Happy when we are running!

[MoshiMoshi]

Hear ye! Hear ye! All those who want to liberate themselves from the shackles of their domestic and work lives, join us here in our continued bid to run and be happy and feel free !

evening all

I get what you are saying about the "hashing"

I go bashing which is the same idea with flour trails etc but on bikes, it can be quite scary, well for me anyway so all drinking tends to be done when everyone is back at the finish, tis the best of both worlds, a good work out and then a few drinks with friends.

I would be interested in a runners meet up, and even better if we could do a run.

I need lots of motivation to get me through to the London Marathon

putthat didn't you used to be another name and from my postnatal club? you are younger than me, veteran?
decent time I am working on that one

hashing definitely not for me although I do not mind a restorative drink afterwards

maybe we should just keep the meet up simple, get together, jog about in nice surroundings, go for some nibbles/ drinks/ chat, maybe see if we fancy joining up here and there at later dates at random events around the country

Hi all, can anyone give me any advice on where to stay for the VLM'11? I dont know London AT ALL.Should i stay near the start or the finish?

OH has had a bit of a look and has come up with Crowne Plaza on Cromwell Road,kensington. Any ideas / tips/ comments,what will it be like getting to the start from there?

TIA

isore hello and congrats on place at VLM
not much info regarding race itself but from a London point of view, the are you mention is to the west of London and reasonably near the finish (shortish bus/ tube ride away)
the start is toward East London
no advice as to where is would be best to stay relative to start/ finish but am sure someone should come along soon with proper advice

_ good luck

hi isore - practicalities aside I would say, if you can, go for near the end (I'm assuming this is your first marathon...if not then forgive me). IMVHO I think you will feel far more up to trekking across the capital on public transport before the race than after it. You'll need to get up early anyway - to get something to eat, and, if you;re anything like me, you'll be too excited/nervous to sleep - the journey will fill the early morning for you. It's a great atmosphere early in the morning too - loads of people travelling to the start all with vaguely sheepish excited grins on their face. After the race you'll probably want to go to the pub for a pint and some food and then flop - or you'll be on such a high you won't want to leave the all-encompassing atmosphere that you get all around the finish. Also, if you're doing it for a charity they'll probably arrange a reception of some sort for you near the finish. it's a fantastic day.

found this article on stretching might be helpful/ interesting to some

hope everyone is well

running gear in aldi today

Thanks, sfx and popsy. I seem to have picked up a gastrointestinal bug last weekend and have been feeling increasingly rubbish as the week has progressed. Had a day off yesterday and tried a 3 mile run today to test the waters but am definitely not right :-(

On a brighter note away at a wedding in Florence this weekend. Hoping to be well enough to be able to enjoy it. Happy running all!

We must confer soon re dates for Our Run, no?

Hello folks, inspired by Hatwoman I thought I would wander over and say hello. Glad I did now...how you doing Twink, Saggar?

Rather embarrassingly, I seem to have got a place in VLM next year, without actually entering . At least I don't remember entering, although I have major baby brain (DD is now 4.5 months old) so I suppose it's possible....anyway it's more likely that this is some sort of twisted display of affection from DH, although he is denying it vigorously.

As a long time hasher, I'd just like to say a word in its defence, but I can't from a running point of view! Hashing is predominantly a drinking social activity with a little light running thrown in if you're keen, so I really wouldn't count it as a running session (unless you need a very light recovery run). My local hash is unusual in that it has a large number of very able runners so we also have several informal training sessions during the week, but that's our dirty little secret. Also, hashes tend to vary in character and some can be pretty boorish, so if you do fancy giving it a go choose with care.

Isore, I suspect you'll find it more affordable to stay near the start but it is quite a schlepp to get across town when you've finished. On the other hand, better to be able to schlepp when relaxed (if tired) than being jammed into a crowded train with thousands of other runners and worrying about making the start on time. That's not very good for the blood pressure.

Does anyone have any GPS based running aids? How accurate are they in your opinion? I've just bought an app for my iPhone called Runkeeper, which so far seems pretty accurate (once I got past a few bugs) but I suspect it measures a bit long. There's a 10K being run very locally to me tomorrow and I'm tempted to go and run their course to calibrate.

hi gizmo I to am interested finding out about GPS running aids, do I really need one or will the iPhone apps work just as well?

gizmo, i assume you have done the VLM before? if so do you have any tips to pass on to a complete novice?

I am happy to report that I did a 7.5 miler this morning after not having much distance for a year, and apart from feeling a little tired I seem to be doing alright. Although I could be regretting my words by tomorrow!

Oh yes I have another question, does anyone use protein drinky things after their long runs, and what benefits do they find from using these products? I find I am generally tired after runs and don't seem to be eating enough carbs or proteins am hoping the drinky things may be the answer I need. Ta for any advice

Hello all! Have been avoiding the thread for a while as it was making me miss the running even more while my foot was recovering! I've just been out for the first time since the injury. I did 20 mins alternating walk/run, then walked 10 mins home. It felt really good , so I'd better not let myself get carried away and do too much too soon. Happy running, everyone!

It rather depends, Passmyglasses (great name, btw, I can relate...) I've run for years and years with neither, just measuring my runs using Gmaps pedometer and based on time, but this year I thought it might be fun to play with a new toy.

In terms of measurement accuracy, I suspect there is virtually no difference between a 5.99 iPhone app and a £100 + Garmin product, although I await comment from those with GPS products. However, Garmin is probably more reliable 'out of the box': I've had to fiddle around with updates (both for phone and app) to make Runkeeper behave itself, although now it is working it does nearly everything I'd like it to. The only major omission is that it doesn't tell you your split pace over the last mile/km during the run - just your average for the whole run, which isn't that helpful. After the run you can see your splits for each mile though.

And if it's your first go at a marathon, it doesn't do, in my view, to get too obsessed by accuracy: sure you need to know whether you've run 15 or 20 miles for your long run last Sunday, but the difference between 18.5 and 18.6 miles is unlikely to have an effect on your training unless you're semi pro.

Otherwise, my only words of wisdom would be rest more than you think you need to and run slower than you think you need to on your long runs...I suspect there may be many other views, though.

make me run please

4-5 miles would be good.....

Blimey this thread is filling up really fast, have missed loads of fantastic running (hardcore 5 hour mountain running, speedy 10ks, half marathon sprinting Moshi...)

Popsy, have you taken up Moshi's place on the Edinburgh marathon? I'm doing it too . Sounds like there's a lot of marathons planned for next year - we are all going to be busy!

Count me in for a meet-up, fingers crossed, family, work commitments permitting. Sounds like it will be a gathering of small lycra clad skinny people (will have to borrow someone else's body in order to fit in).

I'm doing the Bradford half marathon tomorrow, feeling hopelessly unprepared and slightly injured so not looking forward to it.

Happy injury-free running everyone, good luck to those with races coming up.

Gizmo! Hello, how fantastic to hear from you!

Good luck Mrs W for tomorrow, slow start, steady middle and hang on in there until the end. I find if I break things down into 'manageable' distance chunks it helps, especially if I visualise a local run of that distance. When I was doing the run at the Half Ironman, each lap was around 4.5 miles so on the final one when I was a bit tired ( nearly 7 hours in), I just thought of one of my local runs and imagined I was doing that cos I knew I could get round it. Hope yswim!

Zebedee time, am shattered so will catch up properly soon BUT

am not going to bed without saying 'POPSY GET YOUR A%SE OUT OF THE DOOR' xx

All this talk of vlm makes me want to get out there but maybe a half would be the best idea .... Anybody recommend a good one for a beginner - ie not too many hills, and may be not too big? Something in say 5 months of so would be good - I need plenty of tome to build up to the distance

Sfx - think you may be thinking of somebody else.... My youngest is 9 now and didn't really do ante natal with her - didn't seem to be on offer up here in yorkshire

To add to the gadget stuff, I have Runmeter on my iPhone that records as you go and tells time, distance etc and seems pretty accurate

Putthehamster it might come up a bit quick, but have you thought about the Brass Monkey half, in York? Its at the end of January, and if you're running 4-6 miles regularly at the moment you can probably build up sufficient distance to have a go.

thanks for the link gizmo, I will have a think - see how I go over the next few weeks increasing distance and see if its possible.... not entirely convinced I will manage to build up that far, but its something to aim for, which is wahat I need right now...

just noticed the comment about runkeeper not doing splits....

Runmeter does do splits for each km or mile over your run if that helps - I think the paid version is about 4.99 and there was a free version too originally - I haven't got enough signal to connect to apps store and check whilst at work otherwise I'd have a look....

"slow start, steady middle and hang on in there until the end"

Great advice Twink, that's pretty much what I did! I ran with my sister and we did it 1 hr 55, on a very, very hilly course. Fabulous views of the Yorkshire countryside, a beautifully crisp sunny day and it's always great having roads closed for my Sunday morning run

I have totally seized up today though, can hardly walk (not a good advert for running).

Hamster, I reckon you could do it if you're at 6 miles already - you probably only need to get up to 11 miles in training to be able to do 13 on the day.

Ghoulberry, glad you are able to get out there again!

Passmyglasses, I usually have an enormous bowl of nutty musueli when I get back from my run, seems to do the trick - if I don't I get very bad tempered through hunger.

wow MrsW-amazing time!!! Nothing 'steadyu' about that!!!

I have serious running envy!!!

POdiatrist appointment tomorrow...

Watched the Abingdon marathon go past my house on Sunday and was looking forward to my foot being ready for a full-on run. My dd (age 5) watched the runners and said 'When I grow up I want to be a long-distance runner, mummy'! I'm so glad she's interested - I don't recall being keen on any sport when I was little.
Happy running, all [hsmile]!

Ah, MrsW, that sounds like the ideal race (apart from the hills!) Is it going to inspire you into entering another?

Starting to gently increase distances here, so I can get some serious mileage under my belt before an early half in the new year. Tonight wasn't great though - 5.7 miles, cold, wet and slow: legs felt really lethargic and the GPS confirmed it. Took me ages to warm up when I got back in & I'm beginning to wonder if I might have picked up DS1's tummy bug.

Do we run a list of events with Mumsnet entrants, btw? Would it be worth trying to compile such a thing?

Just popping in to say hello !

Not much to report here except sore feet. I think (hope) its caused by a day walking around legoland in converse rather than running - I did 7K in the gym yesterday and my feet feel bvetter than they were so hopefully I'm right.

Wondering whether I need to think more about every day footwear to keep my feet ok. Yesterday and today I am wearing my running shoes which was ok yesterday as was in sports gear but feeling a bit of a twat in my jeans and trainers today. I have bought some Scholl insoles today on my mother's advice but wondering what I could wear instead.

Considering another 10K here end of Nov (in Brighton if anyone else is down that way which I don't think you are... ).

Goodness, am finding it very difficult to find the time to do any running at the mo!

I have remembered to pay for my place in the VLM, only just tho

Am hoping to get a whole lot of running in on the half term as I shall be childless.

Just marking my place really.

Keep on runing

at wheelybug and the trainers and jeans thing. I have a lovely pair of road shoes - lovely in the sense of being inordinately comfortable. I rarely run in them these days but so often, as I'm leaving the house in a rush, they leap out of the shoe-box-thingy by the door and before I know it they're on my feet and I'm off down the road in jeans and trainers. Fortuntely I now live in a wee northern village where no-one gives a stuff. Were I still in suburban London I think I might need to be a bit more strict.