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

stickylittlefingers - I did exactly the same run! 5 miles, sort of tempo (e.g. working up to a 4.5k stretch at target pace), e.g. it was faster than easy pace but without any recovery. Is that a tempo run then? are you uploading from a Garmin? if so, mine always makes my browser quit - I assumed it was (as usual) a Mac thing, but it happened on my mother's pc as well. Irritating.

Did it in the gym and it was fine, but very very hot - I was actually dripping onto the treadmill, much to the consternation of the sedate pensioners who constitute the clientele (it's free for them).

It looks like rain, and I must press on with some work. DP and I have concluded that we need more childcare which I am a bit :( about because DD is just lovely at the moment and before I know it she will be at school. But needs must.

I got all the way through that post meaning to say that I hope things are improving Sonic and then totally failed to do so. It sounds rough - you poor things.

yes... I'm not the expert on what tempo is/isn't... my interpretation is trying to keep up a faster pace for an increasingly long period of tim, so now try to keep up a 70% pace for 15/20 mins (as opposed to what I define as fartlek being really going for it, but for 5 minutes (or a song!). Not sure at all that this is the scientific definition, but it is at least not just me doing the metronomic 10m/m for hours on end!

No, not bought a Garmin (that seemed like pretending I was something more than I am in running terms ). I just have the Nike ipod thing, which is why I don't really know my times until I get home and put them on the computer. I only know that I did the 5miles at an average of 9.48m/m, which isn't exactly what I'd hoped for. So I'd like to see that it was just that I was running incredibly fast on the fast bits and incredibly slow on the slow bits...

I always drip in the gym, normally within two minutes of starting to warm up . I was a gym member at the beginning of the year, living in Potsdam and at a women's only gym. We were a very sweaty bunch there, I was very at home!!

Don't feel bad about the childcare. IMVHO, I think it's really important for the first child to have a very active out-of-the-home life when a new baby's arriving, so that s/he continue with their friends and activities once all the upheaval has begun. We're lucky in England that DD1 started free nursery care at just that time. Thus she had lots of her own little friends (to show off her new baby sister to, very important :)) and that life was immune to all the annoying baby stuff at home.

Sorry about the essay. Trying to get the computer to realise the ipod's connected to it and it just won't!! I should just give up really...

Just marking place as busy packing for holiday and trying to work how much wet weather gear to take!

Hi. Sorry to hear about your DD2 SonicMiddleAge. I hope she is doing ok.

I've just come back from a rubbish run. I was raring to get out because I haven't ran since parkrun last Saturday. It was like running in the jungle (I imagine) really hot and steamy. The rain got heavier from time to time which was actually nice and cooling.

I wore my Garmin but it spent the whole run 'locating satellites' so it only recorded the time. It was no better really than a huge, heavy watch that goes beep.

I had mapped a new route on gmaps pedometer because I usually have to run through a cemetery and I've started feeling quite uncomfortable about it. It's nice when it's deserted but haring past mourners arriving at the crematorium in my little red running skirt doesn't seem very respectful.

Aaaanyway, I missed the first turning on my new route and got hopelessly lost. I basically just spent half an hour pounding up and down random streets, dodging dog poo (not a very nice area).

Was hoping to do parkrun again on Saturday but it looks unlikely now due to other plans. Oh well. I hope everyone else is having better runs this week.

Sonic - sorry to hear about your dd. Hope she's better soon. Is it an ongoing problem (sorry if you've explained before !) ?

well done for all those who have been out running - esp. quenelle if the run wasn't fun !

10K in the gym with 4 x 1K speed intervals. My gym too is full of OAPs when I go as its a local authority gym with lots of gp referals. It makes it feel a lot less pressured than a smart lycra clad posh place.

I too am unsure of what a tempo run is. My tempo runs are usually 5 miles on a treadmill so 8K with 2K warm up, 4K above 11KPH with as much at 12KPH as I can muster and 2K warm down.

Down at my parents at the seaside now until sunday. Hoping for Looooong run on saturday.

Have a good hol futurity

Oh I think I mentioned before that I am trying to ward off dehydration when running in heat when on hols - Does anyone have any thoughts on the usefulness of a large hand held water bottle (the ones with the hole in - I usially run with a small one) versus a belt with a bottle ?

Sonic - sorry about your dd. Hope she gets better soon.

Can I get added to the list of runs please? I am doing my first organised run on Oct 2nd. It is a 5km Big Fun Run in Victoria Park London.

I am planning on running this evening when dh gets home. Is has cooled down in London and has also stopped raining. This will be my first proper run (not counting the treadmill fiasco the other day) since completing my first 5km run last weekend. My plan is to try to improve my speed by "sprinting" (not sure it will be that fast!) for one minute out of every 5 for a total of 20 minutes (so 4 sprints) and then just keep running until I get to 5 km total. Do you think this is a good plan? I get bored easily and like a goal to work to. A challenge. I thought if I just went out for a 5 km run without it being part of a programme like i was doing with c25k, I might give up more easily. That's why I thought of the sprint intervals. Any thoughts?

Thanks Wheelybug

FWIW I have always used the large bottle with a hole in it. I tried the bottle on a belt but it jiggled about too much and put me off. I hate anything jiggling when I'm running. I once did a 10k and got stuck immediately behind this bloke whose keys were in the back pouch on his jacket. Whatever I did I couldn't get past him and I had to listen to these flipping jingling keys for the whole race.

Oh God, I am grumpy today aren't I. Sorry

IlanaK I'm not sure about sprinting when you're just starting out, might result in injury. But someone more knowledgeable than me will be along soon with better advice.

Ok, I did it! 5km run with 5 one minute sprints spaced 4 minutes apart. I managed to shave 30 seconds off my last time. Did the 5km in 34 minutes. I am very pleased with myself. And although physically it was much harder, mentally it was so much easier as I was concentrating only on the interval I was doing and not on the long run that stretched in front of me.

IlanaK that sounds good - make sure you don't do that more than once a week though, or you will get injured. To add your run, cut and paste the most recent list (on page 30 of thread) add yourself and re-post!

I just run with one of those sport bottles (just the ones that the water comes in) - I prefer running without it, but see no need for anything fancy. The belt thing is irritating as whilst it's easy enough to get the bottle out, putting it back is nigh on impossible without stopping...

Why will I get injured? I had honestly thought I would do the same each run, trying to improve my time. I run three times a week with rest days in between.

on 3 x a week you probably won't, but speedwork (which is what you are doing, after all) places a lot of stress on muscles and tendons, especially if you don't have a strong base (e.g. lots and lots of easy miles) behind you - but doing this once a week, plus one easy run and the last one as a longer run will do nicely

herecomes - rehydrating with wine; always an excellent plan. See all those hills paid off (have just realised how fast you ran; goodness!)

10k worth of hills for me tomorrow (did about 9.30 m/m on treadmill today - not bad)

Well done science - sounds like a fantastic effort ! wine sounds much deserved !

Thanks for the thoughts re water bottles. I usually prefer to run without anything although I know I need something in the heat and I think its currently into the 30s where we're heading so will need something. I'll order a bigger hand held thingy. my worry was that a belt would flap around annoyingly and be difficult to get it back in !!

Thanks everyone for your good wishes. DD had an eye infection, which they thought was conjunctivitis, but it didn?t respond to treatment, so she?s been in and out of hospital hooked up to an IV. Only problem is because she?s so little (just gone 2) they are having problems keeping the veins open, so keep needing to re-install the canula, which isn?t fun. Did a run this morning though (8km) which cleared my head, and will make sure dh gets a swim in this arvo.

Rhet ? both my girls go to daycare, and really love it ? a good facility can offer lots of things you can?t do at home, plus means that get to do stuff you don?t like/ aren?t interested in ( in my case dd1 loves gardening, and they?ve given her responsibility for one of the vege patches), plus they have a small pottery studio, and generally great craft faciltieis etc. And the intereaction with other kids is great.

Wheely ? I find running holding a bottle works ok ? I use a cycling bottle. If it gets really hot I sometimes take a camelback ? I don?t like running with anything on my back, but you can carry more water easily, and it makes it easy to continuously rehydrate.

Just to confuse matters Wheely I much prefer a bottle belt - if it is on tight enough it doesn't jiggle and it is easy to get the bottle in and out of. Mine also has a pocket for keys, phone, sweeties etc. I can't get on with the handheld bottles as I find the sloshing about makes my hands feel funny ( I also can't hold hands with people or wear tight gloves due to tingling though!). One of my running club friends has had some shoulder pain recently diagnosed as being caused by carrying her bottle on the same side all the time so make sure you swap frequently.

I managed 30mins of forefoot landing intervals on the treadmill last night (not esp fast - between 7kph and 10kph). I changed to normal heel-striking jogging for my cooldown and it felt all wrong - I fear there is no going back!

All my Davina DVD workouts are paying off - I can now do 3 sets of 8 full press-ups for the first time in my life . But will it make any difference to my running? Time will tell.

Oh dear sonic - I used to work in Paediatrics as a junior doc and always hated getting iv access in 2 year olds - they get so upset and can't understand why they are being held still. I imagine it must be pretty horrid for you to watch as well.

I hope your daughter gets better soon, sonic, that sounds very stressful for you all.

Well done on your super speedy 4 miler, science! And on your press-ups, Chewy - I managed one single full press-up the other day, the first I've ever done, and was so surprised I didn't try any more. So I am super impressed by 3 whole sets of 8.

Bad news from me, running wise - I now have a shin splint in my left leg, to add to the dodgy hip on the right side. I have been reading scary things about it turning into a stress fracture if I don't rest it so I am admitting defeat with the GSR training and will probably pull out.

I'm totally gutted but when I was thinking it over I was mindful of rhet's recent advice to Mordechai - what's more important to me, the half, or running in the long term? It's the latter, obviously, so I need to cut back on the training for now and try to address why I'm getting injuries despite being careful with my training. I think my very flat feet are likely culprits so have made an appointment with a podiatrist to have a "biomechanical assessment" which sounds reassuringly scientific.

EmmaBemma :( so sorry for you. I was reading in Runner's World about the Running School - I'd say it's pricey, but basically they focus heavily on form, and this seems to have great benefits for the injury prone - it's usually either biomechanics (Oh, I love that word!) or over-use (too much, too fast, too soon). As you know I am not super-speedy, but I do now have about 800 base miles this year and this is the longest I've ever run injury free; and this is despite being 3 years older than the last time I was running regularly. It also means that I can now do an hour long interval session once a week and a hill session and so far (touch wood) niggles are kept more or less at bay. Hal Higdon (and Galloway) recommends using walk breaks in order to prevent injury - it's somehow counter-intuitive, but means that you can run!

Just my few penn'orth, but I hope you get answers soon

SonicMiddleAge Your poor DD . My DS is the same age, they are so little still. I can imagine it's very distressing for her, and you. I hope she is better very soon.

EmmaBemma sorry to hear about the shin splints. I had them a few years ago and had to pull out of the Great Eastern Run the night before . I was lucky enough to see a Bupa physio who was a keen runner. She was concerned at first that there was a stress fracture but it hadn't got that far. I had a lot of deep tissue massage (ouch!), some ultrasound thingy and with some fancy taping and wedges in my shoes I was back running again after only a few weeks.

I think what eventually helped them to heal completely, though (touch wood), was stopping altogether for nearly three years when I had DS. Needless to say, I'm building up the miles slowly this time.

I hope you get some helpful advice and treatment and it doesn't keep you off the road for too long.

thanks for the sympathy, Quenelle and rhet - it's good to be able to have a moan to people who understand!

that's really interesting about the Running School,rhet. I checked out their website and they don't have a base near me but they do offer an online service whereby they analyse video clips you send in, which might be an idea down the road. I mentioned earlier that I've started to think more about form, - belatedly it would seem! - but it's hard to know what you're doing without outside input.

Quenelle - poor you, having to pull out the day before your own race! That must have been awful. I don't think my own shin splint is too bad right now but it became increasingly clear that ignoring it and hoping it would go away wasn't working.

Hello all you lovely running folk! We got back from sunny Spain last night and I a so glad to be back home. Planning on sitting down tonight and catching up on this thread (lots to read!)

Had a stonking cold on holiday and I ran every other day but my GOD it was hot. The furthest I managed in one go was 5 miles and it felt like 25 I can tell you. Didn't run today as too much washing, food shopping etc to do but planning 6 miles tomorrow am with my dog who I missed so much.

Hope you all are well

Oh, I entered another 10k so have amended the list (and it means I am 2nd to race next eek)

20/08/11 - Frank Duffy 10 mile, Dublin - rhetorician
29/08/11 - Spofforth 10k Trail Race - DrNortherner
03/09/11 - Dingle Half-Marathon - rhetorician
04/09/11 - Great Scottish Run Half-Marathon: EmmaBemma
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon - thetasigmamum
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon- N4nny
11/09/11 - Addidas 5K: MoshiMoshi
18/09/11 - GNR: Hamster, Run for fun, popsycal, LaLa, SLF, Fannybanjo
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, Quenelle
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
09/10/11 - Herts 10k - WishIwasCherryMenlove
16/10/11 - Abingdon Marathon: MoshiMoshi
30/10/11 - Great South Run: Wheely, squix
30/10/11 - Nairobi Standard Chartered Half Marathon - M&M
05/11/11 - Glendalough Trail Run - rhetorician
19/11/11 - Maasai Mara Half Marathon - M&M
20/11/11 - Leeds Abbey Dash (10k) - DrNortherner
27/11/11 - City of Norwich half marathon: ibbydibby
19/02/12 - Brighton Half marathon - Wheely
22/04/12 - VLM: MoshiMoshi, ibbydibby
27/05/12 - London Bupa 10K - Futurity

Dr No welcome back - we've missed you! impressed at your running in the heat - I really can't hack it, I must say. Oh bugger, that means that I am next to do timed running with other people...I feel distinctly under-prepared, not sure what to aim for (apart from finishing, obviously)

driving is that you?!

DrNo yes - I reverted to my old name! you've been gone a while then...am babysitting for niece tonight and rummaging in SIL/BIL's cupboards for yummy things...they have totally different taste in biscuits to me :(

Your Spofforth run looks spiffing! Bet you'll go sub 50.