Running goals, motivation and chat 2026 - Part 3!

Good grief that’s some elevation! I live in a rolling area and a 10k for me is usually around 100-130m but that is next level! Well done you!

14k on the trails today and I picked up some barely used Superblasts, my favourite shoe, for £50 on eBay. It’s a good day!

Well done @TyneFilth 840m is a lot for a half even where I live!!

well down on the run and the bargain super blasts @runnerducky

some idiot signed up for the 50k I was considering and then discounted as it would be too much as a late entry a few days ago. I wonder what sort of idiot would do that?! My hip was a bit dodgy which is why I didn’t sign up. Then it felt fine so I signed up and now it feels a bit dodgy again!! We shall see how it goes tomorrow! I’ll report back if I survive 😂.

How did it go @Whataninterestinglookingpotato ? Was that today?

Thanks for asking @JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff

it actually went better than I could have possibly imagined! I taped up as my hip was as still sore this morning and I didn’t have a brilliant nights sleep, which I was quite anxious about after more of less loosing the plot on my last ultra due to lack of sleep, but I think I managed just enough to be ok!

it’s a flat tarmac out and back along the Bristol to bath cycle path and I’ve never done a race over a marathon distance like that before, was I was a bit nervous about the relentless tarmac and my hip, but I taped up and it held up ok. If anything it feels better now than it did this morning! 🤷‍♀️.

I managed to do a time of 4:05 which is so much faster than I expected and I think I was second female. The only female ahead of me was literally a professional ultra runner!! So actually, super pleased!!

Hope everyone else has had a good Sunday.

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato that is an amazing time well done!
I did my last long run today 8.5 miles now 1 more run until
marathon day next Sunday. I am absolutely hating the taper, today felt heavy and hard and I wonder how I’m going to manage next week. I have read that this is typical taper paranoia but feel a bit sick thinking about next Sunday/
on the plus side I’ve raised £450 for my charity so far and hoping for a bit more in the next week

Wow that is a great time 😁 @Whataninterestinglookingpotato

Good for you!

Sliiiiightly more modestly...
I had my lifting session today at the gym coupled with short treadmill form run which felt great despite legs being knackered. I am really hoping I am near the end of the "jeffing phase " of rehab and can progress to continuous running.

I also upped my dumbbell bench press to 32kg which felt quite do-able and I should probably push harder, but had previously been sitting at 28kg so felt like a progression.

That’s very impressive @JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff it sounds like you have great all round strength!! Glad your running is feeling better.

Eeek!! Not long now @tinks3110! you’ll smash your marathon.

rest day for me today. Hopefully I’ll be up to club run tomorrow. It won’t be as long as usual as our group leader has a marathon on Sunday and he’ll be tapering so I should be ok.

How long are you able to run now @BogRollBOGOF ? Sounds like making progress?

I did 6.5km this morning, but run/ walk, but it really feels like my stride has come together. It felt sort of... gliding is the best word I have! Like, way more efficient than my old stride, which I now realise was kinda heaving myself along.

Apparently 2 w more and I can transition to continuous running 👍🏻

That sounds quite similar to me @BogRollBOGOF albeit my injury is TFL/ underpowered glutes. I have strength circuits tomorrow but I've had a beast of a week so going to ease off a little

It really is tedious!

I did a big strength session today, had a mega day at work, and then returned home to find DD2 (8yo) had banged her head at afterschool club whilst playing football. She then started vomiting so has been admitted to children's A&E for a CT scan. Waiting for results now - she had been so brave!

My back is killing me after training, huge day of meetings and presentations, and then sitting in bloody hospital plastic chairs since 7pm! What a day

@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff oh no! I hope your dd is ok!!

Hope all ok @JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff with DD.

I have done my last long run before my trail marathon next Sat. All I have to do now is a few short "ticking over" runs, and aim for physio every day (with the hope I'll maybe manage 2 or 3 in reality).

I was pretty slack for the past week. I went over my ankle on my trail half mara last weekend and thought it was fine, but a couple of days later I was feeling pain over the top of that foot so maybe there was a bit of ligament strain or something. That probably was why I didn't fancy many midweek runs, but doesn't explain why I also didn't do my strength sessions. Am also having a very heavy time of it at work at the moment with no end in sight. Soooo tiiiiired...

Good luck @TyneFilth i hope the trail marathon goes really well!

@tinks3110 wasnt your marathon this weekend? How did it go?

just a 12 mile solo longish run for me on Saturday as I was going on a night out with all my sisters on Saturday night and staying in the city where 2 of them live over night.

I have a 10 mile trail race next Sunday which should be fun.

Hi @TyneFilth hope you are feeling mentally prepped for Sat! It's a big one but you've done so much work for it.

So DD2 is fine as far as we can see. They kept her in overnight and did a CT scan which thankfully came back normal. She then spent entire weekend trying to headbutt things 🙄

I basically lost an entire night of sleep though and last week was a total bastard in other ways too. Woke up Sat with a head cold and my period so all in all, decided to skip running this weekend.

Back in gym today for strength session/ weights and I felt tired but was executing reps cleanly, so....

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato
I’m here! Yes my marathon was yesterday, it went amazing, I finished in 4:34:06 which I’m really pleased with.
i was so lucky with the weather, my family managed to see me at mile 2, 17, 19 and the finish which was absolutely brilliant and seeing them at 17 and 19 on the long out and back definitely kept me going. I have loads of fab photos of me from the official photographer as well, I am smiling in almost all of them
I cried when I finished, I have spent so long worrying I wasn’t going to finish that crossing the line got me all emotional

Have tried to add a picture of my medal

Glad your dd is ok @JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff

well done @tinks3110 thats fantastic!! I’m glad you had such a great time!! Marathons (and further) are quite emotional. Maybe that’s part of the reason they’re kind of addictive!! Our group leader from run club also did the Yorkshire marathon. It does sound like a nice one!!

Oh goodness Tinks, good for you!! That is truly amazing for a trail especially.

How do you feel now?

I have a stinking head cold and it's pissing it down here. Yum yum 🙄

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato
The route was tough, the support was amazing I was flagging at about 13 miles and we turned into a little village for an out and back and it was absolutely packed with supporters on both sides of the road. It was really what I needed at that point to keep me going, felt a bit like being famous. I always put my name on my top for my big races and so many people I didn't know shouted for me! Then I knew my family were going to be at mile 17 so that got me through the next bit. After mile 20 I knew I was going to finish but the last 3 miles were horrible. I kept thinking we are too far out in the countryside for it to be only 3 miles to go! And then the last bit is what feels like a massive hill after 25 miles of running!

@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff
It was a road marathon not trail. I feel ok today, legs are a bit stiff still if I sit down too long and my hips are sore but hopefully on the road to recovery and be back out running soon.

Hey 👋 I’m reading the thread to get inspired by your amazing determination and achievements while teaching myself to run.

Came across this reel today and it made me laugh with tears (I’m short!) so thought I’ll post it on here to hopefully brighten someone else’s day.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeuT6CGR3Sc/?mdxt=MXFlajB4MmNpa3U5dg==

I am also short and it made me smile. I have many a race photo where I am obscured by a giant man 😂. Including what would have been the best finishers photo of dd1 and I from her first ever half. That one was a bit annoying tbh! But hey.

welcome to the thread.