Runners United: Where we support each other through the good runs, the bad runs and everything in between.

ani8 & chica* welcome congrats on VLM

Wheely amazing time you must be so proud massive well done

master sorry to hear hope you feel better soon ouch ouch

quick wave to everyone else hope you are well

can't wait for school drop off tomorrow it has been a fun and busy week but I am so tired flying solo, hats off to single parents

Wow Ani! And you sound a serious dude! {Ani and I are about 4 miles apart?} 'My' trail is the Longdendale Trail, starting at the Hadfield (home village) end - and yes the clouds this morning were skirting the hill tops weren't they? Gyms are really out for me - Ijust couldn't be bothered with all of the driving/getting change/ queing for the weights etc. Time consuming. So easy to put trainers on and be out the door, though I DO miss sitting in the steam rooms.

Wow! Well done Wheely, that's an amazing time! That's just over 8 min miles all the way isn't it? Are you sure you don't actually have wheels instead of feet??? Dead chuffed for you, hope it was ok being on your own. Looking forward to the race report.

Hey Pan - I am just over the hill in Hayfield. It felt awful to start with bt I am addicted to the fells now. It doesn't seem like a proper run if I don't come home looking like a muddy beetroot.

i haven't been on here for a while so a little bit to catch up on. The fell running races are drying up a bit here - except the really long winter ones that need a map and compass to get round. Last weekend I did the Passing Clouds race 10miles 1850ft of climb in under 2 hours (just). It is officially the furthest I have ever run - so I was quite pleased with myself, especially as I have had a chest / throat infection for the last 2 and a bit weeks.

I have also joined a gym for the next month in MK for during the week. I found as the sun went down I didn't want to be running around in MK on my own. I had had a couple of times where guys had been a bit leery so it was starting to feel unsafe. The gym means that I get to do lots of cross training - swimming, weights, spinning, Pilates, yoga, dreadmill - I stick a picture of Mt Famine, taken from Coldwell Clough, on the screen as a bit of inspiration. I have found this week now my chest has cleared that it is making a big difference to my running strength. I am now able to run to the top of New Allotments without a stop, and this morning did 8 miles without really thinking I had had a big day out. I had been planning to do a couple more - but it was a bit too claggy over the tops, so maybe it was a psychological thing.

Next race is Dunnerdale in the Lakes........ 5/6 fast steep miles.

Well done wheely that's fabulous! That sounds like a good time, did your garmin work ok?

June I go out at this time of year lot up like a Christmas tree - flourescent top, and wrist lights minimum. I prefer to run in dark, cool conditions so I need the hi-viz stuff to protect me from all the knobhead drivers and pavement cyclists other road and pavement users.

DH would prefer me not to go anywhere too lonely on my own, and I must admit I had a scare late March this year when I was out alone at dark and got carried away running up an unlit hill - I turned to run back and fell A over T flat on my face down the hill. My favourite run is an 8 mile old railway track, but it's definitely not safe after dark. Lots of unsavoury types hanging around - last time I went down there at dusk a policeman stopped and asked me if I'd seen two lads with an air rifle - I wobbled and turned back!

Just did 7 hilly miles, friend took me up a monster hill - one of those that gets steeper as you get near the top! I've got out of the Hill Habit, and need to get back in it!

Squix. hope you got on ok.The last couple of miles were pretty grim weren't they. Wind in face.

My bag survived too BTW. It stood up to the bullying.

Hello !

I am done, in more ways than one. 1 hr 23 mins and 36 secs. On train back to MILs. Will report back later.

pan VLM is the holy grail Virgin London Marathon. congrats on getting a spot chica and welcome to the thread :D

yes hills change everything don't they? Speed training without actually going faster. Stride pattern, muscles used ( and so need stretching more afterwards) and, as I recall from previous training, it's a joy to run along on the flat as it is sooo easy in comparison. If there is enough moonlight of an evening we will still go on the trail, but on occassions it's going to be those darned hilly roads again!!

pan I'm a bit of a hill obsessive as personally, they have done wonders for my speed and endurance. My average paces have improved massively since I've built them into my week. I'm now able to do 7.20 min miles continually for at least 4 miles and my mid distance pace gone down from 9m/m to 8.00m/m. I don't add in masses of speed work (intervals) so can only surmise that the hills have helped! Bear in mind I am training for half marathons and maybe marathons not 5 and 10k's. The proof will be in the pudding next week when I do my HM race....!

Wonder how Wheely and Squix have got on....

I live in the Peak District so it's difficult to avoid hills......but I somehow manage it! My trail is flat ( the old M/c to Sheffield train line), but with the change in daylight it means going on roads more in the evening. Plan to add one mile per weekend, and look for a nice 10ker before Christmas. Hills - don't ya just love loathe them.

Thanks pan! So I take it you are getting your mileage back up? What's your aim? Re hills, I live in a pretty hilly area so I'm kind of used to not letting my pace slow too much however some hills I just dread. There was one I did on Wednesday that literally, you are doubled over at the top panting for breath. However they bloody get you fit!

sticky I have a head torch but I bought it for DH and I am too scared of looking like a running miner to wear it. Think I'll stick to running on pavements and built up areas. Like rhet said, running on dark lanes is kind of like playing chicken with your life. I've done it when dusk has appeared faster than I thought and very scary. I'm going to look at that take you linked.

Can anyone remember this ice trax Moshi linked to a while ago? Talking of Moshi welcome back oh Queen of Speed!

fanjo 'nuff respec, lady' ( practising my Glossop massive speak..), 8.27 on hilly bits is fabulous. Love and loathe hilly bits.
And guess which Bad Boy just went and did 5 miles, longest run of year?.

and a bigger for wheely if I am not around later??

another danger of running in the dark in the country is the badger population. Cute and cuddly and all, but can't run for a toffee!!

master I can't believe that after all my worrying about you, your frigging devil's curse came. Poor you and what a shame. I came on day before GNR and it really affected me as I was very heavy but for it to happen during a race....

Ange welcome and congratulations on your VLM place! What's a golden ticket? 15k non-stop is great place to be 5 months pre marathon. Have you got a training schedule in place?

rhet you are a bugger for figures aren't you? 2000km is brilliant.

Good luck wheely and if anyone sniggers at your bag, just show them a photo of my DD2's Sharpay boots. That'd shock em!

Well plan was 10 miler with friend but she cancelled as she's poorly so I was running bit late and as I needed to be back for 10am could only fit 8 miles in but pleased as did a hilly-ish run in 1.07 average pace 8.27m/m and there's a long hill in the middle. My pace for next weeks HM needs to be that for me to get

Masters that is such a shame :( Hope the poor old tum is feeling better.

June - if you get something like this hi-vis tape you can stick it on to the kit you already got. Hi-vis bike clips are good too, even if you're not on a bike. You can get those head torches, but I don't like the way they mess with your night vision. Like Pan says, your eyes get used to it. I like running in the dark - I feel like I'm running faster, even flying a bit! Obviously good to have someone to go with, but no one else seems to want to be my friend at 6am! Mind you, with the dark and cold comes ice, so you have to be a bit careful.

Hello Angechica and lucky you with the VLM golden ticket! I'm off to look at this Run Northumberland HM - have you done it before?

june2009 all the lidl gear I bought has reflective strips, but I wear a day-glo T-shirt (over long sleeved top if cold) and use a bike light on an armband. Ronhill used to do fluorescent beanie hats with reflective strips, but i only wear a hat to run when it is very cold indeed. I would tend to run only on pavements in the park, and not go offroad after dark. But there's something quite zen about running in the dark as long as you are safe and visible...a lot of you run on country roads and I wouldn't be keen to do that in the dark myself - cars go too fast and can't see you well enough.

I need to kit out the bike with the child-seat with lights and reflectors pronto.

Hello angechica and welcome - I am still thinking about a marathon in 2012, but later in the year. Thread moves fast but we are all v. friendly (and actually a bit bonkers, but in a nice way :))

Ange, greetings - been here for ..um..hours meself!! 15k contin. sounds impressive and what is VLM?

running at night? I am going to be running in darkness along my Trail. We did it last year, and it is surprising how much ambient, and some moonlight can get through, and after a while one's eyes adjust. As they do. Tricky, and a bit spooky.

June, my running jacket has shiny reflective stripes on it but really I should buy some arm band things. Good reminder!

Rhet, glad you are surviving the visit. Did you confirm non-attendance for Xmas? Try and bore her a bit more and she might never come back

Oh master, that is rotten. What a shame. Hope you manage to do something nice today and treat yourself a bit.

Welcome Ange, congrats on your VLM place, that's so exciting! Sounds like your training is well on it's way. It is a fast thread, but great fun, see if you can keep up!

Hello? Can I join? I think this is quite a busy thread but will try my best. My target is the 2012 VLM as I have a golden ticket. I am doing the Adnams Southwold 10k on 20 Nov and the Run Northumberland HM 25 March. Maybe try and do another 10k before Chrimbo. I have spent the last few months dragging myself up from crap fitness & I need to step it up. I'm a plodder but ran 15k continuously last weekend.

master :( what a nightmare. I sympathise, the only pill that doesn't turn me into a depressed hormonal monster come with the added bonus of periods showing up whenever they feel like it. The little pantyliners are not really suitable for long distance sweaty running, not enough grip iyswim.

right rhet good point, with all that I spent on running gear Friday, did I buy anything to run in the dark? noooope.

What do you guys wear when you run in the dark in winter?

I'm useless, tried to catch up with the thread and forever getting confused with the "previous" "next" pages and going back and forth.

good luck wheely hope your bag stands up for itself ;)