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

DD goes to nursery 3x a week in the mornings, and now my teaching term is finished I can switch my long run to one of those days...and then do a shorter hour long run on a Sunday, hopefully early in the morning. The plan was this morning to be up and out before they were up, and back in time for pancakes; but DD had other ideas (the irony being that she has been sleeping in until about 8 most mornings lately...)

dying to hear the stories, times, splits, uplifting sightings of proud DPs/DHs/DCs etc

My BIL did it in 3.23. It's his PB. Very proud

Fantastic time for your BIL DrNortherner! Was it his first marathon?

... presumably not, otherwise you wouldn't have mentioned a PB

I finished....in 4.47 so says the Garmin It also says I ran 27.09miles though

Will give a full report when at home tomorrow but in summary, it hurt far more than I imagined, especially the last 6 miles.

I'm pleased with my time in so much as I couldn't't have run any faster. I've had an amazing day got to see family twice which was great.

Stairs are a nightmare and I have blistrrs

Thanks again for all your support.

I hope Moshi, gizmo and Fascicle are ok. Look forward to hearing how you all did.

Well done doyou - that's brilliant! And I'm so happy that you managed to spot your family too :)

Now go put your feet up and prepare to give us the in depth report tomorrow...

Well done!!! You are a superstar , that is an amazing achievement.

Looking forward to hearing all the details when you've recovered. Brilliant, well done!

Hurrah for doyouthinktheysaurus well done you can't wait for the full report once you feel more human able to

about fitting in runs with family life, I suppose I should be able to do more than most seeing that I am more or less a SAHM with dd in yr1 but I also study, part time degree and help out with dh's admin, he is self employed.

but I sometimes feel guilty, and feel like I ought to be doing something else, less frivolous I suppose but I am fast letting go of such notions as running really helps me function better

I am also about to embark in my own self employed adventure, I predict long hrs and much stress so even more important then
the saving grace is that dh does his own sports and we cooperate in finding time to suit both, not always easy it is true

doyouthinktheysaurus congratulations! what an amazing achievement; I hope you are having a well earned relaxed meal and early night!

Hurray! Congratulations Doyou, you must feel really proud. That's a great time! Can't wait to bear your report, it looked hot out there. Have a well earned rest tonight. Brilliant!

Am amazed at your brother's PB DrNo, he must be superfit!

the coo no not BIL's first. He has done Berlin, New York, Chicago and now VLM.

Doyou well done, fab time!! Does it feel amazing to cross the finish line? I can only imagine just how much it hurts. In awe of all of the runners who finished.

Hope all our other ladies finished feeling comfortable.

Wow - congratulations Doyou!

Congratulations DoYou what a fantastic time! You did brilliantly! Look forward to receiving your full report ....

doyou what a star. Well done. Enjoy this evening and hope stairs and feet get better soon.

drivingmiss and sfxmum it is tricky isn't it, fitting running in with everything else, in particular families and weekends. I am getting into the habit of getting up early one day a weekend to get out for a long run and back in time to have the best part of a day with DD and DH. DD is desparate to come out with me, she's almost 4 so still a bit too wee, although this summer I might start doing some laps of the park with her. It's not a big park and I am hoping it'll be good fun. She has also started to give me her jelly babies to eat on my run with strict instructions that I can only have the pink ones at the top of a hill and a green one at the bottom and yesterday she interrogated me when I came back to make sure I did as I was told!

Long run yesterday (12 v. slow miles), rest today - tomorrow am going to do a tempo run - aiming for just under 1/2 marathon pace over 6 miles - will see how I go.

Looking forward to all the rest of the VLM tales.

I think that's what was so galling about this morning squix - I had a plan that wouldn't impact too much and then it got royally cocked up. I've no problem with getting up early to run (well, within reason!) so that I'd be back for a lazy sunday breakfast. But if I don't go early, then I find I don't get out for anything longer than max 5 miles because we are doing other things by then...

what's your hm target pace? we sound like we might be similar runners - I'm hoping for about a 6:10 min/km (just over 10mm) - but I've only been back running properly since Jan so am not sure how realistic this is. I've done a 10 miles and many 9 milers, and hoping to push these up to HM distance before May 21st. I'll work on getting my time down over the next 3 HMs I have planned for this year!

dying to hear more stories!!

Oh and well done Mrs Weds too on your 18 miler, I found a couple of nurofen got me through the worst of the soreness after a really long run. Your turn soon!

hello - i did a half marathon last year but since then have struggled with my knee - have started the beginners running course again

I love running but Im not sure my knee is going to hold up.

it doenst help with DH watching part of London this morning and saying they are going to knacker themselves up - why do they want to do that - bodies are not designed to run so far etc etc.

Welcome racmac!

Where's Moshi? I expect she's gone for a second lap .

I had to move my long run from a Saturday to a Tuesday morning due to family stuff. Difficult at the moment as it is school holidays so am squeezing in my eight miles tomorrow morning..it will be like a military exercise getting kids ready for holiday club, making pack lunches etc and then out the door by 8 to get the run done so I can get back and do some work! Would much prefer a more leisurely long run but it is always like this in the holidays.

Congratulations Doyouthinktheysaurus ..that is a wonderful time! Can't wait to hear further details!

...or a sub 45 10k??

Racmac welcome, in the olden days I got a little book called looking after your knees full of good advice, currently having trouble with one of mine too, I have not been good at looking after them
don't let people tell knock you back, if it feels good to you do it, half marathon is a great achievement to just give up

LOL at moshi second lap

Hello all, sitting in car on way back from Greenwich so thought I'd give you an update:

A hot, cross, uncomfortable race. And after all my pontificating about pace, I rather ballsed up my race by attempting to run miles 6 - 10 at 8 min/miles, well outside my capacity . Anyway, finished in 3.49, a bit adrift of my target, but I'd probably lost 4 minutes over the first couple of miles, which so congested we had to walk at times.

I do hope Moshi & Fascicle are ok - it really wasn't much fun out there...and big respect to Douyou - hope you're making some plans for the next one

Ah, thanks for all your kind words

Official chip time is 4.47.03, went through halfway in 2.19.

Have had a lovely evening, met up with my DB, SIL and niece and nephew for a drink then had fish and chips Now resting in bed and itching to hear how our other marathoners got on!

Well done to everyone else running this weekend.

gizmo that's a great time - I can't remember your target but huge congratulations anyway (I am that the winners were running about 3 min/k x 40 !! astounding - I think I'm doing well if I manage a km at sub 5 mins...)

why was it no fun? too hot? too crowded? (I consciously avoid really big races - there's a Dublin women's 10k which is now about 22, 000 people and I just can't stand it)