Runners united: I run, I do running, I am a runner

[DebiTheScot]

We've run out of room on the other thread so I hope you don't mind me starting the new one.
This thread is for runners to share running stories and chat about life in general too. Anyone with running shoes welcome!

Our latest race list is below. Feel free to add or remove races from it.

06/07/11- Yately 10k: 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
24/07/11 - Harrogate town centre 10k - DrNortherner
20/08/11 - Frank Duffy 10 mile, Dublin - drivingmisscrazy
03/09/11 - Dingle Half-Marathon - drivingmisscrazy
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon - thetasigmamum
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon- N4nny
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
25/09/11 - London Half Marathon Run to the beat: June2009
25/09/11 - New Forest Half Marathon: MoshiMoshi
02/10/11 - Standalone 10K: Futurity
02/10/11 - Bradford Half Marathon - MrsWednesday
02/10/11 - Baxter's River Ness 10k - backwardpossom
02/10/11 - The Run, Northampton - YeahThatsTheBadger
09/10/11 - Great Eastern Run, Peterborough - Futurity
16/10/11 - Abingdon Marathon: MoshiMoshi
30/10/11 - Great South Run: Wheely, squix
20/11/11 - Leeds Abbey Dash (10k) - DrNortherner
19/02/12 - Brighton Half marathon - Wheely
27/05/12 - London Bupa 10K - Futurity

Hello new thread - didn't realise I had been away that long.

Well done all the racers, hope all the concert goers have had fun.

Just back from a long weekend in Devon - and the end of my week long birthday celebrations - lots of sunshine, running,wine and cakes.....a great mix.

Treated to lovely afternoon tea at a posh hotel, great Sunday lunch at an organic farm restaurant, bbq, picnic at the beach - not quite sure how we fitted it all in. So far being 40 is great .

Some good runs with my dad and sister too. Dad made me run up huge hills ( a killer 1 in 5) and then made me maintain 7.30 pace for about 5 mins at the end of the run on the flat. Most of the hills were hard and I realised that I probably need to do some specific hill sessions in my program. Most of my routes are hilly but i just tend to trot up them. So what do you suggest - short and steep or long and steady?

Trying to work out how to fit in decent runs over the next 5 weeks before we go off on our big holiday - busy at work so I think some early morning runs on the cards for me. Ohhhh and must break out the shred DVD - has anyone else started with it yet?

And welcome to new posters on the thread

woken up with achy joints and killer headache...not sure what to do about my intervals run planned for today.

I'm feeling very demotivated about my running - 700 miles this year so far and one crappy race and an average pace of about 10.40 mm to show for it. Help, ladies (and gent)?

Driving I would NOT do your planned training today. If you feel you must do something then do some stretching. I don't think training today will be any benefit for you. How about going for a swim?

I hope others can help you with your motivation. I haven't been on here long enough to really know how you train. I do suspect that feeling rubbish today isn't helping at all.

Do you go by the above neck/below neck symptom rule for exercising when you're feeling unwell, driving? I would say you should give your interval run a miss today and see how you are tomorrow.

I'm sorry you're feeling demotivated. I know from my own experience what an elusive, slippery thing motivation can be! I'm not an expert about training but I'm sure lots of other people can help with some concrete advice. I want to say that it sounds like you need to focus more on speedwork but that's a bit, well, duh! of course, but what sort of speedwork and how much, that I don't know.

Wow squix - can your dad come and make me run up some hills too please? He sounds brilliant. No idea about hillwork - one of my routes has a longish steady hill at the beginning and two nasty short sharp ones near the end that I try to force myself up quickly if I can. The longish steady one I just try to maintain normal pace up but perhaps I should push myself more too.

I seem to be the only person on mumsnet not shredding! I don't have time for any more exercise sessions really. My cross training (of sorts) is a weekly/twice weekly trip to the climbing wall, and running around after two boisterous under fives.

thanks Bonkers. How do I train? well, slowly, clearly :) I try and do some kind of speedwork, a long run and some easy runs each week.

Hi all! Went for a weekend away and all sorts of actvity happens here. Well done on the race Science!

Sorry to hear about the motivation issues DRiving - I am sure most of us suffer from it at one point or another! Do you do a range of training? I have to admit that I would struggle to only 'do running', which is why I only run 3 time a week max and do something else 2/3 times a week. Stops me getting bored, and generally has the positive effect of strengthening core/legs and therefore benefiting running overall.

Well, since my short run and circuit session of friday, I did went away and therefore ate and rank far too much! Did manage a session in a hotel gym (luxury for me, as I am not a gym member - could not justify the expense as there is no way I could manage to get there more than once a weeK.) Did a session on the bike and the rower, purely because they are thigs I hardly ever do and just wanted to mix it up. Then did 7 miles yesterday. Was ok, but it felt pretty warm.

I have decided to join a running club at the end of the month when DH returns home from being away 5/6 days a week (hurray - it has been YEARS!) Unfortunately he has decided that he wants to join too, so I will only be able to go fortnight (grr...) Hopefully they may force me to do intervals/speed drills etc that I am pretty rubbish about disciplining myself to do.

hello runners. My injury has cleared up and I am up and out. Tripped over a tree root but managed to roll on to my bottom so not too bad. Do you all fall over occasionally? I do it about two or three times a year. It seems to be one of those things that people use to tut tut about running, like 'ooh you will destroy your knees'.

I am avoiding the shred as far as possible. It is my unrunnably bad weather exercise.

Sorry folks, I know this has been done before....Garmins!

I am buying DH one for his birthday next month and have been looking at the bewildering array on offer. He is quite into his running and quite good, so I think it would be a worthwhile investment to get a good model with a range of features, however I would be interested in your feedback on what features/models you have found the most useful.

Thank you!!

I don't know about the higher spec models, but I have a 205 and I can't honestly see that you'd need much else - you can do intervals on it, laps, etc etc. I think most people on here have this model. It's been superceded but seems fine to me. The GPS signal is fine, even under trees.

I have the 305 but I think the only difference between that and the 205 is it has heart rate monitor (which I no longer use but might do in the future). Never had a problem losing signal..just takes a while to get one.

I know what you mean about motivation Driving . After I trained for half marathon in 2009 but never got to do it (due to illness) I then ran the distance myself when I was better and almost killed myself! After that I lost all motivation and didn't run for AGES. It was only in the summer of 2010 when I did a bootcamp for 6 weeks with some fun lovely ladies that I got my interest back in exercise and then started running again. The running club started up at the local gym a few weeks later and then the half marathon was mentioned and I was away again and hooked. I always need something to aim for (hence entering a few more runs already) and even though I am a fellow plodder I am (trying) to learn to accept that and focus on my own goals rather than that of other speedy people if you see what I mean.

Sorry if waffling..am sleepy today after Take That concert last night (fab!). No run this morning as my legs are recovering but will go out tomorrow.

yes futurity I do know what you mean about focussing on your own goals; but it's hard sometimes. I suppose the goal doesn't have to be speed, either. My main thing for this year was to run 2000k and not get injured. I'm on target so far...

Hi driving, know what you mean. Felt like this 2 - 3 months ago where you feel like you've reached a plateau and you just can't push through, be it distance or speed. Have also had one less good race where I was nowhere near my original target (for various reasons). Know also what you mean about needing to pick yourself up when it all begins to feel like a bit of a slog rather than fun - am in process of trying to do so at the moment!

For me, it's a little bit a case of trying to start afresh mentally. I've got a race in the diary for mid September so am trying to focus on that and the plan to getting a better time in that.

Maybe it's a case of stepping back a bit, refocusing on your aims or even changing your aims if you think you need to and building a plan towards them. You've got a HM about the same time as me (early September) so there's plenty of time to work towards it?

Driving I think you'll feel better after your 5M race. I'm assuming it's on grass and pavements/roads and the weather is unlikey to be extreme as your HM so I'm sure you'll run a better race.
I can only motivate myself to get out if I have a race coming up and even them I probably don't push myself as much as I should. I've only just started doing things like intervals and sprints and I haven't even done much of them.

I went on a treadmill for the first time ever today. Went to get new shoes and so had to run in my old shoes and 3 other pairs. It was a bit weird and I felt drunk every time I got off it! Interesting watching the video of me running though. My feet were dropping in a bit in my old shoes but the girl in the shop said they weren't too bad and they hadn't been too bad for me. Have gone for a bit more support this time and luckily the pair that felt the best were reduced from £85 to £68. They're Mizunos.

I've done my shred dvd 4 or 5 times now, for the first time I don't ache today after doing it yesterday. It seems good but my stomach isn't like a washboard yet

Should I go for a wee run tonight before my 10k tomorrow? And should I go for a half hr swim tomorrow afternoon (during ds1's swimming lesson)?

thank you all: you are so nice ; refocussing is a good idea, as is some variety perhaps. Debi I think you are right about the 5 miler - that half was a disaster for me, and totally rocked my confidence. I wasn't ready. So I am going to focus on getting below about 2:15 for the sept half, e.g. back to my HM times from 2008. And then we'll chip away from there.

Debi i wouldn't run today, but a swim or gentle bike ride might be good

Sorry to hear abut the motivation issues driving - As I said earlier to cest - I definitely go through peaks and troughs with this. I think if you stick with it, hopefully it will come back.

squix - your dad's training session sounds great (I think...) ! I've given up already on my '6 week 6 pack' - I actually found it made my ankle pains worse and I didn't want that to stop me running.

Just did a gentle 5K in the gym - ankle (well bit below it really) still twinging. grr. Definitely worse though since the w/e when I was resting, ha ha. So do wonder if its more of an issue wiht my birkenstocks. Its not bad enough to stop me running on sunday given its a 5K and then we'll see what happens. Mind you, kind of nice to do a gentle 5K where I didn't get out of breath at all. Good to feel I've come a long way!

Desperately planning how I'm going to keep running over the hols - thankfully my creche have surprised me by offering me 1hr gym slots if I want them (its usually closed during the hols for holiday club) so as long as I can palm off the bigger one I should be able to keep up some decent exercise (except maybe in Italy if its too hot).

oh and good luck debi for tomorrow !

Hello all. I'm ashamed to confess that I haven't plodded a single step since last week. After a weekend of (too rare these days) socialising and (even rarer) camping I was looking forward to a 20 minute plod at lunchtime but I forgot to load my sports bag into the car this morning. As I am not 9 I won't make myself do it in my pants, I'll have to go tomorrow lunchtime instead, then it will be six days since my last run, hardly what you would call regular!

Sciencebint I loved your HM review, especially that you made it in sub 1:50 after all.

Good luck for your 10k tomorrow DebitheScot.

driving 2 hours 15 or below is my aim as well for my half in October....we CAN do it and we WILL do it! (does war cry ...but gives up as has sore throat from Take That concert )

futurity - you're on! I feel some motivation sneaking back.

Have come back from France with everything broken: phone, watch, coffee machine...

lol at running in yr pants, Quenelle. It's hard to get into the swing of things when you're starting off, esp. after an extended hiatus, but I'm sure you'll find a routine soon.

My brother in law was giving me a good old ribbing about why I run, this afternoon. He just doesn't understand it, he says. I must be a glutton for punishment, etc. I got a bit stroppy with him (we have that sort of relationship) even though he was mostly joking... I mean, I don't pester him about why he plays golf even though I'm of the "good walk ruined" persuasion...I assume he gets something out of it and I leave it at that. And another thing! I wouldn't mind, but it's not like I even talk about my running to anyone at all really - apart from you lot, two friends who also run, and sometimes my husband when I collapse through the kitchen door croaking "water..."

oh yes, good luck Debi.

Wow some great running going on here at some pace I must say! I skipped running club tonight as just so busy (I never skip running club) instead did a quick 5k with the dog and I was on fire (well, 7.5 m/m) which for me is quick In fact, I think the bloomin dog slowed me down when he had to be on the lead. I spotted loads of runners and got 2 wolf whistles which made my day

Re Garmin, I have the basic 110. It does teh basics without being too fancy. Gives you current pace, time and distance. You can set it for laps and when you upload stats you get mile splits and average pace. The downside is you don't see average pace when running and yuo can't do intervals, but I love it.

Thank you all for lovely welcome. I survived Take That last night and have been out for another plod tonight - extended my route by another canal bridge - so now managing 5K loops again.

Got back into running using Couch to 5 K - is there something similar for 10k? or can anyone recommend best way to step up now (would like to get back to 10K runs for pleasure)

fishie My all time best falling over incident was on a Bank Holiday Monday some years ago. The weather was beautiful when I started. It started raining 1/2 way round, I slipped on a little wooden bridge thing, grazing my knees like a school boy. I carried on and they started bleeding and of course it looked worse due to the rain. I then had to run through a field of rape seed which was doing its full on rape seed thing. It was taller than I am and falling in on the path so I had to fight my way though (think Indiana Jones). I emerged into the village for my victory run (downhill at least) through the park where there was a car boot sale, lower knees dripping in blood and covered head to toe in rape seed petals.

Actually, my best falling over incident involves my son's scooter....snort!