The Running Thread Vol 2
Discussion
petop said:
Im ex forces....running more now than i did serving.
I work for NATO....ill leave it at that.
The good thing is the US Army guys i usually run into when i sometimes go out morning and i can usually catch up and overtake. I wear my old Regt tshirts which does confuse them as there are no UK mil here.
Fair enough , I deliver to a few blokes who did fleet protection but the markets been saturated and the moneys now dried up.I work for NATO....ill leave it at that.
The good thing is the US Army guys i usually run into when i sometimes go out morning and i can usually catch up and overtake. I wear my old Regt tshirts which does confuse them as there are no UK mil here.
Very few PMC's out here now. Stopped a few years ago due to government banning them. There are some exceptions but on the US side of life. Only contracts are access security on the bases themselves and even now some security companies use ex African nation Army guys so they can pay crap money.
Money can still be found but not in the security side of life.
Money can still be found but not in the security side of life.
petop said:
Very few PMC's out here now. Stopped a few years ago due to government banning them. There are some exceptions but on the US side of life. Only contracts are access security on the bases themselves and even now some security companies use ex African nation Army guys so they can pay crap money.
Money can still be found but not in the security side of life.
You tease!Money can still be found but not in the security side of life.
So where's the £ at?!
johnwilliams77 said:
You tease!
So where's the £ at?!
For UK contractors not as much now. The US are the main player, as always, so unless you get yourself on a DoD US contract (pretty hard) then there isnt much scope.So where's the £ at?!
The "old" roles like plumbing, carpenter etc are all done by Third Country Nationals (Kenyan, Pakistan and India).
QA and Auditing used to pull in £11k a month but now more like £7.5k a month, all tax free.
Very few Brits out where I am. Where i work 90% are ex mil.
Depends what your speciality is........list them and ill tell you if you could come out somewhere.
Apologies for thread drift!
tenohfive said:
petop said:
As this is the running thread ill pose a question.
I run on average in 43 degree heat. I'm doing 8min 10 sec miles according to my Runkeeper. I run every other day and alternate on those days 3 and 4 mile duration.
Is my timing good bear in mind Im 45 so no whipper snapper.
I seem to be forever chasing those in their forties and fifties, I wouldn't let age cloud your opinion too much.I run on average in 43 degree heat. I'm doing 8min 10 sec miles according to my Runkeeper. I run every other day and alternate on those days 3 and 4 mile duration.
Is my timing good bear in mind Im 45 so no whipper snapper.
It's not a bad pace at all, perfectly respectable given the heat.
If you want to get faster then incorporating sessions such as intervals/fartlek/hill reps and tempo runs - along with the odd long run - would be the way to go (if you're just 'running' every other day.) If you're happy with where you are though then crack on, your pace is reasonable and running as regularly as you are I'm sure will keep you in shape.
I'm 42 and my fastest times for 5km, 10km and HM are all 7 minute something miles. My marathon PB is about 8:20 a mile. I get thrashed by the fastest 40 and 50 something guys in the club who are significantly quicker over all distances.
I increased my pace by running longer distances and the endurance therefore helped with shorter run speed.
Just enjoy it and see what happens.
Just a quick derail 
I've been looking at the Tokyo Marathon in Feb next year. Initial plan is to go with Sports Tour International (or similar) as they will have translators on hand as well as a mini organised itinerary of a few things to do before the race. I got the idea of them from when I ran Berlin and they were based at the same hotel that I booked. Obviously it's cost dependant but I'm expecting somewhere in the £2-2.5K range. Course looks pretty flat bar a downhill at the start and a lump towards the end. I hope to do all 6 of the Majors at some point in my life. Boston may be when I'm 80 and the qualification time is achievable for me
So the 2 questions
Has anyone here run Tokyo? Pros and Cons
Has anyone uses STI for an event? Are they any good? Is there someone else a bit better?
Cheers
I've been looking at the Tokyo Marathon in Feb next year. Initial plan is to go with Sports Tour International (or similar) as they will have translators on hand as well as a mini organised itinerary of a few things to do before the race. I got the idea of them from when I ran Berlin and they were based at the same hotel that I booked. Obviously it's cost dependant but I'm expecting somewhere in the £2-2.5K range. Course looks pretty flat bar a downhill at the start and a lump towards the end. I hope to do all 6 of the Majors at some point in my life. Boston may be when I'm 80 and the qualification time is achievable for me
So the 2 questions
Has anyone here run Tokyo? Pros and Cons
Has anyone uses STI for an event? Are they any good? Is there someone else a bit better?
Cheers
Do any of you lift weights as well as run?
I've been reading a ultra run page and they've been ranking best cross training and lifting weights was best.
They came to the conclusion that it was the best thing for beefing up tendons/ligaments.
So with that in mind do i drop a 20 mile bike ride and add a 5x5 weight lifting session or even a body pump class?
I've been reading a ultra run page and they've been ranking best cross training and lifting weights was best.
They came to the conclusion that it was the best thing for beefing up tendons/ligaments.
So with that in mind do i drop a 20 mile bike ride and add a 5x5 weight lifting session or even a body pump class?
From my fairly limited knowledge it sounds like you'd be trading apples for oranges. A 20 mile bike ride is likely to be a steady aerobic exercise, whereas it sounds like you'd be doing weights for explosive strength or injury prevention?
Whether or not that's worthwhile would depend on the rest of your training i.e. which area is deficient, and on what you're aiming for I would have thought.
Rank amateur here mind so take the opinion with a pinch of salt.
Whether or not that's worthwhile would depend on the rest of your training i.e. which area is deficient, and on what you're aiming for I would have thought.
Rank amateur here mind so take the opinion with a pinch of salt.
tenohfive said:
From my fairly limited knowledge it sounds like you'd be trading apples for oranges. A 20 mile bike ride is likely to be a steady aerobic exercise, whereas it sounds like you'd be doing weights for explosive strength or injury prevention?
Whether or not that's worthwhile would depend on the rest of your training i.e. which area is deficient, and on what you're aiming for I would have thought.
Rank amateur here mind so take the opinion with a pinch of salt.
Injury prevention / stronger ankles is my priority.Whether or not that's worthwhile would depend on the rest of your training i.e. which area is deficient, and on what you're aiming for I would have thought.
Rank amateur here mind so take the opinion with a pinch of salt.
At the moment i'm doing a club run on tues 6 miles mostly road , hilly 6 miles up the quantocks on thursday then a 10-13 run on the quantocks/exmoor on sunday plus cycling weds/friday 12-18 miles per ride.
After rolling my ankle a month ago it's quite weak which is a bummer for the downhill bits off road so that's what i want to get stronger, uphills and tarmac it's fine.
I could maybe add a another hill session and do maybe 3 miles just running up to a trig point and walking down , i'm spoilt for hills here.
If i did 5x5 weights then i guess it would be more explosive but if i did bodypump i'd be squating or lunging for like 3 minutes so much more endurance focused.
Frustratingly equalled my current 38:45 10k PB at the Magor Marsh 10k yesterday morning - course was pancake flat, so was hoping to get as close to 38:00 as possible. Temperature was red hot with no shade from the sun, not enough water on the course and me generally pushing a bit too hard. Sort of blacked out in the finish funnel from heat exhaustion...
I shrugged the above off as a recreational hazard of summer racing, but later in the day found out a good friend of mine passed away from a heart attack upon finishing a triathlon that same morning. Immensely fit 45 year old bloke (17 minute 5k, sub-80 half marathon etc) with a reputation for being able to smash himself to pieces in training and racing - somebody I've looked up to for the last several years, and somebody who's always been supportive of me through my pursuits for improvement. All really quite sobering when somebody you perceive to be indestructible dies so suddenly and makes you realise how truly mortal we all are.
I shrugged the above off as a recreational hazard of summer racing, but later in the day found out a good friend of mine passed away from a heart attack upon finishing a triathlon that same morning. Immensely fit 45 year old bloke (17 minute 5k, sub-80 half marathon etc) with a reputation for being able to smash himself to pieces in training and racing - somebody I've looked up to for the last several years, and somebody who's always been supportive of me through my pursuits for improvement. All really quite sobering when somebody you perceive to be indestructible dies so suddenly and makes you realise how truly mortal we all are.
Cybertronian said:
Frustratingly equalled my current 38:45 10k PB at the Magor Marsh 10k yesterday morning - course was pancake flat, so was hoping to get as close to 38:00 as possible. Temperature was red hot with no shade from the sun, not enough water on the course and me generally pushing a bit too hard. Sort of blacked out in the finish funnel from heat exhaustion...
I shrugged the above off as a recreational hazard of summer racing, but later in the day found out a good friend of mine passed away from a heart attack upon finishing a triathlon that same morning. Immensely fit 45 year old bloke (17 minute 5k, sub-80 half marathon etc) with a reputation for being able to smash himself to pieces in training and racing - somebody I've looked up to for the last several years, and somebody who's always been supportive of me through my pursuits for improvement. All really quite sobering when somebody you perceive to be indestructible dies so suddenly and makes you realise how truly mortal we all are.
Sorry to hear about your friend. These things are always a shock and thoughts are with his family and friends.I shrugged the above off as a recreational hazard of summer racing, but later in the day found out a good friend of mine passed away from a heart attack upon finishing a triathlon that same morning. Immensely fit 45 year old bloke (17 minute 5k, sub-80 half marathon etc) with a reputation for being able to smash himself to pieces in training and racing - somebody I've looked up to for the last several years, and somebody who's always been supportive of me through my pursuits for improvement. All really quite sobering when somebody you perceive to be indestructible dies so suddenly and makes you realise how truly mortal we all are.
When do you lot usually change your trainers? I bought a new pair at the start of the year. I weighed 19 stone then. I now weight 16 4 so they have a fat lad plodding around in them for a while. I have done 311.5 miles so far this year in them.
They don't look completely knackered but they do look like they have had a 19 stone person running many miles in them.
They don't look completely knackered but they do look like they have had a 19 stone person running many miles in them.
944fan said:
When do you lot usually change your trainers? I bought a new pair at the start of the year. I weighed 19 stone then. I now weight 16 4 so they have a fat lad plodding around in them for a while. I have done 311.5 miles so far this year in them.
They don't look completely knackered but they do look like they have had a 19 stone person running many miles in them.
normally i can feel when they've lost a bit of bounce then i change them.They don't look completely knackered but they do look like they have had a 19 stone person running many miles in them.
944fan said:
When do you lot usually change your trainers? I bought a new pair at the start of the year. I weighed 19 stone then. I now weight 16 4 so they have a fat lad plodding around in them for a while. I have done 311.5 miles so far this year in them.
They don't look completely knackered but they do look like they have had a 19 stone person running many miles in them.
Personally it depends. Choose from:They don't look completely knackered but they do look like they have had a 19 stone person running many miles in them.
1) When I start noticing niggly pain in my knees, calves, quads or hamstrings.
2) When I notice the tread is wearing away significantly. Tends to be the extreme outer edge
3) When Wiggle have a decent discount going on them
(Saucony Triumph ISO)I tend to replace mine between 300 and 400 miles. I start to notice a dead feeling under where my foot lands on the ground and trying a fresh pair of shoes on only highlights this further. I do have a high cadence of around 190 to 200spm, so my feet hit the ground many more times in a run, albeit with less force.
first ever track 10k last night (age 59). Road PB 49:25, aiming to get sub 49 and got 47.55 so very pleased.
(OK, I know it's not scorchingly fast and I was 3rd of 3 in may age cat almost 10 mins behind, but I was pleased with it!)
Legs hurt today, the 400 and 800m reps on Weds night weren't good preparation! I hadn't entered the 10k and by mistake /miscommunication was on the start list, I didn't know til someone facebooked me at about 4 pm!
(OK, I know it's not scorchingly fast and I was 3rd of 3 in may age cat almost 10 mins behind, but I was pleased with it!)
Legs hurt today, the 400 and 800m reps on Weds night weren't good preparation! I hadn't entered the 10k and by mistake /miscommunication was on the start list, I didn't know til someone facebooked me at about 4 pm!
john2443 said:
first ever track 10k last night (age 59). Road PB 49:25, aiming to get sub 49 and got 47.55 so very pleased.
(OK, I know it's not scorchingly fast and I was 3rd of 3 in may age cat almost 10 mins behind, but I was pleased with it!)
Legs hurt today, the 400 and 800m reps on Weds night weren't good preparation! I hadn't entered the 10k and by mistake /miscommunication was on the start list, I didn't know til someone facebooked me at about 4 pm!
Nice PB - congrats! How did you find having go round the track 25 times? Friend of mine recently did the Welsh version of the Night of 10,000m PBs and vowed to never do a track 10,000m race again. His time came out a minute slower than his road 10k PB!(OK, I know it's not scorchingly fast and I was 3rd of 3 in may age cat almost 10 mins behind, but I was pleased with it!)
Legs hurt today, the 400 and 800m reps on Weds night weren't good preparation! I hadn't entered the 10k and by mistake /miscommunication was on the start list, I didn't know til someone facebooked me at about 4 pm!
Cybertronian said:
Nice PB - congrats! How did you find having go round the track 25 times? Friend of mine recently did the Welsh version of the Night of 10,000m PBs and vowed to never do a track 10,000m race again. His time came out a minute slower than his road 10k PB!
I did a 10km on a track recently and got a very similar PB. Luckily I was with fast runners who were talking which helped me forget it but even then, it was rather mind numbing for me.Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff