Brand new running thread 2018, come and join us!!

[cinnamongreyhound]

A thread for all things running in 2018.

This is the 11th thread since it started with a few of us who wanted to chat about our running, running clothes, support each other and get some training tips.

We talk about our runs and support and encourage where needed.

Please feel free to come and join us and add your miles to our running total for the month for the whole thread in bold at the bottom of each post.
Currently on 29.2 for January.

LadyLance it doesn't go right up but follows a road around that does climb a bit. You can do it maya!
Sorry to hear about your itb troubles sayhello, sounds very frustrating. Welcome back though!
Easy paced run tonight, did boot camp this morning so though it would be tough but actually I quite enjoyed it!

164.2

Thanks emummy - have you done it before? It's just the time limit that worries me.

ladylance - as emummy said, the run follows the road around arthur's seat and has quite a climb. I'd love to give it a go before the actual race but it's my DB who lives nearby. I run around York which is pancake flat!

sayhello - that sounds really painful. I hope the shorter distances work for you and you don't have any more itb troubles.

I haven't done it maya, I did the half which has no nasty hills! I went to uni in Edinburgh though & know Arthur's Seat well. If you have no hills nearby, could you run up stairs? Or hit the treadmill & turn up the incline? I think you'll find a fair number of people will walk the steep bits on the day

Good ideas emummy. I might have to drag DP and the DC out into the dales otherwise. I also went to uni in Edinburgh and lived right on the edge of Arthur's Seat. I really should have checked the route before agreeing to run it . My DB lives in Fife and is used to hills.

I've been feeling really grumpy and a bit tired tonight and really wasn't in the mood for a run. I decided to go out and run a couple of really slow easy miles, which I did, but then I was enjoying it so much I carried on and did a slow 10k. Feel much better now - got to love the endorphins

170.4

Glad the run made you feel better maya! Apparently the brain also releases a cannabis-like chemical after exercise...
Hilly forest run this morning, first one for a while. Started in fog, finished in sunshine.

178.6

Gorgeous sunny morning here. Went out later than usual as stayed up to watch commonwealth games marathon last night - a local runner came 3rd! So out in the sun for easy run along old railway. Felt a bit tired, not sleeping well just now, but all done

191.8

Glad things are going well maya I guess one advantage of living somewhere very hilly is that I have to do some hill work if I want to run outside at all! I'm pretty sure some of the treadmills at my gym have programs that mimic running over hilly terrain- might be worth a try?

Glad you've had some sunny runs emummy and I hope you enjoyed watching the marathon.

2.8 miles in the sun this morning here.

194.6

Interval session in sunshine & showers! Very muddy in the woods, my black dog looks brown!

201

Gym session today as the weather was awful here. Just 1.8 miles run at an easy pace as I wanted to do a bit of strengthening work as well.

202.8

I'm joining in, if thats OK?

I used to run LOADS (three half marathons and a full under my belt) but really put myself off. Am trying to get healthier all round at the minute, so am back in the running game. My nike+ app still has all my 'old' distances and times on it, which makes me want to weep because I am sooooooo slooooooow these days, and have as much intention of covering huge miles as I do of running to the moon.

We shall see.

212.6

Welcome limesoda I think looking back over old times/distances is bound to be demoralising, but in a few months you can look back at this week and see the progress you've made!

When I'm trying to get fitter/healthier, I also find it motivating to think in terms of anything is better than nothing i.e. if I get up and run today even if my time is terrible or I don't go very far it's still a million times better than not doing it!

Good luck!

Welcome limesoda! I know exactly how you feel! I used to be a right speedy Rita, and then got injured and spiralled into a weight gain plus injury equals erratic and slow cycle.

I started being able to run again last Oct and slowly but surely I’m seeing some of my ‘good’ times again! It can be done! It’s defjnitely harder now but I’m getting there I also switched apps as some of those targets seemed so old and unattainable-much better!

This thread is lovely and friendly for keeping you going too

No miles from me since last week as I’ve been on the sofa pretty much since then, with the worst cold ever! I actually think it might be flu as I’ve never felt so bad.

Starting to slowly perk up, I’d really like to try run club tonight but will see how it goes...

Well done everyone else!

Hi! I want to join this thread!

I've been doing parkrun weekly for the past month and I'm working on Bridge to 10k so running 4 days a week.

I look forward to completing the Bridge program so I can start mixing up my runs with different lengths and intensities.

Welcome limesoda and JustGettingStarted!

That sounds awful buster. Hope you are feeling better soon

limesoda I think I'd have to use a new app! You'll get faster and at least you already know you can do it. I think that's half the challenge with running.

2 more 5k runs done on Sunday and tonight. I'm quite proud because I needed to collect my car from the garage after collecting DD1 from brownies this evening. That would usually be my excuse to skip a run but instead I ran to the garage (on main streets where actual people could see me rather than sneaking along the back lanes as usual).

I keep expecting the 5k to get easier but it doesnt. If anything my legs hurt more.

218.8

Welcome JustGettingStarted.

Thanks maya, I made it out! Felt good at time (apart from snot and no breathing situation) but knackered now. Well done on your garage run too!

225.6

Glad you're feeling better Buster

Welcome justgettingstarted I keep meaning to go and do a park run, as there are some lovely scenic ones nearish to me BUT every time I have a free Saturday, the weather is dreadful!

Glad things are going ok maya I agree that it feels like the short runs should get easier, but I always find the first 20 mins the hardest bit anyway, so it doesn't matter if I run for 2 miles or 5 because the first bit is nearly always the toughest!

Hope you all have the same sunshine I do today!

4.4 miles today in 50 mins, pleased as this shows an increase in my speed from this time last month. Just over a month to my half, and I'm worried there's not enough long runs build into my training plan- but I think at this stage I've just got to stick with the system, and I might try to squeeze in at least a 10 mile run before the half!

Rest day tomorrow, long run on Friday, and then maybe a short run at the weekend to make sure I'm on track for 50 miles in April!

230

Thanks for the welcome guys. It adds to my theory that runners do tend to be a very friendly bunch.

Progress is the BEST feeling LadyLance, long may it continue!

I'm still plodding along, doing the Bridge 210k program by time. My speed shouldn't matter. I only remotely think about my speed during parkrun. I have no idea when I'm supposed to add in speed to the equation. I suppose after I have managed to run 10k? I am not really sure how to introduce this element to training, to be honest.

JustGettingStarted I think I'm only a bit further along with you distance wise- I just managed to run 10k last week! But I have found speed has increased naturally as I have run more. Back in January I was running with an average pace of about 13.5 min miles. Over time that has naturally decreased and I now run between 11-12 min miles on longer runs or about 10.30-10.40 min miles on shorter runs if I am pushing myself.

I guess there are things you can do to gain speed if you are sticking at a distance, but I think if you are pushing to increase distance then you'll also get small speed gains naturally? But I'm very new to this so I might be talking rubbish!

Progress is definitely a great feeling limesoda

So I'm not the runner it's for my partner can anyone help? My partner has been running for around 4 years around 2 years ago her friend gave her her old watch - which she has been using since,however it's quite big and bulky and can't keep a lot of info on it - just generally ood. I want to buy a new one as a surprise as she has recently moved to my home town and joined a new running club here. but don't know where to start - preferably it would track runs and Heart rate and activity track - I only have around £100. I have a fitbit2 myself however she would need one more specific to running - for laps and sprints etc. Any help would be great ! Thanks in advance

I'm hoping to see improvements in my 5k speed as I continue to plod through the longer runs (up to about 7/8k, but with 3 one-minute walk breaks).

I don't know if the run/walk method is even ideal for increasing distance. It seems to me that I could just add a kilometre on to a couple of runs each week, slowly adding by each week.

Justusformow there are a range of good watches. I have a Tomtom runner which is great and many people have Garmin watches. If you have a look online you should be able to find one in your price range.
JustGettingStarted I think the accepted wisdom is to work on distance first, then speed. I agree that you will get gradually faster as you get stronger at running. Once you can do 10k comfortable you can work on speed by adding in interval sessions, fartlek and/or hill reps, which all help to build speed.