The Running Thread Vol 2

[fiatpower]

Smitters said:

Take all your "must have" gear in hand luggage - it's not worth the stress (IMHO) of having to do laps of Edinburgh looking for shorts or something.

Good luck though. Supposed to be a pretty quick course, especially if the wind's right.

Thanks, I decided to take your advice and took all my running stuff in my hand luggage. Getting my nervous now!

[ewenm]

cookie118 said:

Twisted my ankle on a pothole a couple of weeks ago so stuck in the pool for the moment

Really frustrating as we'd done a fairly fast run over very rough terrain on the Tuesday, then a very easy run on the pavement and I'm not paying attention and go over on it!

I did similar in the Dolomites 3 weeks ago - completed the technical trail and sprained the ankle on a tree stump on an easy bit of trail. Unfortunately I was 10k from our base and in another valley! Strapped it tight and hobbled back to a pickup point.

Hope you recover quickly. Mine's fine now but weak, so will easily sprain again if i'm not careful.

[anonymous-user]

ewenm said:

cookie118 said:

Twisted my ankle on a pothole a couple of weeks ago so stuck in the pool for the moment

Really frustrating as we'd done a fairly fast run over very rough terrain on the Tuesday, then a very easy run on the pavement and I'm not paying attention and go over on it!

I did similar in the Dolomites 3 weeks ago - completed the technical trail and sprained the ankle on a tree stump on an easy bit of trail. Unfortunately I was 10k from our base and in another valley! Strapped it tight and hobbled back to a pickup point.

Hope you recover quickly. Mine's fine now but weak, so will easily sprain again if i'm not careful.

Thanks! I'm finding it much better now I swim. I moan about it a bit but normally i do about 5 hours of training in a full week and spent 4 hours in the pool last week. Although this week has been worse with only 3 hours. It means I'm not going stir crazy and then rushing back into running too soon as I can do something else in the meantime.

One thing that is very frustrating though is having to fit in with public swimming timetables, and the other people in the pool!!

Ouch! 10k away is a long way to hobble back from! Fortunately I was only half a mile away. I did a similar thing 2 miles away from our house last August in the middle of some woods and got told (quite rightly) by my partner that I wasn't going running again without a mobile phone!

[markh1973]

cookie118 said:

ewenm said:

cookie118 said:

Twisted my ankle on a pothole a couple of weeks ago so stuck in the pool for the moment

Really frustrating as we'd done a fairly fast run over very rough terrain on the Tuesday, then a very easy run on the pavement and I'm not paying attention and go over on it!

I did similar in the Dolomites 3 weeks ago - completed the technical trail and sprained the ankle on a tree stump on an easy bit of trail. Unfortunately I was 10k from our base and in another valley! Strapped it tight and hobbled back to a pickup point.

Hope you recover quickly. Mine's fine now but weak, so will easily sprain again if i'm not careful.

Thanks! I'm finding it much better now I swim. I moan about it a bit but normally i do about 5 hours of training in a full week and spent 4 hours in the pool last week. Although this week has been worse with only 3 hours. It means I'm not going stir crazy and then rushing back into running too soon as I can do something else in the meantime.

One thing that is very frustrating though is having to fit in with public swimming timetables, and the other people in the pool!!

Ouch! 10k away is a long way to hobble back from! Fortunately I was only half a mile away. I did a similar thing 2 miles away from our house last August in the middle of some woods and got told (quite rightly) by my partner that I wasn't going running again without a mobile phone!

It must be catching. I did mine before Brighton and every time I think it's better I manage to twist it again - not something I ever normally do. Am still running but much reduced - with two marathon attempts and Race to the Stones coming up it's something I could do without.

[Cybertronian]

We've discussed running backpacks and hydration backpacks (Camelbak etc) before, but does anybody have experience of ultra vests where you can stow water bottles etc away? Are they noticeable whilst being worn, or do you adjust to them quite quickly? I'm looking at a Salomon one with two smaller bottles as opposed to the bulkier ones for several litres of water.

The Camelbak I have is OK, but the fit isn't the best and I'm forever finding I'm adjusting it on the fly. Wearing it with a vest also isn't the best combo where it's chafe city. Thirdly, it tends to shred whatever top I've got on underneath over time.

Really need to come up with a sound hydration plan for my longest runs this summer as part of my marathon campaign. Really not keen on the idea of leaving hidden bottles of water out the night before, where I've had them nicked/cleared up in the past, and the wife has declined to follow me on her bike and hand bottles over to me.

[markh1973]

Cybertronian said:

We've discussed running backpacks and hydration backpacks (Camelbak etc) before, but does anybody have experience of ultra vests where you can stow water bottles etc away? Are they noticeable whilst being worn, or do you adjust to them quite quickly? I'm looking at a Salomon one with two smaller bottles as opposed to the bulkier ones for several litres of water.

The Camelbak I have is OK, but the fit isn't the best and I'm forever finding I'm adjusting it on the fly. Wearing it with a vest also isn't the best combo where it's chafe city. Thirdly, it tends to shred whatever top I've got on underneath over time.

Really need to come up with a sound hydration plan for my longest runs this summer as part of my marathon campaign. Really not keen on the idea of leaving hidden bottles of water out the night before, where I've had them nicked/cleared up in the past, and the wife has declined to follow me on her bike and hand bottles over to me.

I have this one

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/salomon-s-lab-adv-skin-12-...

Absolutely love it. Don't really notice it's on. I have used it in the height of summer and also wet winter ultra run.

[Cybertronian]

markh1973 said:

I have this one

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/salomon-s-lab-adv-skin-12-...

Absolutely love it. Don't really notice it's on. I have used it in the height of summer and also wet winter ultra run.

Thanks for the positive feedback on the Salomon - I'm looking at the one below that (S Lab Ultra) for its lower profile.

[bigandclever]

Cybertronian said:

markh1973 said:

I have this one

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/salomon-s-lab-adv-skin-12-...

Absolutely love it. Don't really notice it's on. I have used it in the height of summer and also wet winter ultra run.

Thanks for the positive feedback on the Salomon - I'm looking at the one below that (S Lab Ultra) for its lower profile.

Have you considered the one lower down the range? Only real differences are the storage capacity (gained by extra pockets on the back) and as a consequence the back on the Ultra is solid fabric, rather than mesh on the regular Sense (so if you run 'hot' that might make a difference to your comfort); about 20g in weight; and a few quid You also need to consider how much fluid you can get through - the bottle pouches take a litre between them, and you can get 2 x 250ml soft bottles in the pockets, but that's it for both varieties, from what I could work out.

Having said that, I've got the Sense Ultra

[ewenm]

Cybertronian said:

We've discussed running backpacks and hydration backpacks (Camelbak etc) before, but does anybody have experience of ultra vests where you can stow water bottles etc away? Are they noticeable whilst being worn, or do you adjust to them quite quickly? I'm looking at a Salomon one with two smaller bottles as opposed to the bulkier ones for several litres of water.

The Camelbak I have is OK, but the fit isn't the best and I'm forever finding I'm adjusting it on the fly. Wearing it with a vest also isn't the best combo where it's chafe city. Thirdly, it tends to shred whatever top I've got on underneath over time.

Really need to come up with a sound hydration plan for my longest runs this summer as part of my marathon campaign. Really not keen on the idea of leaving hidden bottles of water out the night before, where I've had them nicked/cleared up in the past, and the wife has declined to follow me on her bike and hand bottles over to me.

I use an Inov8 race-vest for long runs and friends really like the Ultimate Direction options. As you say, wearing any of them with just a running vest underneath is a quick route to chaffing. I've not found a solution to that other than wearing a t-shirt rather than vest.

[Cybertronian]

bigandclever said:

Have you considered the one lower down the range? Only real differences are the storage capacity (gained by extra pockets on the back) and as a consequence the back on the Ultra is solid fabric, rather than mesh on the regular Sense (so if you run 'hot' that might make a difference to your comfort); about 20g in weight; and a few quid You also need to consider how much fluid you can get through - the bottle pouches take a litre between them, and you can get 2 x 250ml soft bottles in the pockets, but that's it for both varieties, from what I could work out.

Having said that, I've got the Sense Ultra

Is the one with the mesh back the S Lab Sense Set? Ultra Marathon Running Store have it on offer for less than £70. I do indeed run hot - if I feel cold in the winter, I still race with a vest and simply put gloves on!

ewenm said:

I use an Inov8 race-vest for long runs and friends really like the Ultimate Direction options. As you say, wearing any of them with just a running vest underneath is a quick route to chaffing. I've not found a solution to that other than wearing a t-shirt rather than vest.

I picked up a stick of Body Glide as per a pal's recommendation. Could be the solution to preventing chafe wearing an ultra vest over a vest - will test it out on my HRM that cuts my chest to bits when I wear it.

[bigandclever]

Cybertronian said:

Is the one with the mesh back the S Lab Sense Set? Ultra Marathon Running Store have it on offer for less than £70. I do indeed run hot - if I feel cold in the winter, I still race with a vest and simply put gloves on!

Yes. You might find this comparison review informative (not my page).

You can get the Ultra from Amazon for £77.

[ewenm]

Helped out Holly with a long session today - she had to do 3.5-4 hours with 4 x (5 mins hill, jog down, 2 min effort on flat, jog back) in the middle. I ran out to meet her, did the efforts on the middle and then ran home - 18 miles/2.5 hours for me, dread to think how far she ran!

[tenohfive]

Strava users - I recently set a PB over a distance but can't remember what my previous PB was - any idea how I can look up my best 3 efforts at a given distance? Been trawling through but can't suss it out.

[nofuse22]

FreeLitres said:

Any fans of Newton trainers? Especially the ones with the Action/Reaction springy pads?

I've just ordered a pair of Newton Motion IVs to give them a try.

I have a pair of Newton Aha's.. they are very light and i thought that they would take some getting used as clearly much lighter (and more minimalist) than my usual Asics etc... However having now done 350mi + in them i am looking to get a new pair. They are great shoes: although light they are extremely comfortable.. for on-road running they are my go-to shoe. My old shoes seem very heavy and "clumpy" in comparison

[Blayney]

I'm definitely not a good runner but today my gf and I completed the Vitality London 10k to raise money for Crohns and Colitis. Took it really slowly as about 3 weeks ago I suffered shin splints and wasn't sure if they had healed. Luckily they held out very well. Sure is a good feeling to cross the line. Lots of support from the crowd and other runners.

[andy_s]

Just back in from the Cape Wrath Ultra, 8 days of running in the Scottish highlands covering 400kms with 11.2km ascent. Most of this is over technical trail/x-country/peat hag/shattered boulder but also some very runnable sections...if you still had the legs!

95 started and 59 managed the whole course, which includes two 40+ mile days and two 38 mile days. It was a great privilege to watch some world class and highly respected runners (double Spine winner Paloncy et al) go past me every day!

Organisation was brilliant (OUREA Events) as ever and safety team included legendary characters such as Joe Faulkner, so no concerns on that front plus the benefit of GPS tracking everyone.

The weather was unbelievable, sunny hot days with startling clarity to help the smaller off-trail navigation sections but also to admire the upper highlands at their most spectacular; absolutely awesome scenery every day, we really felt spoiled.

I managed 37th, as my strategy was to hunker down for the first 3 days and then assess and open up after that; not a bad plan as every day brought more DNFs due to bio-mechanical problems, my partner included. A few elite runners also cocked up a bit on some navigation, earning penalties or complete DNFs, but they picked up as participants to continue the course at least, which showed great spirit. My nav (map & compass) was spot on, touch wood, and I didn't touch the GPS throughout, which was satisfying.

A few lessons learned though which I will carry forward to next years challenges, but other than smelling like something a dog would roll in, I'm back remarkably unscathed - not even a blister - which was good as I borrowed someone else's shoes half way round - maybe it was the cheeky half a Guinness that helped...

Last day...

[AndStilliRise]

andy_s said:

Just back in from the Cape Wrath Ultra, 8 days of running in the Scottish highlands covering 400kms with 11.2km ascent. Most of this is over technical trail/x-country/peat hag/shattered boulder but also some very runnable sections...if you still had the legs!

95 started and 59 managed the whole course, which includes two 40+ mile days and two 38 mile days. It was a great privilege to watch some world class and highly respected runners (double Spine winner Paloncy et al) go past me every day!

Organisation was brilliant (OUREA Events) as ever and safety team included legendary characters such as Joe Faulkner, so no concerns on that front plus the benefit of GPS tracking everyone.

The weather was unbelievable, sunny hot days with startling clarity to help the smaller off-trail navigation sections but also to admire the upper highlands at their most spectacular; absolutely awesome scenery every day, we really felt spoiled.

I managed 37th, as my strategy was to hunker down for the first 3 days and then assess and open up after that; not a bad plan as every day brought more DNFs due to bio-mechanical problems, my partner included. A few elite runners also cocked up a bit on some navigation, earning penalties or complete DNFs, but they picked up as participants to continue the course at least, which showed great spirit. My nav (map & compass) was spot on, touch wood, and I didn't touch the GPS throughout, which was satisfying.

A few lessons learned though which I will carry forward to next years challenges, but other than smelling like something a dog would roll in, I'm back remarkably unscathed - not even a blister - which was good as I borrowed someone else's shoes half way round - maybe it was the cheeky half a Guinness that helped...

Last day...

Awesome!

[AndStilliRise]

Just got back from my 5k. In Dubai at the moment and oh gosh is it hard work. It's not the heat or humidity not sure what is so different but HR@150 on 8:30s. Before I flew out last week HR@136 on 8s in London. Got another week of this and need to work out how to pace.

[northandy]

tenohfive said:

Strava users - I recently set a PB over a distance but can't remember what my previous PB was - any idea how I can look up my best 3 efforts at a given distance? Been trawling through but can't suss it out.

I don't think strava has that capability, I've certainly never found it. It's a shame as I'd like too see the progression too.

[northandy]

Managed a couple of quick 10k's recently, did a local parkrun route x2 on Friday afternoon, it was very quiet and managed to hit 42 mins dead on.

Then trail race yesterday organised by a local running club, 6.5m and came in just over 45 mins in 19th place, pleased with that as I went through 10k in just under 43mins.

Local big 5k this Sunday, did it last year in 24:58 but should knock 5 mins off that this year, aiming for sub 20