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

futurity - do you think you need fuel? (sorry I can't resist it: i've been trying gels for years and could say lots of nice things about them ) On the Infamous Half Mara of Indefinite Duration I ate nothing, and drank nothing (well there was so much water getting in by osmosis that hydration didn't seem necessary) but I don't think that's why I was so crap slow.

Snigger at gels . I suppose I've had it drummed into me that on long runs you must eat something or you will DIE (plays dramatic music)...I can see why something is needed as I am running for a long time but my tummy just isn't so sure.

Ladies ladies ladies... Haven't you heard of the fabulous Hi5 Isogels?

I'm back in love with running! Not that I was out of it, but just struggling. No real reason other than real life and like you say science juggling runs around things makes it hard to stay motivated.

I increased my distance tonight and ran nearly 4.5 miles (which I haven't done in a very long time!) and it felt really good. Unfortunately, it made me realise that it's getting darker earlier so need to have a think about running during the day when DD sleeps.

moshi glad your mum is on the mend again.

Everyone ? thanks for the nice welcome messages.

Moshi- I?m in Perth not Sydney, so we have an imitation c2surf ? 2 k shorter and with a poor excuse for heartbreak hill (I say that now, may change my mind when I?m running it) . Next year I?m planning on flying back over to Sydney to do the ?real one? ? If I do it twice more I get a special shiny medal for ten times, which would be nice I guess... Running here at this time of the year is lovely ? it?s nice and cool, and I saw dolphins last night and this morning. Not so sure how I?ll cope in summer.

sonic my friend's emigrating to Perth at the end of the year - she's a runner too - wait until I tell her she'll be able to see dolphins when she runs... at the moment she's only seeing roadkill it sounds gorgeous.

How I laughed at the spunk consistency of gels - they're vile! I take out haribo but may try those Hi5 ones.

There's a 10K trail run in Delamere Forest near me which I'm considering entering - it's 17 August but I'm dithering because I still feel dreadful. Can't shake this cold and kids seem to be ill too atm, I suspect DD1 has a urinary tract infection so Drs for us today. So for the moment my new Brooks are staying in their box...

Dolphins would be a nice distraction! All I ever get is rabbits.

Will look at these Hi5isogels. I've only used the gels I got free from other runs, but I found some old ones at the back of a cupboard from last year (yum! ) which I had ignored because they were cola flavoured (coke is not it, as far as I'm concerned), but when I used them I did two PBs on two consecutive days. So did make me wonder. I do take dextrose tablets with me on longer runs, after having a wibbly moment 8 miles away from home once. But do also think I have enough blonag to keep me going...

Did a 5k last night in the gathering gloom. Felt like I was wearing a fat suit while I was running it, but when I checked at home, although I was a little slower than my last few short runs, it was still faster than the May/early June efforts so I guess that is something. Must not eat lots of sausages for tea if I'm going running later! (I could write my own running book with useful tips like that... perhaps we should do an MN one!!)

Very envious of the sighting of dolphins on your run, sonic! You made me laugh talking about sightings of roadkill fanny.

Just did a fartlek strides run: 8:03M in 1:02:09 (average pace 7:44m/m). The idea behind these strides is to get my legs used to fast running so did 8 x 100m (roughly) strides of fast running focused on form which were interspersed in the run. Felt nice to be running fast within a steady paced run but conscious of need to control pace so kept it steady the whole run. My steady pace I am aiming to keep between 7:30-8m/m so the average pace was about right although most of my miles were in the 7:30m/m range as I started off with a couple of easy miles to warm up.

Does anybody who uses Garmin ever look at the pace zone summary? I have just started to look at it but am not sure how to use the information. I think it has more use if you use a HRM but I don't.

Happy running all.

I live on the Moray coast and regularly see dolphins, deer and murderous seagulls... [;)] One almost took my head off last week.

We had a park session at running club last night - a bit of Parlauf (sp?) and just some daft games to work on strength. My legs are sore today! I'm going to give the club a miss tomorrow and just go out for a leisurely run instead. It's my wee man's 2nd birthday on Saturday and then we're going on holiday for a couple of weeks so think my running is going to go to pot...

Um [;)] was supposed to be a

Morning all. I lost a long post on my BB last night but was too tired to type it all again before bed. It's probably just as well, flipping BB always posts twice for some reason.

Moshi Glad your mum's doing better. Erm, what is Murakami's boob?

Thanks Fannybanjo for the encouragement. I used to run, did the Silverstone HM (2:11) a few years ago and several 10ks (0:58). I've been looking forward to getting over the 30 min threshold. Next goal - 5 miles, then I can start a 10k schedule with some AIs and more interesting stuff than just plodding.

Will be out at lunchtime today to reinforce my 30 mins. DH has hidden my Garmin somewhere so I'll have to plot a new route on The Good Run Guide before I go.

More like roadkill than dolphins round my way too.

Oh meant to say re fuel. I used to take watered down Lucozade on anything over 8 miles. On the HM I did we were given Lucozade pouches about halfway and I hung onto it for grim death sipped that for the rest of the run. I've tried gels but found them truly gopping. Tried jelly babies once but didn't notice any discernible effect.

I will never live the boob down
It us Murakami's book on running 'What I talk about when I talk about running' very good read
Have Sam Murphy's book to read as well as Born to Run once dh is done with it

Hello all -just checking in.

Not much running happening here at the moment - still

Oh was it a typo sfxmum? I thought it was a running injury I hadn't yet persuaded myself I've got suffered from.

I liked his book a lot. It's a while since I read it so might give it another go, it will gee me up for my arduous 5k on Saturday morning

I tell you, they're vicious b@stards when they're nesting. Going to have to re-think my route to avoid the nest tomorrow.

I've only ever had 1 gel and I thought I was going to throw up. It was the consistency more than anything. They're too thick and just bogging. Can't remember what brand it was.

I don't see the point of lucozade light though. It has no calories in it! But does replace the salts so I reckon it'd be good for sunbathing in a hot country where you sweat lots but don't burn any calories.

I haven't read any running books, feel like I'm missing out! You lot are a bad influence on me. I'd never even heard of a Garmin until I came on here! Speaking of which it arrived yesterday but didn't have time to go out. I also pick up my bike today but this afternoon/evening I'm at a 4 year old birthday party which will involve cocktails so no running tonight. Then I'm going away for the weekend (Cornwall on a hen weekend) so I only have tomorrow night. Torn between cycling and running! Which toy will I try first?!

I'm writing this while wasting time online looking for events to enter marking exam papers while my class watch Despicable Me work hard on the last day of term

quenelle yes a typo a long time ago[mile]

dh working from home so will fit in a run at some point and possibly a Zumba class tonight

now to pack for packing

hope everyone has a great weekend

although mile seems appropriate

just to show off, I often see deer on my runs (although no fawns so far this year); travelling so my usual treat of a copy of Runner's World (sad, really) - Sam Murphy is in there writing about how she has thrown her Garmin away because she is an over-reliant data-junkie...I'm not like that at all...

some intervals for me today - there's a track near here, but when I looked it up (it being London, there's a database that reports on the state of all the tracks - who does these things?) it's apparently in a terrible state. In which case i shall just do laps of the local park. I am feeling my lack of sleep though

anyhow, best stop messing about

Talking about fuel before a run - I sometimes have Wholegrain crackerbreads with nutella on - they seem to help me along. There was the Coke incident past week too...

rhet Are you in north london atm? There are nice parks here.

In my long run on sunday at 11/12 km I was starting to feel like I needed a boost. I have some of that lucozade gel in my bag I think. I don't know when my next long run will be though as it was supposed to be sunday but we have guests over the weekend and a whole bunch of people over for a bbq Sunday, only just realised that it would have been wise to do it this morning!

I see pigeons on my runs, magpies if I'm lucky :D do I get the prize for the most boring sightings?

ps: rhetwhich database is that?

Does anyone else have the post-run chocolate milk? I really hope it's true that it benefits runners because I love it.

Just did 30 mins at lunchtime. I was feeling much stronger today than usual, which I put down to the spaghetti bolognese I had for dinner last night not the yum yum I had with a cup of tea this morning. Was pretty knackered by the end though. It's going to be hard to map because I kept getting lost, accidentally running into no through roads and having to double back. Most frustrating.