Ambient conditions play a big part in how breathable a jacket is – if it’s warm and humid outside, then it doesn’t matter how breathable your jacket is, it will sweat up inside. Conversely, if it’s cool and dry, water vapour will penetrate the membrane very easily. Something to bear in mind if you don’t think your jacket is breathing as it should.

I’ve certainly had occasions where I’ve sweated heavily with short sleeves on under my jacket, and it being bone dry inside, apart from in the chest pocket, where a credit card iirc got very wet, as it provided a barrier to the escaping vapour.

Re Salomon sense ride – I have them (in v1) and use them exactly for what you described (50/50 terrain).
The tread is fairly shallow so ok but not great in mud. I also have inov8 trailroc 285 that I use for similar purposes (feels lighter) and brooks cascadia (more burly).

Kenmore – right beside the Rob Roy way, could do a bit of that to the falls of acharn then up to the south around the hill. A loop of Drummond hill to the north would be about 10k too. If you can extend distance to 20k and can handle a good amount of ascent there’s loads of stuff to explore in the area

Turbo: I started coughing badly when running. Two puffs on the inhaler sort me out before a run. You might have fractured a rib or something.

This pain is much lower, almost down to my pubic bone, can’t quite put my finger on when it started, but it’s becoming rather debilitating 🙁

It’s strange, 11 months ago I was happily banging out 100 mile weeks while I’m struggling with even half that at the moment. Legs just feel pretty much wrecked after most runs on top of my ruined abs….

If you are running their is likely no such thing as a breathable jacket. The perspiration will always be higher than the jacket can get rid of meaning you will eventually be wet inside it. I have tried most fabrics, including GoreTex and Event.
The trick is to keep moving and a good non waterproof jacket will keep the wind off your chest which is the main thing.

Aye, what he said.

Most of my runs in inclement weather feature my £11 decathlon shell, it’s not hugely waterproof but with a tight LS baselayer below keeps me from getting too cool from wind and wet.

Only time I’ll wear a proper waterproof is on days running summits/ridges, even at that it has huge pit vents, but can be closed down and hood up if I get hurt or hemmed in by the weather.

I’m using Decathlon’s 50 quid trail shoes for 50/50 trail/cement roads. Don’t want to be wearing the knobs off of anything expensive.

So how’s everyone’s YTD going? I started running almost a year ago (boxing day was my last bike ride), had the full gamut of injuries (couldn’t even walk for most of September), did some fell races, trail races including a marathon and even a parkrun, clicked over 2000km a while back and reached 80,000m of climbing yesterday. Might ease off for the next couple of weeks and ride a bit, but it’s been an interesting year. Still dog slow though. Wondering if I should train proper in 2020 instead of just plodding around in the hills but it’s so much fun!

Just 600km and 6500m climbing.

Spent most of the summer after June 30th off my run due to being a cripple with planter facitus and the arrival of the daughter.

With that I knocked 10 minutes off my pb for 10k and 3 minutes off my 5k and ran my first ever half and full marathons.

Did 3200km on bike though

Back on it though day #11 of marcothon in the bag today another moonlight run

Rarely run on the flat/tarmac but I did a 48m 10k in summer (not a race, just up and down the Gironde at Bordeaux) and wondered if I could manage sub 45m. Watched a couple of YT vids and it seems like a lot of work to knock 3mins off. I can run a couple of Km at 4m20 pace but ten might kill me.

So how’s everyone’s YTD going?

Not bad, I have a bit of time of due to a hernia but other than that when I got back into it I realised just how much I enjoy running in the woods.

Not really logging Km’s, just run for the fun of it.

Oh, I did finally wear out my ON Cloudventures.. so I bought another pair.

Just shy of 1000km, which recently has become my aim. Been running more than riding since August, just can’t face riding in the filth at night when I can nip out the door and run! No faff.

Down on last years distance, but more elevation:
Distance – 1,’101.3 mi
Time – 205h 7m
Elev Gain – 212,815 ft
Runs – 186

July & August was pretty much zero running due to injury, so overall pretty please.

Callander trail race last night, poor result (2.5 mins slower than last year) and fell over 3 times.

700km and 11,000m of climbing. Definitely a decent year by my standards.

So how’s everyone’s YTD going?

So far:
Distance, 1,269.7 mi
Time, 175h 18m
Elev Gain, 57,428 ft
Runs, 306

Bit gutted I missed out on averaging a run a day, may need to set that goal for next year. Looking at others numbers I also need to run in the hills more as most of my miles are along canals.

YTD:
Not bad, but nothing compared to some of you. Only really started running in August and now do a week night session with the local club and a run at the weekend. Have done XC races, run 10k and improved my parkrun time from 26 minutes to just over 21 minutes. I quite like the shorter, faster runs to be honest – the pain doesn’t last as long.

Happy to be staying injury free –
There’s always a niggle but I’ve come to accept it hurts.

Looking at doing slightly longer races and getting below 20 minutes on parkrun. I realise getting the pace down from about 4:16/km to just over 4:00/km is going to be really tough, as my improvement is a typical beginner curve and I will plateau soon. One thing I do quite well is suffer so who knows? Would like to do it before my muscles decay completely.

@surfer

If you are running their is likely no such thing as a breathable jacket. The perspiration will always be higher than the jacket can get rid of meaning you will eventually be wet inside it. I have tried most fabrics, including GoreTex and Event.

Until I got my most recent Gore, I would have been inclined to agree, but this really has been a game changer. Read virtually any review and people say the same. I think the difference between this and traditional jackets is that Gore has previously bonded the breathable membrane to a fabric – this does away with the fabric, and is purely the membrane alone. My son calls it my bin-bag jacket as it’s that thin.

My YTD stats aren’t doing too badly, although I’ve slipped from my 6000km target at the start of the year:

Distance 5,030.6 km
Time 350h 50m
Elev Gain 31,510 m
Runs 379

improved my parkrun time from 26 minutes to just over 21 minutes

That’s some improvement in 4 months!

As I don’t wear a watch/GPS device I have no idea on distance or elevation but I reckon it must be somewhere approaching 2.5 to 3K miles.
I’ve managed a few pbs: 1M, 5K, 5M, 6M, 10K, 10M, Half, 20M, Mara so not been too bad.
I’ve run every day except for 6th – 24th May after I was bitten by a dog and got a DVT in my right leg (it was a 3 week rest)

I do a midweek loop once or twice a week – 15k/500m on fairly techy terrain, the first and last 2k are flat pavement – loads of roots and at this time of year, hidden rocks and holes under the leaves. Set my PB for the loop back in Feb after only having been running a couple of months. Managed to beat it last week, just, and it near killed me, which is difficult to get my head around. Must have had a ton of brute climbing strength from cycling back then, which I lost after so much resting injuries, and the small gains I’ve made on the flat and descending never quite made up for that lost speed. Thinking back to the races I did in Spring I always climbed up near the front of the race and just went backwards as soon as it levelled off and the terrain or contour destroyed my ankles.

According to Strava my estimated marathon time is 7h35!

Distance 2,127.6 km
Time 278h 44m
Elev Gain 81,051 m
Runs 171

Apologies if this has been asked before, but can some of you running types recommend good websites with advice (ideally videos) on stretching both before and after running?

Every time I start to get back into a bit of running I seem to end up straining/twisting/hurting something. Currently it’s both calves, or maybe Achilles, not sure.

I’ve always known I’m bad for not stretching properly (at various sports) but now being over 50 I’m finally facing the reality that I’m going to have to start doing things properly.

Thanks in advance.

I did just 5,400km on the bike this year. Poor, but I really don’t like going out when it’s cold and wet, and I get put off if there is no one to ride with. Motivation is everything I really think. I hope someone doesn’t say they’ve done more than that on foot!!!

@bob_summers that’s some impressive elevation for the year – it would seem that on average your runs are over 6 times as hilly as mine!

@kennyp – theres a lot of conflicting info and personal preference when it comes to stretching and what the BEST way to do it is, or if it’s worth doing at all.

In my experience, static stretching doesn’t help me, but what does is more dynamic stretching or maybe what could be described as a warm up. It’s more like exaggerated movements which sort of mimic what you would expect a stretch to be, but you’re constantly moving and not holding a position as in a static stretch.

It sounds like what you’re experiencing is your body telling you that it’s not yet ready for the work you’re making it do, but on the other hand when you’re pushing outside of what is normal there’s always going to be some pain as your body adapts to it’s new demands.
I can’t offer any websites or vids which would help but investigate warm up routines to get your muscles working before getting into your workout and also focus on anything that’s not 100% once you’ve finished.
Despite doing quite a few miles this year, I still find my calf’s will have taken a pounding if I do a hard/fast session and despite a good warm-up and cool-down I still need to get the foam roller out afterwards. It’s just maybe a case of finding what works for you.

Some might agree and some might not, but I can say it’s something that works for me. It might not work for you.

@turboferret it’s (relatively) easy to rack up the climbing in País Vasco but I still found it surprising. I was climbing between 1500-2300m each week in Nov/Dec and 3000-4000 some weeks in summer (Pyrenees, Lakes and training for the trail mara) so it seems to check out.

@kennyp What’s worked for me is “nerve flossing” (neurodynamics) and core work to keep Piriformis managable. When I’ve needed specific stretches (achilles) there’s a muscly loud American bloke on YT who does some good how-tos with decent explanations. I’ll try and find him in my watch history.

I also keep a monthly appt at the physio. I’ve never not needed it…

Edit: didn’t take long, youtube ATHLEAN X (cringed a bit typing that)

Bob and Alan. Cheers guys. I’m on a night out just now but will have a proper read of those posts when I get home. Ta.

If we’re sharing numbers here’s mine for this year:

Distance 2,407.9 km
Time 306h 14m
Elev Gain 145,828 m
Runs 181

Things fizzled out a bit for me after September and I’ve taken a bit of a break.
Last year’s numbers were’n that different though and I kept it going right up to christmas last year:

Distance 2,695.7 km
Time 308h 34m
Elev Gain 172,241 m
Runs 234

Wondering if any of you wonderful lot attend the Heaton Park ParkRun and can advise whether you have to pay to park?

Not been for a while but believe it’s all new ticket machines and such and the free period may or may not still be on.

Not bothered about paying just want to make sure I have some change if needed and not on Facebook or such to check/ask.

Obvious answer is take some anyway I know, still curious though!

Well in answer to last nights question, it’s still free to park before 10am so long as you leave before that as well. Only likely an issue if you fancy a brew afterwards I guess.

First ParkRun in over two years done anyway. Hardly my greatest with a 25:30ish time. Only been back running for 5wks but feel I’ve a lot of work to do to get close to old times of around 22mins. Shouldn’t have stopped last time.

Good shout on he amulree road. As it turns out we are staying right at the bottom of that road so not much warm up.

Ran up to Kenmore hill on the single-track route and then back down to the carpark and down the road. 7.5k and above the snow line

View this post on Instagram

Follow your nose run #notparkrun #balfracksestate #kenmore #marcothon #day14 #theonlywayisup #roadtoamulrree #aftershockz #kalenjirunning

A post shared by Terry Davidson (@trail.rat) on Dec 14, 2019 at 3:12am PST

Good “run” this morning with my Argentine mate Miguel in La Pedriza just north of Madrid – it’s a massive granite outcrop which just about makes it up to 2000m altitude. It’s a stunning place to run, with mixed pine and oak forests that gradually disappear and turn into a very lunar landscape.

Not my photo, but this:

Anyway “run” as there was a lot of walking / scrambling, not to mention the snow and ice which made the going treacherous at times. Still, good training for the 105km ultra I’ve got a place for just after Easter 🙂

Thanks to this thread

Improving basic fitness quickly

I’ve just done week 1, run 1 of C25K. After a couple of false starts due to my phone killing the C25K app background task I got going, as a fairly fit mountain biker I didn’t find it too hard, more the different muscles and a different type of effort required to cycling.

Happy to work my way up gradually though to avoid any injuries, I’m mainly doing it to supplement my cycling for those weeks when I haven’t been able to get out much, or at all!

Happy to work my way up gradually though to avoid any injuries

That’s a good attitude to have – don’t underestimate how easy it is to get injured running!

Well done ta11pau1! Watch out, it’s bloody addictive. 😊

Had a cracking 11 mile pre work xmas night out on Friday, from Glasgow city centre out to Celtic park, then across the city to Ibrox, was ace!.

Then a lovely chilled 5 miles with the wife this morning, trying to get back into it after her cold.

I’ve had an easy couple of weeks, feel a bit sluggish cos of that, need to get the legs goibg again. Only 18 miles to go to hit 1000 for the year. 👌🏻

Sciatica…bloody sciatica. Had it 10 years ago and without warning it arrived back as I warmed up for parkrun yesterday.

1954km and 58500m climbed so far – that should comfortably tick over 2000k and 60k as long as I don’t get too sidetracked by Xmas parties this week. Not a bad year, albeit a bit running focused – it’s the first year ever that I’ve run further than I’ve cycled!

There’s a parkrun literally 1.5 miles from my house, which is also one of the running routes I can do, so that’ll be my target! 😀

I don’t think fitness will be a problem, in the first week or 2 anyway… finding my natural pace etc might be more difficult though. I probably walk at a lot of peoples jogging pace, around 3-4mph I think is a natural walking pace for me. Helps being 6ft 3in!

I’m signed up for the Devil of the Highlands in August, which I’m looking forward to. But not been doing much running, as I’ve got the Strathpuffer in January.

So my new, entirely off the cuff daily training plan is a little back to back thing. 30 minute or so run, immediately followed by a 30 minute smart turbo session.

Why? Really just to keep it interesting. It was interesting to see how ready I felt this morning, and how well it went.

Parkrun sounds good, I will give it a go.

I’m on the waiting list for the Devil Cody, completely forgot about the entry opening! 🙏🏻

@mogrim what ultra is that?