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The runners' thread...

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lordsummit said:
Ha, I’m just trying to get round my first 10k in July. It’s coming to the end of it to be fair, this is the 9th week, there’s one more biggy then quite a taper. It’s a beginner plan I got from runningbug, it’s got me properly on my feet doing it, I’d meddled around at the gym starting beginner 5k plans. Remember I’m very slow as well. My threshold is now about 6mph, sensible jog is 5!!
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I did Couch to 5K in 2014 and then after that worked my way up to 10K and then half-marathon distances. While I did do some playing around with intervals etc. my experience was that the main thing that mattered was just getting the mileage in, and in fact I felt that doing longer, slower runs was far more beneficial than the interval sessions were. At that point my typical running week consisted of a slow & easy 5K, a slow and easy longer run (up to 10K), and then at the weekend I'd sometimes do a faster 5K or 10K (trying to improve my PB) or a slower 5K or 10K with my wife. This worked quite well and I was able to run non-stop 10K's not long after I was able to run non-stop 5K's - although at that point both were very slow.
 
Yeah, putting in lots of (relatively) slow and steady mileage is pretty much the main thing Sage Canaday bangs on about in his videoes on how to improve as a runner: consistent high mileage, consistent high mileage, consistent high mileage...
 
I’ve found it’s worked quite well for me, although it’s a little frustrating that now I’ve got time for Parkrun, it’s hard to fit it into the plan. My pace has definitely improved, I’m three and a half minutes faster than my very slow Parkrun of May last year. Now I’m just slow. I guess I’m running three miles, four times a week, and recently the Sunday run keeps getting longer. If the plan has been successful about anything, it’s been increasing the distance gradually without it seeming too stressful. What’s interesting is that the interval type work really gets me towards peak heart rate levels, I can now gently run for nearly an hour without getting past 150bpm.
Because I’ve got time, I’m minded to do a few gentle runs this week and do parkrun, then do the hour on Sunday. I’ve got a few spare weeks, my plan finishes before the race, so I can always put the interval training off until next week. Maybe that though is parking what I don’t really fancy!
 
I must also say thank-you guys for spending so much time helping a novice like me. I can only admire your efforts. I’ve lost a stone in the last six weeks and like Sean I find it does so much for my mental health. A couple of months ago I was really struggling, but making myself do it has made a massive difference.
 
I went to a free training session with my local shop https://www.runandbecome.com/london Nick Anderson, Saucony's Head Coach and Jo Pavey's coach talked us through the basics of heart rate zone training, the importance of running slow, the benefits of intervals and the need to lay off the junk miles. I must say that I find it hard to keep discipline when training alone.
We went to the local park and did 5 three minute intervals, 90 seconds out and 90 seconds back to keep the group together. Felt really good afterwards.
Interestingly he said that Park Runners should only go full tilt once a month and discipline themselves to run at different zones the rest of the time.
 
windhoek said:
Welcome to the thread Rob and well done for running the half in what looked like tough conditions. As an almost allergic to sunshine-Scotsman, I find running in hot conditions tough myself - give me cold, cool or cold conditions any day of the week!

As for hydration strategies, the one I went with when I ran a marathon in April was to increase my fluid-intake in the days leading up to the race so that I didn't have to drink loads of water on race day as my body would already be well hydrated - I think I only drank about 500ml during the actual race. I also took electrolyte tablets the day before as well as on the day of the race just to help out on the front too.

How's your body doing today? Walking like a zombie???
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Thanks. Yes I don't think I was sufficiently hydrated going into it (preceding days nor the day itself in truth). It was the first time I've experienced heat affecting me to that degree - first 10km to plan and then a gradual (& severe!) collapse in energy in the second half.
 
I think I may have over-cooked it. I can barely hobble around the house right now. Did a hilly half-marathon at tempo earlier, some brutal sharp hills in it, all of which I managed to maintain a good pace (for me), coming in at 1:55 or so for the 21.1K including a brief careful tip-toe around an escaped Highland Coo (seriously!), but in the process I think I've pushed it too far and may have set my injury back a bit :(

https://www.strava.com/activities/1589448094

Actually pretty pleased with how I'm handling hills - I can keep on moving, which is something I wasn't so great at before I started my hill-focus. However, with just over a fortnight to go until the marathon, once again I'm in jeopardy......
 
John you are really going for it - loads of miles and some seriously challenging runs and great pace and terrain variation. Brilliant you probably don’t need to push it now, just stay un-injured, light recovery runs and some speed work to keep the flexibility and maintain those red blood cells.
 
JTC said:
I think I may have over-cooked it. I can barely hobble around the house right now. Did a hilly half-marathon at tempo earlier, some brutal sharp hills in it, all of which I managed to maintain a good pace (for me), coming in at 1:55 or so for the 21.1K including a brief careful tip-toe around an escaped Highland Coo (seriously!), but in the process I think I've pushed it too far and may have set my injury back a bit :(

https://www.strava.com/activities/1589448094

Actually pretty pleased with how I'm handling hills - I can keep on moving, which is something I wasn't so great at before I started my hill-focus. However, with just over a fortnight to go until the marathon, once again I'm in jeopardy......
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Noooooooooo, not agaaaaaaaaain!

I presume it's taper time for you now, so at least it's the perfect time to start easing off a bit. And when you say you did a hilly half-marathon you don't half mean hilly half-marathon - ouch! I dread to think what awaits me... ;)
 
Decided to do a leisurely jog last night to try to ease off the sore calf. Wasn’t sure it was going to work to start with, but after the first mile it was feeling much better, so decided to do a couple more and added a quick one at the end. Feeling the calf a bit this morning. Think I’ll just do a gentle jog on Thursday or maybe even rest, and then do parkrun and a longer run if it feels ok on Sunday. I’m sure it’s the DOMs I’ve got, but I don’t want to risk injury having got so far.
 
lordsummit said:
Decided to do a leisurely jog last night to try to ease off the sore calf. Wasn’t sure it was going to work to start with, but after the first mile it was feeling much better, so decided to do a couple more and added a quick one at the end. Feeling the calf a bit this morning. Think I’ll just do a gentle jog on Thursday or maybe even rest, and then do parkrun and a longer run if it feels ok on Sunday. I’m sure it’s the DOMs I’ve got, but I don’t want to risk injury having got so far.
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Your getting the bug lordsummit, keep up the good work, calfs are difficult injuries to shake off so take it easy, if it starts pulling don't push it! They are a runners nightmare (amongst other things....and rain ;)).
 
Yep, I hate rain. I retire to a treadmill when it’s inclement. I think my calf is just complaining at the moment. A mile in last night the ache disappeared, and it’s not a sharp pain like a muscle injury. Hopefully a few days rest will see it go away.
 
Snapped my Achilles on 26.03.17.
Last night I went through the motions of running for the first time since.
Observations:
I ran a couple of hundred yards.
My eldest broke into a fast walk and was faster than me.
Regular commuter and leisure cycling does not readily transfer to running.
My upper body felt very heavy.
Has there been a change to the force of gravity in the last year or so?
Anyway it's a start.
 
Ouchy! How’d you manage to snap your achilles? That sounds like a long, painful road to recovery. Major respect for getting back to running, and never mind that it was slow - at least you can build it up again...
 
Good luck with your Achilles recovery. I snapped mine in circa 1990, I was running 400 on the track and wondered why for the last 60m the heel of my shoe was slapping on the floor..... Crutches for a few weeks and decent NHS physio.
 
JTC said:
Ouchy! How’d you manage to snap your achilles?
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https://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/just-done-my-achilles-in.200062/

In short: burpees into shuttle runs.
No surgery.
Cast for eight weeks.
Plastic boot for about 16 weeks.
Recommenced commuter cycling early Oct.
Did a 40mile ride at 17.6mph average last Fri.
I can now push about 70kg through the ball of my left foot. Not quite body weight support (95kg !!) but enough for me to try brief very light jogging.
 
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