Runners united: I run, I do running, I am a runner

oh yes, the running (!) this weekend. 6 miles, 1 hour. This ten minute mile thing has got to improve... will be working on that this week.

hello everyone - a few days off line so a lot to catch up on!
Moshi hope things improve for your Mum. My Dad and Gran (I know, amazing to even have a Gran at my age!) seem to be on an endless cycle of hospital visits and tests. It's worrying and somehow tedious at the same time. I really hate hospitals, particularly their car parks and waiting rooms...

Fanny bad luck with the cold, wrong time of year for that. But sounds like a rest might have been in order in any case, you exercise freak :)

rhet, just my twopennorth on potty training. DD1 took the longest in the history of toddlerdom to "get it". But then, I did have a tiny DD2 and an accident prone DD1 and lived to tell the tale, just about! DD2, on the other hand, "got it" over a weekend. They're very different characters. So in the end, it has to be child-led because I really can't see how else to do it. Does your daughter go to nursery? I think it really helped both mine to see other children learning. Apparently, in the old East Germany, they would train all the children in the state run creches at the same time...

futurity I think the PR book is good in parts, certainly worth a read... She is a bit "sponsored by Nike", but some good info. So have you and rhet got a sub 2:15 HM goal? Me too :). I'm hoping it's not too way out for me: the first GNR I was just focussing on getting round in one piece, the second I started training OK, then work got busy and I injured my knee (all went a bit wrong, in short!) and was touch and go whether I did it at all. I did, but in 2 hr 34!! Never mind, this time will be better :). I am speeding up a leetle bit with the tempo runs and speed training, but, well, it's still not fast :) But I'm having a nice time, which is the important thing I guess.

sonic hello!

to all those who choose hilly and not hilly runs. If you live on top of a hill in Co Durham, it's all hilly... (Hilly's a weird word if you keep using it :))

fannybanjo my trainer is always telling me to rest one day a week, and advised me to not run for the 5 days we went on holiday to have a proper break. You give your muscles a good chance to recover properly and come back stronger.
When I came back my cardio was probably around 30% less, I was also three or four pounds heavier (my ability to put on weight truly amazes me) but that all went back to normal within a week. I am definitely faster on short runs now, but I was really knackered before our holiday.

rhet I am quite scared of tapering, it always seems to be a shock to get back to proper running when I slow down. I think I have to have a look at my running plans and adjust my running days so it matches perfectly with race day, I think I have 9 weeks to go including this week.
Was it you who said you might do "run to the beat"?

I had all my training organised and sorted but now my boxing instructor can't do sundays anymore so although I like doing my long run on sundays better than mid week it means I'm knackered on monday and should rest which doesn't work with my work & training schedule!

right, break over, so much work still...

herecomes I may take you up on the offer if no one else is interested? What does Paula say about periods? Does it make her go a lot slower as well?

running not tuning - damn iPhone spellcheck

Good morning everyone - welcome sonic - very if you're in Sydney and your DH sounds lovely, very good way of getting to back in shape! I have 2 toddlers and an 8 year old so empathise with lack of energy - I only get out as much as I do because DH works from home, if he was out 10 hours a day my running would be nil and void.

No running for me still - bad cold so going to rest up until I feel better. I've not had even a few days off tuning since Christmas so rest will probably do me good. I do however think I need to change training plan - 6 days a week is impossible - especially with holidays.

Happy running everyone!

Pavlov did you manage to do your "long" run??

DrNo I think I'm just coming out the other side of one of those phases - after my half marathon, I needed a break but I was back out at running club 2 days later. Then i sort of just stopped. Getting back into it now :) and am enjoying it again!

Welcome sonic. Am I right in thinking you live in Sydney? A friend of mine mentioned the City To Surf race recently. All levels of runners are on here but we all have in common a slight obsession with running. Some more than others !

I?m enjoying stumbling on this thread. I ?ve only recently stated running. I was fairly sporty pre kids (have a 2yr old and 4 yr old) but just ran out of steam/time after they came. Anyway was whining to dh that dd2 was turning 2 and I still hadn?t got my figure back, at which point he entered me into the city to surf and suggest I either trained and did it or stop whinging. Am currently in the really irritating evangelical phase of getting back into shape... So it?s nice to see other people who are also actually interested! Keeping my ambitions fairly modest for my first fun run and just want to complete the (12k) course in under 70 min then see where I go...

(re toilet training, I hate it too, the 2 yr old is probably ready but am waiting for summer to even start...)

Hello to all the new commers to the thread. Lots going on - taken me ages to catch up.

Moshi - hope your mum is feeling better soon.

rhet - dd's toilet training was hard to start with - we had a potty from when she was about 20 months, she refused to go near it, we had real struggles and tantrums, I gave up at home, but she would use it at Nursery. A friend suggested that I just try the toilet so I put her on the toilet with a trainer seat. She took to that really well - in fact she never used a potty at home and within about a week she was pretty much out of nappies during the day. So, thinking about it - I've never actually cleaned a potty!

DrNortherner - hope you have a great holiday. 2 weeks until I go - can't wait.

N4NNY - love that your garmin has a name

science - that sounds like one of my regular routes! A hilly coastal path, 12 minute miles, stunning scenery but really hard work. I am sure that's why there was such a big improvement between my traing pace for 13 miles and my race pace - it was a bit of a novelty running on the flat and on a road.

Had a good weekend running - 9 miles lsr on saturday morning, then swimming with DD on Saturday afternoon (when I say swimming, its really playing princesses and mermaid football in the pool) then a 3 mile recovery run (in shorts! it must have been warm) on Sunday morning then Sunday afternoon at the beach - it was packed!

Right off to bed - early morning run for me tomorrow.

Arrgh, so much to catch up on! Moshi hope your mum is ok. V impressed by your long run this morning!

Rhet no advice to offer re potty-training, other than try not to get too stressed by it (easier said than done, I know!). I got myself into a prolonged state of despair with DS1, just kept trying and trying and trying, getting so impatient/wound up etc etc. Was a bit of a shock when I realised that his pal who was 9 months younger would get there first. DH on the other hand was v laid back, and thanks to his calmness and patience, we got there in the end, but not until DS1 was 3 yrs 6 months. DH's bright idea when we had made some progress was to let DS1 wear pants when we were on holiday in Denmark. I thought this was a stupid(!) idea but sure enough, DS1 was a bit of a nosey parker, and loved going in all those different loos...(just realised that you were asking about potty training, so we must have advanced a bit beyond that before getting to the toilet stage). Was so relaxed with DS2 that I really can't remember much about it (apart from the fountain of wee that cascaded out of him one day when he sat at the dinner table!)

Debi well done for parkrun. It is addictive, I just end up wanting a PB every time. I did my first in 26m 44s, have had much wavering up and down, and can now manage sub 25 most Saturdays (give or take). Am now chasing sub 24 though, never satisfied!

z123, an impressibe HM time - wow! Ran my only HM in 2007 in a time of 1hr 55. Hoping I can still manage that when I do a HM later this year. Realistically think should prob aim for sub 2hr though.

No running club for me tonight, feeling v sore-throaty (again). Was looking forward to 3rd of 5k summer time trial series (though have managed to do first 2). On the plus side have managed to get some work done (that I should have finished off last week). Yesterday ran with DS2 in 2 mile fun run. He had a large glug of water just before we started which I suspect caused him to get a stitch, so we had to take it very slowly. He was keen for me to go on without him, and I was tempted, but felt that it would not be in the spirit of the event to abandon him! So was a bit surprised when he suddenly rediscovered the concept of speed and sprinted to the finish - I hard a hard job to keep level with him - I managed, just!

I'm always surprised how long the long runs take! I know that is a silly statement but I you know what I mean..having to factor in 1 1/2 hours minimum to do a long run ..it just takes up so much time! Now if I could only run at Moshi speeds...

yes, only 5 weeks to go - doing ok really - intervals going quite well and endurance improving. But having difficulty fitting in the long runs - up to about 8 miles, but really need to up my distances in the next 3 weeks. Am not going to bother with much in the way of tapering this time. We'll see...

rhet yeap..still going for sub 2hr 15min. Am following a Runners World smart coach one I printed out which has four runs to start off with going up to 5 ...we shall see about that!

Think the top weekly mileage goes up to 30 per week. My speedwork/tempo run is going well at running club..definitely making progress with maintaining a higher speed for longer. I've got longer than you to go though..11 weeks I think. How are you getting on?

science I'm a sucker for running books (and I had an amazon voucher left over!)...I shall have a read and see how it goes.

I always love that mumsnet reassurance about feeling like a crap parent - e.g. if you really were you wouldn't worry that you are crap . futurity are you following the Hal Higdon plan? I'm using that RW one, slightly toned down. Are we still on for our sub 2:15 challenge? I've about 4 long runs to go, I think...

We all feel like crap parents sometimes am sure. At the moment I am very tired and also preoccupied with moving house so don't feel am at my best with DD. Really want to have a nice time with her the next 4 months before DD2 arrives but am sooooo tired.

Moshi - sorry I got so het up the talk of potty training I forgot to add my sympathies for your Mum. I hope she gets sorted soon.

Hope you're having a nice holiday Science bar getting lost !!

Did a 5k tonight according to Gary garmin I'm getting quicker. I kept getting the giggles while running tonight because I couldn't get out of my head a conversation I'd had with my 4 year old charge last week.

I'd was moaning that I been bitten on my ankle the night before. He wanted to know what by so I said some sort of bug but I didn't see it so wasn't sure what. He thought about it and said maybe it was a stray dog that you didn't see. I think I would have noticed a dog biting my ankle I explained so it must have been a bug. He inspected my leg and declared that it was defo a dog bite and I should be careful of dogs next time.

So all the time I was running I was imagining running along with a dog bite my ankle and me not noticing just keeping on running.

forgot to say...got Paula's "How to Run" book...had a quick flick through and it does look good...lots of shiny photos with lots of Nike running gear being displayed!

Managed my long run today..1 down..5 to go! I'm counting them down over the summer holidays as every run feels like it is planned to perfection to fit it in when the kids are off school. First time I have run that far in the afternoon and it actually wasn't that bad. Going to see if I can get through this summer holidays without putting on too much weight from picnics and ice cream!

rhet - I am quite shouty at the moment which CONSTANTLY makes me think I am not cut out to be a parent ...

wheely glad it's not just me; it makes me think I am not cut out to be a parent...she is also not well (cold, cough) which probably doesn't help. Have given up for now. Long run postponed until I get back from Cork tomorrow evening. God help me.

5 miles in the gym this morning - legs a bit tired after yesterday's effort but managed to push it a little bit.

rhet - arrgh to potty training ! It is definitely the lowest point in my parenting career. I tried DD1 when she was 2.6 and she refused point blank to sit on a toilet or potty - in all other ways was ready, had a cast iron bladder and I could take her out in pants but she would hold wee for 4-5 hours before exploding ! Eventually when she was 2.9 she decided to do it because I told her she could wear dresses to pre-school if she did and so literally overnight she potty trained, virtually no accidents. By 3 she was dry and clean and through the night ok.

So, on that note - my plan is to start potty training DD2 tomorrow. She is 2.4 - shows more sign that dd1 ever did but I am not holding out much hope tbh. Its only that I want to at least say I tried before she starts pre-school and she seems to have a group of friends that all potty trained before 2. I am dreading it to be honest.....

And yes, I hear from my Mum about how theyall potty trained their children before 2 but if I had to have kids in terry nappies before the invention of automatic washing machines I guess I might have perservered!!