Runners united (come join us if you are addicted to running!)

Well done possum :)

Think I'll go for just a 3 mile run tonight. DH wasn't happy that I started back of at 5 miles and then was sore.

Also I'm going to be lazy and probably just run once a week .

Maybe twice a week for when I want to a 5-8 mile run

The official time is in - 55'58" - I can't believe it! So pleased

Sounds interesting driving, thanks for the recommendation!

Thanks all for the good wishes. Still feeling very pleased with myself today!

Welcome butterbur, I'm a newbie here, too, but this is a really friendly and supportive thread! :)

Putthehamster I was doing 10k in 1 hour 15 mins only 6 months ago - when I was about a stone heavier! :) Definitely achievable!

just reading Jeff Galloway's Book on Running - trying to find ways to stop myself being a lazy runner - by which I mean slowing down when I feel a bit tired (I like to tell myself that I could keep going if I wanted to, but that's not helpful, is it?). He says that it's my analytical logical brain winning out over my creative side . I need to find the inner resources to keep going when it gets tough (actually, I think I know the source of this tendency).

But the book is good, and related to an earlier discussion, he recommends pushing out the long run way beyond the intended distance (17-19 miles for the half marathon, e.g.), but also running it 2 minutes per mile slower than goal pace. (it's on Google Books if you want to look). Does anyone else have favourite running books? And do you have any tips for my motivational problems (I'm all focussed on easy mileage, which isn't helping to make me any faster)?

Well done on the pb possum, and brilliant that you did it in those conditions! Have been wanting to say Awsome possum since Sunday

Wheely, your placing was excellent. I think taking on hydration requires a bit of experimenting. Am useless at it in a race!

Let us know how the gels go MrsWeds, woudl be interested as have never tried them. Although I think if wine gums work for you, go with it!!!

Glad the 20 miles went well Moshi. Hope you manage to stave off the illness. Looking forward to hearing more about the puppy!

Happy tapering Doyouthink!

Welcome Butterbur, I also hate holding a bottle but don't mind using a Runner's Aid which is the one with a hole in it, that paws mentioned. It means you are not really actively gripping which makes quite a diference. I generally only take water with me if going over an hour but am pregnant at the moment so will take one all the time I think, especially in these increasing temps!

Rubbish about your planned run on Friday Cestlavie and boooo to client meetings. Am guessing you can't run home??

Good stuff Hamster, you'll get there!

DrNorth, am very impressed by your BIL's organisational skills, however in my sick mind I would be forever wondering if someone had found them and done wees in them!

Butterbur yes, the camelbaks have the tube you drink through. I don't have any problems with it apart from a very sweaty back!!

Moshi We need to see pics of your puppy What's his name?

I am so looking forward to running club now the nights are lighter, tomorrow we are running to the next village and doing some off road stuff. Can't wait

Dh has a camelback that he uses for cycling, and yes it has a tube so you don't have to take it off. Think I would feel weird running with it though....

BIL run marathons and in training he strategically leaves bottles of water hidden along his route. Don't think I could be faffed with that. Think I need to get a proper running bottle for warmer, longer runs.

Wow well done wheely and possum.... I feel positively slow and ancient compared to you two...

I dream of a sub 30 min 5k and sub 60 min 10k - got away to go in terms of getting fit again really....

Have been out yesterday and today though so I will do it.... Just very slowly

hope you're enjoying your new puppy, moshi - must be like having a new baby ....

Thanks again everyone.

MrsW - It was actually 12th in my category which was females aged 35-39. There were 122 in my category so not quite so good as 12th female . As for the next race - I set myself the goal of doing a longer race each six months until I get to the marathon (at an unset date !). So, I plan to do the Great South Run in October (10 miles), I just need to sort the logistics (babysitting) before I sign up as DH wants to do it too. I am down for a Race For Life with family in July - I am hoping to really work on my 5K time for that, which I will be back asking for advice on for after easter I thinK !

Great tip about the cup Sciencebint must remember that next time !

Hope you're feeling better really soon Moshi and that the puppy starts sleeping !

Cestlavie - DH does seem to have a good residual fitness even though he doesn't get the chance to do much. Its particularly good as he was v. seriously ill 2.5 years ago with a rare auto-immune problem which attacked his brain and he has a lot of ongoing issues relating to that with stamina/balance/co-ordination (nothing you'd notice day to day but I do)so I think it was a real boost for him.

Hope you manage to fit your long run in - annoying when something gets in teh way of a plan.

Welcome butterbur - I've only used one of the handheld running bottles like paws. Although I've never run that far and only use it when its hot.

LOL paws about the camel mistake.

Well done too possum, a great run.

Welcome butterbur and jennie.

I use a handheld running bottle (the type that looks hollow in the middle), I'm just so used to it now I don't even notice it. Funny enough DH and I were talking about the camelbak the other day when we were watching The Hurt Locker (very confusing bit where they are trying to clean some ammo in the desert and the character is saying to someone "use your camel". DH was scanning the horizon for an invisible camel before we realised what he meant!)

cestlavie it's typical isn't it, the endless rearranging and trying to second guess where you need to be and what you need to do to fit in a run. I hate missing a long run. In fact I'm definitely finding this tapering much harder than I expected - only 8 miles yesterday and it just felt wrong.

THx Cestlavie & Doyou. Does the camelbak have a tube you can drink from without taking it off?

Hi butterbur I run with a camelbak, you do get used to the sloshing. I do listen to music which helps drown out the noise though!

I hate holding anything when running and find the rucksack style camelbak very comfy. I have a waist one as well but the strap works loose.

I only take drinks if I know I'll be running more than an hour. Otherwise I just ensure I am well hydrated before I go.

Grrr. Got a client meeting at 8.30am on Friday which is long run day. If I'd known that this morning, I could have made it today - now I'm not going to get one in this week . Very annoying. It is weird how stressed you get about runs getting missed.

Hi Butterbur. I always run with a Lucozade sport bottle - I hate hate hate getting thirsty when running so I always need to have liquid with me even on a short run on a cold day. I used to have a sports flask on a shoulder strap before that which was okay but banged around a bit. Now I just carry the bottle cos I don't really want to feel unbalanced by having a load of liquid on one hip. You actually get used to carrying stuff in your hand really quickly and now I don't even notice it.

Hi. I have been lurking on your thread on and off for ages now. I don't race, but I run 20k a week in three sessions most weeks (5, 9 and 7, ish). Well I was, prior to a hamstring injury that's being a nuisance.

Now that the weather is warmer, I've realised that I'm going to need to take drinks. What do you all do about this? I couldn't bear to run holding a bottle, and I'm a bit dubious about a litre of liquid sloshing about in a waist belt.

Wow Wheelybug what a great time! And 12th in your category is fantastic, well done.

Possum well done on running so well despite the tough conditions.

Hope you shake your cold soon Moshi - at least you can legitimately relax now to get better before the marathon.

Tesco delivery just arrived - got to go...

well done possum and wheely fantastic results, confidence building too, another positive outcome of this little habit of ours

Well done possum that's a really good time!

Glad your 20 miler went ok Moshi. We spent a week in Devon, not far from Bude a couple fo years back and it is very hilly!! I hope you feel better soon, just take it easy... A new puppy aswell You have alot going on right now Moshi! Give your new pup a cuddle from me, I love dogs....except the little yappy ones that chase me when I'm running

19 degrees is still too warm for me Masters. I think it was not far off that the tail end of last week down here and I did feel it. I love the summer but not looking forward to running in the heat again.

Sounds like a good session cestlavie.

I am so pleased it's Taper time. The last week felt really tough! I am ridiculously excited that my mid-week long run is dropping from 11 miles to 8, that means I miss out 2 hills!!

Happy running everyone.

Well done wheely, that's a great time. And well done to your DH too - that's a pretty impressive time on no training (I'm guessing he's naturally/ normally very fit).

Not sure about the specific cause of the nausea, but I get that as well when I push myself very hard (e.g. intervals) and it's not uncommon generally I think. I remember at pre-season football training when doing tough cardio like shuttle runs, there'd always be a few people throwing up afterwards. For me it's just a question of trying to ignore it until the end of that activity burst or if it's really bad slowing down a little.

Well done as well possum - that sounds like brutal conditions to get a PB in. Those races are as much pyschological as they are physical.

Glad to hear the 20 mile run felt okay Moshi - have you been the doctors about your chest? Might it need antibiotics?

Good 12k interval session this morning - shorter recoveries (500m) vs. the speed intervals (1k) although overall the time was same as with the longer recovery sessions. Without checking detailed splits, my guess that the recoveries were slower and the last couple of speed intervals were slower than usual as well. Hey ho.

Happy injury free running all of you!

Brilliant time Wheely, and 12th female is amazing! Have you got another race in mind or are you just going to enjoy the wine rest?

Well done Possom, you must be really chuffed with that, a great time in difficult conditions.

Thanks ladies, increasing my long run by 9 miles to get to 20 miles sounds much more manageable. Have bought some gels ready for my next run (moving up from winegums in a bid to seem more like a professional athlete ).

I have to stop at water stations in races - can't drink and run at the same time, I feel like I'm drowning.

Well done possum - sounds like a great run especially given hills/weather.

M&M - I didn't take on much during the run - there was water at 3.5 miles which was in a cup so difficult to drink on the move but I took a few sips Then at 5 and a bit miles there was lucozade sport which I took but thought it was going to come back so ditched it at 6 miles. Something to work on !

Well done wheely sounds great! :)

Well, I shaved another minute off my PB today (unofficially - I timed it at 56:42, but I don't have my official time yet). So that's almost 5 mins off my time 3 weeks ago. I'm really chuffed! The course today was hilly again and the weather conditions were pretty awful - rain, wind etc. Some bloody steep hills, including a massive humpback bridge! Still, it was a great run, and I'm really pleased with myself. Once I get this half out the way, I'm definitely going to concentrate on 10k races and try to get my times down.

My cousin came up for the race and beat his PB with a time of 37-odd minutes. Crazy!!!