runners united: the newly garminified thread for people who love running

[rhetorician]

all welcome: young, old, fast, slow, running for a week or 20 years, on-road, off-road, racing. Add yourself to the list, or just post!

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

There's a Runners Need near Oxford Circus too. Just off Regent St. I got my gait analysis done there and bought my shoes there and they were very good.

Can I ask about calf cramps? I get terribly tight calves all the time. I often wake at night with almost cramp. My right is particularly bad. I stretch well before running and they never bother me during the run itself. But twice now I have had major cramp in the middle of aqua aerobics and also sometimes during lap swimming, I stretch thoroughly before both. I think it must be related to the running though? I have a foam roller and use it sometimes on my calves but I don't find it has made much difference. So any ideas?

wiifitmama from experience stretching before exercise is not as crucial as stretching after, if you are warming up that is enough stretching pre-workout whereas afterwards if you aren't stretching properly you may feel twinges, especially in your calves. I say this as I know when I don't stretch after running I'm very very achy.

Quenelle no I haven'y identified any wee stops, a bit worried about it. I get some ok days and some bad days with it. Just hoping its a good day and the adrenaline gets me round. If not might have to do a paula . Running in new forest sounds good.
Oh Cherry your not the only one, I found toy story 3 traumatic. Hope all the colds are better soon.
Going to stay at my brothers this weekend with my sister, I mentined to my sister I want to go out for a run on Saturday and she said she will come with me. A bit scared, she has been running for years and she is a bit of a speed demon. It will either be good for me or kill me

Could you be dehydrated wiifitmama, or following a low salt diet? These are other possible causes of cramp.

I did a lovely 3 miler this evening @ 10.35min/miles which seems to be my new, midfoot landing, easy pace. Lovely blue skies, cool temps, smelling like autumn despite being pretty hot here today.

Anyone get the new Women's Running mag? Does anyone actually dress like the models in the fashion shoots?

My Nikes are well and truly gubbed - they feel all squishy when I put them on. Going to try some Brooks Green Silence to go with my new minimalist running form.

thinking about all you folks with running in your families (kids, siblings, parents); DD insists on a daily pre-bed sprint workout in the kitchen...'ready, steady, go' she yells and charges from one end to the other. She's quite fast and very competitive. In her case this is definitely nurture not nature, as her biological mother would only run for a bus or after an escaping horse/cow, and only then very reluctantly

wiifitmama I agree with Fanny stretching is more important afterwards than before. I went through a stage of calves feeling really tight despite stretching so started making a point of after my shower every day just spending 5 mins giving each calve a deep massage with cream and it really seem to help.
Also not sure if same but I used to get really bad calve cramps when pregnant, the type that make you dance round the room in pain, and found doing ankle rotations every night really helped prevent them

Thanks everyone, very interesting thoughts. I never stretch after exercise so that is probably it. Note to self.....foam roll those calves daily!

chewytoffee somehow missed reading your post ; those green silence shoes look great . I am nervous about minimalist shoes, although I like the idea - have you found the transition OK?

are they racing flats, or actual training shoes?

LOL Chewy I got mine yesterday. No, I have NEVER seen a runner looking like that...

chewy I know! I can't believe some of the stuff those models wear!

orange I got cramps when pregnant as well. Once, it was so bad that I couldn't walk and my calf was like a block of wood. I actually cried.

I had my first session at the gym tonight. I definitely prefer being outside. I was so fecking hot! I wasn't in the right frame of mind before I went and it didn't help but still glad I went.

ladies, all my illusions about you are shattered; what do you mean you don't look like the women in Women's Running?

orangehead "Fanny stretching"? Does that help with running then?! Ha ha, sorry, it's late.

wiifit I get calf cramps. I've almost had to call the life guard at the pool at times. Not sure why. They were worse when pregnant, but I still get them now and again. Ouch and bloody ouch says I!

Rhet the Green Silence are supposed to be suitable for training runs as well as racing. I have found the transition to minimalist quite hard in that it requires alot of self discipline to keep my mileage down. I am now finding it almost impossible to run with my previous heel-striking style so I think it is time to invest in some more suitable shoes. I also seem to be getting less aching in my pelvis (had pelvis problems in pregnancy) than usual. Time will tell whether this experiment will improve my running or if I will be moaning on here in a few weeks time about my various injuries.

bonkers I just choked on my hot coffee at the term 'fanny stretching'!

wiifit I get calf cramps too, I do a half mile brisk walk before my run and then kind of die at the end of the run. I need to be stretching those calves I guess.

Rhet I look HILARIOUS when I run. I'm sure of it. I think I may have managed to combine the Stomper with the Shuffler. It's a completely new way to run I reckon

My 7 miles went v. well last night. I have to say the first 4 miles are now easy peasy to me. The next 2 are ok. The last 1 started to really hurt.

All set for 10 tomorrow. I think I'll get up early and get it out of the way.

Finding you all on FB bit by bit. I've just friended Rhet and Dr No if you find my on their FBs come friend me! I'm the Irish one with the red hair, ya can't miss me:)

Morning all. What a miserable day. I hope some people are managing to find some sun today. It looks like it won't actually get fully daylight here at all.

Cherry I entered the Herts 10K in 2008 but pulled out when I found out the day before I was pregnant. DH did it though and liked it. The weather was fantastic, sort of bright but cool, perfect autumn weather. DH said there was a major bottleneck at the beginning which slowed everyone up but after that it opened out on to parkland. Will consider entering this year if the Standalone one goes ok.

Fanny that thread took a funny turn didn't it? Considering it was in S&B. I bet you look a real fox in your 'chav' kecks, not sure if I would though, too many lumpy bits.

Orangehead have you considered getting a shewee?

sticky got your PM but can't reply on my iPhone for some reason so thank you for advice and your kind offer!! I'll get sorted with something - would have been great if could have the DDs looked after do DH and I could have night away but doubt it - my Mum only available person to help like that and my Dad very ill so looks unlikely. .

I too laughed at fanny stretching!! DDs definitely done mine in....!

Quenelle I probably look horrendous but who cares! However hate reading on here chav this, chav that. It's worse than defining someone working class etc. No-ones better than anyone else.

chewy I said EXACTLY the same to DH when I was flicking through that mag. I don't think Cheshire ready for my arse clad in lumo leggings running through the lanes. However I did wear similar attire clubbing in the '90's....

encyclo well done on your 7 miles. You'll soon adjust and the last couple of miles get easier however I do find that distance tricky - not short enough to do it speedily nor long enough to get into a good slow rhythm iykwim? Your doing well.

I have all intentions of going out later - feel 99% now so should be fine. Probably do 6 miler with 4 miles of intervals. Rest tomorrow then LSR Sunday. Aim to do 13.1 miles so will see how I am after today's run.

hello - I know one of you on here is involved with Winston's Wish - there's a lady posting on behaviour and development about her 3 year old niece who has just lost her mum :( - it's a post about tantrums - if you see this maybe you'd post on it? thanks

Oh rhet how sad

just updating list; my running mate just rang to say that she isn't up for the Dingle half, so I'm going to do a 5k that weekend, and then the Dublin half on Sept 17. This works so much better for me

29/08/11 - Spofforth 10k Trail Race - DrNortherner
04/09/11 - Great Scottish Run Half-Marathon: EmmaBemma
04/09/11 - Moray 10k road race - backwardpossom
04/09/11 - greatpinkrun, 5k, dublin - rhetorician
10/09/11 - Marple 10k Trail race -Orangehead
11/09/11 - Bristol Half- Marathon - thetasigmamum, N4nny
11/09/11 - Nottingham Half Marathon: cestlavie
11/09/11 - Adidas 5K: MoshiMoshi
17/09/11 - Dublin Half marathon: rhetorician
18/09/11 - GNR: Hamster, Run for fun, popsycal, LaLa, SLF, Fannybanjo
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
02/10/11 - Big Fun Run 5km - London Victoria Park - Wiifitmama
09/10/11 - Great Eastern Run, Peterborough - Futurity
09/10/11 - Herts 10k - WishIwasCherryMenlove
16/10/11 - Abingdon Marathon: MoshiMoshi
22/10/11 - Shockabsorber 10K Richmond Park - sfx
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
13/11/11 - Stebbing Remembrance Day 10 mile - bonkers20
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
09/06/12 - Blenheim Triathlon - WishIwasCherryMenlove

rhet we've killed the thread... it's quiet on here today

Well to say I've just done a crap run is an understatement. My best laid plans of doing a 6 miler with intervals was optimistic at best. Managed a 2.4 miler while gasping for breath. Had to stop and walk back - I mustn't be as recovered as I thought.

The body is a mysterious tool - last week ran a 22min 5k - this week struggling to get 2 miles in.

Sounds good rhet - sometimes an intervention from a third party makes things work out for the best. I wonder when the men in White coats going to intervene with me...?

Wow-this thread is as speedy as some of you! I've not been out for many runs recently but did around 3.3 miles yesterday. I'm using the Adidas miCoach programme on my iPhone and have set up a programme. I did an assessment run last weekend to determine my "zones", then I get feedback during my runs about speeding up or slowing down accordingly. I like the look of the programme too, a good mix of intervals, easy runs, and tempo runs. I really enjoyed the live audio feedback yesterday and I'm looking forward to my interval run tomorrow, so all good so far!

Going to have to keep it short as DS just woke up and I'm having to duck and dive to keep phone out of his reach. Will try harder to keep up with the thread

fanny - the best thing to do is keep a running log so you can keep an eye on patterns in your training to see what works and what doesn't. Fetcheveryone.com has a free log you can use and it tots up all your miles and gives you a pretty graph etc.

Runwithdog today was meant to be 5M aerobic with strides ended up over 7M as the strides at the end and then the jog over to Bootcamp pushed the mileage up a bit. Run started with a 9:40m/m and eased up the gears as I warmed up, ending with strides at 5:34m/m (but that is only for a 75m so doesn't count!) Strides are very useful to wake up the legs and remind you how to run fast focusing on form.

Happy running all. It's chucking it down here and I have to take the dog out again...

Love all the inspiring stories about kids running. Was talking with DS (5) this morning to see if he wanted to go for a run with me... he talks a very good game about wanting to do so. Conversation along the lines of:

"Would we be running far?"
"Not too far, depends how we feel"
"Could we stop when we're tired"
"Of course"
"Would we be able to take running juice with us for me?" (ahem, that being how Lucozade Sport is know by the little sugar addicted folk who live in my house)
"Well yes, but I'd probably have to carry it"
"Oh good, yes. Where would we go for lunch?"
"Um, I'm not sure we'll be running for quite that long..."
"Will be able to stop and buy a magazine to read?"
"Uh, not really the point of going running really"
"Oh.... maybe we can stop and buy me a toy instead?"

I'm almost intrigued to take him running to see what we actually end up doing!

Had a good run in today. Just under 12 miles at average 8.30m/m which was a little faster than planned though probably because it rained almost non-stop for the time I was out so there was definitely a motivation to finish and get dry... (actually, weirdly, I don't mind running in the rain!).

Good to see you again on here Moshi and thanks for the advice as always. Glad to hear you're feeling better fanny and good to hear you're going for the GNR as well - should be great (assuming you can sort out your accommodation!). Hi to all the newbies as well.

Happy running all.