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 !

HOw on earth do you get up to 18 and 20 miles guys? Am in awe, feels a long way for me to get up to distances like that.

Well done paws, you deserve a restful afternoon

I was lucky, stayed dry, although not clean!

It's the same as building to other distancesDrnorth, a gradual increase. I am finding these really long ones tough now. I'm looking forward to post marathon when I won't have to run quite so far. 15 seems a nice distance

In my case ..... slowly!

My big regret is that a few years ago I was happily doing half-ms and could have pushed on to do a marathon, but then ds3 arrived and put paid to that - had some health problems and basically had to start from scratch. I now plod along ... BUT am so happy to still be running.

My friend I ran with this morning has run the marathon a couple of times with her dad who is still running in his 70s. That to me is amazing - to still have the enjoyment and ability to go out a few times a week, feel the wind and rain in your face, have nothing to prove, and not care how long it takes.

Well done on the long runs ladies, am very impressed!

15 miles is the longest I have ever done but agree with others Dr that it's all relative. Am not underestimating the effort it takes to do these long runs at all, I just mean that if you build up slowly then your 8 miles will seem like a nice easy run. Hopefully!

Wheely, sorry to hear about your friend.

Dragged my sorry, tired, arse out for 5 miles today during brief respite in hideous weather. Felt good though. Need to keep on top of running just now if only to keep on top of eating!

Good luck for tomorrow Master, can't wait to hear how it goes!

Oh, meant to say Nora, I usually start at 5k after breaks from running so sounds like that will be a good starting point for you by the sounds of it, and 30 mins is a good pace. Good luck!

Am ill today so no run for me. Hopefully tomorrow if I feel better. Thanks for wise words though folks!

Yes, good luck for tommorow Masters, hope it goes well for you

That's the one thing I love about this high(for me) mileage peach, it means I can eat alot and not gain weight

I have entered another race!

Something to aim for after the marathon, it's a half marathon. Won't be after a good time, it's very hilly and off road, going up into the Downs, but hopefully it will get me out again running regularly after the marathon. It's also pretty close to home, which is a bonus.

Thanks all for your kind words about my friend. Its the big C so a long road I think but waiting to see a specialist to find out what the treatment is. It all seems v. unfair.

Northerner - I'm with you no the longer runs, it seems impossible but then I remember htinking 10 miles was impossible and although I haven't done it yet (8 is my most) I feel its possible so maybe believe it is all relative ! But, am still in awe of those 18/20 mile runs (and less !).

Was supposed to go out for 8 today but by the time I had time it was pouring and I feel like I'm fighting a bug so decided getting soaked wouldn't be best. So, that means I have to go out at 7 am tomorrow to fit it in. I keep telling myself how nice it is to be out at that time of the morning... once you're out there... But we've put dd2 in a bed for the first time so not sure what sort of night we're going to have !!

Good luck M&M ! You'll do fine.

Well done for getting out there peach and hope you're feeling better tomorrow Nora.

Right, I need a glass of wine (purely medicinal of course)

Wheelybug - it IS unfair. I've lost two friends in their 30s in the last year both leaving young families. But every so often there are happy stories - DHs friend diagnosed with cancer last year has made a full recovery and got married last weekend. I don't think I've ever been to such a joyful wedding! Hugs to your friend.

Good luck TheMaster hope the race goes well.

That's v. sad about your friends Paws. Its just all so incomprehensible. But good news about your DH's friend.

Right, must off to bed if I really am going to get up at 7 to run tomorrow (who's placing bets ????).

Sorry about your friend Wheely, cancer really is a vile disease. We have lost NIL and FIL to it in recent years I had cancer which was successfully treated with a big op, and more than 5 years ago now. I hope your friend gets through it. Good friends are so important at a time like that, I'm sure they are very grateful for your support.

You are all so sweet, thanks for the messages and words of support.

First of all I just want to say sorry to hear about your friend wheely. Life can be cruel at times.

I have driven some 800 kms, crossed a border, stayed in a mosquito infected room, then stayed in slightly odd African hotel with 'ladies of the night' click clacking down the hallways in the wee hours, all to run in a half marathon. I must be mad.

Anyway, with such little training I couldn't hope to do terribly well. However the whole of Mt Kilimanjaro was out, the peak and all it's glaciers on show, so that was worth it alone. It was 22 degrees at 6am when we left the hotel and that was before the sun came up. I ran my 11km nonstop uphill then 10k downhill. It took me 2 hrs 15, so 10 mins slower than my PB, but frankly I was just happy to have completed it.

Not a patch on all your running, but perhaps slightly more extreme.

Wow, that sounds amazing Master, what an achievement!
Glad you enjoyed it, great time too! I go to bits in the heat so am very impressed!

Master that sounds awesome and colourful
well done

wheelybug I am sorry about your friend, it is cruel and so random, I have family working in oncology and they have the attitude of live to the fullest be happy, it all goes so so quickly, and don't delay seeing the doctor, these days many have good survival rates
the one that killed my mother 29yrs ago is rarely fatal now when caught in time

happy running all can't wait to get back out there

Thanks again for all your kind words and Doyouthink am very pleased you're here to run and tell us your personal success story.

Wowee M&M - uphill, lots of heat, mountains, mosquitos, ladeez of the night, 2.15 hrs. You're a star !!! Well done.

A baaadd running week last week, despite my 1 run being a good run. DD2 did not perform well in her bed saturday night and was up from 11-4 very very excited about not being in a cot ! So needless to say, I didn't get out at 7 Sunday morning. Then decided I'd go in the evening but drunk too much sparkly stuff at nieces 1st birthday party so decided to draw a line under last week. Back to normal this week - gym x 2 and a longer weekend run.

I see Moshi is up next at the weekend in the Bath Half.

Have a good week lovely running people .

Wow, well done TheMaster sounds like a memorable event. I know for sure I couldn't run that far uphill and as for the heat .... I must be the only person running the marathon praying for cold and rain. My family know I don't "do" heat!

Hurray my new shoes have just arrived. I was hoping to get away with the pair I bought in October, but I've been getting a twinge in one of my knees which usually happens when I've worn out the cushioning. I think I've just got time to wear them in before 10th April. They look very white and clean though!

Quick posting before I head off to nursery to collect DD2. Well done to, master on your HM involving all sorts of hurdles before the start! Continuing to send positive vibes across the airwaves to you, wheely and your friend. Doyouthink - you are indeed a great role model of how to recover from such a scary situation and come out fighting fit.

I haven't been running all weekend as I felt some pain in my shins after Friday's 10 miler which was on the back of my rubbish tempo run on Thursday. I am seeing the physio this afternoon so am hoping it is temporary as I am panicking at having missed a 22 miler just 7 weeks out from VLM. I think I will miss Bath and just try and get a LSR in if I am allowed and recovered by the weekend. Went to ballet for an hour and stretched a lot which seems to have helped a huge amount so am feeling a bit more positive about it.

Keep on keeping on everyone! Despite this wet and cold weather .

paws - if you sign up to Fetch you can log your running miles and also your shoe miles and keep an eye on the actual mileage your shoes are doing. I always forget and underestimate the miles mine have done.

Good luck with the physio MoshiMoshi - I'm a massive hypocrite and never ever get things seen to, but expert advice and rest this weekend was exactly what you should have done. Believe me, I pay the price for not doing this!

Masters, your half sounds amazing! Well done on a really good time.

Sorry to hear about your injury Moshi, I hope it gets sorted with the Physio pretty quickly. You are doing the right thing resting.

I seem to be acutely aware of every niggle at the moment, and most of them seem to emerge just before my long run

My knees felt a bit 'iffy' Sunday morning after my 18 miler but felt alot better by the afternoon, the foam roller really helps, and I got through a slowish 5 miler feeling ok.

Less hills for me this week. I think that's why my knee's were grumbling a bit.

Phew! Physio said my shins are OK and it is related to my calf muscles and the ones underneath being incredibly tight. So I am to take it carefully this week...

That sounds like a relief, will you still do your half do you think?

paws - This week will determine the outlook so I am on the Alter G tomorrow to do my 8 miles with 5 x 600m @ 5K race pace. Pleased I can continue to run !

Moshi at least it is not preventing you fro running. Just take it steady this week. Do you have a foam roller? It as recommended to me by another runner from my club and I bought one for £20. he best £20 I have ever spent. It's like a deep tissue massage at home. It really hurts my IT band but in a nice way IYSWIM so I keep doing it!

M&M 2hrs 15 - wow!!! Well done you. What a fab story!

I got a phone call from the press office of the marathon I am running as they want to run a story. The reaso I am running is in memory of my dead Dad who died in 2009. We were both born and bred in Redcar and he was a much loved and muched respected local councillor so they are taking my picture on Sunday and I will be in the local paper. Fame at last!

That was supposed to say my dear dad, not my dead dad. What an awful typo