Runner's screed

[Bored Of Education]

Set off for my parkrun yesterday, got to about 750 feet and rolled my ankle over on a twig - did I say twig, I meant log - and hit the ground. Went for an X-ray today and, happily, it isn't broken just very badly swollen, bruised and sprained. Two to three weeks off running (and football) just when I was getting back into the swing. Wouldn't mind but my bike's still not properly fixed otherwise I could have given that a go.

[HORN]

Rotten luck, BOE.

The 10K I’d been aiming for came and went today without my involvement. I reinjured my calf (for what seems about the sixtieth time) while walking on Tuesday.

[Bored Of Education]

Fucking hell, HORN, that really is a terrible sequence of injuries in the same place. I wish I had some advice but, if your doctors can't suggest anything that works, I can't. Are there any sports science types around you that you could visit, perhaps?

[HORN]

That’s the next step, really. The physiotherapy hasn’t been a success. I’ve driven myself half-mad reading about calf-related problems.

Given I’m not exactly a lightweight (1.92m, 100kg) maybe I should lose 10kg or do as my physio suggests and switch to swimming.

But I loathe swimming as much as I loathe not eating.

[Bored Of Education]

That's my issue now - I was just about getting on top with my weight this week before this hiccup and now I have 2 or 3 weeks off. They suggested swimming which I also found boring, well, swimming lengths I do. Haven't done it for ages though so might give it a go. As I say, I really need to get my bike sorted out.

[HORN]

Swimming is the no brainer option really, isn’t it?

I only live a ten minute walk from a large pool offering daily improvers lessons (they’re undoubtedly required) so I’ve no excuse not to do it.

How much effort does your bike require to be roadworthy, do you suppose?

[Bored Of Education]

If I was doing it, a lot but I am going to get my bikie mate to do it with me watching. He doesn't realise this yet as I have just asked to borrow his tools. I should go and do a course on cycle maintenance actually. There is a great place near us where they teach homeless guys to do up old bikes and sell them on and they also do bike maintenance course so I should do that. Anyway, I am digressing from the running thread.

[caja-dglh]

Killington Peak is absolutely brutal and the Spartan race made it as bad as possible - full run base to peak at mile 9, then down a black run to make running near impossible. They put a good bunch the upper body strength killers in the last mile as well (sandbag carry, rope climb, atlas ball, hercules hoist (which was probably 250lb), plate drag, bucket carry) so you are completely beat.

I have a year to try and work out how to get to do the 30 miler and beat the time hacks. I feel a lot of lunges are in my future.

[San Bernardhinault]

But I loathe swimming as much as I loathe not eating.

Anyone for which this isn't true is a freak of nature.

[ad hoc]

Very meditative, swimming. I think you have to treat is as such to enjoy it

[San Bernardhinault]

I signed up for another half, this time in mid November. It's right along the Silver Strand between Coronado and Imperial Beach, and should be dead flat, and at a lovely time of year for running - coolish but sunny mornings and dry air, hopefully. The good thing about signing up for a half is that it forces me to train. The bad thing about signing up for a half is that it forces me to train.

Three runs this week so far. A 6 miler at the lake on Monday, a 5.5 miler at the lake today. On Tuesday I went along to the track workout organised by people from my gym for the second time ever. It's held at the community college's running track just down the road from my house, so I have no real excuse. Running on a track is incredibly, incredibly boring. But actually being forced to run with other people, with set goals and pushing myself, may be very good training.

Three longish running sessions in 4 days, though, after a fairly slack couple of months, is not good for my body. I'm working my way quickly through my stockpile of European Compeeds, and have a fairly powerful ache in my lower back. I must remember to not overdo it and wipe myself out.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Concluded the half marathons for the year in the last couple of weeks, a decent run in Belfast a fortnight ago and then posted my best time of the year in Glasgow last week, a modest 2:04 but still nearly 3 minutes inside my previous season best.

Closed out the "big race" season today with 4:36 in the Cologne Marathon, delighted with that given a patchy training schedule in the lead up (15 miles was my longest training run since Copenhagen in May) as other things have (in a good way) taken priority.

Its been a bit of a battle at times this year in terms of pace and fitness but it seems I've ended the year in good shape.

That's it for me in long race terms til January. Next month I'll be doing my 100th parkrun with my sister, I've had to work it carefully to make sure the 100th lands on our annual weekend away, marking approx three years since I did my first with her (documented much further upthread).

Some interesting plans for next year, both running and walking.

Best of luck everyone in your winter training / racing / parkrunning as applicable.

[caja-dglh]

I ran my first ever timed 5k this past weekend. I finished third.

Admittedly it was a school fundraiser and a 12 year old finished second, but it counts as progress go getting under 20 mins. If I wasn't hungover I might have been able to push to win it. Next year...

[caja-dglh]

I am running longer happily and seeming to be able to sustain a roughly 8 min mile. Will probably run the local half again this coming year, but am wanting to stretch my range.

[Me Old Flower]

Good stuff caja-dglh.

I'm now running twice a week, one long weekend run (approx. 50mins - 1 hour) plus a shorter midweek one which is either a recovery run or hill reps. My plan is spend my longer-than-usual Christmas/NY break completing UK Parkruns, so:

15/12 Tampere (Finland)
22/12 Huddersfield
29/12 Brighouse
05/01 Venue tbc (probably another West Yorkshire event, maybe Nostell Priory or Oakwell Hall).


I'm feeling pretty good at the moment. If the Parkruns go well then I'll start to think about 10K races for 2019.



(Woohoo! Reached the 600 post mark after 10 years of frequenting this site)

[Me Old Flower]

Btw, is anyone attempting a Christmas Day/New Year's Day Parkrun? I noticed that some venues are going to offer it.

[Southport Zeb]

I did the Brighouse Parkrun over the summer and it's probably the most boring one I've done - four laps of a field, and surprisingly flat. Oakwell Hall is much more interesting, including a zig zag section up and down a wheelchair path bypassing some steps.

I've done Parkrun on Christmas Day and New Years Day for the last couple of years. On New Years Day there are a mix of different start times and you are allowed to register two results for the day - Ormskirk and Southport is my usual double.

[Me Old Flower]

Brighouse is the closest one to where I'll be staying at Christmas, so it was one to tick off more than anything. I have run the Huddersfield one before, back in 2015. A circuitous route to say the least, but very popular.

I'll bear the Oakwell Hall run in mind. Near enough for me too.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I've done Parkrun on Christmas Day and New Years Day for the last couple of years. On New Years Day there are a mix of different start times and you are allowed to register two results for the day - Ormskirk and Southport is my usual double.

I've done the last three Christmas Days and last two New Year's Days at Carlisle (the one before was cancelled due to ice), I'll do the same this time around plus the two Saturdays. Carlisle's New Year's Day "pair" is with Keswick. I keep saying I'll do it (the double) but I've never attempted it - and I won't this time because Carlisle are away at Morecambe and I'll be heading there. I do like the Christmas Day one, gets the day off to a good healthy start.

[Me Old Flower]

Having checked the list here, I would only really have the option of Huddersfield for both Christmas Day and NY day.

[imp]

First 'proper' run today for 15 months, since I was first diagnosed with arthritis in the knees, triggered by a bad fall while... running (some bastard locked their bike to a lamp-post, and left the bike-stand sticking out into the middle of the pavement). It was only 2.6 miles, but completely pain-free. Doubt I will get back to my peak fitness of two years ago, running 10 miles two to three times a week. Just felt good to be mobile again.

[San Bernardhinault]

Good work all. My MCL sprain means I remain out of running action. I've been on the treadmill for about 2 minutes and been sort of OK, but the pain returns afterwards. The recovery seems ridiculously slow. Maybe I'm done as a runner.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

As planned I completed my 100th parkrun on Saturday, at the (relatively) new one in Northwich - my sister had tipped them off so I got an announcement and nice little round of applause before the start. There were five of us from the family so they took our photo and put it on their Facebook with another congratulatory message for the century.

When you reach certain milestones you get a free t-shirt. When I got through 50 they were having problems with their suppliers so didn't get it for nearly six months. They must be on top of things now as I got the email today inviting me to claim it, so there's a fighting chance I'll be able to debut it on one of the festive runs.

[tuckwat]

My boy has just waited 11 months to get his junior 10 and I have got my 50 straight away . Not that you can moan too much of course because they are all free apart the postage.

[Me Old Flower]

Did the Tampere Parkrun on Saturday. I finished about three and a half minutes down on my 2015 effort, but I was fairly pleased as it was my first timed run since then. Temperature was -6 with some icy patches, and after exchanging some FB messages with local organisers regarding the conditions, I ran in my winter spikes. A local running club also served mulled wine and ginger biscuits at the finish, which was a nice touch.

I was sufficiently exotic enough to be personally introduced to the other parkrunners prior to the start. Huddersfield or Brighouse next up.