Runners Thread No.8

[cinnamongreyhound]

All runners of all abilities welcome for chat, support and butt kicking as and when required. If you run you are a runner so come and join us!!

Link to old thread.

Our total so far for November from the old thread is 177.3 miles.

[Mitchy1nge]

have so much respect for people who can keep running on treadmills, for their mental toughness

find it really really hard even if it is at a comfortable pace, just mentally very difficult

[Blatherskite]

2.6 slow miles with the beginners group this morning brings me to almost 24 miles in 3 days. Do I give myself a rest tonight or go and do 6-7miles with the social group too?

298.1

[BirdhouseInYourSoul]

Hello runners!

Hope this is ok to ask here as I didn't fancy starting my own thread just for this but; Did any of you hate running to start with? Or thought you would but actually loved it?

I really want to run. I can fit it into my day better then the gym and I quite like the idea of starting now when it's a bit dark so no one can point and laugh... I tried it a couple of times but found it really hard. But I was a lot bigger and unfit compared to now so hopefully that may make a difference?

any tips to start? I was thinking c25k as a starting point.

[Mitchy1nge]

I did hate it when I first took it up again, but somehow I knew that I WOULD like it (maybe because had liked it a bit earlier in life?)

was in love with it the moment I was advised to 'slow down' and discovered could just run for ages like that! it was as if my own secret special super power had been revealed to me!

[BirdhouseInYourSoul]

I think that was maybe my problem - running too fast.

It sounds silly but I had real trouble timing my breaths. I know I should probably try a group or something first to get the best tips etc but I'm a bit embarrassed!

[HalleLouja]

Birdhouse C25k is a way of slowing getting into it and I don't think I would be running now if I hadn't of discovered it. Sometimes I still hate running but the good runs keep me going.

[Mitchy1nge]

other people will have good ideas but my advice as a shit runner who fucking loves it would be to have a distance/route or a time target (round a certain field, or out for 30 minutes something like that) run as slowly as you can and then slow down a lot more, walk when you have to then run slowly again and do that at least three times a week and you will be running the whole way before you know it

or those podcasts seem amazing from what people say on here

[emummy]

birdhouse I only took up running to help with something else, hated it at first, am now slightly obsessed! C25k is a good way to start, dh is doing at the moment. It is hard to run slowly enough at the start. With breathing, I was told to breathe in for 2 steps and out for 3, which was a big help. I don't really think about my breathing much now but revert to that if I feel stressed!
Good luck

[Mitchy1nge]

I breathe in for 4, out for 4

(is occasionally all that goes through my mind when running too '1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4')

[BirdhouseInYourSoul]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

I've just got my kit all ready to go once DS is in bed. Podcast downloaded for c25k as a starting point and 'Go Slow' as my mantra :o

Now I just have to resist temptation of buying proper running gear until I'm properly committed...

[ScienceRocks]

Birdhouse, the couch to 5k programme is a great way to start. If you use the NHS one, a nice lady calls Laura tells you all about breathing and what to do with various bits of your body ("look ten strides ahead and relax your shoulders"). I have never been sporty, and hadn't run since school when I started couch to 5k at the end of August, and now I run three times a week for around half an hour each time. I found it hard to start with, but the programme really carries you through and now I love it

[Mitchy1nge]

I know that feeling jelly! good luck :)

took up belly dancing during my miserable not running phase and classes were held on same night as huge running club in nearest biggest town so had to watch dozens and dozens of runners on my way there aged from about 10 to 100 every week

it was like they were taunting me

[LaughingM]

birdhouse I have always been adamant that I hated running, but put on weight last year and needed an exercise that was as cheap as possible and could be squeezed in to 30min slots. C25K later, I still sometimes hate running (normally at the hideous 10-15min mark of a run) but I am an absolute convert . Freedom, nature and time when I can't worry about anything else because I'm too busy concentrating on not falling over and best of all - there is always something to work towards. Right now I'm slow and still only running 5-6km, but I have total faith that my distance will build up and I will get faster if I put the work in.

Also 2 miles of intervals to add yesterday... 300.1

[standingonlego]

Welcome birdhouse, lovely to have you with us. Everyone is really positive about c25k so hope your first adventure goes well. The first few times are the challenge, but then seeing progress spurs you on :) Let us know how you go, lots of c25k graduates on this thread for encouragement and support.

I was just popping in to add my lovely afternoon jog around the local reservoir, a great challenge as you have to keep going to get back! Pleased to report I survived and stumbled back to my car so can add 6.7 miles taking us to 304.8

[standingonlego]

Crossed posted so we AE at 306.8

[EdithDickie]

Good luck birdhouse, I am another C25K fan

7.22 miles for me today, my longest ever run. So chuffed! Not an amazing pace (11:41 mins / mile) but I am really rather delighted with myself

[EdithDickie]

314.02??

[cinnamongreyhound]

BirdhouseInYourSoul I thoroughly recommend the c25k but it took me a good 3 months of running 30mins three times a week after I finished it to enjoy the actual run. I felt better afterwards but didn't actually enjoy the run. Definitely take it slowly you can increase pace later.

Was a lovely afternoon here but only dark runs for me at the moment :(

[BirdhouseInYourSoul]

Well I survived!

It wasn't that horrific really. Blowing a bit of a gale but it actually felt nice and refreshing. It was nice to get out of the house. DD had her appendix out last week so been going a bit stir crazy for the recovery.

I kept telling myself to go slow and I fast walked the last 'run' slot but I did kind of enjoy it.

I ran around a green that is pretty much opposite my house and on a hill so the up bits were hard but it's fully lit and the safest place for now. But I did wonder if people were watching me go round the green 5 times like a loon :o

Eventually I will brave a nice walk we have here but that will need daylight and I'm not brave enough right now!

Thanks for everyones encouragement - I'm really glad I did it now :)

[EdithDickie]

Well done Birdhouse!

[feetheart]

We'll have you converted soon enough birdhouse. Well done on getting started :)

Blathers - what did you do in the end?

4.8 to add from me from what was supposed to be a 'slow and steady recovery run' after yesterday's cross country. Slow and steady my a**e, I just followed the others round, wondered why I was struggling a bit and then recorded a PB for the route My body doesn't like me now but I think I will sleep well!

318.8

[actiongirl1978]

ahem...0.5miles on the treadmill as a warm up with personal trainer. But he was under strict instructions to leave my legs out of it today so I can get some runs in tomorrow and thursday when I will be able to show my face again with something more impressive hopefully!

So 319.3

[ScienceRocks]

Not to put too fine a point on it , well done birdhouse

[Blatherskite]

Well done birdhouse! Even now, I have times when I hate running but 99% of the time, I am totally in love with it. It just takes a little time and a bit of training to get the percentages to tip the right way and you'll be unstoppable :)

feet, I gave myself the night off...

...then felt guilty and did 8 miles this morning