runners united: the one with the time running with other people

[rhetorician]

all welcome to come and join in - we talk a lot on here, and are always glad of new people to natter with about running (and everything else)

Glad dd ok this moring peachs

N4NNY do you use energy drinks? I've found some varieties of those give me tummy troubles. Maybe because I don't really like coke and fizzy drinks like that, so I'm not used to the aspartamine (sp? no idea!).

Peach that's good news about your DD; long may it continue! I bet you can't wait to get back to the running - I've felt like pawing at the window when I've seen runners go by and I've had to do something stupid like go to work.

Orangehead my continued admiration for how you seem to cope so well with all that's going on in your life. Your poor DS2, I hope you get some better information so that he gets a bit more help; it must be ever so frustrating for you.

Paws I'm teetotal as well atm, which is very for me as I generally would always welcome a drop. Since having that horrid cold a while back I've just not fancied it. But I guess it's better for me (and cheaper!).

Another short run - 4 miles this morning. Took the pace up a little a mile 3 and felt fine, so I think I'm back to normal and can start getting ready for the 10k now. Need to find a mini-plan for that, especially to try and up the speed. And of course hill training (I'll take that coach, ta)

intervals may not have killed me at the time, but I felt every one of them when I was out this morning! sore legs! but I struggled round - it's a lovely day and I have the house to myself until lunchtime. This is a novelty as even when dd is at nursery dp is usually here. There's nothing quite as calming as a quiet, empty house. I've decided that Friday mornings are going to be 'my' mornings to do what I want with - except that today I have some work to do!

No running today. Resting. DD3 wee-ed on me to commemorate the occasion. Ha ha. Actually what happened was that she was crying having banged her head opening the park gate for me and the dog which then swung back on her. So I picked her up and she was crying so hard for a while she pee-ed herself and wet my front. I smelt like a tramp for the next hour in the park while the dog and DD3 frolicked.

It is hard to believe that once upon a time I too was a cutting thrusting corporate lawyer, sticky. Actually, I am wondering about taking the Californian Bar Exam when we are settled in San Fran, more as a way of stimulating the old grey cells and familiarising myself with local laws and ways (and funny spellings) rather than to practise. Am hoping DH's career will take off to such an extent that the idea of me ever needing to work again won't enter the realm of the Moshi household.

Glad dd went in fine today peach - my dd2 went in fine yesterday only to be infloods of tears when I picked her up cos she'd fallen over and then got all tired and emotional. Thanks for the advise on the program - am jumping ahead a bit but nice to plan !

june great weightloss ! You're my height and my Target weight. I'm about 5 lbs away but not trying too hard at the mo. Am hoping once I get up to full regime of 4 runs and 2 swims plus it will come off.

I too am unsure how I managed a responsble job in the city (accountant not lawyer) but hated it so pleased to be out. Hope to go back to something less boring instead in time. Sometimes I think I'd like to train to do personal training but for people who are new to exercise rather than athletes such as ourselves (ahem) .

Currently sat at soft play ...... Maybe accountancy wasn't so bad ;-)

I have a fairly high-powered job, but the key thing for me is that it's not in a corporate environment (although universities get more corporate all the time). I just turned down a specific role (overseeing and fund-raising a major refurb/re-build) because I thought I couldn't bear all the powerpoints and flow-charts, even though I am interested in the project - particularly the design part of it.

Switching tack entirely, I am at how needy and dependent many of my first years are, despite huge efforts to give them info. guidance etc. It's a long long way from when I started, reading list in one hand, nothing in the other - is it just me, or did we just get on with it?

am going to switch my runs around - doing a medium run the morning after evening intervals isn't working for me - I clearly need longer recovery (I ran about a minute per km slower this morning than I did on Tuesday!). So how does this look

Mon short quick run 6k
Tues run to work, easy 13-14k
Weds intervals ca. 7k
Thurs rest
Fri LSR 16k and rising (hopefully!)
Sat rest OR recovery run 4-5k
Sun easy run 11-12k

that gives me about 38 miles a week - plus the bike

orangehead I don't see why you shouldn't mention it (if you have another cs). I had a beautiful scar from when I had ds1, it was virtually invisible. Then when I had an emergency cs with ds3 it was a real slash and grab, and is a mess - it's big and rises up at one side as well. Also got horribly infected because they fucked up bigtime and let ds3 get severely distressed while I was left alone in labour things were so hurried.

rhet are you sure that's enough rest? My maximum week of marathon training was 41 miles, so barely any more than that! Otherwise the timetable looks perfect.

As for the university issue - well I can only say from my own experience. I'm old enough to have gone on a full grant and I had to work evenings and holidays - no way could my family help out. I went to a shit tough comprehensive and had to learn early to figure stuff out for myself - no spoonfeeding from either teachers (who meant well but their priority was not getting beaten up themselves and dealing with the endless teen pregnancies) or my parents (not academic at all).

For me, going to university was a huge privilege and no way was I going to waste an amazing opportunity. I worked bloody hard and came out with a first in my subject (law). Just me and the equally nerdy Malaysian student out of 170 of us. I was the first person in my family to get any kind of qualification, let alone a degree. I can only imagine that if you come from a background where it's easycome/easygo then your attitude to learning is going to be screwed.

Also rhet (warming to theme here) - how many hours of lectures and tutorials do your first years get? We got bare bones compared to some subjects - two hours of lectures per course option (so eight hours in total) plus a one hour tutorial per subject every other week - so a total of ten hours teaching per week. The rest of the time you were meant to be doing your own research, either on your option subjects or in the final year your dissertation. So I guess that means that if you chose to do bugger all in your "free" time, you didn't really get found out until end of the first year.

blimey Rhet ..I am worn out reading all that! I only manage about 22-24 miles a week (LSR Tuesday, running club Thursday, recovery run Friday,speedy 5K Saturday) Expect that will go up if I get a marathon place..can't imagine how I could fit in 38 miles a week but it all adds up I suppose.

rhet that sounds like a LOT of running, I'd incorporate another day of rest.
Aww your dd is very sweet for buying the baby blanket for her sis :)

debi yeah probably a load of overstretched skin, you can't tell when I'm wearing clothes, (even tight-ish sports clothes) but yeah it is depressing having come that far and still not be happy with the way I look.
I dread to think what will happen when I get pregnant for the second time
sfx nothing like a faster friend to improve your performance :D
fanny For abs trainer says cut the cardio and do more bodybuilding stuff as cardio is making me loose muscle as well as fat. And my diet is going to need to be stricter (it's already strict, no sugary sweets/drinks at all, measured portions of meat/carbs(only wholegrain/wholemeal carbs)/veg so I am a little bit scared, bought a load of "clean eating" recipe books by Tosca Reno on amazon to keep it varied.
We start the week after next I can keep you updated.
paws I'm on zero alcohol too. I don't miss it to be honest. Had the odd glass of champagne at parties and on holidays so not teetotal but not far.
wheelie I found that the diet was really what pushed my weight loss at the end of it, when there is not much left to go. Eat small portions often (5 meals a day.) I can email you the portions/food groups I'm following if you like.
orange it sounds like you're having a rough time, I really hope things improve for you. mum was ill with cancer and it's a really scary place to be when you know your mum/a parent is going to die. My aunties have been a great support network, and still are to this day. Lots of hugs x
moshi SF sounds really exciting, how do the children feel about moving and stuff? Good luck with your race this weekend!

You guys have big feet, I'm a 4

Got my lucozade from Sainsbury's this morning, thanks for the tip, I was prepared to call all the local Boots otherwise.
I now have enough various gels and protein bar to open a shop it's ridiculous. I'm thinking I might need to bring a coolbox .
Also tried a lucozade energy tablet yesterday at 6pm and was hyper until midnight, probably going to take one before the race then :)

All ready now I think. Nike+ app should tell my facebook when I start the race if I figure out how to download it, will try and work it out later.

Tapering really sucks

Ok. I've signed up now for my half. Que sera sera! Think I have a bit of a sinusy thing on the go so hoping that'll shift asap so I can get a last long run/confidence boost in on Monday. Very, VERY nervous about this as feel so incredibly unprepared.

June, I am totally in awe of your weight loss. Sorry if you've already explained but have you used a particular diet in conjunction with your running regime? I could do with shifting a couple of stone but can't really seem to focus properly.

Wheely, I used to be an accountant too. Trained in practice then worked in the NHS but left last year to help DH with his business. I don't miss it at all. I do the books, invoicing etc but was never a natural accountant. Goodness knows how I ever managed to get into that for a living!

Fairy well done for signing up, think that is the hardest bit done.....stops the "shall I, shan't I " eating away at you anyway!

June am glad that you got gels in Sainsbury's, becuase having told you that you could get them there, I was worried that I may have got that wrong, and was going to check this morning while shopping, but forgot!

Rhet sounds like a good trainnig plan, though feeling exhausted reading it!

Moshi shame about DD3 and the wee!

Playing catch up here, as per usual - supermarket shopping, smear test, rush home to put washing out, rush to school for lunchtime recorder clubs (3 consecutive groups - I jsut help the friend who runs them) and then back home for a bit of a rest.

Lovely nurse doing smear test, having done the deed, recommended I make an appt to see GP, as I have several cervical polyps.. She was very reassuring, and told me prob nothing to worry about, but it is hard not to panic..and google...Anyone else had this?

Where's Fanny gone?

OK, quick catch up and 1 pertinent question. Why do you all wear running shoes much bigger than your normal shoe size? I'm a 5, and run in 5.5's. Am I missing something? Will I run faster with bigger shoes?

Lol at Moshi stinking of pee in the park

rhet the miles you cover per week with your job and a tiny dd are amazing woman!

I did 5k last night and was meant to run today as I don't work Fridays but feel quite sluggish and leg niggling again. Might go later when dh gets home, will see how I feel. No high powered job for me, you guys all sound very intellectual. I work in sales support for a large Hotel group. Have always worked in the hotel industry and have not studied since I was at college. Take my hat off to anyone who studies when raising a family/holding down jobs etc.

June - I know you're right re the diet Actually, if I cut right back, and i have been being a bit lax over the summer so staying static, hopefully it'll shift a bit. I need to cut out wine again.... I managed 3 days this week but its the weekend now [no willpower emoticon]. Oh and its DH's birthday - that's a good excuse .

I'm a 2 c-sec girl here too so my stomach is a terrible mess. Also carrying both dds well out front didn't help much (or the cake I ate in the six months following their births).

Good luck for the race this weekend june ! Glad you got the gels sorted. I had 2 in my cupbaord - I was going tohave to drive them to you if you'd not found any .

Good luck too for your halfs moshi tulip and doyouthink (where are you doyouthink ?? )

Good luck for the 10K Ibby

and Good luck for your first tri Backward - am really looking forward to hearing about that. What was the book you read ?

Planning 8 miles tomorrow I think, looks like we're in for a nice weekend.

Sorry that was a bit of an inane grinny post.

Also meant to add fairy - well done for signing up for the run and i'm glad I'm not the only dull accountant on the thread There i go again...

drnortherner I went to sweatshop last Sunday had had my running style analysed she also looked at my old trainers and said they were too small for running. I bought the pair she advised after trying me in loads of different ones.

Dr No I am also a 5 and run in a 5.5 and its fine for me. Once I ordered size 6 by mistake and really noticed the difference (in a negative way). Saying that my bike shoes are like a size 6 or 6.5 so massive and clown like and they are fine.

paws you have made me and a bit of hope. Not expecting it too look fab but anything has to be better than what it is now. Now just need to get the getting pregnant done with .
How lovely Moshi, we can't afford to have pride after kids can we?
That sounds good Rhetall though alot, suppose you just have to try it and see if it works fo you.
Sorry about your mum June
Well done for signing up Fairy, you wil be fine

Regarding shoes I just got the size th sweatshop fitted me with. She did say something about need a bigger size for running but cant remember why. Possibly feet getting hot and swelling compared to resting, but just guessing

rhet that is some timetable! I guess the woman who streaks laughs in the face of rest.... And I totally agree re students. The parents come up here on the open days ffs! I find it odd that little Hugh and Hermione can achieve straight As at school, yet reading a timetable and getting on a train by themselves seem beyond them. But then, I'm old enough to have been on a grant and have thought that university was my* thing, and not much to do with my parents (though of course if they wanted to come up and feed me visit that was fine :))

Wheely and Fairy I started off as an accountant (worse - I was an Andersen Android!) and found that was just way too exciting so became a financial services lawyer instead. Me and my scintillating career (which seems to have prematurely ended, so perhaps now's the time to do something EXCITING! Any suggestions??)

Moshi tee hee at you covered in wee!! One of the things I don't miss about having smallies is wondering do I smell like a cheese-factory (breast feeding months) or a small-holding (when the wees and poos can come at unexpected moments). Happy days...

I'm taking refuge here because there are little "friends" all over the house. Just deciding what to feed them all - cheese on toast seems a good option

Yes, where is Fanny?

And lastly - yep, my normal shoes are 6, my trainers are 7.5 (I think). And pink - tasteful

Good luck backwardpossom, Doyouthinktheysaurus (are you here under a different name?), June, Moshi, Tulip27 and Ibbydibby this weekend (what a lot of miles will be covered!)... hope you all have good races and good weather :)

Evening ladies! Unfortunately I'm still here. . Just haven't had a minute to post.

On my iPhone so will post properly later.

No running from me for past 2 days, haven't felt 100%.

Good luck for the weekend backwardpossom, Doyouthinktheysaurus, June, MoshiMoshi, Tulip27and Ibbydibby

wear a half size bigger than shoe size - theory is that feet swell when you run, isn't it? my trail shoes that I bought recently are a full size bigger as the reviews suggested they came up small, and also I like to wear Smartwool socks in winter and they are thicker than my 'summer' socks...

good luck to this weekend's racers - I'm not doing anything like that until mid-Oct, thank goodness. Am not teetotal, but on the whole a very moderate drinker (no-one in Ireland ever believes you if you say you drink fewer than the upper level of units) - I have a small drink most days, but quite often don't bother if there's nothing in the house. But have for tonight!