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

Well done LaLa, that's a brilliant time!

I don't have a garmin I'm afraid. I think Driving might just have got a new one, that could just be my imagination though

have superbusy week ahead but would really love to get out at some point. Did my exercise class in the park on Thursday, which involves a bit of running, and really enjoyed it. This is also our last week of having DP at home so my last chance to get out during the day. He has finally got a new contract after 6 months unemployment. Hurrah for sanity and money but boo for running and afternoon naps. Timing has been pretty good though as am finally starting to feel better and in fact have not had a nap the last 3 days.

garmin 205 is what I have (?99 on pixmania) - it seems great, but it has made me realise that (1) I have trained myself to run rather slowly (v. depressing) and (2) that I struggle to maintain consistent pace (going from under 5 min/k to 6:40 min/k) even though effort feels OK. Anyone else have this? I tried using counting to regulate my cadence which helped a bit, but really there's only so much 1-2-3-4 I can take before going insane

YouMakeMe that a really great time - well done. Extra distance is never any harm (I'm finding the opposite with my Garmin)

(wanders in twitching and mumbling due to tapering)...ok...I haven't run since Thursday and my plan says 2 miles on Tuesday...that's not enough to keep me sane..may put it up to 3! Running club on Thursday and the chap there says we are going to do short and easy run (as a few of us are doing the half). This is so weird though having got up to 21 miles a week..it is so easy to lose confidence in that can I actually run AT ALL! (wanders out mumbling and being generally grumpy due to tapering!)

driving can you talk about pace in old money please, I only understand miles, so have no idea if you are slow or not. I am guessing not and you are being hard on yourself woman.

I have discovered Lucozade Jelly Beans and will be shoving some in my bum bag (running is so stylish....) for my HM. I always do 8/9 miles or more with fuel and some Luzozade. Might be a bit of a crutch, but think I would struggle without it tbh.

Disclaimer: I have never owned a bum bag before becoming a runner. Now I understand how practical they are for keys/jelly beans/mobile phone. I will never wear my bum bag when not running. Promise.

futurity I am just like you. I ran today when I shouldn't......but yes, averaging 25 miles a week to barely nothing feels wrong. I feel your pain sista

Am stuck in traffic on way back from our trip to Brighton. Got a fair bit of running in and clocked up 22 miles. Had to abandon running to the Marina and back due to high winds this morning buut managed same distance inland although at times felt like I was running on the spot due to wind.

Well done lala!

drno your bumbag sounds v stylish! I don't think I've owned once since teenage ski trips but may have to invest when I start doing all my runs outside - is yours specific to running or a fashion item?

Well done lala :)

Driving, that garmin looks like just what i need :)
I've used imapmyrun today, did 5k in 35 minutes, iwas 'pacing' myself trying to imagine that i'd have to do this another 3 times for a hm (roughly).
That kind of training is not goint to work is it ;)
Ineed to keep myself injury free until the end of september...
New trainer tomorrow morning, hopefully we'll get on, he looks scary!

June it uses GPS (but doesn't seem too troubled by trees) and will calculate pace (also average pace, best pace), log intervals and allow you to structure interval runs. My only problem with it is that lack of an accelerator and the fact that I spend too much time looking at it! This model doesn't have a heart rate monitor - I have one of those, but rarely use it, except when I want to see how my easy pace has progressed.

average 6.15min/k is slightly over a 10 minute mile - the faster ones probably around 8min30...I think the issue is that I have mostly done long slow mileage and haven't trained my body to run at speed - and it doesn't like it. I did 5 miles today in 47 mins - my target for the 5 miler in July is to get under 45...

I then sprinted 100m down the road outside in 22 seconds (and managed to injure my elbow )

any tips on how to entertain a 6 year old boy? we have one coming to stay next weekend and I only know about toddler girls? He likes bird identification (which is OK, because I am a bit of a bird nerd...)

Cheers DrNo ...we can rock together in the corner in a tapering haze!

although pleasingly every km split was faster than the last...

the bird feeder idea is a brilliant one - stealing that...bonfire might be fun too. Thanks.

Why 7am? that seems a bit extreme for a Sunday!

Aargh, I haven't run since Tuesday!

june2009 - I also just run with water and jelly babies ? if fact it tends to be water for anything over 6 miles (roughly an hour) and jelly babies/dried fruit for anything over 10 miles. My long runs range between 9 miles and 14 miles ? partly depending how much time I have.

DrNorthener - I found I only really felt grumpy / bad tempered on race day itself. I did a 2 week taper of 11 miles, 3x4 ish easy miles, then wk 2 - 8 miles 2 x 3 easy miles ? last run on the Wednesday before race on Sunday. I think for me it was more nerves about the race itself rather than not being out running that made me grumpy ? would I have enough time to go to the loo beforehand etc. Was talking to a friend last week who said the same ? she gets very nervous about running in public.

I have these ?bum? bags this for longer runs when I carry water, tissues, phone, keys, snacks and this for either races where water is provided and all I need is jelly babies and keys or for shorter runs where it?s just keys and phone and I?m not wearing anything with a zip pocket. I really don?t like taking my phone but it gives DH peace of mind that if I am out and 6-7 miles from home and something happens I can call for help.

LaLa - well done ? smashing time!

Those contemplating Garmins ? I am a definite convert. I have a 305 ? certainly does the job for me. I don?t use the heart rate monitor though. DH found it on ebay at a reasonable price.

I have one of these

It is NOT a bumbag. (Did I say that loud enough?) My husband jokes that I look like I am going "off road" when I wear it - a Fast Show reference I think.

those bags look good (although have to admit to a smirk at 'gussetted pocket' - it's my inner 9 year old boy coming out) - I usually only take keys/water/jelly babies and realise that I rarely tell DP which route I am taking. They are almost all logged though, so I guess someone would find me in the end...perhaps I should be more careful. Trouble is, I like leaving my phone behind and this is part of the pleasure of it for me.

I take my phone, but it's on silent so noone can contact me. The one time I forgot, I got a text alert and it bugged me so much!

I should confess that the first couple of times DD went to nursery (pfb or what?) I did have my phone 'in case they rang'...they never have.

Well look at all of us with our bumbags. If we ever have a meetup we should wear them as a means to recognise each other.

I read an interesting article in my triathlon magazine (get me, pretending to be an expert!) about energy drinks. There's some decent research that shows you don't have to actually swallow the drink to have an effect! Putting the drink in your mouth (and then spitting it out) is enough to send the message to the brain that says "yay, carbs are coming" and that reduces the perception of effort and makes the session easier! This only worked though for sessions lasting approx 30-60 mins. And less and you don't need the energy anyway and any more and your brain won't be tricked.
The other thing that the article was saying was that it takes times for carbs to be absorbed to and used by the muscles so in exercise sessions under an hour not enough carbs get absorbed to make any difference and so this backs up the theory (which has been confirmed by a brain scanning thing) of this brain-mouth connection.

I only use energy drinks (the powder you dissolve) when doing a cycle followed by a run or a cycle over an hour (I don't tend to run for more than an hour) and I make it half strength as otherwise it makes me feel sick. It makes me feel better and more energetic but I did think before I read the article that it was as much pyscological as 'real' energy.

PS. I do not own a bum bag.

Hello! Can I join in and ask a question?

I'm quite new to running, did the Glasgow 10K in May and now looking to do the Glasgow half marathon in September. I don't follow training plans, I find them off-putting for a few reasons but I'm hoping they're not essential. I also have only just started timing myself but haven't really got my head around splits etc. I successfully aimed for a sub-1 hour time at the 10k, and am now aiming for sub 2 hour time at the half. I run two days on, one day off, and I try to do at least one long run a week, increasing my distance every couple of weeks and then working on my speed the rest of the time.

I was wondering how people have found training from 10K to half-marathon distance. Is it as hard/harder than getting from 0K to 10K? I'm at the stage where I'm running 10K reasonably comfortably but the thought of doubling it is still a bit alarming!

Hi EmmaBemma, others will come and chat to you about training schedules but here's my take. I can't answer the question about 0-10K as I've always been a runner, but as for the amount of training you're doing, I think it sounds fine and if you're happy with it and it works for you then stick with it.

When I trained for a 1/2 I did 2 runs of about 4-5 miles in the week and then a longer one at the w/e, building up mileage every week or so. You have a while until Sept so if you increase by a mile every week or so then you'll be fine.

I don't follow schedules, never have, never will, never been injured.

Just one comment - a sub 2hr 1/2 marathon is faster than a sub 1hr 10K if you know what I mean. Quite doable, but you'll need to go from reasonable runner to good runner.

Morning Emma! I am doing my first half on Sunday. Prior to this the longest race I ran was a 10k. It is not as hard as going from 0 to 10k so don't worry! You already have the base fitness, it just needs improving. Your training plan sounds pretty good to me. Just start increasing your long runs slowly each week. I got upto 11 miles. Remember your longer runs should be slower than your shorter runs. I joined a running club which really helped with my pace. Do you have people you can run with?

Welcome to our thread by the way. And you need to buy a bumbag

I do not own a bumbag. I train up to 1/2 marathon level taking nothing with me. In a 1/2 marathon race I will drink water only.