runners united: the one with the time running with other people

Sorry also meant to add - I hope you and your DH are feeling better soon (mmmmm..... bacon sandwiches...)

Thanks paws - yes I think I'll have to experiment with fuel/hydration especially as runs get longer. Often its after a hill a while into the run (i.e. hills at the start are fine). I think today's was just v. bad run preparation. Which is a shame because I started off so well with a big bowl of porridge (although last night's few glasses of wine probably won't have helped).

Wheely I'm prone to feeling sick while running - I get it when I'm low on fuel but also when I've just had something to eat mid-run like a gel or powerbar. The trick for me is to get something in before the sickness starts, but easier said than done.

I've now passed the grotty chesty cough to DH so we're both sat miserable on the sofa. Feeling a bit better but not much. He's in the thick of it though so comfort food was required - bacon sandwiches and Heinz tomato soup. He's easily pleased poor love.

I'm in the ballot for next year's VLM, two rejections so far (I think). Don't think it's long till we find out? Rhet I hope your DP's first day went OK.

Hope you enjoy it moshi !

Oh dear. The wonders of a Kindle mean that Rosie Swale-Pope's book is now available to me to read. (thanks for the tip wheely!) I have read about her before but wasn't aware her book was so highly recommended!

Oh and I keep meaning to tell you about this book I am reading at the mo www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Little-Run-Around-World/dp/0007306202/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316437263&sr=8-1. Has anyone else read it ? Its about a woman who runs round the world to raise awareness for cancer after her husband dies. Its also a bit of a travel book- am enjoying it (although I think she might be slightly mad...)

Well done runforfun on your PB and for running without your own support. It does sound like such a great event.

peach - Enjoy Caballo tonight (and you too cest if you get there). I'd love to have gone but alas no babysitter.

orange - hope you DN is gettng on ok.

Encyclo - pleased to hear your dd is getting on well at school. It is hard to balance the running with everything else.

Did my first weekday run outside today with dd2 in nursery. Made the mistake of going for coffee with a friend first and drinking 2 large cups which made me feel a bit queezy without running. I did 5 miles - the caffeine made me run much faster than I'd planned but then kept feeling v. sick. but, that aside, it felt v. decadent to be out running in the sunshine on a monday.

I really must address my queasiness whilst running. Am thinking its probably not being hydrated enough beforehand as drinking (other than wine or coffee) is something I'm not v. good at. Must make an effort to drink water.

Sticky thanks for remembering my dd, she's flying it at school now. Really loves it loads. Her teacher is so lovely and she thinks he's the bomb!

Hmmm...nice strategy for getting my running done. I will use it! I did feel bad, as dh had just pulled apart our old kitchen island, was assembling the new one, and I piped up with "Oooh look the sun's out. I think I'll go for my run now..."

Que the silent teeth gnashing!

Runforfun congrats on your run, that's a fab time too. Also possum sorry I missed you during my big skim read. I need to stop doing that.

I've already been looking into accommodation for London IF I get in (big IF!). would probably go for these guys www.wrptours.co.uk/hotel_details.html as I like the idea of having my hand held for my first marathon!

Wow, so many posts, so much enthusiasm....

Re marathons, think London is a good bet, though if you don't live there it requires a bit of planning to get there the night before etc etc. (and therefore costs involved). This is the only one I have done so a bit biased, but think if I opted for a smaller one, would miss the support that the crowds give you. On the other hand friends did Edinburgh this year, and seemed to have had plenty of support there, there is also Brighton which is either a week before or a week after next year's LM.

Targets for me: 5k:

Hi encyclogirl - good you got out for 5 at least. One way of dealing with the running v. everything else is turning into a bad tempered cow when I've not been able to go out running. The family are pretty much tying my laces and pushing me out the door! How is your DD doing with her new school now? Hopefully more settled?

Great time and report runforfun and good for you doing it by yourself with no support as it were. Ouch at the blister though..I normally pop and let it leak (yuk) but I know that is wrong!

Ok it's official, I cannot keep up with you people! You post faster than you run!!

Fanny Sticky massive congrats on your race times! Great reports. It's such a fantastic race. I'm so envious of you both!

My running is currently in competition with a kitchen demolition/refurb that's going on at home. Dh practically ground his teeth into powder on Saturday when I announced I was heading out to do 8. Ended up compromsing on 5.

So hard to keep going with life/family/work is constantly stacked against one.

le sigh

Hey Rhet how about those Dubs? What a match! And the rugby, what a fab sporting weekend.

Well done Runforfun! It is amazing how the people turn out to watch, especially when it was pissing down yesterday - I think that's why it's so emotional.

FWIW my rule is never pop a blister. I favour soaking them (in a hot bubbly bath ideally!) and then letting them turn into callous. Callous is great - can't understand why people actually pay to let those little fishies eat it

Has anyone else's Mumnet screen changed entirely?

Great report sticky

My goals are similar to yours I think Rhet although I will try this year for the 2 hour 15 half and if I get that will got for 2 10.

Also tempted by marathon..even if I don't get London but will wait until ballot results until I decide/commit to anything. Was convinced that if I didnt get a place that I would investigate triathlons but now I am not sure. There seems to be alot of cost involved with them and I am not sure if my second hand £200 road bike would look out of place/silly in an event!

Moshi- just seen your down for the Abingdon marathon too, wow!

Moshi- I see we are both on for the new forest HM. Have you done it before? This will be my first.

Well done everyone on their amazing times. This thread is so inspiring.

I'm just reporting back from the GNR too !

Had a really really good day and achieved my Pb of 2.20.17 which I'm really pleased with (although I'm not in the league of some of you I know my old legs couldn't ever get me round in those amazing times ... Well done !)

I haven't seen any of the coverage on tv but its always a good event to cover. When the red arrows flew over I was choking back the tears a bit.

It was really hot at the start for a few miles and then the heavens opened up half way around which was really welcome and then it was it was a fabulous ending, just coming up over the last hill and seeing the sea in front of you was a fabulous sight, but golly that last 800m seems to go on and on . I crossed the line and watched the red arrows doing their display. Fab.

When I've done it in the past there has always been someone there at the end to cheer me on, but it wasn't possible this year sadly, but the support from the crowd all along the 13 miles was just wonderful, just normal people are lining up to hand out lollies, baby wipes and oranges. It makes you proud to be a Geordie.

I feel really good today, I'm sat on the sofa taking it really easy and just nursing a big blister on my big toe debating whether of not to pop it. What do you think ?

Fanny you've got the bit between your teeth now!

I've just been looking at the website, and my time's been revised to 2:14.03. Hooray!

A small race report: Didn't start the day well - couldn't get to sleep, then some stupid eejit phoned at 3am wanting a taxi and at 4am I developed the galloping quickshits... so by 6.30am I felt like I'd been up all night! Then the bloody train was an hour late (but they were resurfacing the road outside our house so the road was shut). Starting to feel like everything was conspiring against me...

But there was so much banter and good humour on the way up. My mate was miles down the pens (even further than me!) so wished each other good luck and went and did the mad warming up routine with a load of giggly strangers. It's the oddest feeling - and must be such a power trip for the guy that does it - 54,000 people waving their arms in the air because you told them to!

Then the race itself - it got hotter and hotter up to the 6 mile mark and although I started OK (it's always a euphoric moment going across the Tyne Bridge) I was beginning to flag. Then a light rain shower sorted me out and I got back on track. After that it was fine - even the really quite heavy rain shower that came at about 9 miles for me wasn't a problem, I was feeling great. My normal nadir of running uphill through South Shields wasn't a problem either, which made me feel good. Once I had gone past the 10 mile marker and knew that I had more than 30 minutes to finish the race before 2.15 (I had set the ipod to 2.15 because of not having a garmin) I felt really confident and happy.

So I guess what they say about the night before the night before the race being the important one for sleep is true :)

Back to earth with a bump this morning tho - sodding washing machine decided to flood the kitchen floor. Just what I didn't need, especially given the kit I was in yesterday is super stinky (thank god I was born in a time when deodorant was invented, or I'd have no friends!).

Cest we'll have to see if we fulfil our ambitions!! I'm determined to!

My friend's DH ran a 1hr20m a few years back in the GNR and he said that once I've done this I'll turn from a runner to a racer as I'll just get the bug. So true. I'm so excited to have stepped up a gear and finally found the guts to do it.

rhet I too have a dream of doing Marathon but something stops me. I just cannot imagine running that far but we'll see. What marathon would you enter?

Am good thanks fanny, have just realised am due 8 weeks on Friday. I flipping knew this last bit was going to start going fast. Must mentally prepare for having 2 children.....

Well done to your DP for starting college course Rhet, how does it fit in with DD2 etc, is it a correspondance thing?

Cest, cool. If you make it, and you see me there, give me a shout! I will take a wild guess that I will be the only one with a huge bump!!!

rhet hope your DP does ok and told you you'd love your run after the break - it's so exhilarating getting back out. Yep, not rocket science is it - miles in, speed up. To be fair, I only was putting in 25-30 miles a week training for GNR so if I up that to 40+ then I'm sure I'll see big difference. Need to search out a 6 week booster training plan if I'm going to do Birmingham half and beat GNR time. My friend said she'll do it with me - her HM PB is 1hr49m so good runner to do it with.

Thanks peaches will see if I can get out of work early and go along!

Great goals fanny - sub 1.45 HM is also my current target. rhet you're sounding more and more tempted by a full marathon all the time...!