2015 Running Thread Part 6

[Anglaise1]

New running thread

8 hilly miles, total climb of 800 feet, although I know that's nothing to some of you! Lovely quiet run in the forest, like you family I only met one dog walker.
1273

6.21 progressive run (so got faster with each mile) in the lovely (and not particularly flat) countryside
Obsolutely glorious. Totally reminded me why I run in the first place. Feeling on a major runners high now!

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Ten miles from me. First five at 12min miles last five at 11.

3.5 yesterday plus 9.4 this morning, a very wet and windy run with the club. It's been a long time since I've been that cold and wet after a run!
Agree running is big business, for everything, clothes, shoes, gadgets and food. I can live without my Garmin for trail racing, although it is useful to know the distance, but to do a good time in road races I find it helpful to know my speed. I have a friend who often runs 'au feeling' as the French say, very successfully. Usually because she can't work out how to operate her Garmin (she is very technologically challenged!)

My 12.9 + Phlebas 10 = 1302.11

Anglaise I have a friend who ended up giving his Suunto away as he was basically using it as an expensive stopwatch. Interestingly I always track km with mine, but I had a training session with one of HK's best trail runners last weekend (aiming top 15 for UTMB this year) who said that for trail running just measure ascent and time on your feet as they're the critical success factors in his opinion. I'm actually considering going watchless for a race that I really want a PB in, just as an experiment. I know the course, so I know how far I've gone and how far to go, and knowing the time may actually do more harm than good- if I'm ahead I'll panic that I'm going to blow up. If I'm behind, I'll have a collapse of morale.

Thanks for adding my miles! I always forget and it's dodgy on my phone when i've just collapsed sweatily into the car and am devouring a banana.

I wondered a couple of things you ladies might be able to help me on:

1: I am now running for distances that require me to eat. I used up my freebie gel from my last race goodie pack and it did help me today. But it was pretty gross. Any recommendations? Also, I don't currently carry water, just hydrate really well before i go, but I am reaching the stage where I need to. I hate holding a bottle, i'm thinking bum bag? Any good ideas there?

2: I noticed my hands are swelling past 8.5 miles, they go whitish and I had to take my rings off today! They go down onec i've stopped running though. Anyone else have enormo hands when running?

12.6 from me

• 1302.11 1314.71

sorry no experience of in run food/gels Phlebas but some sort of belt with a pocket may be best for water, I find those soft flasks very useful because they dont dig into you like normal bottles.

Not noticed my hands swelling but I dont wear any rings so it's quite possible that they do a bit in the heat but I just dont notice.

Speaking of heat I really enjoyed the lack of it today, rain and wind on the south coast, running cold feels so much easier :)

I agree Suzanne! I HATE the heat for running. Today's fine but tepid drizzle suited me just fine! My favourite running time is probably Autumn and early Winter. I love going out frosty and then stripping off! It makes me feel superhuman, running through the snow in a t-shirt, or at least like all my mates up north!

even so I think there is some benefit to soldiering on through the summer, I think your body adapts/blood volume increases and then you're that bit faster/better in the colder weather.

Then again I've not even completed one full year of running yet so what do I know

16 mile through route in the Cairngorms yesterday. Managed to avoid most of the showers, and lovely to get out into the wild .

I only really use my Garmin for ascent and distance and sometimes don't use the GPS if I know the route well. Min/miles vary so much that it's not really very easy to compare one run to another. It is useful for interval training though not that I've done any for ages

Phlebas yesterday I took one of my homemade flapjacks (high protein lots of nuts and seed), and I had a gel with me but didn't take it. I have a bumbag (OMM waist pouch) and have a 500ml soft flask which I top up on the go if needed. I also get swollen hands that can go tingly, but seems to resolve afterwards.

No run today but took the girls to local new MTB trail park. Not quite as "trendy" as skateboarding, but lots of "cool" girls (old and young) giving the boys a run for their money .

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Neither have I Suzanne! I only started on couch to 5 k in December. It seems bonkers that I could onyl run for 30 seconds without weeping then. I do feel like I'm a "runner" now though, because I have accepted that i am not a fast one, but a sturdy one! In my head I think i was hoping to be a whippet thin "proper" runner, but in actual fact i'm a 43 year old 5 foot dumpy one with sturdy legs. But I can now run 9.5 miles, no matter how ploddy!

I suspect that concentrating on gradually building up the distance but keeping the speed slow and steady has a big payoff from the point of view of avoiding injuries Phlebas.
Then again everyone is different and maybe it just comes down to paying attention to how you feel..knowing when to push through and when to rest, or at least learning from previous mistakes on that front.

I use a small backpack if I need to carry anything, anything waist mounted annoys me too much

Runtothhills your run this morning sounds glorious. I'm very jealous of all your mountains. We have a few steep valleys but nothing to really prepare you for proper mountain running.
You are a runner if you run, Phlebas! There was an article in August's Women's Running about big girls running. You don't have to be stick thin, especally for ultra trails.
I don't eat anything when I run, I certainly don't need to for anything up to 2 hours. If I did I'd probably take a few jelly babies, nothing more. Water is more important. I have a belt with two small 250ml bottles which I take for runs of over 2 hours or if it is very hot. I find it much easier to carry than one larger bottle on a belt - it is more balanced and they don't wobble around annoyingly or chafe. If I'm running over 3 hours I'd take my camelback.
I don't wear rings but my fingers sometimes go white when it is cooler due to Reynauds syndrome, although I don't get that as badly as some other girls in the club (who are really really thin).

Hi Phlebas, I am just starting to experiment with carrying water/food as I am increasing my distances too.
I like a waist bum bag with one water bottle which lies at an angle across my lower back. I barely notice it once I'm up and running. I tried a belt with two smaller bottles at each side on in the shop but my arms kept hitting the bottles on the swing. There is a small pocket too.
I absolutely hated the freebie gels I got from races but I love the Torq ones - apple crumble and rhubarb and custard are yummy enough to have for treats! I tried the Torq raspberry and apple bar today and it was perfectly palatable though I wouldn't rave. I like the sound of your home made flapjacks run, might have a go at making some but suspect I would eat them regardless of running
Gels are quite expensive though, jelly babies/jelly beans or similar are popular too.
I carry a small rucksack if I need to take extra clothes/jacket too but the bum bag has given me confidence to extend my range on hot days and when running with DS (who feels the need for water more than me).

i know what you mean about feeling like a 'proper' runner. I didn't for ages. I've been running over 8 years now and it took me about a year and a half! I have slowly lost about 2.5 stone over several years and there is definitely less of me now, but it happened slowly.
9.5 miles after 7 months of running is awesome in my book!

Another 3.2 for me so 1333.91

Another 'not a proper runner' runner here, but have been running about 18 months now. Just short distances for me but gradually increasing. Transition from non-runner to runner for me included the following steps:

Can run without stopping xx minutes
Have actually got running shoes
No longer only go late at night so as not to be seen, but actively wav at people I know when out running!

I think that is as serious as it's likely to get for me but love it all the same!

surely if you run or run-walk regularly and consistently then you are a runner!

Sounds lovely familygermsareok.

A belt is the best I think phlebasconsidered and yes I get swollen hands but usually only in the winter. Agree with jelly babies, I have only ever eaten when running a hm and then just put them in my cheek to melt.

3.79 from me yesterday. So that's *1337.7
**
*It was a lovely run in the drizzly rain but not as long as I wanted as dp and I left late when mil and sil came to watch the kids and we were making lunch.

But nice to run with oh for. Change and he kept me going at a decent pace for me!

So I can now easily run 6-7.5 km but really need to find the time to up my mileage on runs as I have a 10k race in 6 weeks. Difficult with 5month DD and 3yo DS!

I am still not a proper runner and always have to bring my handheld water bottle with me. It's like a crutch for me! I didn't even drink anything from it yesterday.

I am so impressed by everyone's mileage it's definitely something to aspire to.

Lovely 5 miler on Saturday up around Hampstead Heath, trying to improve my Strava placing on the hill segment up to Kenwood House and burning the legs in the process! Good times :)

1342.7

I am a wuss about bad weather though and decided that putting the bike on the turbo trainer and chugging away while watching the last hour of the last stage of the Tour de France was a better option yesterday though.

A quick 'let's avoid bedtime' five miler with a friend tonight makes 1347.7. Bit steamy but not too bad - I think the worst of the heat is behind us now. Lots of people out, and lots of dogs too. Ear seems to be clearing at last- thank god. Can't face another week of not drinking antibiotics

Adding in 18.4 from this morning, had to postpone it over the weekend as we were just too busy (went to the athletics - it was awesome). The longest I've run since 2013. The last 3 miles were painful.

I only use fuel if I'm running over HM distance. Today I did use 2 gels (the SiS ones). I've got this waist pack but not in pink

It fits my gels in and I don't find it annoying on my waist at all. I did do a fair bit of research before I bought it as lots of the belts don't get good reviews.

I am going to go and look up the Torq gels familygerms as they sound nice.

I don't mind running with a small water bottle but today I took the large one and found that annoying. Not sure I want to fork out for a camelbak though.

Wish the weather would improve. It's really grim again today. I swear I've cursed the summer - bought two sun loungers and since then the weather has been awful!

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That looks a very comfortable belt, Louey. Does it have bottle holders? Well done on your 18 miler - is that marathon training?
Keyser glad you are feeling better and hope you are able to drink again soon to come off the antibiotics soon.
11 miles from me today, combination of dog run and running with a friend.
Windy with a couple of showers but not nearly as wet as yesterday.
26 km trail race in the valleys planned for next Sunday. Tempted to do the 13km as a couple of guys in the club are doing that one, but I really want to do a longer race even if it is 2 times the same circuit. With A LOT of hills.

Hello runners. Have not been doing much running over the last few weeks (too much life getting on the way) but we are on hols and I am off again. I hadn't realised how much I had missed it until I started again.

4 mile steep hill session trying out my new toys shoes. The grip is AMAZING (see here ) its like being stuck to the ground and you almost have to peel your foot off. Can't wait to try them in a race!

Well done on you 18 miler Louey Agree I think summer has finished, was 12 degrees today would like to use some of the summer clothes I got the girls instead of fleeces and jackets.

Welcome back ohone, absence of running makes the heart grow fonder

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