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

Hi all. It's hard to keep up with you all!!! Did I see that one of you also pregnant? I'm 8 weeks tomorrow an currently on holiday but still trying to do something albeit scaled down. Been for two 4km runs this week.. I know just short but it's hot here in Spain ( was 36 yesterday?!) so have to go early and don't wanna get up early every day!! My son going to bed late and sleeping late in fact still asleep! Gonna still keep running aiming for 3 times this week. As well as swimming and running around after my 4 year old!

squix I'm doing the race for life this weekend if that counts my sponsorship looks pitiful cause I doing a half marathon in a few weeks do can't or won't ask people twice and feel the half is more of an achievement.

debi well done - great time.

driving glad to hear you are feeling better - hope your lungs recover soon. when's your 5 miler?

2 early morning runs for me this week - both shortish but my early morning pace seems to be catching up with my mid day pace which must be good sign. Although I find it strange doing anything other than just going out to run at that time - much harder than doing it later in the day.

Haven't looked at the race list - any one racing this week end ? Good luck if you are.

Oooo I have come back from a night out and am very excited to see I have got the tri vibes going!

If anyone is ever thinking of doing one, i'd suggest Blenheim which is what I did last month. You really don't need to be in great shape or have a fancy bike. It also lets you feel quite smug at the end! Swimming in a lake and on a wetsuit is very different - I would suggest practicing that beforehand . To whoever has mentioned stroke - I had a bit of nerves in the water and did mostly breast stroke and still came out in a reasonable position

next year I think I will do blenheim again and maybe Hyde park sprint.

Anyway sorry for massive digression from running, off to bed now to dream about transition and wetsuits x

Thank you for that link upthread master. They were really good and it helped to be able to see someone doing them, rather than a description and random photos.

I really don't think I could give a tri a go. I didn't learn to swim 'til I was 14. And DH laughs that when I try breaststroke, my legs are like a frog that has been run over! And last time I was on a bike, I was going too fast, hit a huge rock and broke my collarbone. I'll just stick the running I think...

No running again tonight. DH is out. So plyometrics and Lauren Fleshman drills it is then!

hello and welcome to everyone who joined over the last few days

Shred did 2 days with one day rest in between, cardio fine the rest ouch! but in a good way

re triathlon, well am only just starting to ride a bike, and swimming I used to compete when a child/teen a few days ago I tried a front crawl and nearly drowned the breathing was all over the place, it really is a different set of skills

might try RunKeeper, downloaded but not used because was using the other programme c2 10K, it was a good way to get back into it

happy running all

Peak = 30 Day shred. Exercise DVD featuring scary stern lady who makes you workout properly, as opposed to dancy/Lorraine Kelly gentler styles that have little impact on fitness and weight. 3 levels, 20 minutes a day. Strength, cardio and abs sections. The majority of the cardio probably easy for most runners - the rest of it not so much, particularly if you use a respectable level of weights!

I agree that tris are a lot of fun and a great way of keeping the nerves at bay in racing. As a runner, I find that tris distill the nerves with the distraction of two other disciplines. Plus they are a great way to cross train and keep running injuries at bay! In the interests of encouraging the thread members and keeping the spirit of collegiality alive, I shall volunteer to join in any tri that any of you in the London/Greater London area might be tempted to enter! All on zero swim training and cycle training... At least the run will be OK !

Newbie alert... What's "shredding"?
As for Garmins. I love my 405 which was a present so I have never compared any other models but have recently got the Runkeeper app which does pretty much the same thing. Logging progress can be really inspirational

Testing the app...

Every time I come back there's a new thread... Didn't realise that there was a mumsnet app though until saw Peakrunner mention it, so am busy downloading that and might be better at keeping up then!

Running not going very well - feel like I'm just not getting my fitness back since my injury. Perhaps it's the heat, but I'm finished after just 30 mins at a slow pace, and not getting out as often as I'd like. Have joined a local mums running meetup though so maybe that will help.

DrNo quite inspired that you've improved so much in such a short time. I ran a 10k in 1:08 a few years ago, so there must be hope for me too...

Forgot to say WELCOME to newcomers! The more the merrier on here. Only proviso is plenty of positive thinking with a pair (at least) of decent running trainers each.

WELL DONE debi!!! What a huge chunk off your previous 10K time. Imagine where you could be in a year's time?

Running going a bit strangely with a 8 mile run yesterday that took all my effort to maintain 8:45m/m. Some days it just seems so much effort. Then today I did 11 miles with the usual slow start when warming up and ending up at a nice and brisk 6:15m/m. What is that all about?

ibby - I am buying my DH a garmin so I can borrow it!!

And that reminds me - many thanks to those who posted their thoughts on the garmins. I still haven't made my mind up, but will have to at some point in the next fortnight.

The problem with the mumsnet phone app is you can't read the thread when you write your message so I forgot I was going to mention that dh is doing his first tri next week. I can't ride a bike without stabilisers so it's not for me! It looks like tri can become an expensive sport if you get in to it and as for all those rules and regulations! I think I'll stick to simple running!

Well done debi that's a great time! I love that feeling you get when you've trained really hard and everything comes together on race day thats why we do it I guess!!
I'm Currently sat in hospital with poorly dd testing out mn by phone
Is there's a fellow Derbyshire fell runner on here?

Well done Debi and welcome to newcomers (though feeling a bit of a stranger here as not posting regularly..still bogged down with work, but end is in sight...I think)

All this talk of triathlons....we went to spectate at one on Sunday, as several friends had entered. DH thought that this would become my new desire, but sadly not. I really could not face the swim in open water, think of all the "stuff" lurking there. The water quality was given the all-clear only days beforehand, there had previously been signs up advising of blue-green algae. Had the water tests still shown positive for this, the event would have been switched (I think) to run-bike-run.

My times are not great at the moment, not sure why. Eg at parkrun on Saturday (5k) I was particularly slow, whereas the running club friend who I usually beat by a few seconds (competitive? me?) managed to go under 24 minutes. Then at running club on Tuesday we did a time trial - I was beaten this time by several runners who I beat last time. The trouble is I go home and moan and whinge, and DH gets the brunt of it! Sometimes I think the harder you try for a certain time, the slower you are, somehow. Eg my best, ie fastest, runs have been those where I have not felt as if I am running at my best. Weird. Or maybe I am over-analysing?! Alternatively I am not doing enough training on my own, relying solely on running cub sessions.

Interestingly, DH was encouraging me to buy a Garmin this morning - think he wants to borrow it!

Hope you are soon better, Driving

oh and facebookers - I am going to link to my 'team' sponsor page on facebook. Please don't worry about sponsoring me/us. We have only really put it together on behalf of my Mum as I don't feel comfortable asking for sponsorship for myself for 5K but there are a few friends who know my mum and have said they'll chip in, hence why its easiest to put it on FB.

I'll come and beg for cash when I am doing something much longer next year !!

debi - I think you're thinking of hatwoman - She doesn't live in Scotland though (somewhere up north though... Yorkshire or Derbyshire or somewhere (can you tell I'm from the southest of south ?? )

For all aspiring triathletes like myself (that is, I am aspiring) there is a women's only novice one at Dorney Lakes. The distances are short (IIRC - 400m swim, can 't remember bike 5K ? and 2.5K run) so quite achievable I thought although adding transition in is another matter. I am planning on doing this next year (it was last weekend this year). I am in same position as you guys - no bike and swimming needs work.

That said, I went for a swim today as I am resting foot and was suprised by how much better I was at swimming which I can only put down to being much fitter generally. I was doing lengths of front crawl albeit I suspect poorly in style but last time I went I couldn't do a length or maybe 1. So I had got into a small group for some stroke improvement lessons but may change to a few private ones as I think I mainly need to be told proper technique and then practice.

On the bike front, my birthday is a week today and as you may recall, I am hoping for a bike having expected one for christmas (And getting a kindle). DH keeps asking me what I want and when I say 'humph, a bike' he said 'oh still, really ?' . not sure if he is winding me up or really hoping to change my mind !!

WelcomeCherry and well done Driving for getting back out there !

welcome to all newcomers!

I'd like to possibly perhaps maybe do a triathlon at some point. When I got my road bike recently everyone asked if that was my plan but I don't think I am ready yet...or have the time...or the money! In my head my next goal is the marathon (if I ever get a place). Once that is done I may investigate a triathlon ...although I would have to improve at swimming (no good at breaststroke..quite good at front crawl) and its the whole transition thing that scares me!. I think the London Tri is on soon on tv...I will have to watch it to see if it freaks me out or not.

couldn't stand sitting on my arse any longer, so went out for an easy 7.5k this morning - it felt ok. But I have an ache in the middle of the top of my back IYSWIM which I think is my lung...glad I went and am feeling generally rather better.

I'd love to do a triathlon too, but like others can only do breaststroke, and am not sure that the household budget could stand my inevitable obsession with bits of bike gear (I do ride a bike, but it wouldn't be remotely suitable for triathlon ). Having said that, some years ago I got stranded by a thunderstorm in Geneva where the British tri team had been participating in an event. My God they had fabulous bodies

Well done Debi. From 1:01 to 53:07! You must look like this today.

It is weird robino, I would say at the moment the mind is 80% willing and the body is trying to catch up. Once I can do 5k comfortably and I'm on a training plan things should start to improve steadily. Although, I would love to have another baby before everything shrivels up completely in the not too distant future, so am prepared for it all to go to pot again in the next year or so.

Cherry I would love to try a triathlon, what an achievement. I expect the different forms of training keep the injury risk to a minimum too. Sadly I would need swimming lessons because I can only do old lady breaststroke and I don't have a bike...