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The runners' thread...

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I just watched this running form video tutorial and now know that my lower legs have been freeloading passengers since I took up running last year, with my thighs and the rest of my body picking up the slack, as it were. I've already been out for a 1.5m run today so I'll need to leave it till Friday or Saturday to see if I can put some extra energy into my stride with a more efficient, purposeful follow through of my lower legs. Seeing as I'm pretty much starting from scratch, albeit I'm not as heavy as I was when I started running last year, just now seems like a good time to focus on good technique seeing as I won't be doing a lot of mileage over the coming weeks; in fact, I'll probably hold back my long runs to 3 miles or less until February just to be on the safe side.

Fwiw, I wore my brand new hi-vis windbreaker when I went out this morning... that is, the brand new hi-vis windbreaker that I bought in way back September, about a week before I got injured lol

 
I've watched a lot of that guy on YouTube. He's a running machine! I imagine changing running form is like changing golf swing - easy in theory but very difficult in practice. When I run I look ridiculously upright, so I don't have that slight forward 'fall' that they sometimes talk about. I also have a dodgy back so maybe I've settled into a less efficient but equally less impactful form to spare the spine....??

I've just booked into a good physio to have them assess why I am not getting past my groin troubles. Might be hip related, something out of balance as it were. Did a 10 mile easy run at 0540 yesterday morning, very quiet and (obv) dark, still hurt a bit when I was done. I'm hoping it's something that will be easily fixed, as I need to be able to run ~500 training miles between now and London.....
 
Yeah Sage is a machine for sure, and hopefully as I never got anywhere near his level - or ever will - it won't be too difficult for me to tweak my technique here and there for the better.

Are you still planning on doing a marathon in February? Five marathons within twelve months is an extraordinary feat for anyone bar an elite runner, I'm sure, so if your still sore tackling one in February might ruin your whole year never mind your plans to run the London marathon. Holding back is hard, but as I'm sure you know, sometimes it's the best thing to do. Good luck with that particular dilemma.
 
Yep - the CTS Northumberland. I'm going to treat it as an easy, long training run rather than push for a time...
 
Just signed up for my first 10 miler in May (Richmond Park) with an aim to do a half later this year. A few 10k's as well as the normal Parkrun schedule although I am trying to visit some other Parkrun locations this year.
 
I haven't set any goals myself yet apart from taking it easy till February to make sure I don't derail my recovery. I'll be doing the Great Scottish Run in autumn but that goes without saying seeing as it's my home race as it were. Although whether I tackle the half-marathon or the 10k remains to be seen; I'm inclined to push myself up to running half-marathons and at least one full marathon before I croak it, which hopefully won't be anytime soon, but I also feel like I've got unfinished business with the 10k having started way out of position last time and not achieving my potential (possibly sub 45 instead of sub 48, possibly) due to the sheer density of the traffic I had to make my way through. Maybe I should just accept that the past is the past and move on. We'll see.

What sort of weekly mileage are you guys clocking up? I only came close to 20 once or twice last year but if I'm to put in good time on a half-marathon I know I'll really need to improve my weekly mileage, probably to 20, 25 or even 30+.
 
Mileage? I’ve just started week 1 of a 3:45 goal marathon programme that calls for between 25 and 46 miles per week. Based on 5 runs per week, started 1st Jan. Expect to be around 27 miles this week, but it’s a little unusual as I’m doing a trail race on Sunday instead of the initial (very short) long easy run. SO, week 1 looks like:
4, 3, 10, 4, 3 (parkrun), 4ish (trail race). Running MTWTrSS, but rTWTrSS from wk 2 on.

Previously, for Loch Ness and Gent, I started using the VLM Intermediate plan, which seemed too easy at around 30 miles per week, and swapped into the P&D 12/55 for the last 12 weeks. That tops off at 55 miles per week, which slightly broke me, and I had to ease off a bit.

I’d guess that the quality of your runs counts for more than the volume, within reason. Take the long runs slow and easy, and do faster shorter runs midweek.
 
My peak weekly mileage in 2017 was 58, my total mileage (including time out for injury and rest) was about 1200. I expect to go a bit higher in 2018, maybe 1500 miles in total.
 
Just looked up my mileage for last year and was in the 14-15 miles per week range for the second half of the year. dropped off over Christmas and not done much this week since Mondays 2 x 5k. I am starting a training program for the 10 miler on Monday which seems very easy at first glance but we shall see.
 
I've only been running 6-8 miles a week, but mostly around 5k pace, or in intervals of 2 minutes at 10mph then 1 minute of 8mph. I like to get in a couple of bike rides totaling 30-50 miles and a couple of 1/2 mile swims a week. However recently the weather has been so bad here the bike has not come out since mid December. I'm going to do a couple of tris this summer - an Olympic distance in early June and a sprint distance in September. I really ought to run some 10ks before the olympic tri.
 
Great mileage there JTC, especially the peak of 58! I was doing about the same as you Gareth, averaging 14-15ish most weeks in run up to my 10K. I went out for another 1.5m run today, but instead of taking it easy, I ended up running at lactate threshold pace as I had plans to meet a friend and didn't want to hang about as it were. I can tell I've got a long way to back on track but thankfully my body held up just fine with the increase in pace - albeit obviously slower than my lactate threshold used to be. I might just be able to push on after another week of easy running and see if I can get myself ready for a race in Spring/ early Summer. Fingers crossed.
That's pretty impressive training as well Sean, one of my friends is a triathlete and she loves it, so hopefully your races go well.
 
Just started back on it, training for my first 10k at the end of May. Using a training plan the ASICS app created for me. Nowhere near quick, but then I’m a lardy 15 1/2 stone. Was quite good (for a fat bastard) at the 5k distance last year, but ran out of time to train for a few months, and have been slow to get back on it. Three mile runs this week, some more next then two miles next Sunday. Hoping to get somewhere near an hour on May 22nd
 
Thanks Derek - here I'm surrounded by Ironman triathletes and marathon runners so my training pales in comparison - honestly I wonder if some of their kids recognize them with the hours of training they do.
Good luck with the recovery and the races. You should use the injury as an excuse to get into tris :)
 
I’ve run on and off for periods all my life. I even enjoyed cross country when I was at school, first marathon was 93 and I squeezed in a 10 mile race a few weeks back. This time I’m in my 10th year of running 3 or 4 times a week mixed up with some gym, Kettlebell mainly . It got me through my divorce , copes with my job, withstands a few beers and I always fit into my trousers. Just might do a half later in the year but races are not why I do it .it’s for my head
 
Yeah it's as much about the pure joy of running on any given day as it is to run on race day when I'm competing against my mental and physical self... and making sure I fit into my jeans and jacket ;)

And speaking of myself, it's probably the solo sporty activity I enjoy doing myself the most; I've got a bike but I absolutely detest riding in the wet, it sucks big time, and although I used to really enjoy going swimming, it gets boring all too quickly, at least when I'm swimming in a pool it does. Running, on the other hand, that's something I can do anytime, anyplace and in any weather, more or less, and in any state of mind. I'm reluctant to say it's the most natural form of maintaining one's fitness, as doing so goes against the essence of what David Hume said about the fallacy of deriving ought from is, but it feels like running is the most natural form of maintaining one's fitness.
 
johnhunt said:
I’ve run on and off for periods all my life. I even enjoyed cross country when I was at school, first marathon was 93 and I squeezed in a 10 mile race a few weeks back. This time I’m in my 10th year of running 3 or 4 times a week mixed up with some gym, Kettlebell mainly . It got me through my divorce , copes with my job, withstands a few beers and I always fit into my trousers. Just might do a half later in the year but races are not why I do it .it’s for my head
Click to expand...

I agree, I’ve found recently that if I don’t exercise and I’m not busy with the music, I’m a complete mess upstairs. Running and Music are all that separates me from madness. I need goals though. If I don’t set myself them, I’m rubbish at doing anything.
 
At the moment around 20-25 miles a week, bit of a mix of off road / trails / road and track or measured flat road. After a break of a couple of years and it's so good mentally and physically to be running again. No pressure, no major goals. Nice.

A few years ago on sub-3 marathon form I was doing more miles - 45 - 50 a week average and peaking nearer 70. I followed Runner's World schedules, more or less. The toughest runs were the daft little '3 - 4 miles easy' filling in between the longer / harder days. I still don't know whether they had any value or should I have just rested and stretched on those days.

I tried to do long runs very slow for the most part, going out with the conversational Sunday club run. Then often added 3 or 4 'fast' miles (a bit quicker than marathon pace) by myself at the end. Not textbook but suited me. Perhaps helped me to that rare thing among us mere mortals of a marathon negative split. THAT was a good day.

Great thread btw.
Ian
 
Sub 3 hr ...phew. I’ve done a couple of 4.30’s , the last one sabotaged by a hot day and man flu the the week before. There might be sub four inside me somewhere but I’m not someone who’s particulary good at running ( my gait is catastrophic and chronic neurological condition doesn’t help) but I love doing it. These days I like to get it over and done with quickly rather than spend Sunday mornings trudging around London.
 
I've just started using mapometer.com to log my runs as I don't have a Fitbit thing or whatever to track my runs via GPS. The website allows routes to be drawn via Google Maps which can then be selected from a list of routes for entry into a daily running log. Other info such as time, what type of effort etc can also be entered. The route tool shows distance, energy, elevation, gradient etc, and has the option to show routes in miles or kilometres. On the whole, it's quite simple to use. Click here to see the info on the 3.6m easy run I did this morning to see what I mean.

And having done a 3.6m run this morning, I think it's safe to say that my groin injury is pretty much healed and my body's back to normal... as long as I don't blow it.
 
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