The Running Thread

[MC Bodge]

UI finally managed to get to complete my first race in 8 years, and after about 18 years of a continuous run-injury-take-a-break cycle including the past 2.5 years of calf problems following a change to midfoot striking.

I didn't quite reach my target of 10k in 40 minutes (31 seconds over) , but I will do soon!

Edited by MC Bodge on Thursday 25th June 21:56

[Lotus Notes]

Excellent effort MCB, it seems that you've had a hard time, but come good
Take this into the next race and you'll beat 40 minutes.

I have the Mont Blanc marathon on Sunday, should be entertaining! It's my first marathon for 25 years..

[MC Bodge]

Thanks. It wasn't optimal (cramp/tightness in my thigh for 7km of it ! and not a purely Tarmac, road course), but my attempt at pacing was about right and I think I ate and hydrated well beforehand during the day. I was inside the top 10% of men too. I'm hoping the quad muscles recovers for a 10k trail race in 10 day's time.

Good luck for the Mont Blanc marathon.

[Dr Murdoch]

Morning

I'm currently getting myself ready for a 10k run in three weeks, at the moment I'm doing the following:

1 x tempo (1m slow, 3.5m 7.25min per mile, 1m slow)
1 x Speed (1m slow, 1/4m 6.5min per mile x 8 with slow 1/4 recovery runs in between, 1m slow)
1 x Long (between 11 - 13 miles)

We've just had a shower installed at work, so was thinking about running too and from work, which is 8.5m each way.

My question is, if I ran to and from work (17m), could that count as a long run, even though its split?

[MC Bodge]

M

Dr Murdoch said:

Morning

I'm currently getting myself ready for a 10k run in three weeks, at the moment I'm doing the following:

1 x tempo (1m slow, 3.5m 7.25min per mile, 1m slow)
1 x Speed (1m slow, 1/4m 6.5min per mile x 8 with slow 1/4 recovery runs in between, 1m slow)
1 x Long (between 11 - 13 miles)

We've just had a shower installed at work, so was thinking about running too and from work, which is 8.5m each way.

My question is, if I ran to and from work (17m), could that count as a long run, even though its split?

I think so. It's about distance/hours, not just individual runs.

as above, I've just done a 10k and actually did very few longer runs (17k was the longest, about a month ago) as I have been trying to gently build up distance without causing injury. I do a fair bit of cycling too, though.

Are you aiming for a fast time?

[Dr Murdoch]

MC Bodge said:

I think so. It's about distance/hours, not just individual runs.

as above, I've just done a 10k and actually did very few longer runs (17k was the longest, about a month ago) as I have been trying to gently build up distance without causing injury. I do a fair bit of cycling too, though.

Are you aiming for a fast time?

Thanks MC

Fast time? For me yes, but not compared to others! My previous best was 51m (see what I mean, not exactly lighting!), so my aim is around 47, 48 mins. This is the first time ive undertaken specific training, before I just used to run at the same pace 3 times a week, but just going longer each time.

So I'm hoping the temp / speed sessions will be enough to shave off a few minutes!

[MC Bodge]

Dr Murdoch said:

Thanks MC

Fast time? For me yes, but not compared to others! My previous best was 51m (see what I mean, not exactly lighting!), so my aim is around 47, 48 mins. This is the first time ive undertaken specific training, before I just used to run at the same pace 3 times a week, but just going longer each time.

So I'm hoping the temp / speed sessions will be enough to shave off a few minutes!

I've just gone through similar. I would also suggest doing some longer intervals to become accustomed to sustained efforts. multiple 1 mile intervals, building up to doing multiple 2 mile intervals is hard, but simulate racing.

Another thing that benefited me was going for runs with somebody slightly quicker and running hard. The first run was a shock to the system, but subsequent ones were fine and good preparation for race day.

[KTF]

Parkrun is good for this sort of thing. Run like the clappers for 5K to get experience of pushing yourself over a period of time.

Also gives you the opportunity to following someone who is faster than you all the way round and hunt them down. Its amazing the difference that makes to your times.

[MC Bodge]

I went for a post-10K race, gentle 2K recovery run earlier on. Although it was my quads that were giving a lot of grief after the race yesterday, it was my hamstrings that were feeling stiff at the beginning of my short and very slow run today. The quads in one leg did start feeling tight again after about 1K. Plenty of gentle stretching and icing seem to have helped again.

My traditionally troublesome calves appear to be fine.

-Maybe I was running differently, although I was trying to drive forward with my knees as normal, keep my cadence up and I land on my mid-foot.

I'll do a few more 10k's and, if all is ok, may try a long-delayed return to Half marathon.

Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 26th June 23:38

[MC Bodge]

There was still a bit of post-10K stiffness in the quads and hams on this morning's steady bike ride, but it all seemed to ease off whilst spinning a low-ish gear at a respectable pace.

All being well, I will be out running again tomorrow.

Having pretty much (well, almost) achieved what I was aiming for this year at the first attempt, I should probably raise the bar a little to, say, sub-39 minutes.

My intention is to do more, and more regular, longer runs, as I didn't actually do many that were much longer than 10K.

The 1 and 2 mile intervals seem to be good, so I will continue with them. I think I'll also do longer sets of 1 minute intervals.

Technique-wise, I appeared to be taking faster (shorter) steps than many of the people around me at the 10K (and appeared to gain on people on the slight inclines), although I'm not up to the often talked-about 180/min.

Suggestions welcomed!

[MC Bodge]

andy_s said:

andy_s said:

Good luck to the 190 odd souls setting out on the 95 mile West Highland Way race tomorrow @ 1am, my wife included!

She did well, completer rather than competer [sic] and brought it home in just under 30 hours. Rough second half with poor weather for the second dawn. Great race...

That's some test of endurance. Good on her. The section from Glencoe to Fort William was wet and wild for us when we rode it (pressing on to catch the train we'd booked on). It would be some undertaking to do it all on foot in one go.

[ewenm]

Lotus Notes said:

Excellent effort MCB, it seems that you've had a hard time, but come good
Take this into the next race and you'll beat 40 minutes.

I have the Mont Blanc marathon on Sunday, should be entertaining! It's my first marathon for 25 years..

Good luck tomorrow! I did the Cross (23k) race today finishing in 56th place in 2:45:45. I felt dreadful from the start so knew it was going to be a tough race. One of those days I guess. Finished though which looked unlikely at times! : https://www.strava.com/activities/333862819

Take it steady, the climbs are hard!

[Lotus Notes]

Thanks for the good luck messages. Well done Ewan on your 23k, especially if you were not feeling great. I did spot you at Tré le Champ, but it was a bit late, I think you were in 24th position.

So, 42k, 2700m+, 1700m- completed in 6h41m. This was the hardest race I've ever done, by far! Bearing in mind I live in Chamonix for 6 months of the year and know the terrain, this nearly finished me



Everything was on target for a 5h30 until the decent to the final uphill section where I felt a bit jaded. At the feeding station at Tré le Champ 11k from the end I felt a bit better, but then I had cramp for the next 1h50.

I made up my mind to finish, but I had to grind it out and not let bad thoughts get the better of me..I normally do this section in 1h in training.

Happy to have finished and need to adjust my feeding and training for the next one. Great support en route and thoroughly worth it (I can say that now I'm home chilling).

[Dr Murdoch]

Quick question...

What is the purpose of knee length socks?

[Lotus Notes]

Dr Murdoch said:

Quick question...

What is the purpose of knee length socks?

By some accounts they stimulate blood flow and primarily enhance recovery after a hard run.
I've put them in the gimmick category and that it's another way in which the running industry can make you part with your cash!

[andy_s]

Dr Murdoch said:

Quick question...

What is the purpose of knee length socks?

They ('calf guards') are good if going off track through heather, bracken, gorse etc; also good to keep a bit of heat in your legs. Recovery? Don't know about that so much....but £30 for a decent placebo isn't the worst £30 spent I guess...

[anonymous-user]

Dr Murdoch said:

Quick question...

What is the purpose of knee length socks?

I find them particularly good for track and cross country where you might be standing around on a startline for a while as they keep the heat in the calves after a warm-up.

As for bloodflow-not convinced on that, I went through a phase of wearing them all the time but I think it was because I find them comfortable and in the winter they're a decent alternative to tights for milder winter weather.

[marting]

13 weeks till my first marathon. Getting a little nervous now as I've been prepping for so long but I'm getting married about a month after, so there is a fair bit I should be doing on my weekends besides running...

I'd like to crack 3:45-4:00 - I did a training run of 12mi in 1hr45m yesterday... A little off the desired pace :S Any wise words guys?

[Lotus Notes]

marting said:

13 weeks till my first marathon. Getting a little nervous now as I've been prepping for so long but I'm getting married about a month after, so there is a fair bit I should be doing on my weekends besides running...

I'd like to crack 3:45-4:00 - I did a training run of 12mi in 1hr45m yesterday... A little off the desired pace :S Any wise words guys?

As a training run, that's pretty spot on for your marathon time - With 13 weeks to go and all that.
Download a training plan and try to stick to it, maybe swap the odd day around to fit in with your other plans..

You could also up the wedding budget and outsource everything to the wife - This means more running time

[ewenm]

Lotus Notes said:

Thanks for the good luck messages. Well done Ewan on your 23k, especially if you were not feeling great. I did spot you at Tré le Champ, but it was a bit late, I think you were in 24th position.

So, 42k, 2700m+, 1700m- completed in 6h41m. This was the hardest race I've ever done, by far! Bearing in mind I live in Chamonix for 6 months of the year and know the terrain, this nearly finished me



Everything was on target for a 5h30 until the decent to the final uphill section where I felt a bit jaded. At the feeding station at Tré le Champ 11k from the end I felt a bit better, but then I had cramp for the next 1h50.

I made up my mind to finish, but I had to grind it out and not let bad thoughts get the better of me..I normally do this section in 1h in training.

Happy to have finished and need to adjust my feeding and training for the next one. Great support en route and thoroughly worth it (I can say that now I'm home chilling).

Well done. I drove over to Vallorcine today and it must have been a tough loop out there too. Good work completing the marathon! That final section to La Flegere and then the 5k to the finish was tough enough with only 12k in my legs, never mind 30k+!