The Running Thread
Discussion
The double laps overnight makes a lot of sense. One of our teams did a double on the first man which meant they avoided the chaos at the first exchange, then he did another double overnight but I think everyone else did single laps. All our team wanted to do a run in the dark though, it was quite nice out when I went at 3am.
Here is a 3D plot of the route. The hill after the start and after mile 3 was tough and you can see why now.
Yes, I was second out and the changeover after 1 lap was a mess. Calmed down after that though.
The double laps was a new idea and I liked it as once you were out, you might as well stay out and with the nighttime average bring lower it seemed less worse than a single I.e. Doing 7:30s daytime and then dropping to 9 on the hills was tough v doing 8:30s at night then dropping to 9 on the hill.
Did you have the fairy and angel in the lit area in the woods at night? They were there on my first lap about 11 but not my second. I wasn't imagining them but more than 1 person said they would freak the solos out
Last year I was out around 3am and once you get over the shock of waking up at that time and settle into the run its not that bad like you say... Less pressure at night as you just have to get round.
My new head torch was only slightly less crap than my other one but some people seemed to have suns strapped to their heads. Amazing the difference.
Yes, I was second out and the changeover after 1 lap was a mess. Calmed down after that though.
The double laps was a new idea and I liked it as once you were out, you might as well stay out and with the nighttime average bring lower it seemed less worse than a single I.e. Doing 7:30s daytime and then dropping to 9 on the hills was tough v doing 8:30s at night then dropping to 9 on the hill.
Did you have the fairy and angel in the lit area in the woods at night? They were there on my first lap about 11 but not my second. I wasn't imagining them but more than 1 person said they would freak the solos out
Last year I was out around 3am and once you get over the shock of waking up at that time and settle into the run its not that bad like you say... Less pressure at night as you just have to get round.
My new head torch was only slightly less crap than my other one but some people seemed to have suns strapped to their heads. Amazing the difference.
Edited by KTF on Sunday 14th June 22:05
ocrx8 said:
I figured it was an easier route in than the ballot!
Determination is a big factor - I've wanted this for a while! Also being able to get the body used to working at a high output and being able to hold it. I'm a firm believer in running races at a consistent pace.
My training has been one long run on a Sunday (10-12 miles) with a speed session on a Wednesday. I swim each lunchtime and do some cardio in the gym in the evenings but I don't put a huge amount of mileage per week. Historically, whenever I've upped the mileage I've got injured - will have to find something that works for London.
That's even more impressive. You must have an excellent base fitness(, which is something I'm aiming for, although I only began again more consistently this year)Determination is a big factor - I've wanted this for a while! Also being able to get the body used to working at a high output and being able to hold it. I'm a firm believer in running races at a consistent pace.
My training has been one long run on a Sunday (10-12 miles) with a speed session on a Wednesday. I swim each lunchtime and do some cardio in the gym in the evenings but I don't put a huge amount of mileage per week. Historically, whenever I've upped the mileage I've got injured - will have to find something that works for London.
If you don't mind me asking, What sort of age are you?
KTF said:
Did you have the fairy and angel in the lit area in the woods at night? They were there on my first lap about 11 but not my second. I wasn't imagining them but more than 1 person said they would freak the solos out
I did the dusk lap and it pretty dark by the time I got the fairies. I found the lights wrapped round the trees looked great but meant my head torch wasn't bright enough in comparison to let me see the ground well enough, and I completely failed to see the fairies until I was about a tree away from them They weren't there when I came through again just before dawn.115th out of 159 teams in our category from your link, so pretty happy with that, although if my knee hadn't conked out I reckon we could have probably squeezed an extra lap in and bumped us up to around 100th.
Top efforts guys. ocrx8 that is a mighty impressive half marathon time, don't imagine I'll ever be there.
Sorry bit off subject but KTF, that Veloviewer app is great. Just saw your post above with the 3D map and decided to have a go.
Lakeland Trails Half, last weekend:
First ever proper trail run and road running seems so boring in comparison.
Sorry bit off subject but KTF, that Veloviewer app is great. Just saw your post above with the 3D map and decided to have a go.
Lakeland Trails Half, last weekend:
First ever proper trail run and road running seems so boring in comparison.
MC Bodge said:
wiggy001 said:
Complete novice question... I still running around 4k at a time, just improving my stamina and speed gradually with a couple of runs a week for general fitness. One thing I've noticed is that the calf muscle in my left leg aches to the point of almost being painful far worse than my right. It starts during a run and I can still feel it 48 hours later whilst the rest of me feels fine.
Is this likely to be a running style issue or something else? Should I be putting stretches through that calf before a run or warming down better after? Any thoughts for a complete novice would be appreciated.
I had recurring calf problems for over 2 years.Is this likely to be a running style issue or something else? Should I be putting stretches through that calf before a run or warming down better after? Any thoughts for a complete novice would be appreciated.
I would recommend:
calf raise strengthening exercises with knees bent and straight (to isolate the different muscles).
-Excessive static stretching may not be desirable.
skipping
hamstring strengthening
glute strengthening
"core" strengthening
-stretching of all of the above, plus hip flexors.
Yoga plus weight training is ideal.
I started cycling into work yesterday, a steady 6.5 miles and thought I would break myself in gently. Should be simple, but it starts at 25C in the morning and the ride home is about 34C, so quite hot. Why am I telling you about cycling? Well, my first day of cycling in, I had an innertube with a faulty valve and so in the evening I had to run home with about 12kg (I weighed it at work) on my back.
It was 34C, so I set off slowly and was grateful for the shade of "the big creek greenway" where it was 4-5C cooler. I made it home having drunk a litre of water and the drank 2 more litres as I was dripping wet when I got home... Note to self about what I bring home and drinking more during the day. 50:39 to run home, so that's the time to beat. Roll on October when it will be cool and I can break 40 mins (that's the aim)
It was 34C, so I set off slowly and was grateful for the shade of "the big creek greenway" where it was 4-5C cooler. I made it home having drunk a litre of water and the drank 2 more litres as I was dripping wet when I got home... Note to self about what I bring home and drinking more during the day. 50:39 to run home, so that's the time to beat. Roll on October when it will be cool and I can break 40 mins (that's the aim)
Armbands to carry phones are next to nothing on e-bay, or if you're likely to carry water on longer runs a belt with a couple of small water bottles and a pocket big enough for a phone is about £30.
I bought a HRM with my Garmin 610 but I think I've used it about twice. Probably worth it if you're training seriously and have done a proper test to find max heart rate, but for a recreational runner I'm not sure I see the point.
I bought a HRM with my Garmin 610 but I think I've used it about twice. Probably worth it if you're training seriously and have done a proper test to find max heart rate, but for a recreational runner I'm not sure I see the point.
RizzoTheRat said:
I bought a HRM with my Garmin 610 but I think I've used it about twice. Probably worth it if you're training seriously and have done a proper test to find max heart rate, but for a recreational runner I'm not sure I see the point.
The Garmin heart rate monitor straps are really uncomfortable, too. Recently wore mine after a period of dis-use and was quickly reminded of why I rarely used it - the strap managed to chafe my chest to bits, even with a dab of Vaseline where it normally rubbed. Have been reliably informed Polar straps are much more comfortable and work perfectly with the Garmin HRM module after a slight bit of modification.Felt like I'd reached saturation point with the last 6/7 weeks of 10k training and racing, so switched things over to 5k. Completed 5x 800m with 90 seconds recovery at approx 18:45 5k pace, and felt really positive at the end. Will keep on top of this with a 5k PB attempt scheduled for mid-late July.
To add to the cycling news, I did some brick training yesterday. 52km on the bike plus 8k to the park and back, followed my a run that was awful.
I managed a quick 4.4k but I felt very sick and could do no more. I had a small bowl of museli between the ride and the the run (about an hour between them) so I think that was the cause but I am finding running very hard ATM and I don't know why. Perversely, I have been feeling incredibly unfit since the marathon although I seemed to have fully recovered.
I have just signed up for a 10k in 3 months time and I am looking to break 43 minutes.
I managed a quick 4.4k but I felt very sick and could do no more. I had a small bowl of museli between the ride and the the run (about an hour between them) so I think that was the cause but I am finding running very hard ATM and I don't know why. Perversely, I have been feeling incredibly unfit since the marathon although I seemed to have fully recovered.
I have just signed up for a 10k in 3 months time and I am looking to break 43 minutes.
Track session last night: 16x400m with 100m jog recovery. We had a group of about 40 doing it in various smaller sub-groups by pace. The 3 of us leading it did 71-74s per rep and 35-40s per recovery. I was pleased with the consistency and might have to schedule a fast 5k/10k sometime in the summer although primary target is now the trial for the World Mountain Running Champs.
RizzoTheRat said:
I bought a HRM with my Garmin 610 but I think I've used it about twice. Probably worth it if you're training seriously and have done a proper test to find max heart rate, but for a recreational runner I'm not sure I see the point.
I tend to use my HRM to ensure that I keep my effort down on steady runs (and to periodically see what I can maintain on a tempo run). When pushing hard, my HR is not really of concern to me, so long as the pump is still working!
I did a "3 x 2 mile" session on the suburban roads earlier as 10K prep. It was a very early start and I hadn't rested enough in recent days, so not ideal and I wasn't feeling too sharp. The first interval was around my target, the second 2 were a bit (consistently) slower.
Maintaining the pace running solo was difficult at times. When I had a (slow) cyclist to follow and a distant pedestrian to catch, I noticeably increased the effort a little. -Any suggestions to improve pace when running solo?
With closed roads and people to chase I'm still hopeful of a ~40min result.
ps. The biggest obstacle to this is now being prevented from attending the race due to work commitments.....
Maintaining the pace running solo was difficult at times. When I had a (slow) cyclist to follow and a distant pedestrian to catch, I noticeably increased the effort a little. -Any suggestions to improve pace when running solo?
With closed roads and people to chase I'm still hopeful of a ~40min result.
ps. The biggest obstacle to this is now being prevented from attending the race due to work commitments.....
Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 17th June 21:20
I marshaled near the finish of the surrey half last year. The bloke who won averaged 3min/km but was on his sprint finish when he came past me. I couldn't do that speed on a bicycle
Bracknell Forrest 5 tonight, potentially a bit hilly and my first run since my knee conked out at Endure on Saturday night so I shall be taking it easy and I'm holding off entering Sundays very hilly Feat for Feet 8km until I know the knee's ok.
It's also the Twilight Challenge 10k on Saturday on Farnborough airfield, you don're really appreciate how long an 8000ft runway is until you run the length of it
Bracknell Forrest 5 tonight, potentially a bit hilly and my first run since my knee conked out at Endure on Saturday night so I shall be taking it easy and I'm holding off entering Sundays very hilly Feat for Feet 8km until I know the knee's ok.
It's also the Twilight Challenge 10k on Saturday on Farnborough airfield, you don're really appreciate how long an 8000ft runway is until you run the length of it
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