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

Hi all. Hope you're feeling a bit better today fanny. Do you think you may have been too training hard? That does deplete your immune system so means that you can come down harder than usual with a lurgy. I swear by over-loading on Vitamin C (via Berocca) and iron supplements to try and keep immune system on top of things but to be honest still get hammered from time to time. Given you're feeling like crap and have GNR soon, try not to get back out running until you're properly better.

Well done on your time rhet. You've got to be pretty pleased with that given your aim of a sub 2.15 half marathon! Thanks also for the race report - always love reading those. Do you need to be improving your pace that much for your target?

Master, those RW schedules are really difficult to do if you've got a life which involves stuff like say, work and kids. They are good in terms of giving ideas though as to how the training plan could be structured. Your plan sounds pretty much like the one I run to (with the aim sort of timing aim), i.e. one LSR, one mid length intervals and one tempo. Any more I can fit in are just a bonus, and tend to be a recovery run in any event.

Don't worry about what other people think anchovy. Everyone runs for different reasons and you definitely don't have to enter races if you don't want to. The main thing is just getting out there and doing it and enjoying it, whether you're running to get in shape, for a bit of me-time, to train for a race or cos actually you just love the feel of it!

Had a 10 mile run into work today (am struggling a bit for time for my long run at the mo). Tried to make it as hilly as possible which is not the easiest thing in London, probably fairer to say that it wasn't as pancake flat as usual. Surprisingly warm out there even at 7.30am this morning!

Hey new thread, cool, love the title :)
Hope everybody is well and runnning, I've been following some of you on facebook, though I still dont know who is who exactly! I'm still around, still running (though hardly did any running last week, too tired - blame the periods, funny knee and thought resting was probably a better idea).
Managed some sprints on saturday and was running on the treadmill up to "16" (km/hr I think?) for 30-45 secs at a time which is progress for me.
Going tonight for an easy 5k.

Been very busy with work and not had time to catch up with you guys. It's my turn to go to france for a break at the end of the week, YAY, and I am taking my running shoes with me :D No garmin yet sadly, my bday is in december, maybe then...
We're trying to sort out some kind of internet access for France, need it for work and general runners thread catch up while dd is sleeping!! ;)

hopefully I can check in and catch up before we leave!

Still back reading here. Ceiling now restored, shower fixed. Lot's of euro lighter in the pocket!

Rhet, congrats on a great race and a great scan too!

Welcome Anchovies stick with us. I'm a total rookie, but I've already learned so much from this thread and all the lovely peeps on it. I've made it as far as 7 miles, and I'm working on consolidating that mileage before i move on. My times are utter shit though. Utter, utter shit. I don't care, I'll just keep plugging away.

Have a 6 mile planned for this evening and a small but perfectly formed 4 mile for tomorrow, then I'll have a rest day before tackling a 7 mile on Thursday and hopefull an 8 mile on Saturday.

It feels really good to write that down actually.

Dr No I went out and bought Runners World yesterday, and devoured it. What a fantastic magazine that is!

Fanny I hope you feel better.

Hi, can I join you guys?

I completed the couch to 5k a couple of weeks ago and am thinking of signing up for a 10k obstacle/mud run in October which looks loads of fun. I've just started the bridge to 10k in order to get me running for an hour and so far so good.

Bazarre reactions from my In-laws over running though, not sure if anyone else has had similar reactions? They are convinced running is bad for you and that I am doing far too much (although they actually have no idea how much I'm running) When DH pointed out that I'm only running around 5k per session and other people ran marathons they went into one about how dangerous marathons were and how anyone who did one would go on to regret it later in life

They are actually very nice but complete worry worts but even so.

Rhet just a quickie as am at work but regarding increasing your speed I can't reccommend Plyometrics enough. Hopping, jumping, speed ladders. You need no special equipment. Youtube it. It improved my speed.

Welcome pinkglow I have just completed the bridge and am now running for 1 hour 20 That is HUGE for me, so I will cheer you on as you head for your 10k.

Yes, yes, yes, my family, friends, work colleagues, you name it. Constantly warning me about the DANGERS OF RUNNING!!!!!!

"You'll knacker your knees"
"You'll give yourself arthritus"
"You'll give yourself a heartattack"
"Some people can DIE during a marathon you know, fit people too, not people like you Encyclo"

[cynical]

even

Hiya pinkglow, nice to have you here!

Encylco - it is a particularly good edition of RW this month although it had a piece from the Running Clinic about "know your running style" - 'twas a little depressing being very clearly marked down as a "Shuffler"

Cest I saw that article too while browsing in the supermarket (too tight to buy it though ) I am the first one - "stomper"? or something like that.

Lol at 'people die whilst running' I'm pretty certain that more people die when not running.....

I dunno I almost died this afternoon, I swear..

4 x 400m sprints with 400m recovery in between. I had the dc with me and my ds1 aged 7 sprinted ahead of me round a couple of them. Imagine the shame. I also did some of Lauren's plyometrics afterwards, I'm with you Dr No, I reckon it's the only way to get faster. Rhet, you and I should stick to an intervals + plyometrics plan one day a week and see if it makes a difference.

Welcome pink. My mother swears running is bad for you. She also thinks I work too hard considering I have 3 dc. She seems to have forgotten that I live in Africa where you have to do sweet fa in the way of housework and minimal childcare if you so desire (naturally I am a very hands on mum ). They are of course, simply jealous.

C'est you are right, the RW schedules at least gave me enough ideas to do one of my own, my challenge is to try to stick to it. The article sounds interesting, can you give us a lowdown? I fear I may well be a 'stomper'.

Welcome Pinkglow and well done on completing couch to 5k.
Is rw worth getting? I normally just get womens running, is rw better?
Just done 5k but boy it is hot out there [I dream of rain when running]. I tried the counting backwards, I normally just count if struggling, it helped.

M&M good idea - although I'm not very good at mastering physical things from dvds - but I'll have a go.

Your post about help made me smile, DP and I have a running riff about our useless nanny who always has a hangover and is never around to get the child up in the mornings....in our dreams! it would be nice to hand her over from time to time, much as I love her

DD obsessed with bike at the moment, so in addition to my 12 mile round trip to work today I had to pedal round and round the block with 28lbs of small girl on the back of the other (heavier) bike...think of my quads, I thought, as I toiled up the hill for the 3rd time!

Quick message as need to eat! Just did LSR but couldn't make 11 miles...had to sprint home at 10.5 as other wise would of done a Paula thankfully this is my last tea time run as I am not used to running that far this late in the day!

It's DH's birthday today so didn't get out for a swim tonight as I'd hoped (he thinks it's bad form to go out on your partner's birthday...) I've managed to sort myself out with a working bike so am definitely going to enter this triathlon. I'm EXTREMELY excited about it! I need to time myself doing the swim as the entry form asks what your expected finishing time for the swim is - have no idea! So the swim will be tomorrow. Might have to cycle to the pool - about 4 miles each way.

Very exciting possum I'm sure you'll love it
I went for a cycle last night and had to cycle really fast home when I realised the sun was setting and I was still a few miles from home with no lights!

Ds2 gave me the fright of my life this morning. He was on his wheelybug and went too fast onto the raised bit at the kitchen floor & went over the handle flat on his face. I picked him up but he wasn't really crying, then I realised it was because he couldn't breathe! He couldn't get a proper breath & went floppy. I had dialled 999 & was about to press the call button when he started breathing properly again. He is fine now & has no pain so must have just been winded but I was sooo scared.

Debi, poor you - horridness. Time for ?

Poor you Debi, more like time for !!!

Glad DS is ok.

Debi - how scary! We have a wheely bug and hard floors. Now I am worried!

My Garmin arrived in the post this morning! I have spent the last hour watching youtube videos on how to use it - it seems so complicated! It is the Foreruner 405cx. Anyone have this one? I am not due to run again until Friday (I ran last night) but am now thinking I should go sooner to try it out! But it is pouring with rain in London and I had planned to swim laps tonight. Hmmmmm......decisions.

oh Debi, that must have been frightening. I'm sure at least half my grey hairs are down to the girls doing mad things. Children! Very glad to hear he's OK now.

Hi pinkglow and well done on completing the 5k programme! My office-mate was very when I started running again after having DD2. I was apparently much too old and would knacker my knees. BUT when I did the Great North Run she said she was very proud of me . Haven't managed to convert her to running, but she is now very keen on me doing it! My Mum thinks I'm mad, but my brother's madder

I did my easy run this morning. Lovely out, there are lots of poppies and cornflowers out in the fields and it looks so pretty. 50 minutes, 8k - I'm very good at taking it easy :)

debi that sounds terrifying; I'm glad he is ok. Just did a really easy 5 miles, in the autumn (yes, it is) sunshine, great way to get rid of the slight hangover I acquired in my local last night (craft beers, yummy, but strong...)

DD at nursery all day today, visitors for lunch tomorrow; must get on

(peach, DP had a great snort at your pants update on fb - she has the same problem...it's not your fault, you know!)

Sounds a little hectic debi - glad to hear she's alright. Kids always seem to find new and inventive ways to injure themselves and scare the bejesus out of us...

Can't quite remember all the types of 'bad' running styles master but I think they were along the lines of:

Stomper - lands heavily, down for too long, overstrides
Shuffler (me!) - doesn't pick up feet and arms don't move enough so it's just a fast shuffle
Octopus - arms swing around everywhere
Weekend Warrior - runs too fast, overstrides, overstreches
Bouncer - bounces up too much and not forward enough
Walker - goes very slowly so wobbles and bounces more than goes forward

Think there were couple of others as well all with their own associated injuries... interesting and useful if a little depressing reading!

cestlavie isn't there one where your head shakes from side to side? it's downstairs, must look them up...

I think I do all of them!

Trying to catch up here after the weekend. It's difficult to read or post much on my BB so I have to wait until I'm at work on Tuesday.

Debi I'm so glad your DS is ok now. He must have given you such a fright. And, more trivially, how annoying that your parkrun result was wrong. Fancy wandering off with the number thingy!

Peach There was a woman at Saturday's parkrun pushing a toddler in a baby jogger. I think it was this one. I overheard her say she had already run 5km to the start, as she overtook me uphill whilst chatting to her mate. I don't think it was her first time . I noticed she held the buggy with just one hand, but swapped hands quite frequently, which shows what a workout for the upper body it is. Her DS appeared to be enjoying himself though.

Hi pinkglow welcome to the thread. Aren't people funny? Just because they don't do something they have to discredit it. Obstacles and mud in a 10k sound like fun though.

Possum I love the sound of that triathlon. Do they want to know your swim time so they know how long they need the pool for? I can imagine them turning out the lights waiting for me to finish.

I used to subscribe to Runners World but it's too much of an extravagance for me now. I was constantly surprised though, at what they found to say about running, month after month. Who'd have known there was so much to it?

Am just watching the weather, trying to time my lunchtime run before the rain comes. It looks proper miserable out there. I read the running whilst pregnant guide in my Runners World Complete Book of Running at the weekend and now am concerned about how hard I should be pushing at the 10k training if I might be pregnant. Apparently you shouldn't let your heartrate go above 140BPM or let yourself get too hot, particularly in the very early stages when the foetus is developing. Blooming two week wait, it's silly to take any risks but you can't put your life (or training schedules) on hold for two weeks every month can you?

Hi all, just checking in for quick post...

Debi that's horrific, how scary. So glad to hear he's okay now

Possum your Triathlon sound amazing and also a bit terrifying. I would drown I'm sure of it. My swimming is woeful.

I managed 8.5 miles last night. I was only aiming for 6 but it felt so good out there I just had to keep going. Man, my legs hurt this morning. It took me 1 hour and 33 mins to do it. I was shooting for 9 miles actually, but my legs seemed to come to a stop. It was as if I was a passenger in my own body and had no control over it's movement in the end.

I think I'll spend the next few weeks consolitdating 8 now then try to close in on 10.

Wow! 10. Imagine that?

Oh and I ran without any music. I kind of liked it.