The Running Thread
Discussion
Does anyone here run in glasses? I do (speccy t
t) and am looking for stuff to stop them fogging up whilst running. It did it yesterday on my road race, which wasn't too bad, but I'm not looking forward to XC season if I can't see where I'm going!
Had seen some anti-fog stuff on Wiggle, but was looking for specific recommendations if possible as I'm concerned on the effect it might have on the anti-glare/anti-scratch coating.
Don't say 'use contacts' as I've tried loads of different types, but can't get the buggers in my eyes.
t) and am looking for stuff to stop them fogging up whilst running. It did it yesterday on my road race, which wasn't too bad, but I'm not looking forward to XC season if I can't see where I'm going!Had seen some anti-fog stuff on Wiggle, but was looking for specific recommendations if possible as I'm concerned on the effect it might have on the anti-glare/anti-scratch coating.
Don't say 'use contacts' as I've tried loads of different types, but can't get the buggers in my eyes.
Evening all...back at last.
So after basically 3 weeks of business trips, food poisoning and then last week a cold and sore throat courtesy of my work colleagues, Ive finally gone running again tonight for the first time in just under 3 weeks.
Things I never knew until tonight:
Bonnie Tyler makes you runner faster.
Running in evening drizzle is actually quite pleasant.
Ive lost 3 weeks essentially of running/training time, so I cut it back to an easier routine tonight, but faster. Did my alloted course in a touch under 40 mins, I was almost impressed at myself.
So after basically 3 weeks of business trips, food poisoning and then last week a cold and sore throat courtesy of my work colleagues, Ive finally gone running again tonight for the first time in just under 3 weeks.
Things I never knew until tonight:
Bonnie Tyler makes you runner faster.
Running in evening drizzle is actually quite pleasant.
Ive lost 3 weeks essentially of running/training time, so I cut it back to an easier routine tonight, but faster. Did my alloted course in a touch under 40 mins, I was almost impressed at myself.
Really enjoying my running holiday on my 3rd day.
http://embracesports.co.uk/upcoming_holidays/algar...
running pace is anywhere from 6.30 to 11 min miles
about 24 runners on the holiday, plenty of food provided
fridge stocked with beer.
10 mile run this morning, (option for 15)
temp is 28-34 so can get hard work.
http://embracesports.co.uk/upcoming_holidays/algar...
running pace is anywhere from 6.30 to 11 min miles
about 24 runners on the holiday, plenty of food provided
fridge stocked with beer.
10 mile run this morning, (option for 15)
temp is 28-34 so can get hard work.
a boardman said:
Really enjoying my running holiday on my 3rd day.
http://embracesports.co.uk/upcoming_holidays/algar...
running pace is anywhere from 6.30 to 11 min miles
about 24 runners on the holiday, plenty of food provided
fridge stocked with beer.
10 mile run this morning, (option for 15)
temp is 28-34 so can get hard work.
That looks like really great fun! And a decent price too! Will have to try and get in on that next year.http://embracesports.co.uk/upcoming_holidays/algar...
running pace is anywhere from 6.30 to 11 min miles
about 24 runners on the holiday, plenty of food provided
fridge stocked with beer.
10 mile run this morning, (option for 15)
temp is 28-34 so can get hard work.
Today I had the rarest of all things, a good (well kind of ok) tempo run.
Did ~6.5 miles (longest tempo I've ever done by my reckoning) in a shade over 39 minutes (39:08 for 6.44 miles) which equates to 6:05 miling and around 1:20 for a half (aim for bath half, again). It's a good indication that my fitness is much better than last year (I only ran sub 30 for a 5 mile tempo in late feb last year) and what's better I seemed to have control over my pace and I wasn't maxed out.
Usually tempos have me on the floor afterwards but today was ok.
Did ~6.5 miles (longest tempo I've ever done by my reckoning) in a shade over 39 minutes (39:08 for 6.44 miles) which equates to 6:05 miling and around 1:20 for a half (aim for bath half, again). It's a good indication that my fitness is much better than last year (I only ran sub 30 for a 5 mile tempo in late feb last year) and what's better I seemed to have control over my pace and I wasn't maxed out.
Usually tempos have me on the floor afterwards but today was ok.
Highway Star said:
E38Ross said:
really bad day for food today. 1 chocolate bar and 3 of these home made raspberry and custard pastry things....i feel so full and fat 
Dude, chill out. One day won't make you fat or st at running. A little bit of what you fancy does you good.Now where's that beer?
4.5 miles steady this morning. Very nearly went back to bed but got up and felt ok for it afterwards.
Less than 2 weeks to go until the Great Birmingham Run, so the taper has started. I'm cutting down the distance of my long runs but maintaining the intensity, especially the midweek speedwork.
Could anybody offer some critique of my race strategy? My previous HM PB is 2:06, a poor effort which has always been plagued by injury, going out too fast, not training enough or some other problem. I'm confident I've trained for this half marathon well and according to various race calculators, I should be capable of a 1:41 finish based on my 5k PB and a 1:44 finish based on my 10k PB. I've set myself a target of 1:44 to 1:49, with a finish in the 1:50s being acceptable. My pacing strategies are below:
Plan A - 3 x miles @ 8:30 miles, 3 x 8:15, 3x 8:00, 3 x 7:45 and then the final mile at a balls to wall speed (7 minutes or less), netting a 1:44 - 1:46 finish depending on the last mile.
Plan B - First 6 miles @ 8:30, second 6 miles @ 8:00 and then all out in the final mile, netting a 1:47 - 1:49 finish. This will go into action if I'm not feeling good until halfway but then perk up.
Plan C - 12 x miles @ 8:45 and then final mile at 7 minutes. This is reserved for if I'm not feeling good at all and will still net me a 1:52 finish.
I know I'm capable of these paces and several recent 13.1 mile long, steady runs have seen me finishing at around 1:57.
Any thoughts or advice are most welcome!
Could anybody offer some critique of my race strategy? My previous HM PB is 2:06, a poor effort which has always been plagued by injury, going out too fast, not training enough or some other problem. I'm confident I've trained for this half marathon well and according to various race calculators, I should be capable of a 1:41 finish based on my 5k PB and a 1:44 finish based on my 10k PB. I've set myself a target of 1:44 to 1:49, with a finish in the 1:50s being acceptable. My pacing strategies are below:
Plan A - 3 x miles @ 8:30 miles, 3 x 8:15, 3x 8:00, 3 x 7:45 and then the final mile at a balls to wall speed (7 minutes or less), netting a 1:44 - 1:46 finish depending on the last mile.
Plan B - First 6 miles @ 8:30, second 6 miles @ 8:00 and then all out in the final mile, netting a 1:47 - 1:49 finish. This will go into action if I'm not feeling good until halfway but then perk up.
Plan C - 12 x miles @ 8:45 and then final mile at 7 minutes. This is reserved for if I'm not feeling good at all and will still net me a 1:52 finish.
I know I'm capable of these paces and several recent 13.1 mile long, steady runs have seen me finishing at around 1:57.
Any thoughts or advice are most welcome!
Are you sure you can keep yourself back to doing the slowest miles in the first few?
I've not done a half marathon, but in other races, I can't help myself from making the first mile the fastest (Sunday's 5 miler was roughly 5.48, 6.10, 6.10, 6.20, 6.05). I've always found it very difficult to, in effect, negative split.
Personally I'd aim to maybe do the first 3 miles a little quicker (not balls out to compromise your later race, but a little faster), so then you've something 'in the bag' so to speak.
I'd be tempted to take your plan A and invert it save the last mile. If you've done the training as you say, you shouldn't die too badly, but starting and and getting progressively quicker throughout, for me, would be quite some task and mentally put me under pressure.
I've not done a half marathon, but in other races, I can't help myself from making the first mile the fastest (Sunday's 5 miler was roughly 5.48, 6.10, 6.10, 6.20, 6.05). I've always found it very difficult to, in effect, negative split.
Personally I'd aim to maybe do the first 3 miles a little quicker (not balls out to compromise your later race, but a little faster), so then you've something 'in the bag' so to speak.
I'd be tempted to take your plan A and invert it save the last mile. If you've done the training as you say, you shouldn't die too badly, but starting and and getting progressively quicker throughout, for me, would be quite some task and mentally put me under pressure.
Edited by Highway Star on Tuesday 9th October 15:45
In a 20-miler my coach and I agreed on 5:30/mile for the first half and 5:20/mile for the second half. It worked well although I was more like 5:30 for 5 miles, 5:25 for 10 miles and 5:20 for the final 5 to average 5:25 for the race.
As above, keeping to the "slow" bits of the plan was a challenge but having the belief in the outcome was the key thing for me. It was also good to get 5-10 miles under my feet feeling comfortable rather than racing hard. It did mean that the win was never on the cards although I was reeling in the leader towards the end, so more of a solo effort than a "race" for me.
Set a sensible plan (note that my paces weren't very different - big changes are harder); Commit to the plan mentally; Execute the plan.
As above, keeping to the "slow" bits of the plan was a challenge but having the belief in the outcome was the key thing for me. It was also good to get 5-10 miles under my feet feeling comfortable rather than racing hard. It did mean that the win was never on the cards although I was reeling in the leader towards the end, so more of a solo effort than a "race" for me.
Set a sensible plan (note that my paces weren't very different - big changes are harder); Commit to the plan mentally; Execute the plan.
Agree with you all that it's tricky to hold yourself back. In the Cardiff 10k, I found it a struggle to dial myself back for the first 5k, especially because I had started too far back and was still faster than everybody ahead of me for 75% of the race.
There are some hills in the second half, one a killer that even Gebrselassie said was tough when he ran last year so I want to keep something back for these.
I'm torn over which to choose, but I am leaning more towards plan A and as you say, ewen, sudden extreme changes of pace are more taxing on the body compared to more gradual gear shifts.
There has been mention of pacers available on the day but I've always found it tricky at large events because so many people follow them like sheep.
There are some hills in the second half, one a killer that even Gebrselassie said was tough when he ran last year so I want to keep something back for these.
I'm torn over which to choose, but I am leaning more towards plan A and as you say, ewen, sudden extreme changes of pace are more taxing on the body compared to more gradual gear shifts.
There has been mention of pacers available on the day but I've always found it tricky at large events because so many people follow them like sheep.
Edited by Cybertronian on Tuesday 9th October 16:41
I'm not trying to be negative or pessimistic here - just trying to give some realistic advice.
Given that the start is downhill and the final couple of miles contain some serious (brutal) uphill I think you will struggle to up the pace at all at the end, let alone a min-per-mile.
If your 5k pb predicts 1:41 and your 10k pb predicts 1:44 you clearly have an excess of speed over endurance and will continue to slow with increasing distance.
How accurate are your 13.1 mile training runs and is the 1:57 total elapsed time or do you stop the watch when you come to cross roads etc. and therefore get a free breather/rest which you do not get in a race.
I think your best plan is to aim for steady 8:20 pace all the way coming in at just under 1:50.
You will really need to consciously hold it back in the early (downhill) stages to avoid going too fast. Don't fool yourself into thinking because it's downhill you can go as fast as you like. It will still come back to bite you later unless you are in the super-fit sub 75 class.
Given that the start is downhill and the final couple of miles contain some serious (brutal) uphill I think you will struggle to up the pace at all at the end, let alone a min-per-mile.
If your 5k pb predicts 1:41 and your 10k pb predicts 1:44 you clearly have an excess of speed over endurance and will continue to slow with increasing distance.
How accurate are your 13.1 mile training runs and is the 1:57 total elapsed time or do you stop the watch when you come to cross roads etc. and therefore get a free breather/rest which you do not get in a race.
I think your best plan is to aim for steady 8:20 pace all the way coming in at just under 1:50.
You will really need to consciously hold it back in the early (downhill) stages to avoid going too fast. Don't fool yourself into thinking because it's downhill you can go as fast as you like. It will still come back to bite you later unless you are in the super-fit sub 75 class.
Good points.
My training runs are accurate in that I do not stop my watch and purposely avoid busy junctions to slow me down. My runs actually follow the course closely including the downhill start and the hills from mile 10, though cutting out the middleway bits etc. These have all been done purposely slower than race pace too.
I am tempted by your conservative approach, with the aim of a PB still being a PB. 8:20 per mile and anything left in the tank after the hills can be utilised.
Decisions, decisions...
My training runs are accurate in that I do not stop my watch and purposely avoid busy junctions to slow me down. My runs actually follow the course closely including the downhill start and the hills from mile 10, though cutting out the middleway bits etc. These have all been done purposely slower than race pace too.
I am tempted by your conservative approach, with the aim of a PB still being a PB. 8:20 per mile and anything left in the tank after the hills can be utilised.
Decisions, decisions...
InertialTooth45 said:
Doing a bit of cycling this week as my calf is playing me up. Half marathon on sunday, the great Eastern, was hoping for a sub 1:55 but with my calf and ankle injuries over the last few weeks I'll be happy with another sub 2 hours.
Is it worth it? There are HMs all over the country most weekends (and it is only a small country really) so it may be wise to wait until you're properly fit rather than risk further aggravation by racing this weekend.Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff