As Lunge says, eccentric lowers and raises, plus rollering. Not convinced stretching does anything but turn the above into a workout and it will help to build strength then build up running slowly. Unlikely to be a stress fracture they often come on after a longish period of fast higher mileage training and tend to be felt less in the muscle.

The way to get faster is to run with faster people who will push you.
Also running more/further will help to improve your endurance, but that wont necessarily make you quicker. You need to pair that with some sort of speed work, with the aim of increasing cadence.
When you run with faster people, you have a higher level to aim for which can give you the extra motivation to push yourself beyond what you would normally do or your perceived limitations.
One of my previous targets (2013) was to go sub 40 for 10K, I struggled with this at first and it took me a few attempts to crack it, however, once I passed that hurdle, it was no longer challenging and my times dropped even more.
After changing my training and running with some different people for a while, this year I’ve managed to run under 33:30 for 10K.

Tha is Alanf. I am definitely running with faster people at the club and I think over the past 5 weeks I have pushed myself much further than I would have if I’d been going solo. I’m just about keeping pace with the runners I considered way faster than me now over short distances but there are plenty of faster members.

Sub-22 was hard and I was using a fellow member as a pacer, but I was comfortable enough until I wound it up in the final km. It was slippery, gloopy, rooty, very muddy, I was sliding all over the shop, and I forgot my inhaler so I feel I have it in me to go faster.

As Alan says – case in point: I run (when not injured) 60-70k a week in the hills. Low cadence etc. Can’t run 10k on flat in much under 50m. I know what I need to do but prefer pottering round in the hills.

Nobeer, T-R and anybody else lucky enough to be in the real north; High Terrain are advertising a Cairngorms Ultra next year.

If there isn’t one already would there be appetite for a STW Strava running club?

Best I get my backside off the sofa and get in the hills tomorrow… reading some posts here has made me feel rather pathetic.

Spin; runners of singletrack is the club name

Cheers duckman, just joined.

I can’t find that group – should I search something else?

https://www.strava.com/clubs/332691

I’ve joined too. Now to feel really inferior about my running. Onwards and upwards.

Now to feel really inferior about my running.

You shouldn’t – you are out there doing it and enjoying it, that’s what matters.

I’ve joined too. Now to feel really inferior about my running. Onwards and upwards.

Na, since it started the miles have calmed down a bit, it’s mostly leisure runners like us mate. Don’t compare yourself to the guys that are flying, putting in mega miles, as they’ve generally been doing it years.

Instead, compare yourself to a year ago, and how much you’ve come on, and think how you couldn’t imagine then what you’re doing now…

Instead, compare yourself to a year ago, and how much you’ve come on, and think how you couldn’t imagine then what you’re doing now…

Well said and very much agreed.

Yep, you are correct, all of you! Not sure why I posted such a negative thing – I’ve managed to pick up the cold the kids have had for the last week so feeling crap today – so sorry about that. I’m actually feeling pretty good about what I’m achieving on a personal level, not compared to others, and rather than look at what others are doing and feeling bad, it inspires me to get out there.

Bucked up I have been. Thanks.

🙂

Instead, compare yourself to a year ago, and how much you’ve come on, and think how you couldn’t imagine then what you’re doing now…

i’ll go with that. according to strava’s fitness metric, i’m 259% fitter than I was a year ago.

Superb Jam bo!

Track sesh tonight, I haven’t run since Glentress trail half on saturday, and a day up a mountain on sunday, legs are feeling fresh for it.

according to strava’s fitness metric, i’m 259% fitter than I was a year ago.

Ohh, where do I find that?

part of summit. i’m trying a free month.

Ahh right cheers

If I may tap into the running hive mind, I have drawn a keen runner in the work secret santa and wonder if anyone has any suggestions?

– £10 budget
– Woman in early 30s
– Good sense of fun
– Did her first marathon this year, or maybe first half and is now training for a full one
– Lives in London

I was thinking some retro 1980s-style sweatbands, but that may be under budget.

johndo, you can get something similar for free if you use the Elevate Strava plugin:

https://thomaschampagne.github.io/elevate/

I had Summit for a free trial and it didn’t do anything for me, this worked as a free alternative

Eastcoastmike – Great photos a few pages back.

First proper winter run of the season last weekend. Picked a pretty good day for it in the end.

Instead, compare yourself to a year ago, and how much you’ve come on, and think how you couldn’t imagine then what you’re doing now…

Well said and very much agreed.

All that matters is you are out there, enjoying it. Fitness will come easily enough, try not to compare yourself with anyone else.. unless you have a personality that makes you want to “beat” someone.. as in use them as some sort of goal.

I plod, I hack, I rarely take any interest in anything anyone else does. I just enjoy running in the woods and trails.

The really cool thing about trial running is.. theres rarely anyone else around, and the views are rather pretty.

@chakaping

Buffs
Arm warmers
parkrun wristband (you’ll need a few details for that though so it won’t be secret!)

A tutu and wings (a suprising amount of runners run my local parkrun in this combo)

Now to feel really inferior about my running.

As everyone else has said, don’t be. Everyone is on their own journey and exists somewhere on a continuum. You might look at faster folk, but you can guarantee that the faster folk are looking at even faster folk etc etc. At the top of the chain is Kipchoge 😀

Not many miles for me at the moment as I seem to be existing on about 3-4 hours sleep a night while doing painting and DIY, finishing off our loft conversion. Last night was re-fitting the toilet that the plumber did an absolutely p!ss-poor job of 🙁

Extreme exhaustion and 100 miles a week certainly do not go together…

Oh, I bet they do…

At the top of the chain is Kipchoge

Wonder if He looks up to Bolt, and vice versa?

Buff or arm warmers are a good suggestion for the secret santa, loads of different designs around so you should be able to get something original she won’t already have. Although if you gave me a buff my smile might be a little forced, at last count I’ve got 17 of the things…

Anyway, this weekend’s plans? I’ve got a fun little (17km) trail race in a local town, and as it’s been raining all week it’s going to be a muddy morning 😀

Anyway, this weekend’s plans?

QECP… smile and wave as you scoot on by…🤡

Will; where is that?

Thanks for that @matt – installed and now have a whole load of data to fixate over 🙂

Unfortunately my fitness peaked in September (Great North Run and the associated extra training) and not getting out as much in this foul weather.

Duckman – Stob Coire Easain, just west of Loch Treig.

Anyway, this weekend’s plans?

Low key this weekend.
Run Directing at parkrun Saturday so will run there and back, 4 miles each way.
Sunday I’m volunteering at junior parkrun and again will run, 1.5 miles there, long way home back which will be 6 miles ish.

Local team XC for me on Saturday – South of Thames XC Morden Park – 5 miles, teams of 4. It’s my local park so easy to get to. New Inov-8 shoes have arrived so will be trying them out.

Aye, climbed those two in similar weather when the old Fersit hostel was still on the go. That’s proper hill running!

Parkrun for me on Saturday then I will be running the Junior one with one of my daughters on Sunday if she is well enough. If not, I might try to get out for a longer run of around 6 miles.

Question for TurboFerret:

Now I’ve joined the Strava group I’ve been snooping on some activities. Just wondered if you won the Sri Chinmoy 5k with the buggy? Brilliant pictures of you lined up on the front row with the buggy.

@root-n-5th no, I was 10th, over a minute back from the winner. I have video of the whole thing too with lots of commentary from my passenger, plus capturing the moment where I got trapped in the tube doors on the way home 😀

Lots of near heel-clips at the start of that race too which could have ended with embarrassment :O