runner united (we talk almost as fast as we run)

[drivingmisscrazy]

a thread for runners to chat, debate, share tips, triumphs (and the occasional disaster!) - new runners particularly welcome, the only thing that's required is enthusiasm (and a pair of running shoes)

29/05/11 - Stirling R4L: squix
29/05/11 - Plymouth Half Marathon: sungirltan
30/05/11 - BUPA 10K: MoshiMoshi
01/06/11 - BHF Canary Wharf 10K jog: june2009
05/06/11 - Tilty Hilly 5(mile): bonkers20
05/06/11 - RFL 10k: LaLa
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
12/06/11 - The Heroes half marathon - Futurity
19/06/11 - Dash for Dads - Pawsnclaws
19/06/11 - Half Ironman UK 70.3 - Twink, MoshiMoshi
25/06/11 - Lewa half marathon Kenya - Masterandmargaritas
26/06/11 - Stortford 10 miles - thecoo
26/06/11 - Colworth half marathon - cestlavie
06/07/11- Yately 10k (not actually booked yet): DebiTheScot
10/07/11 - RFL 5K, Kingston & Kempton Park: Wheelybug
10/07/11 - Felsted 10K: bonkers20
16/07/11 - Phoenix park 5 miler - drivingmisscrazy
17/07/11 - RFL St Albans - Pawsnclaws
17/07/11 - Dundee Half marathon - TheChewyToffeeMum
17/07/11- Chichester (Sprint) Triathlon: DebiTheScot
20/08/11 - Frank Duffy 10 mile, Dublin - drivingmisscrazy
03/09/11 - Dingle Half-Marathon - drivingmisscrazy
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon - thetasigmamum
18/09/11 - GNR: Hamster, Run for fun, popsycal, LaLa
23/09/11 - Notting Half Marathon: cestlavie
25/09/11 - Edinburgh Urbanathlon: backwardpossom
25/09/11 - Windsor Half Marathon: Doyouthinktheysaurus
02/10/11 - Standalone 10K: Futurity
02/10/11 - Bradford Half Marathon - MrsWednesday
02/10/11 - Baxter's River Ness 10k - backwardpossom
16/10/11 - Abingdon Marathon: MoshiMoshi
30/10/11 - Great South Run: Wheely, squix
19/02/12 - Brighton Half marathon - Wheely

thanks everyone - can i ask something - i am meant to be going to the club tonight but i still have that achilles niggle....it was getting better and i think i was an eejit yesterday, so excited about new kit i went for a run (only a really short one though) and today the niggle is back....will it be ok to run on or should i rest it until its completely gone? i really wanted to go tonight but i dont want to be off my feet for ages....still doing the ice etc on it.

wish i'd stopped at my first tendon niggle but I did another two runs and did it in. Sixth week of no running now :( Does it hurt? Sharp or sore?

Mine isn't painful any more but it is a bit puffy and I'm scared to make it worse again.

Oh weights. Should I get weights before 30 day shred arrives? And I ave no intention of doing 30 days in a row, does that matter? I'm looking forward to having something I can do if the weather is too horrendous to run or cycle or if I'm going to be short of time to get out the house.

Deciding whether to run with a niggle is a constant battle I feel. Sometimes, I think, just the very nature of being a runner means that something hurts sometimes, and you have to go through certain pains to get stronger.

Only you know how bad it is. I have run through small niggles, then I pulled a calf muscle and literally it stopped my in my tracks. I was unable to run.

My physio told me a good rule is does the injury affect you when walking? If so, don't run......

Dh and I did a monster hill sesh at running club last night. I kept thinking about those mountains hills I will need to tackle in the Bradford half MrsWeds.......

On Fri, we are doing a social run with the club at 10pm at night around our 2 local resovoirs (approx 10 miles), followed by tea/coffee and cakes by lantern light at the end. How nice does that sound?!

Debi - some people use tins of soup or whatever, but tbh, if you have some base fitness from running you really should be using weights. Most people get a cheapo set of three different weights to allow them to move up as they get used to it (e.g 1, 2, 3 kg from Amazon/argos.) From what I have seen on other threads people usually start around 1 or 2 kg and take it from there.

yes get weights and have you got a mat? level three i needed a lot of padding as one is doing press ups with weights in hands and it really hurt my knuckles.

hahahaha at what is in store for you with the shred, although running fitness really helps. I did it instead of running during the snow. I got 1kg weights should have got 2 or 3. tk maxx often have them or john lewis sale starts later.

Game of thrones, I am not allowed sky either, have got the first book. Happy to lend it out if I ever finish it...

i did the shred....get some cheapo weights from argos. ive had mine years and i use them alot.

my niggle....yes it affects my walking, i am limping slightly, it pulls as i walk and feels like i have a bruise even though i dont....i guess that means i should rest it then.?

i really wanted to go to the club tonight - i had psyched myself up to going

Where is the niggle?

I wouldn't run if I were you.

No don't run. That's exactly what I did and just look at me. Also if you have new shoes they'll need a little wearing in, that combined with minor injury could get you a big pain. Go swimming, good for foot strengthening and flexibility.

ok, thanks guys, ive emailed the club and explained. the next time i could go due to my shifts will be in july anyway - so that should give me plenty of time to rest it then build up slowly.

i am obviously doing to much too fast, its my own fault as im so impatient. Its so disappointing though, ill get it back on ice and rest it up for a few days.

vicar i would not run either, i like the idea of going swimming instead, just so that you don't feel like you're missing out completely. injuries have stopped me training for weeks at a time and in hindsight that could have all been avoided if I just had rested a little more.

I did a 10k run this morning, my plan said "slow&easy", so I did it in 70 minutes. Felt good after, I've noticed that the 7th kilometre is always the one where I either get a stitch or notice my knee is hurting, or my foot...
I have a small blister on one of my toes though which I've never had before, do you just let it be or put something on it??

Thanks to whoever mentionned the runkeeper app, it was great knowing where i was at every 5 minutes.

ibby I run on my own, the gym had a running club for about 3 weeks when I could not go and now it's cancelled. I don't really want to pay another club somewhere else, maybe I'll try and see if one of them offers ad-hocs sessions maybe? A friend of mine said she wanted to run with me but that has yet to happen (she's got 2 under 2, hard to find the time!)
The girl I am doing the half with does a fair bit of running and we did say we would run together at some point so I should get in touch!

driving have a good time in France, (I come from there, more west than south though) the south is really lovely.

time to pick dd up from nursery.

hullo, I run about once a fortnight at the mo, but have noticed improvements on distance each time, up to about 0.6 mile at a jog, then walk/jog/walk etc for half an hour,
had new trainers (asics) as had been wearing george/asda ones, but since I had the asics have noticed quite bad knee pain just for the following 2 days - is this normal?

Vicar I think the others are right - I wouldn't run with an achilles niggle (and it sounds like a bit more than a niggle). Maybe try some fast walking in your new shoes (it was probably caused by your feet rolling out and will resolve, but not overnight). The achilles is a huge tendon, and that's what makes it inflexible. Some heel lifts might help (stand on the bottom step of the stairs, let your heels drop and slowly pull up to level again - google 'achilles exercises'). You need to strengthen your lower legs to take the strain that your achilles is trying (and failing) to absorb. Is it one leg, or both?

just my right leg drivingmisscrazy

i thought it had gone, yesterday i hardly noticed it all, did a really short run to try out new trainers/clothes and it seems to have brought it back on. ill try those exercises.

hello can i crash in? i don't really do races but try and run 5 miles a few times a week. would love some tips on how to speed up or build on what i am doing. i am pretty slow. 50mins normally (i think i don't really time myself)

It might just be that the Asics aren't right for you - I usually use Brooks (wide feet!) and they are perfect for me, got some Asics at the beginning of the year and ended up with loads of injuries. Did you get them from a running shop? If so they might exchange them if you're not happy with them.

Running with niggles is a difficult one isn't it? Cestlavie I haven't had a pain like that one but I did end up with an achy right quad muscle before the marathon, it started a week before and felt like a dead leg. I carried on regardless and it never got any worse, but it did add to my pre-race worries. Agree with the advice that if it's affecting the way you walk then it's really not a good idea to run.

No hill session for me (yet) but I have done some intervals (of sorts!) when running home yesterday - I did 1 mile warm up, 5 minutes at 8 m/m, two minutes recovery then repeat, and did it 5 times in total. It was hard work but enjoyable, mainly because I felt like I really pushed myself for the first time in ages (was all red-faced and breathing heavily).

Thanks very much for the Spartacus workout, that looks great. I am going to print it off today and get some weights next week after payday - I feel ready to start some more proper training now!

Social Friday night run sounds fab.

Hope all the injury niggles clear up.

TheMaster good luck in your race, you'll be fine without fitting in any last minute runs, you're a serious Kenyan altitude runner - will sponsor you next week (again, waiting for payday!)

Right, I have conference calls to dial into and not listen to so better get on.

Sorry, cross-posted, welcome PredictableDullard (good name!)

Squix, impressed your Garmin survived a washing cycle!

Will use weights definitely next time yummy - although I have 2x 1kg weights (the sort of beanbag ones that wrap round the arm so I'll use both somehow). That said, it seems to have exacerbated my ankle niggle, which is definitely no more than a niggle - more uncomfy rather than hurts. It doens't hurt when I run but does when I walk which makes me wonder if its caused more by my birkies (although ahve worn them for years no trouble). So I may lay off the dvd tonight as I want to be able to run tomorrow. Sigh.

Cest - I hope the injury clears up ok in time for the race. Fishie and vicar - hope yours sort out too. Congrats on the new shoes vicar - I run in brooks too.

Have a great holiday driving - As I type the rain is beating against my back doors so v. jealous.

ooh and welcome Whipme (you need to speak to Paws about her tv watching with a name like that) and predictable.

Whipme - maybe go back to the shop if they fitted them and get them to have a look. However, I did have to run my first pair and second pair of running shoes in a bit before they were comfy.

predictable - I am no expert but if you want to get faster then doing shorter faster intervals is the key I think. So as mrsW was describing with short bursts at a faster speed and then slowing down for recovery. But you might find as you run more you get faster anyway.

vicar - remind me where you bought your trainers from? I have heard some people cannot get on with Asics as the cut bothers their achilles tendons. If you were advised by a proper running shop they should take them back as they are likely to be the cause of the problem.

Speaking on the topic of pushing on through injuries, I was thinking when running today (8 miles in the rain at 9m/m pace) that I am determined to feel undertrained so as not to get injured this time. Better to manage an entire training schedule without any time off for injuries than to run fast and then miss a few weeks off in the middle of it. The aim should be consistent consistency. My inclination is to push hard and I inevitably end up overtraining or picking up injuries. I think if we focus on saving our best efforts for the harder sessions, eg the intervals or tempo runs, then we should all make a conscious effort to almost cruise during the other easy runs. They are, after all, aerobic boosting sessions, and if you save your energy for the harder efforts you are more likely to do them properly and get a good idea of what speed you are capable of. So we should all stop worrying about how slow we have just run a session and focus on the runs that are true indicators of what we can do, eg the 800m intervals or a 6 mile tempo run.

Welcome to whipme and predictable!

Getting excited about the weekend's racing!

Just to confirm - Garmin is fine - I tested on a 5 mile interval run over lunch time.

mine are Brookes and i had a gait analysis at Up and Running yesterday - my niggle had happened prior to this though....i was just using off the peg nike trainers that i discovered yesterday are a "neutral" shoe and i need something to stop me rolling inwards...so i think my achilles niggle has been the result of my old poor fitting shoes and the fact i may have built up to 5k too quickly.

Thanks for thoughts all of you.

As you say DrNo it feels like there is one niggle or another - just a factor of being a runner. When you notice them when you're just walking though then best stop running and get it checked out so afraid I agree with everyone else fishie and vicar - rest unfortunately and try not to build up too quickly. Think usual advice is +10% longest mileage per week.

Managed to get down physio at lunchtime to get mine checked out and not great but not awful. Either a small muscle tear in the top of the adductor or just strained adductor/ abdominal muscles which have screwed up tendons a bit. On downside, definitely no more running until Sunday but lots of rest, light stretching, anti-inflammatories and icing (which should be interesting at work given where the injury is!) On the upside, if it's no worse, it's okay to run on Sunday and see how it goes - hoorah!

To Moshi's wise words about not pushing yourself too hard unnecessarily, have got a feeling that what may have pushed it over the edge was back to back 5 and 8 mile tempo runs last week which I was doing in a frantic bid to catch up on training. Also, physio mentioned my core posture ain't that great which probably didn't help but worth remembering just how important technique is (and how often that goes to hell when you're running hard and getting sloppy which I SO do and which definitely makes you more likely to get injured).

Hi and welcome predictable and whipme. Did you get your Asics properly fitted at a running shop whipme? If so, you should definitely go back and speak to them about it. Asics are fine for lots of people but I know some people definitely don't get on with them.

PS. DrNo love the idea of that run with cake and lanterns at the end! Guess with it being a running club they don't provide cold beers...?

Good news (ish) Cestlavie, hope you feel good by Sunday.

Wise words Moshi, as always!

DrNo, am massively at your social run this Friday, what a lovely idea!

Welcome whipme and predictable.

Now this Shred. What is it for? Is it a super fitness thing, a weight loss thing, or a combination of both? I have just dug out my pregnancy yoga DVD so I think that will have to substitute for shredding for now.

Hope you all have a brilliant holiday Driving. Feeling sorry for your DP though will not get to indulge in the fine wines and delicious stinky cheeses!!! You'll have to eat for two

I knew you'd all think it was a cool idea. Everyone at work is taking the piss out of me for spending my Friday eve running round a resevoir when I should (according to them) be out partying!

Cestlavie that is good news really about your injury. REst properly and you'll be up an running by Sunday. All things considered that's a good thing. I now have a mental picture of you sat at your desk icing your groin.....

RE shoes, I am a total ASICS convert, but then I have narrow feet. Have also had Sauconay, Nike and Adidas but now will only ever wear ASICS. It's just finding what is best for you.

When I first started running seriously I had all manners of aches and pains, and developed shin splints, so be careful those of you who are quite new to upping the mileage/intensity.

No running for me today. Steady 3 miles tomorrow.