Runner's screed

[Janik]

A statistician called Tim Grose has assigned a Standard Scratch Score to each active UK parkrun. Storeys Field is indeed the second fastest, with Victoria Dock (London) coming out top. Link here:

http://www.thepowerof10.info/content/itemdisplay.aspx


EDIT: I now realise Southport Zeb beat me to it by about two months. I should really read the whole damn thread.

There are no issues with being the tortoise. Everyone knows they always win in the end.

[Janik]

I run the City Centre Race (Sentrumsløpet) in Oslo last Saturday. It is a 10 km race and I was in the group 41-43 minutes. I figured that if I managed to keep up with the main field in that group I should be able to get a time close to 43 minutes. I duly did and run what I thought was a perfectly timed race, letting the pace of the field do the heavy work for me. But, much to my surprise I was clocked in at 44:50, which then pretty much must have been the average time for runners in the 41-43 minutes group.

I'm considering a customer complaint, but I am not sure of the exact wording.

Dear Race Organisers,

Your entrants are either extreme optimists or outrageous liars. Why do you permit this?

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Does anyone here run 10 mile races? I'd be interested to try one as an intermediate distance between 10k and half-marathon sometime.

I've done a few, done a couple this year in fact. There's a good one round here in February but I missed it this year. I quite like them, I approach them as I would a half, rather than running it like a 10k and then hanging on for dear life for the last four miles.

First half of the year completed on Sunday, in Blackpool. Usual Blackpool story of being blasted by cold wind for most of the race with a more sheltered section being far too warm. The marathon was running concurrently and is two laps of the half - I did it a few years ago but on Sunday I could only think "thank f--k I don't have to do that again" when I completed the half course.

[caja-dglh]

I would hate to be the person who has to lead a pace group. It is a really tricky job.

[elguapo4]

Gradually getting back into it after a annoying injury around Christmas that wouldn't go away. I'm finding that I have to start from the bottom again, although managed 6k this morning, with a few walking breaks in between.

[tuckwat]

Does anyone here run 10 mile races? I'd be interested to try one as an intermediate distance between 10k and half-marathon sometime.

I ran my first 10 mile today . And yeah alright for the first 7 miles after that I found it too much. Finished with a time I thought I would but in no hurry to do another one.

[Paul S]

I've been running with a club for the last 6 weeks or so. Never done it before but really enjoyed it. Another 3.4 miles done this evening with loads of chat and a decent pace.

[RobW]

Done another 8km this morning before work, up Primrose Hill and around the park. Have Hackney Half in 10 days time and just read that it's starting at 9am this year! Much earlier than previous years i've entered. Hopefully it will be cooler than today. My first half since knee surgery, and whilst both of them ache, my pace has been solid. Doubt i'll break 2 hours though.

[Simon G]

Finally got back on the horse this week and managed three runs. On Monday I tried a different route and completed 4.56km. My legs simply refused to run the remaining 440 metres that would have completed my first 5k in 3 weeks.

On Wednesday I went back to my traditional route and managed 5k at a pace of 6:07 mins per km, and this morning I completed it in 5:59 per km.

We had the Tewkesbury Half Marathon in town last weekend and I've decided that I'm going to go for it next year. I've never attempted that sort of distance before, the furthest I've ever run is 10km and that was just the once. I've been very hit and miss with my runs over recent months, and I think it's because I really need a goal. This gives me 12 months to really work on getting there.

[Janik]

12 months is a very long time to prepare - most dedicated training plans seem to only last 12 weeks, max. Runners World magazine has a good list of them here:- https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/trai...raining-plans/

They also have a Race Pace Predictor calculator which puts your predicted time for a half marathon 2:17:37 on the basis of a 29:55 5k. That makes it sound like their sub-2h15* half marathon training plan is the one to work towards tackling - the aim for the next 9 months being to get your top distance up to 10k and be able to do that in an hour... which sounds plausible if you are cutting 40 seconds a time off your 5k! If you keep that up by next spring you may be running 5ks in ~25 mins... in which case sub 2h15 will feel like a low-aim and sub-2h00 may be more appropriate.

* - as someone on here said to me when I was going for my first half in Cambridge last autumn (and they were right...) you will run quicker in an actual race with people around and spectators and so on than you ever will in a training run.

I followed RW's sub-1h45 plan for my run in the Cambridge. Despite being dubious on the pre-requisites when I started the training plan (I was considered myself as capable of running a sub-46 min 10k on a theoretical basis without the need to have actually proved the capability by, um, having ever run 10k in under 46 mins) I managed a few seconds over 1h40 when I ran the race. Hence me liking their training schedules.

RW also have a raw beginner, just-get-to-the-end training plan:- https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/trai...ning-schedule/


Of everything it says on the RW website, I think this is the most important thing. So important that I will copy-and-paste it in bold (it would be multi-coloured and flashing if I knew how to do that on OTF):- You want to do the majority of your runs at a comfortable, conversational pace, and finish each run feeling like you have the energy – and desire – to run another mile. The biggest mistake first-timers make is running too many miles, too fast, too soon – and that’s a recipe for injury, loss of motivation and burnout. ‘If at the end of your run, you’re gasping for air, or in pain, then you’re going too fast,’ says Jenny Hadfield, co-author of Running for Mortals.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

As probably documented way back in this thread, I went from running 5K for the first time in my life (and at the age of 43) in November 2015 to doing a half marathon in early July 2016 in 2:02. Admittedly it was a continuation of doing long distance walking for a year or so and shedding a load of weight, but in early October 2015 I couldn't fully run the 1km route I'd measured out around my local park. So you've loads of time but as Janik suggests the risk is going at it too hard too early and injuring yourself.

[Simon G]

12 months is a very long time to prepare - most dedicated training plans seem to only last 12 weeks, max. Runners World magazine has a good list of them here:- https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/trai...raining-plans/

They also have a Race Pace Predictor calculator which puts your predicted time for a half marathon 2:17:37 on the basis of a 29:55 5k. That makes it sound like their [ulr=https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/half-marathon/a760101/rws-12-week-sub-215-half-marathon-schedules/]sub-2h15* half marathon training plan[/url] is the one to work towards tackling - the aim for the next 9 months being to get your top distance up to 10k and be able to do that in an hour... which sounds plausible if you are cutting 40 seconds a time off your 5k! If you keep that up by next spring you may be running 5ks in ~25 mins... in which case sub 2h15 will feel like a low-aim and sub-2h00 may be more appropriate.

* - as someone on here said to me when I was going for my first half in Cambridge last autumn (and they were right...) you will run quicker in an actual race with people around and spectators and so on than you ever will in a training run.

I followed RW's sub-1h45 plan for my run in the Cambridge. Despite being dubious on the pre-requisites when I started the training plan (I was considered myself as capable of running a sub-46 min 10k on a theoretical basis without the need to have actually proved the capability by, um, having ever run 10k in under 46 mins) I managed a few seconds over 1h40 when I ran the race. Hence me liking their training schedules.

RW also have a raw beginner, just-get-to-the-end training plan:- https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/trai...ning-schedule/


Of everything it says on the RW website, I think this is the most important thing. So important that I will copy-and-paste it in bold (it would be mutli-coloured and flashing if I knew how to do that on OTF):- You want to do the majority of your runs at a comfortable, conversational pace, and finish each run feeling like you have the energy – and desire – to run another mile. The biggest mistake first-timers make is running too many miles, too fast, too soon – and that’s a recipe for injury, loss of motivation and burnout. ‘If at the end of your run, you’re gasping for air, or in pain, then you’re going too fast,’ says Jenny Hadfield, co-author of Running for Mortals.

Thanks for this.

I've been running 5k for about 3 years now after completing couch to 5k a week before the last one, when I realised I was completing the 5k in 28 mins. The 10k I did on a bit of a whim when one of my friends did her first 10k before me. I went out that evening and just ran without stopping.

My problem is taking large breaks between runs. I can have a month or two of regular runs then go 4-6 weeks without running and have to start again. When I had my longest spell of regular running I managed to get my 5k runs down to just over 25 mins, so that will be the aim by the end of summer. The pace I'm running now is what I consider my slow pace. Any slower and I feel like I'm not running at all.

[Simon G]

I'm now considering doing the 10k portion of the Cheltenham half marathon in September. My friend is doing the half marathon itself, so will discuss it with him tomorrow.

EDIT: I have now entered the 10k portion of the Cheltenham half marathon on 4th September.

[Janik]

Something, something escalated quickly

Good luck

[Simon G]

I spoke with my wife immediately after mentioning it on here and she gave me the confidence to do it. I've also got to raise £175 for Sue Ryder and, after how they helped my uncle in one of their hospices when he was dying of cancer 7 years ago, anything I can do to give something back to them just completely convinced me to do it.

[Janik]

First ever top ten finish in a parkrun today. Obviously not a particularly well attended one - usually less than 100 runners turn up at this particular run most weeks (was 85 today - average no. of finishers for this event is 76.4). Top 10 was the target, as it was at the same event last week when I was 14th. I ran faster today than 7 days ago... but would have been in the same finishing position with last week's time. The number of people finishing before/after is as much to do with who shows up, it turns out... But anyway, nice to have a single figure number on my summary stats page as a best position overall.

[Paul S]

Fantastic to hear that Janik. I did park run today and got a time of 27:49 which puts me in 87th place although to be fair there were more than 200 of us running today. I'm still recovering from Covid back in February which has left me with cold feet and toes but I am determined.

[RobW]

So, I did the Hackney Half yesterday, and it's the last time i'm ever entering that again (i've said that before). It now seems to be organised by Limelight Sports (I think Virgin have previously been responsible, this was my first for a few years) and they and Hackney Council seriously need to consider hosting it earlier in the year. I am absolutely terrible at running in any temperature over about 15 degrees in any case but to do 13.1 miles in temperature over 20 is madness for the majority of people like me that aren't particularly fast and aren't members of running clubs. The race was compounded by the water stations. On previous occasions small bottles of water were handed out so you could at least swig from them and carry them if necessary until the next station. Yesterday they were handing out small cups of water, which were barely half full.
I didn't help myself by going like the clappers in the first 10k as I always do, and the last 6k or so was a real struggle. I stopped to walk virtually every 2 minutes for 30 seconds before trying to get going again, but my feet felt like they were on fire. I crossed in 2 hours 5 minutes or so and immediately felt uneasy on my feet. St. John's Ambulance were on hand to lie me down on a stretcher and drape wet towels over me for best part of 30 minutes, if not longer until my body temperature went down. At this point I was panicking cos I was sure my phone had been broken and I couldn't remember my pin - and I really had to get in touch with my brother. Thanks to Meredith from St. John's I was able to get in touch, and when my brain started working again I managed to sort myself out and could reassure him that I was alright. There were others in a lot worse state than I, and I saw several people down getting treatment on route.
Quite an eventful morning, and reading someone else complain on Twitter, I was reminded that despite the increase in entry price, you didn't even get the usual free technical t-shirt (scandalous!). Oddly enough, my legs feel alright, though as you can tell by the timing of this post, i've not been able to sleep much.
I still plan on doing the Manchester Half in October which I trust will be a lot cooler. Maybe i'll learn to pace myself by then.


Edit: Revealed on Monday that a runner has since passed away. No name or cause of death has been released at this time.

[Eggchaser]

Dear Runners of OTF

I am about to embark on some running with a view to undertaking a very short run in September as part of work related hilarity. I actually volunteered for it, rather than being volunteered Army style.

Could the collective point me in the direction of a decent pair of running shorts, preferably with a phone pocket if this is advisable. I'd prefer them not to be 1980s track and field length, the world's not ready for my mighty thighs.

Also, a decent long sleeved underlayer/whatever the cool kids call them these days, as I intend to continue moving my broken carcass around more regularly even after the "fun" run has finished.

Yours


Hoping My Muscle Memory Remembers That Term and a Half I Was Banned From Contact Sports On Medical Grounds and Ran All Over The Flat Bits Around Dunmow Instead

[elguapo4]

I got my undershirt from H+M and it does me fine , and is cheaper than the bigger brands. I use a phone holder arm band that goes around your bicep. Any sports store carrys them. One of my shorts has a pocket, but I find it very distracting having anything bouncing around in there.

[elguapo4]

I've managed to get myself involved in my first competitive sports against strangers in 20 years.

On Monday, my friend texted me asking if I fancied taking part in a 5k her company was organising. As I try to get out for a run every week I said yes. Last night she elaborated that it is a 4 x 5k relay between the three branches of her company, and her branch were one person short. I've just seen the course, a hilly run around the Phoenix Park, with a lot of cross country ( which I hate). Her last words were " don't worry, we're not expecting to win"

Good, cause we won't.

[Simon G]

I run with my phone in my pocket and don't notice it at all. I have thought about getting an armband, but I don't currently have a smart watch so need access to my phone to stop and start my runs. I also don't have wireless headphones, so like having the wire hidden under my shirt and only popping up through the collar.

Unfortunately, the 3 pairs of shorts I use I've owned for around 20 years so I'm not sure on how best to advise you Eggchaser. I have recently been looking on M&M Direct online though and they seem to have some good deals on sports shorts and shirts.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Could the collective point me in the direction of a decent pair of running shorts, preferably with a phone pocket if this is advisable. I'd prefer them not to be 1980s track and field length, the world's not ready for my mighty thighs.

Also, a decent long sleeved underlayer/whatever the cool kids call them these days, as I intend to continue moving my broken carcass around more regularly even after the "fun" run has finished.

If you've got a branch of Decathlon nearby try there, they have a decent range of each thing and you can usually pick between the basic types and something a bit better according to taste/wallet.

Most of their shorts will have a key pocket, and some will have "normal" pockets big enough to accommodate a phone - I never run with a phone in my pocket and instead use a waist pouch which again can be had in Decathlon starting at a few quid.

[Janik]

And if you don't have a branch of Decathalon nearby, their online shop delivers rapidly without having excessive delivery fees. In fact the last thing I bought from there was... a pair of running shorts. (these ones - the pockets of which are big enough for basically any phone baring an absolute monster). Bought on a Wednesday, on my doorstep that Saturday. Arrived whilst I was out at a parkrun, but details, dear boy, details...

But, as with WFD, my phone and keys don't go into a shorts pocket when I run but instead in a waistband. Or rather a re-purposed money belt masquerading as a sports waistband, on the grounds that I already owned it.

[Janik]

Actually, size of pockets is important with phones. My old phone fitted into the key pocket in one particular pair of running shorts (just)... but after an upgrade to a newer phone, the pocket isn't big enough any more.