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

How annoying Debi

I have just discovered a novice triathlon event near me that is on next month - it's a 400m swim in a pool, 11km cycle on country roads (which I think I've run before) and then a 3km run to finish. I'm really really tempted. I wonder if I could sort out a bike before then. Mine isn't in the best of conditions... How exciting!

Yep orange speed training def the way to go. I used to hate it but have now seen the results (nearly 4 mins off my 5K time !!) and am starting to enjoy it (sometimes).

Sounds like you had a good race Rhet keep it up.

ok is one speed session a week enough or should I do more? Is interval or tempo best?
Sounds very tempting possom

yes, what speed training do most people do? intervals or tempos? or both? I try to alternate, doing one of each every week, but I might try and up that now, so one interval run, one tempo run and one long run, everything else easy pace

Orange, remind me how often you are running? If it's three times a week I would be tempted to stock to once a week, and like you say maybe alternate them week on week.

Rhet, you are running more frequently so you could do both, but keep them short to avoid injury. Personally I would only do one unless training for a specific race.

Lying in bed eating crackers and cheese (still feel a bit funny in the mornings if I don't eat something like this), watching belly jump up and down as DD2 does acrobatics, though in my mind I am joining you all for a lovely Sunday morning easy 5 miles.

Yeah only 3 times a week, keep trying to do more but it not working.
I could just eat some cheese and crackers

Just a quickie from my IPhone to say well done rhet - see you can surprise yourself sometimes and that's a great time - defo the Jammy dodgers!

Still ill, had awful night on Friday - pain in my throat was so severe I was sobbing... bit better today but god only knows when I'm going to be fit enough to run. DH said he's never known me to be so ill since I've been running more. Anyone any ideas why that would be?

I stay just around the corner from Willen Park - I will give it a look.

I am hugely impressed by everyone's efforts here.

Hi everyone, please can I join you? I have been running for a couple of years now but am having serious motivational issues!

I used to run with my neighbour but she made a big deal of being much faster than me with very little training in our last race so I haven't done any proper running since. I only run off road because I hate the thought that people will see me (I am 2 stone overweight). Also never time myself or try to run either fast or further than is comfortable anymore. My first ever park run I came last and so now won't enter any race that hasn't got a massive field so I definitely won't come last. Think this is all made worse by the fact that my dh runs and does triathlon and is very good (regularly wins prizes) so I hate the thought my family will want to watch me race and see me come last. All sounds stupid now I am writing it down! Has anyone else managed to overcome similar feelings of general rubbishness?!

Sorry for the epic moaning 1st post just really want to get running and enjoying myself again!

Oh and don't have any races to add to the list because I am too chicken to enter any!

fannybanjo - could it be over training? One of the signs of this is frequent/more severe viral infections.

Anchovies welcome to the thread. I'm sorry to hear you have been disheartened. Please don't let your experiences so far put you off - there is so much more to running than races and being fast. I do run races but not nearly as many as some runners. I have no races planned at the moment and am quite enjoying just running.

How would you feel about joining a club? My club is women only and we have people of all levels of fitness and speed - not all clubs are full of whippets in skimpy vests and shorts.

I have just come back from a 29min trot around the block. Despite drastically reducing mileage (or possibly because of it) I am feeling like my posture is so much better - I no longer feel stooped and have stopped getting a sore lower back from running hills.

anchovies first of all, welcome. Second of all, you can run! it doesn't matter how fast or how far. You don't need to enter races if you don't want to (although FWIW the 10 miler yesterday, the people who got the biggest cheers were those who came in at the end, some of whom were on the larger end of the body types: it takes guts and courage to run when it's that hard).

Many of us on here are plodders and we run for health, to control weight and to stay sane. You need to remember that the only person you are doing it for is you and that you deserve to have the time to yourself to run.

peach do you think it's that you can feel second babies more? because DP says that DD2 is much more wriggly and squiggly; she is also bigger than DD1 was at the same point (nb: DD1 is on about the 2nd centile for height, for she is weeny)

fanny sorry you still feel awful; do you take a multi-vit - I've found it helpful although I usually only remember to take it a couple of times a week. Hope you get better soon :)

stiff - hope you get out for your 10 miler today - I increasingly prefer to do the runs, even if not feeling great, and even if I have to walk/run part of it. The pull of the streak is quite powerful, clearly!

trip to allotment and then short (3-4k) recovery run for me. I'm actually looking forward to it

Welcome Anchovies sorry you been disheartened. I agree with the others, running doesn't have to be about racing and being faster its something personal, abit of me time and something you enjoy. Maybe a club might help like chewy suggested.

fanny - you could "just" have the horrible lurgy that's going round at the moment. I brought it up from Yorkshire to share with my family and friends , so no reason why it wouldn't be round your way too. I honestly thought I would suffocate, my throat was so swollen and bad. I'm happy just to be coughing and snotting now! So if that's the case, nothing to do with your running, it's just bad luck to have it strike now. Take vit C and zinc. Anti-inflammatories for your throat if it's still bad. And take care :)

But I did get out this morning (rhet were you calling me stiff? ). I did 'do' 10 miles, although I walked the last mile. The last mile is a steep uphill and my heart was hammering, so thought was the better part of valour... I started very slow, but after 5 miles felt quite good. So positive overall - took me 1h49 to get round, which I was perfectly happy with considering.

anchovies - don't let others get to you. You are running, you have a perfect right to run, and you will be a lot better for it, physically and mentally. Nobody else's business but your own! Just keep at it and come back here and tell us about what a nice time you're having :). I am, btw, not at all fast or whippet like. But I am less slow and blob like than I would be if I didn't run!

slf sorry it was the buried allusion coming to the surface! you did a decent time for your 10 miles - well done1

it looks like rain here which will scupper bike and dd1 and polo pony plans...we have dvd backup at least!

fanny are you eating enough good stuff (fruit, veg, nuts, good cabs etc) to be able to ensure your body is upto the new mileage you are doing?

Gorgeous day here. REst day for me, but ds and I did an hour walk up the gorge with the dog. Friends BBQ this afternoon as her dd turns 2 years old.

My blasted shin is still sore, track sesh tomorrow so getting the ice packs ready now.

anchovies please don't be embarrassed about being seen running. You are out there doing something about it. Our club coach always gives biggest praise to slower runners, as they are on their feet for longer!

I've just completed a 10.4 mile run my furthest ever run at 2 mile I got pins and needles in my left foot which took ages to get rid of ended up having to take my shoe off give my foot a good wiggle and then try again. It was a good run covered a big chunk of my half marathon route so it was good practice. Have blisters on the soles of my feet now though. :-(

Hi all! Just a quick check in, I haven't read anything since Friday so I'll have a read and post later. Family visiting. Also my kitchen ceiling collapsed yesterday. What fun.

Got out for 6 miles on Friday, wont get out again til tomorrow.

My dh bought me a t-shirt with "Running Sucks" on it. Charming!

Ok, chat later.

Encyclo that happened once to our bedroom, luckily the tenants weren't in bed at the time or it might have got nasty!

Peachy, awwww I so love watching the baby in the tum and trying to guess which bit is sticking out. I spent hours stroking what I thought was dd's elbow sticking out, turned out it was a huge fibroid .

Anchovies, welcome. Big,small, fast or slow, anyone who wants to run is welcome here. Get out there and ignore everyone else, after all, they are not running and will most likely look at you with respect.

Fabulous race report Rhet. I love the way you looked longingly at your bike .

I have been in the middle of the bush this weekend visiting the churches that my dh's grandfather built at the turn of the century in the middle of nowhere. We were with my father-in-law who is 91 and was born, literally under a tree. These missionaries were tough, I tell you. So i popped out this morning for a wee run, I think it was about 8k but I didn't have my Nike+ with me. Everyone greeted me and cheered me on. I have a feeling they don't often see a white woman running at 7am on a Sunday morning.

mandm I confess I thought of you in my ongoing banter with the kenyan and the zimbabwean...they had the reverse scenario, being the only black people running in a race of about (I reckon) 2000 people - or maybe there were more at the front!

Hello all,

I have a look at this thread reguarly but don't get round to any replying ... so anyway, from a few days ago Debi I am doing a female only start at the Blenheim triathlon. There is only one mixed start which is first thing on Sunday morning. I considered doing it so DP and I could start together (and obviously was not motivated one bit by the fact Jensen Button was in that start with his girlfriend this year. No not at all). But having watched quite a few of DP's swim starts it's all very testosterone charged when the chaps are standing around in their wetsuits having their swim briefing - not for me !

Babysaurus did you do the Excel London triathlon recently then ? Nuff respect - I don't think I'd like to swim in the smelly docklands, I'll stick with lakes and seas.

we were at my parents this weekend so I went for my long run this morning (well, it's probably a stroll for some of you) - did 3.48 miles in 45 minutes but at least half of the run is up a mahoosive hill so feeling pleased with myself and having crisps in celebration!

Encyclo - good luck with the kitchen. It happened to me when I was living with housemates a few years back, the ceiling collapsed in my housemate's bedroom during the night and narrowly missed him.

N4nny i have a huge blister too - blister solidarity.

Cherry, I hope it wasn't my flat you were in .

Rhet, I can imagine they stuck out as much as i did today, I bet noone yelled 'Heyyyy foreigner, doing your exercise?' from the back of a motorbike though did they? Were they very speedy? I saw a man today just finished his run and I'm telling you his legs alone were longer than an entire me.

Aww anchovies, sounds like you have taken a few knocks to your confidence but remember, you are a runner! Please try not to worry what anyone else thinks, you run for you. And remember, most of the country is sitting on it's backside in front of the telly while you are out there. Your neighbour sounds like a PITA by the way! . if you are lacking encouragement and support in real life, come on here and well give it to you!

You are practically a celebrity master, and I did have to have a little chuckle at your fibroid stroking

ok runners; I really want your advice. I've looked at the various calculators and I really need to knock about a minute off my pace per km (for sake of argument from 10:30 m/ to about 9m/m). Is this pointless? is there any hope at my advanced age? if so, how would I go about it?

I was thinking of trying to run that pace for intervals, and then splitting the difference and using that pace for temps (about 9:45m/m). But I do struggle to keep up the pace when I go over a certain distance - like I've trained my body to expect little rests. How do I get over that?

All advice gratefully received (just trying to plan forward a bit :))