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    #51
    Runner's screed

    Sits wrote: Finally got round to registering for my local 10k run which is on April 3rd. It's a very hilly course round the 'burbs here.

    For the last few months all I've done is walking, a decent 7k over similarly hilly roads. But once I registered I needed to get some practice in. I lost the weekend two weeks ago due to thick smoke hanging over the area from controlled burns. Last week I managed to run the 7k, very slowly.

    Today I extended my distance to 10k for some proper preparation which was OK, albeit slow again. Trouble is now I'm remembering the things about running I dislike. I detected the early signs of a migraine about half an hour after getting home (tunnel vision; more often it's auras) so took two preemptive Panadeine. This deadens the bad pain but also zombifies one somewhat and delivers a nauseous undertone, so basically I feel like shit.

    I'm seriously thinking this run on the 3rd may be the time when I just accept I'm a walker. I am nearly 52, I suppose it's OK.
    So it was this morning, I walked it, and it was fantastic. My left knee has been clicking when I walk downstairs for the last week, since I had a disastrous practice run last weekend. I've never walked an "official" run before and it was liberating. I wasn't the slowest either, being in amonegst the slowest running groups which was also pretty friendly.

    It took me 1h 22m so exactly half an hour longer than my "peak" time over this hilly course, a number of years ago.

    So I've seen the future, and I like it.

    Of course technically I can't come on this thread any more...

    Comment


      #52
      Runner's screed

      Of course you can, and well done. The walking / running boundary is something I'm always interested in.

      Outside of the epic charity walks, I've found it quite difficult to find runs that will allow walkers, and that was partly why I took up running, otherwise I'd quickly run (unintentional pun) out of events to do. It is understandable in many cases - where there are closed roads, lots of marshalls etc it's fair enough that the route can't be held open indefinitely, but what pissed me off was the attitude of my local half marathon which, while it has a 'sweep time' that I knew I could comfortably beat walking, has THIS IS NOT A WALKING EVENT all over its website; so when last year I wanted an event to round off my walking adventures, I went to the Great Scottish Run on the same day instead, which welcomes walkers and patiently keeps Glasgow city centre streets and even motorway sections closed til everyone's through.

      I read a good article somewhere that I'm not likely to find again, by a woman who walked a marathon, and found her pride dented by people debating whether she'd actually 'done' a marathon, and asking why she didn't just run it.

      Back on running however, and I've been following the progress of this guy who is running 401 marathons in 401 days. He's relying on local running clubs to help with courses, support and company while running (and inspiring a lot of people to make their marathon debuts with him), and has been through Carlisle twice recently, and my local club / parkrun gang have been heavily involved.

      Comment


        #53
        Runner's screed

        I did my first park run yesterday. The only running that I have done since Christmas has been just over two miles to my martial arts class and that has only been since my back procedure. I have actually been doing sub 10 minutes for that short run so thought I may be OK doing 3 miles. Bloody ludicrous thought.

        It was a nice course and my first real trail running, going along the skyline over looking Bath, through woods and fields. It wasn't as flat as I thought it would be. There was a gradual uphill, a fairly steep downhill and then 30 woodland steps to run up but it was fairly level after that. I thought I was doing OK and probably up to 2 miles when I saw a bloody 2KM sign.

        Genuinely, I have gone in a year from running a half-marathon to 3 miles being hard work for me. I should have got sponsored for that decrease in fitness. I hadn't had much sleep and a hangover but, even so, not great at 11.30 minutes per mile. At least, I have a good place to improve upon.

        Very impressed by the parkrun. Well organised by volunteers, clear advice for first time runners, marshalls all along the route, email with your results a couple of hours' later and a great chart which you can put in order of where you came for your age group in the race and comparing nationally. Apparently they change the route every week as well. All for free as well.

        Oh, and they were very specific that it wasn't competitive and you could run or walk. Mind you, I almost didn't hear this as there were some twats from some running club whose first time it was at this parkrun who thought it would be fun to have some 'banter' between them while this woman was talking. While the 'all levels all welcome' nature of it is brilliant, I did find some other competitors irritating. Children who ran in front of me and shook low hanging branches of trees so they were still waving around when I passed through, people running with their fucking dogs on leads and people who kept on running back and forth on quite a narrow path. This was exacerbated somewhat by the busy start but, once everything had thinned out, it was just a normal race.

        Fair play to the wife who went out this morning and did another 3 miles.

        Comment


          #54
          Runner's screed

          Good post Bored.

          I did my first Parkrun last Saturday. Took 11 year old daughter with me, and a friend who started running a year ago who gets up to 19k now and has lost five stone!

          Concur with kind comments about the volunteers, and we were given a very friendly welcome. 180 runners, but apart from the first 100 yards or so, it never felt crowded. Muddy, many puddles, so got feet wet, and daughter did struggle in the final km (she hasn't really done much in the way of training, while I did Couch to 2k from Jan-March and have continued doing a weekly run (try to get out more but, you know) since.

          The timing system, email after etc is great, all for free.

          34 mins 22 secs, very happy with that. Found it tough, of course, as still getting used to running for long periods. Will definitely go again, though not this weekend as am away with work and busy throughout.

          The C25k group I was with are now doing 5-10k upgrade, but I am not so keen. I'd rather do more 5k and get better at that. Did attend their first 5-10 meeting this week, which was nearly 7k including some hill work, and I feel good this morning, no aches at all.

          After many years without any serious exercise, I'm going to attend a local 'back to football' group which starts next week. Feeling good about the way the running has gone.

          Comment


            #55
            Runner's screed

            I have a heel injury which has killed my running for a few weeks now. Basically at the base of my achilles if I stretch my calf out. It is the most painful strain I have ever had - when it hurts it is eye-watering. Fortunately it is relatively easy to avoid. While I can run, I am worried this would make it worse and I certainly don't want to mess with achilles pain.

            Comment


              #56
              Runner's screed

              I've been to parkrun three times and at the height of my running which involved running 6 straight 10ks i managed a 5k in 22.05. I love running and just the freedom it brings as i need to be active but i find it so hard to motivate myself to do it.

              Comment


                #57
                Runner's screed

                I'm all but done for April, with only tomorrow morning's Parkrun to go.

                Went to Fleetwood for a flat 10k and hoped for a good time and got a new best at 56:32. Then a hectic week with two hilly Lake District 10k's, in Langdale and Keswick (I read the official measurement report for the latter only after I did it - they are not prone to exaggeration so when they said 'extremely steep ascent between 4-5km', they weren't f'ing kidding), a new parkrun best (26:55) in Stretford on Saturday morning and another 10k hillfest in rural Lancashire in the afternoon). Celebrated the resulting fitness by extending the solo midweek training run to 12.25 miles, and survived.

                After tomorrow though it's back to 4mph, as I'll be taking on the Keswick to Barrow walk for charity again, on 7 May. Due to floods and other logistical reasons it has been extended from the usual 40 to the very precise 42.65 miles. I'll be waiting to see what condition the walk leaves me in before making any commitment for running in the rest of May.

                Comment


                  #58
                  Runner's screed

                  You're right in there now WFD. A year from now you'll be threatening the magical 5 minute kilometre mark on the flatter 10ks.

                  I only ever managed this once; very flat run with two twenty something runners pacing for me. As I was about 47 at the time this means I will never achieve the lauded "10ks in your age in minutes" which is one of those things runners talk about.

                  Comment


                    #59
                    Runner's screed

                    Hmmm, at 44 my ambitions might be limited to maintaining my time and waiting for my age to catch up rather than taking another 12 minutes off...!

                    Comment


                      #60
                      Runner's screed

                      San Bernardhinault wrote: I run not because I enjoy it particularly, but because it is the exercise that works best at keeping me fit, and I can get a really good workout in in a relatively short time. Something that would need 2 or 3 hours on a bike in terms of how exhausted I get, I can do in 45 minutes or an hour when running.
                      I thought I'd test this idea myself and today gave me a good chance. I don't bike far, mind, just the 20 mins or so each way to the station a few times a week, but it's so easy just to 'take it easy' on a bike and not feel like you're pushing yourself.

                      So I decided to do my first 5km just now: a mixture of pavement and, mostly, fenland footpaths, in a pair of Skechers (not running shoes) and a 2007-08 NCFC away shirt, which chafed something chronic. Should have gone with the cycling top.

                      Had to have a couple of walking sections, so this is obviously something worth persevering with. Definitely feels much more intensive than commuter-speed cycling for me.

                      Kevchenko's 5km, or "Waist high wet grass, soaking socks, and a hare sighting."


                      Thanks to all on the thread for the inspiration. Now to try to keep it up.

                      Comment


                        #61
                        Runner's screed

                        I can't wait to get back running. I have tendonitis in my heel and have been on a routine of stretching for the past month and little else.

                        Comment


                          #62
                          Runner's screed

                          Christ it's June isn't it.

                          Completed the Keswick to Barrow, not only did this turn out to be 4.65 miles further than last year (apparently it's always been 38 if measured accurately), but the new section was an absolute bastard, and the weather unusually warm for that event - the marshall at one of the last checkpoints, at the foot of the descent after a moor was moved to comment 'they're dropping like fucking flies coming off that hill today' as he surveyed another collapsing casualty. At this point I went for my first slash for 15 miles and discovered I was so dehydrated that it was the colour of Fanta (normal, not grape). But I finished in a very sweaty state and in 11 hours 43 minutes (walking throughout, I should add).

                          Anyway, I digress. Got back out for an evening walk three days later and a run the following night, and back into it.

                          Parkruns in Penrith, Carlisle and London (Highbury Fields), two midweek 10ks locally and a weekend trip to Kirkcudbright for an 11.2k of all things. No pb's to speak of, unless an 11.2k pb counts. Lots of sweat, I'm starting to miss the days when I was running in sub zero temperatures and rain.

                          Lots of miles planned for the next few weeks, I'll report back.

                          Comment


                            #63
                            Runner's screed

                            That's an amazing record recently Walt. I have enrolled in this year's City2Surf (what they call it, not what I do) which I will walk for the first time. It's 14k, so based on my 1h 22m on the 10k recently I really should be aiming under two hours.

                            Considering my running pb on C2S was 21 seconds outside 5 minute kms it's a big change, but testament to my outlook since switching to 100% walking is that I'm really looking forward to it.

                            In celebration I've just had delivered from eBay a pair of Asics Gel Fortitude 3s, my first departure from Gel Kayanos. I figure I can drop the heavy-dutiness (and budget) slightly without the pounding running brings.

                            Comment


                              #64
                              Runner's screed

                              I was just reading about that the other day in Runner's World, the magazine for running twats everywhere, they feature an 'exotic' event each month - last month it was the Moscow marathon, this month City2Surf. Looks grand.

                              Comment


                                #65
                                Runner's screed

                                It's the only thing I've ever done where other people, who I don't know, cheer and clap me. There is the small fact they cheer and clap the other 80,000 taking part, but that's minor detail. Bands play, kids wave flags and want high fives. At some parts I actually get goosebumps - running* down William Street and into Kings Cross at the start, seeing Bondi Beach for the first time, and the crowds at the finish. Marvellous.

                                *well, not any more.

                                Comment


                                  #66
                                  Runner's screed

                                  Ha! I ran my first 10 km around where I lived last week and was thrilled with the polite applause and "well dones".

                                  Comment


                                    #67
                                    Runner's screed

                                    To paraphrase Harriet Wheeler, here's where this particular story ends.

                                    The miles were ramped up in June, I chased around for competitive miles every weekend - 10Ks in Strathclyde Park, Burnley, Milngavie, Pilling, Appleby. 5K parkruns in Carlisle, and Drumchapel (a new and particularly nasty course on the outskirts of Glasgow). A 5K midweek time trial with t'club - pleasingly, based on my 5K pb I made the cut for the 'fast wave' and although I was second slowest of said wave, justified my inclusion with my placing and time. Midweek training runs, 8, 12, 12, 8 miles respectively.

                                    All leading to this:



                                    Completing the Southport half marathon this morning in a chip time of approx. 2:02.15.

                                    I'm not stopping there of course - I've got another half in two weeks' time and at least two more planned in the rest of the year. But 5K pb's and news of random 10K appearances seem a bit less important now that I've reached this milestone.

                                    Thanks for indulging my personal running diary, and good luck to all in your own endeavours. If I can do ^that^ god knows what the rest of you are capable of.

                                    Comment


                                      #68
                                      Runner's screed

                                      Congratulations - I may well have cycled past you this morning as I went round Victoria Park. I've never done any proper, big organised running events and it's something I keep meaning to have a look at. However I'll leave it for a bit as my cycling today was my last big run out before the Manchester-Blackpool ride next Sunday. Don't like the look of the weather.

                                      Comment


                                        #69
                                        Runner's screed

                                        Stretching. I probably spend about 10 minutes stretching before running now (quads, groin, hips, calf etc). It is a process that has become more established each time I find I generate a new pain from running.

                                        Oh, and always run at a slight incline on the running machine. 0.5 will do.

                                        I got back on the running game after a miserable couple of months from tendonitis. I also treated myself to a Garmin FR235 and am getting back into heart rate training. It is a delight to move on from an FR305 - no strap, it actually calculates the zones for you, works indoors and gets a GPS signal in a fraction of the time.

                                        Comment


                                          #70
                                          Runner's screed

                                          Your Usual Table wrote: Right, so in an attempt to lose my considerable spare tyre I've taken up running. Well, jogging if I'm accurate - 10k per hour is my speed. I do this for 10 minutes, walk for 10 minutes then run for 10 minutes again, not including a warm up by running from work to the gym which takes about five minutes. It's been going well but my increasing age has inevitably had an effect on how my legs have responded to it. Three consecutive days of this programme have now resulted in my right knee aching. This happened a couple of weeks ago too so it's clearly no longer wise to run every day of the week.

                                          Or is it? Any tips from you folk?
                                          I'm still far from an expert but it might be an idea to visit a decent shop and get fitted properly for shoes. You'll feel a right div running up and down the shop but it's worth it. How you land, what your foot does when you land, and how your foot moves off are all going to impact your knee.

                                          And generally even having got up to a reasonable level of fitness I run at most four times a week and wouldn't usually do three days consecutive.

                                          Comment


                                            #71
                                            Runner's screed

                                            I've read that resting between runs is just as important. It is better to run a couple times a week than not run at all one week and try and make up for it by running 5/6 times the following week.

                                            Comment


                                              #72
                                              Runner's screed

                                              Don't run two days in a row for the good of your joints, I reckon.

                                              Meanwhile next Sunday I will be doing about my fifth City to Surf, but first in about three years and first one walking. At 14km it's the furthest I will have walked and I'm hoping to do it in under two hours.

                                              Comment


                                                #73
                                                Runner's screed

                                                Congratulations, WFD (and, indeed, tuckwat and Your Usual Table) and, you utter utter bastard, 2:02 is no time at all to do a half in. Your first half should be done in a decent 2:30. I demand you are drug tested.

                                                Missed your announcement as I have somewhat avoided this thread as I feel a bit of a fraud as I have only infrequently been doing parkruns and collecting PWs when I have. It is too hot presently and, yesterday, I suffered from, erm, not going to the loo adequately enough. Has anyone else noticed how running activates your bowels like no-body's business.

                                                Anyway, after saying 'Never again' last time, I may, may run next March's Bath Half as I have, sort of unfortunately, found a cause that I would like to run for. I am still far far ahead of where I was the August before I did my last so that is something.

                                                Comment


                                                  #74
                                                  Runner's screed

                                                  Cheers Bored, I'm already worrying that I peaked too early cos my second attempt two weeks later was 2:04. The next couple of months are going to be more of a mix of running and non running activities, it will be next year before I can put together the sort of intensive six week period I managed leading up to Southport. I was back on the 10K circuit again this morning, in Darlington, and ran annoyingly close to my previous best despite the warm temperature.

                                                  People don't seem too keen to discuss the issue of the runner's runs, though there's a bit of chat about it on online forums. I find it's only an issue in the evenings, and have started to manage it by cutting out certain foods on relevant days that I otherwise eat every day (high fibre cereal, oranges and a big handful of sweets on the drive home from work).

                                                  Comment


                                                    #75
                                                    Runner's screed

                                                    Maybe it's because me and Mrs Bored are at a certain age but we are very conscious of it. I mean, to be honest, I run on a Saturday morning after a Friday night, inevitably, on the piss so I am not taking care of it that much but it is notable, put it that way.

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