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

Yes, I am a recent runner and about 1 1/2 stones over weight. I think it does sound like my quads arent strong enough. Will work on those. Ran 5k this morning in gym and beat my last time by 2 minutes. Did lots of stretches before and after and no problems yet.

Blimey Rhet...you've got your speedy shoes on ...that's a great time.

I've come down with post holiday sniffles which I hope won't stop me doing my LSR tomorrow.

Cherry I use Nike Triax, I get last season's each year to keep the costs down and I use an Nike + thingy . I've tried Mizuno waves as recommended by the running shop but my Nike's seem the best.

Rainbow, re: knees, are you just starting out? I only ask because at the beginning I suffered badly with my knees until my core muscles around it (mainly my quads) were used to running and took the strain off my knees. If so then I suggest lots of short runs, not too fast, and lots of pilates focussing on strengthening the quads

27mins Rhet for a 5k? wow, see, totally on fire.

sfxmum sounds like your DD is a little trooper. Well done her.

rainbow could it be that your quads aren't taking as much of the strain as they should? I don't run over the winter (not the last winters anyway!) and I always start my running "season" with a bike campaign to get my thighs back to strength, otherwise I have all sorts of trouble with knees and general twinginess. May be worth doing a bit of cross training?

rhet woohay!! Keep up the not-thinking, just enjoying...:)

to go back to Cherry's question I am ASICS all the way. Once had some Brooks, didn't like 'em, am tempted by the Adidas trailrunners though.

m&m well, that might be putting it a bit strongly, but decided that I had become obsessed with speed (all your fault, ladies ) and that I was losing sight of why I run - to keep fit, to keep sane and because I like it, even at 11m/m...

not over-thinking it seems to help - did 5k in 27 mins this afternoon

Oops! I have dropped off the thread again.

Not much running this week due to strange headache and tummy pain lurgy. Did 6 miles on Monday including somewhat painfully twisting my ankle falling off a kerb at 2 miles. No running again until today - did 25 mins of fore/midfoot landing running - ankle felt fine until I stopped running and now it is sore .

To answer Cherry: I wear Nike Zoom Equalon at the moment but have also worn Saucony in the past. Those two brands seem to fit my feet best (I have narrow heels and wide toes - duck feet!). I measure distance with a Nike sportband and pod - it is not as accurate as Garmin but does the job and is much cheaper.

My local parkrun was cancelled today due to another event at the venue so along with another parkrunner went out for a long run we manage 9 miles mostly running but a small amount of running, very please with it.

We ran across the old seven bridge and back twice it was a great run but a bit windy

I've now read 14 pages of the thread and still 14 to go, I seem to have returned to a plethora of triathletes. .

Great news on baby scans. Days of teeny babies are long gone for me so I love hearing about the wee ones.

Coffee bushes are about shoulder height and the width of a person (?) and yes they have little green berries on them. It only grows well at altitude apparently. We have fabulous coffee here and tea too, I almost spat out the tea I had to drink in the US, it was like drinking the pee of some small beastie.

I forget how running here is different from the UK. I did a parkrun (aren't they fab? Everyone should do them) and it absolutely hoolied down. I, naturally was in tropical, sweaty crotch wear and was woefully ill equipped for muddy park and sheeting Northern Rain. Also there were about 300 people there, I was amazed! It meant that I was 4th woman over 40. And then of course I had to run the mile back to my mum's afterwards.

Rhet, you are a different woman from the one I left - you are on running fire.

Debi, love your photos, you look very professional, from what I can gather I was near you last week in W Sussex. One of my very good friend's dh has been taken unexpectedly and seriously ill and he has now on a heart bypass machine and has been moved to Harefield Hospital in Bucks. She is looking for homehelp for when the dc have to go back to school, I don't suppose you would know of anyone? A bit random I know, but worth asking.

Do think more stretching before and after would help?

My knees are pretty sore now.

sticky Thanks Sparkle died overnight, dd was very upset and cried a lot yesterday when when left him at the Vet and she was told he might not might it, we picked him up today and buried him, she was very composed and natural about it, wanted to see and handle body. we only had him for 2 months it was very young, we will be getting a companion for the remaining GPiggy shortly.

hi everyone - back from rainy North Yorks. Only got a couple of runs in, but they were nice ones! Although the horizontal rain as I was coming in across the fields on Wednesday did remind me of running through the winter cross country season as a teenager... nice to be more sedate these days!!

So much has happened on this thread.... on trainers, I did have Brooks, but when I went to replace them the model had changed, and the new equivalent I didn't like at all. So I would def recommend going to a specialist shop with an open mind every time.

Re sweaty crotches (my mastermind specialist subject :)) - only wear running or rowing designed-for shorts. Then no one will know! I do still wear cotton knickers underneath tho, and they are sodden when I come back (TMI, sorry), so I have wondered about that. But no one knows but me, so I guess it's not an issue.

sfxmum sorry to hear about your dd and her guinea pig. It's hard isn't it? Having pets is meant to make children more emotionally stable overall, but I'm dreading our (18yr old) cat dying, which can't be too far in the future, really. The girls will be distraught. :(. I hope guinea pig makes it, or if not, big hugs for your DD...

M&M I love hearing your running notes, it's so totally different. You should write a novel...

welcome back M&M sounds amazing. Coffee looks like little green berries, right? before it's roasted?

just did a speedy (for me) 3 miles and really want a mint cornetto now. DD and DP have gone to the library - the house is empty. most odd.

on day 5 of my running streak...

I'm back after our mammoth US road trip. We had a really amazing time, I even managed a couple of runs but was put off a couple of times by a)bears and b)rattlesnakes.

This morning I went with a group of runners through some gorgeous fields of coffee and lovely trees. It makes such a change for me to run off the road. Normally I'm a little nervous security-wise but if there are two of us its fine. Coming back to this altitude though was hard work.

I was hoping to garminify, but there was no time for luxurious child-free shopping, just mad dash, stop them fighting, zoom round Tesco kind of shopping. Still, dh is going back to the UK shortly....

Time to go back through the thread and try to catch up.

so I am not the only sock obsessive then?

I can't say I have had crotch sweat problem I should think running clothing helps with that? but I do go bright red and I sweat a lot
dh when he started running he would go with a cotton top and his sort of bermuda utility type thing and said it was fine until he tried the kit I bought him.

Oooh sock talk! I love The Wright Sock socks. 2 layered jobbies. Never once had a blister or sweaty feet.

Thanks, Quenelle. No, I dont do that stretch but will in future.

Well, I wore thicker socks (and bought some more sport socks) and ran on a slight gradient and no problems with my knees yet after yesterday morning's run.
I was wearing black yet it still looked like I'd wet myself. I had made a mistake when I first started running of wearing pale blue once.
I also bought some running bottoms from tkmax which apparently should mean a drier run. Will test them tomorrow.

socks: so important. Inov8 thin ones for summer, smartwool for winter

oh Italy how lovely Wheely enjoy

DrN I would agree with Rheth on the shopping list ideas, I am ever so slightly obsessed with socks atm

I can't advise on running buggies but I am sure there are sites out there with great recommendations I see a few about on my outings they all look like different makes so there must be choice

drama day with dd's guinea pig, the poor pet might not make it, sleeping at Vet's tonight, she is very upset.

I will go running in the morning I think I need the release, it is stressful this parenting lark isn't it? getting them ready for life independent from you, and at the same time wanting desperately to spare them any pain

happy running and a good weekend all

That will be my face after lots of chianti hills.

wheely enjoy the chianti hill training. Italy! V. jealous . See?

Well done DrNo - I am convinced that's the correct response ! Enjoy spending the voucher - anything you need ?

Hmmm sweaty groins - wear more black so it doesn't show up ?

Glad holidays have been good futuruty and debi. Am off v. early doors tomorrow (need to leave at 3.30 am and DH not home yet... grrr).

Has just occured to me that the place we are staying is a farm estate starting in Monte.... my basic grasp of Italian confirms to me that that does mean bloody great hill. At least by my reckoning it looks a km from heart of the estate to the main road so I can always do hill training for 2 weeks up and down. Or just sit on my arse and drink chianti..

Oh and DH has won the laptop argument - we realised there was no TV there and whilst we prefer to the DDs not to watch TV on hols I think there is always a point where a DVD is useful. So, in it goes... At least it means I can keep you up to date with my chianti drinking hill training.

I've not run with a custom running buggy, but did run a bit with the big=wheeled i=candy. It was ok on the flat and gave me a good workout. It's a bit weird not being able to swing your arms though. I'm not sure I'd buy one - surely it's only a few months that you really can't leave them for 45 mins - which is whisper it kind of the point?

Dr No get less of that than I used to (old age) - but it does annoy me, like these men think that women shouldn't do physical activity; and usually they are the most unprepossessing specimens. I usually comfort myself with reminding myself that I could outrun them any of the day of the week.

Nice running socks are always a treat? A bra? A running jacket for the winter?

Which brings me to: do any of you run in the dark in the winter? I try not to, but it's not always possible - I have a red flashing light on an armband and a radioactive glowing fluorescent T-shirt...I ride a bike, so running in the dark actually seems less dangerous somehow.

Evening all and hello everyone.

Re trainers I run in Asics, love them, tried Adidas supernova once and never forgave them for giving me sore shins

My boss gave me a voucher yesterday for £50 at our local Up and Running shop for completing a difficult project so I am off to treat myself, what should I get?!

Not sure what can be done about a sweaty groin. I say wear your sweaty with pride, it shows you are working hard and not poncing about

Have no idea about running buggies. I only have 1 ds and he is 9 so it is much easier for me to get out. I take my hat off to those of you with more than one, and very young kids.

I did a very enjoyable 10k tonight, just me and the dog. A random van driver shouted an obscenity at me so I flicked him the v's. How do you respond?!

Where on earth is cestlavie these days?