep so it dropped off a bit) . I have never felt so screwed despite running much much further this year. Such a buzz though.