The Running Thread

[cerb4.5lee]

bennyboysvuk said:

I did a dreadful 10k at the weekend. Initially, everything started well, but I took a glug of water at the water station at 7k and swallowed a load of air resulting in a stitch like I've never felt before. I had to stop running, then walked for 2k and then did the last 1k at my original pace of around just under 7m miles on loose gravel and horrid hills. Oh well, there's always next year.

That's very frustrating to hear Ben and sorry it didn't go as planned, hope the next one you do goes to plan.

[RizzoTheRat]

What's the view here on hill training? Only started running last year and pretty happy with my progress so far, but hills remain my biggest nemesis. Did a 7k cross country yesterday on an army test track which was reasonably hilly, and died on my arse on hills that my Mrs was powering up with no problems.

So far different peoples views seem to be:

• go for a run somewhere hilly
• find a hill, run up, jog down
• sprint to first lamp post, jog back, sprint to second, etc

What kind of hill training do you lot do?

[E65Ross]

I don't do a massive amount of hill training but ensure I generally have a few decent ones in my long runs at the minimum. I do do dedicated hill sessions from time to time which tends to be run up hard, jog down slow and repeat....but the hill I use mostly goes up for around 400-500m, then flattens out around a curve making the total around 800m, but there's a shortcut down which is around 400-500m....so I do 800m hard, 400-500m steady recovery, I'll do anywhere between 4-7 of those. I usually do around 10mins of my LT pace before to get me used to working without tiring myself out too much.

After that, I usually do a few 150-200m sprints as well.

Never particularly struggled with hills.

[markh1973]

RizzoTheRat said:

What's the view here on hill training? Only started running last year and pretty happy with my progress so far, but hills remain my biggest nemesis. Did a 7k cross country yesterday on an army test track which was reasonably hilly, and died on my arse on hills that my Mrs was powering up with no problems.

So far different peoples views seem to be:

• go for a run somewhere hilly
• find a hill, run up, jog down
• sprint to first lamp post, jog back, sprint to second, etc

What kind of hill training do you lot do?

I don't tend to do a lot of dedicated hill training as it's difficult to run round here without encountering some form of undulation (125m in 11k yesterday, 52m during Saturday's parkrun).

When I want to do something specific I either go out and do hill reps as you do for your second bullet or (if I'm feeling like a harder workout) find a long hilly road with houses on and sprint up the hill for 5 driveways, and jog down for 2 until I reach the top of the hill). That tends to give me a good workout even if it's only within a 5k overall loop.

There are times when the hills just defeat you though - cross country race I did the other week there were some serious hills and plenty of people walking them.

[RizzoTheRat]

My local parkrun (Frimley) is pretty flat, and I tend to run up the canal tow path when running from home so not many hills obviously. Sounds like I just need to plan some routes that take me over hills rather than doing specific hill training then.

[MrBaker]

RizzoTheRat said:

My local parkrun (Frimley) is pretty flat, and I tend to run up the canal tow path when running from home so not many hills obviously. Sounds like I just need to plan some routes that take me over hills rather than doing specific hill training then.

Same here, flat parkrun and run alongside the river for my usual route.

Signed up for a hilly 10k on Sunday - should be interesting !

[E65Ross]

On the subject of hills....

We always do hills but continue to work hard for another 50+ metres at the bare minimum.... This stops you getting in the habit of getting to the top and completely dropping off the pace like you see so many doing in races.

[E65Ross]

Day rest tomorrow, did 8.2 miles this evening, basically dead flat. Felt a little tired to start with after a pretty hard week (last Wednesday to today is 47 miles) so much needed day off.

I'm a big sucker for new kit when it comes to running and I really could do with another couple of pairs of my "go to" training shoe

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/asics-gel-ds-trainer-19-sh...

Can strongly recommend these as a general training shoe for those who don't need massive support. They offer a good amount of cushioning yet remain fairly lightweight.

I could also do with a pair of trail shoes as mine are getting a little old after a few hundred miles now....I was half tempted to try something different but you know what, these are so bloody good at an all-rounder I don't think I'll bother. My only gripes are they could do with a touch more grip on the really muddy stuff (but that's what I have the inov-8 x-talon 212's for, I guess)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/inov-8-roclite-243-shoes-a...

These roclites are absolutely brilliant; I'm doing a fair chunk of my Sunday long runs in these at the moment as I'm doing well over 50% of them off road and they offer a good amount of cushioning for me and general grip etc.

Then I could do with a couple more tshirts, I no longer have any leggings left for winter after a cycling accident tore a hole in them last year

I'm really undecided on what to order though, so much to choose from

[RizzoTheRat]

lepetitoeuf said:

My suggestion would be 4 to 6 long hill reps (up to around 3 minutes), but not flat out, just at a sustainable, repeatbale, fast pace. Also, you want to jog back down reasonably quickly, not run up, walk down.

If you can find a hill near you, then I'd say 10-15 minute warm up, with a few strides to get things moving.

There's a pretty steep road about 1km from me that looks to be about another km up and down the other side. I'll give it a try as a 4k out and back and see if I can still walk afterwards

[bennyboysvuk]

cerb4.5lee said:

That's very frustrating to hear Ben and sorry it didn't go as planned, hope the next one you do goes to plan.

Yes, silly of me really. I didn't really need the drink, but I succumbed to temptation.

Good luck with your half-marathon.

[RizzoTheRat]

lepetitoeuf said:

That's the spirit. Have you got a bus pass you can take, just in case

There's another road that goes round it if I can't make it back over the top Cross country at the weekend went up a really steep gully that I was struggling to walk up on the second lap

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Tuesday 16th September 13:08

[cerb4.5lee]

bennyboysvuk said:

cerb4.5lee said:

That's very frustrating to hear Ben and sorry it didn't go as planned, hope the next one you do goes to plan.

Yes, silly of me really. I didn't really need the drink, but I succumbed to temptation.

Good luck with your half-marathon.

Thanks

[andrewparker]

I think everyone would agree that it's really important to listen to your body and take a rest if that is what is needed, as frustrating as that might be.

I actually received The Art of Running Faster in the post today after hearing it mentioned in this thread. Hoping it will get me out of my current lull.

[E65Ross]

lepetitoeuf said:

andrewparker said:

I think everyone would agree that it's really important to listen to your body and take a rest if that is what is needed, as frustrating as that might be.

I actually received The Art of Running Faster in the post today after hearing it mentioned in this thread. Hoping it will get me out of my current lull.

Oh, I'm very good at listening to my body. But the problem is that I tell it to shut up normally

classic!

No running for me yesterday but a very steady 4.5miles this morning in 34mins, legs felt tired initially but soon seemed to loosen up.

Session tomorrow is 5x1mile off 90secs, 4x200m off 30secs. The fact my legs felt a tad tired after a day rest means I'm probably due a more easy week soon so I'll train hard this week, I'll see about next week, probably a tough week and then I'll take a really easy week to recuperate myself a little - as I have increased the intensity and mileage a fair bit over the last 2 months or so.

[andy_s]

Just back from Madagascar ( http://www.4deserts.com/beyond/madagascar/ ), a 250kms 6 day ultra (you carry everything except tent and water supplies); it's my 5th so I should know better - the golden rules are management of feet, fluids and fuel but I started on new shoes with under-trained feet and had to keep up with my wife (a 72 miler ultra runner) who set a literally blistering pace...





Off we go -


(Courtesy 4Deserts)

For you racing snakes the last day was a 10kms sprint which I managed on the hour - so anyone can do it! Finished 77th out of 240 starters, a 20%+ DNF rate but my time was still double the time of the incredible Ryan Sandes (US) and Watero Ino (Japan) who where both perfect gentlemen to boot.

[Cybertronian]

andy_s said:

Just back from Madagascar ( http://www.4deserts.com/beyond/madagascar/ ), a 250kms 6 day ultra (you carry everything except tent and water supplies); it's my 5th so I should know better - the golden rules are management of feet, fluids and fuel but I started on new shoes with under-trained feet and had to keep up with my wife (a 72 miler ultra runner) who set a literally blistering pace...

Off we go -

For you racing snakes the last day was a 10kms sprint which I managed on the hour - so anyone can do it! Finished 77th out of 240 starters, a 20%+ DNF rate but my time was still double the time of the incredible Ryan Sandes (US) and Watero Ino (Japan) who where both perfect gentlemen to boot.

Hat's off to you, sir!

How long does it take to recover from something like that?

[andrewparker]

I just find events like that utterly mad. Massive respect for just being able to do that, let alone doing it at a fast pace.

[bennyboysvuk]

andy_s said:

Just back from Madagascar ( http://www.4deserts.com/beyond/madagascar/ ), a 250kms 6 day ultra

I can't imagine ever being physically able to do one of these, my knees would play me up.

Very impressive running!

[bennyboysvuk]

After my frustratingly bad 10k at the weekend, I went out for a training run last night and ran 10k in 45:22. It finally felt like all the Julian Goater stuff was coming together a bit and by the end I felt like I could easily run another couple of miles at that pace or indeed (and hopefully) a bit faster.

I still find that I have to concentrate on what I'm doing to avoid letting my mind wander and my body defaulting to plodding along. Is that the norm? i.e. when you stop thinking about your cadence and start thinking about other things in life you begin to lose your form or can you get to the point where perfect form, correct breathing and quick cadence is the default?

[E65Ross]

I'm getting a bit pissed off, my sickness thing appears to have come back with a vengeance. Been sick 4 days in the last 5 now.

NHS are being a fking joke too.