Runners united (come join us if you are addicted to running!)

[MoshiMoshi]

This is a continuation of the thread "Happy When We Are Running" for those of us who are committed to running in order to preserve a sense of ourselves and maintain a degree of sanity in our lives which are otherwise taken over by family and work-related matters.

All runners are welcome, experienced and newbies, if you are a keen runner. We promise to support you in your efforts and have a running (excuse the pun!) list of races (see below) which various of us have entered in order to provide advice and support along the way.

So what are you waiting for? Spring is here and there is no better time to enter those races you have been wondering about entering and lose those winter pounds, and all for free (well, as long as you have a decent pair of trainers suitable for your running gait ). Alternatively, if you don't want to race you can just join us to enjoy the racing vicariously and learn about training and what (not) to do along the way.

27/03/11 - Kingston Breakfast Run 8.2m wheely
02/04/11 - Miles for Missing People 10K: MoshiMoshi
10/04/11 - Brighton Marathon: Pawsnclaws
17/04/11 - VLM: MoshiMoshi/ Passmyglass/ Doyouthinktheysaurus
10/05/11 - Burbage Skyline 5.75 miles: Hatwoman
14/05/11 - Chester Half Marathon: IreadthereforeIam
15/05/11 - Oxford Town and Gown 10k: Goldberry
22/05/11 - Edinburgh Marathon: MrsWednesday
30/05/11 - BUPA 10K: MoshiMoshi
08/06/11 - Claver Peak 5 miles: hatwoman
11/06/11 - Clumber Park R4L 10k Hamster
12/06/11 - Bath R4L 5k Dillinger
12/06/11 - Redcar half marathon - DrNortherner
25/06/11 - Lewa half marathon Kenya - Masterandmargaritas
10/07/11 - RFL 5K, Kingston & Kempton Park: Wheelybug
18/09/11 - GNR: Hamster, Run for fun, popsycal
23/09/11 - Notting Half Marathon: cestlavie

I'm full of questions at the mo, sorry!

I am due to give blood on 16th April, do you think it would be best to rearrange this until after I've finished my marathon training (assuming I get that far)? Having worked out a rough training schedule that involves me really stepping up the miles in the next few weeks, I'm thinking that it probably isn't a good idea to do it slap bang in the middle of all the hard miles.

Mrs Wed - have just messaged you about your ascics...

MrsWeds - best avoided until post- marathon I think. Losing O2 carrying blood while training to boost O2 capacity seems counterintuitive to me.

Just did my 8 miles with 3@6m/m with 3 min recoveries, all on the Alter G Trainer at 80% of my weight. Oh to weigh 90 lbs! Shin surprisingly good. Pain about 3/10.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Moshi you are FAST! way out of my league...I'm happy with a 6 min km :o but I do probably have about 10 years on you and I suspect no innate talent for running. Best pace I've managed this year was a 4:54k/min over 4k, about a month ago.

oh well, they also serve and all that.

Oh to breathe without to much effort

just one night on the steroids has had a big impact, I may be able to do a gentle jog at the weekend

moshi, I have not really suffed with asthma to this level except when I was pregnant with my son 10 years ago!!!! omg that seems a long way off.

If you are suffering now how do you plan to medicate during the marathon? I have no idea what meds I should take and might have to other than slepp back to the drs

Well lets hope my 3 weeks enforced rest allow me to perform at my best, I am by no means an elite athelte but I had hoped to finish between 4.30 and 5 hours.

keep on running

Popping to say hello with very little to add !

Hope all the taper-ers are hanging on in there, especially next up Paws. My bro was on the phone last night worrying about it being too hot. He's desperate to do sub 3.15 so he qualifies GFA for London. Actually, I think its more his wife that wants him too otherwise he'll do another marathon to get the time !

An unremarkable 5 miles on the treadmill yesterday and a lovely walk in the sunshine today ! My last treadmill session tomorrow until after Easter - yippee ! Then a week of fitting running in around DH and then we're on hols for a week so should be able to get some running in on the Welsh Coast.

oh and I ordered some short tights (ie like cycling shorts) with a view to wearing them under my baggier ones until it gets hotter by which time my legs will have grown and thinned out and I won't feel selfconscious in them .

Just picked the oldest boys up from football camp - and my car thermometer said 23.5%! Am praying for cooler weather for Sunday - I really don't cope well in the heat at the best of times (in fact I'm renowned for moaning as soon as the temps get into the 20s. DH thought it was hilarious that we chose to go to Lanzarote in August last year and the temp hit 48!). I read a quote the other day - when it's hot you don't race for a time you race for a place. Not great for your brother Wheely.

I'm seriously considering looking at another marathon later in the year when it's cooler ..... I've just downed an ice-cold fat Coke, which I never ever have.

On the plus side (and with apologies to any men on this thread ....) my ahem "cycle" has, to my huge relief, worked itself out brilliantly in time for Sunday. A huge relief!

paws - join me at Abingdon in October?

Would have to be on the waiting list Moshi .

I may order some little shorts, try and get a tan going on. Speaking of clothes buying, I'm not going to fit into my running top for much longer. I guess they do sports pg clothes somewhere.

wahoo clothes shopping this weekend

oh I haven't ran this week yet, think will do it friday or the weekend. Don't to risk pulling muscles before my outdoor climbing session tomorrow.

Just looked up Liverpool though .... DH will kill me!

MrsWeds I gave blood about two months ago, it knocked me for six actually and I couldn't get my running back up for another week, so I suggest waiting.

Thigh length tight shorts here, all year round . I'm out there with my shorts and proud of it. Actually in all honesty, the tighter they are the less wobble there is...

Paws don't worry about the heat, you will be fine. Have you got a lightweight sleeveless t-shirt to wear? My favourite coolest one is loose fitting and that very porous cotton material, no chafing and it wicks away the sweat. I'm looking forward to a little light UK running. Perhaps I'll book myself in for a UK marathon next year.

Tapering sounds very frustrating!

Sounds like lots of breathlessness and heaviness going around! Hope you're all ok...

Quick question: I've been given a tube of jellybeans and seem to remember reading that they (or was it jellybabies?) are good to give energy on long runs - is this true? If so, how many would you eat and at what point on the run? e.g. would I eat 1 every 10 minutes or what?

Seems a much nicer alternative than slimy gels!

MrsWeds I last gave blood in early January so am due to do it this week - have postponed the appointment for obvious reasons! I'm dead common (O neg) so I'm sure they can wait a week or two.

TheMaster I've been given a very unstylish running vest by my charity - bright yellow! I'm seriously thinking I may steal DH's short cycling shorts for Sunday, pretty certain they'll be OK so I'll take them for a trial run tomorrow. They do however expose my footballer knees!

I used to think those gels were rank. When I did tough guy and had one half way round when I was starting to get hypothermia, it was the best thing ever. Funny how when they are needed they are suddenly very yummy. That changed my mind to them. They are now a part of my first aid kit in my mountaineering gear.

thecoo little and often is the general advice I think. Look at the carb content on the pack - I'm aiming to get 45g of carbs every hour, which for me is a pack of my lemon sweets, about 6 sweets per pack so yes one every 10 minutes.

PenguinArmy I prefer the sweets to the gels, but yes when you need them the gels are very readily absorbed - especially when you have them with water.

thecoo - I am experimenting with eating on the run at the moment - I'm training for a 1/2 and am trying dried apricots and jelly babies for my long run, don't really like the gels either. I don't eat for the first 45 mins but then have 2 every 30 mins or so. So far, for me, the biggest difference has been having a proper brekkie before I go. I ran a hilly 4 miles yesterday morning before breakfast and I found it really hard going - I was much slower than I wanted to be. This breakfast thing has been a revelation

We are having horrible weather up here at the moment - 0% chance of a tan - more likley to get trench foot. Very wet and windy. I think tomorrow will definitley be an intervals on a treadmill session.

I'm curious about gels and sweets and the like; I usually run on an empty stomach, or if going for a long run in the morning, maybe a banana and/or slice of wholemeal toast. If running at other times of day, I find anything but a very light meal really buggers me up repeats on me. My longest runs are around the 11 mile mark now (which takes me a long time- around 1h 45mins). Do I need to refuel? Will it help me? Just curious as to the rationale behind it and whether a totally recreational runner like me should even bother?

No I only bothered with sweets and gels once over 14 miles - I don't much like them but you really need something once you get to those distances. One thing I've not really got a handle on is eating right after a run, but that's meant to help with muscle recovery.

paws; I keep a bag of dolly mixtures in the car (mostly to hide them from DD!) but I have been known to scoff a handful after a long run. I'm sure my muscles love 'em

Thanks for the input paws and squix - though I'm only training for 10 miles at the moment, so it sounds like I may not need to worry yet.

drivingmiss I thought you said you were slow... if you're running 11 miles in 1hr45 then that's not too bad at all.

I had a rest day today and all I've done is eat - probably why I had jellybeans on my mind... can't wait to get back out again tomorrow.

thecoo - that'd be on a VERY good day...