Running thread number 14

[emummy]

This is a thread to talk about all things running and support each other through the highs and lows. All are welcome, from absolute beginners to experts!
We keep a running total of everyone's miles for the month, so feel free to add yours on. Current total for March is:

204.3

Welcome Abeulita
A wet run this morning with a slightly misbehaving dog. But I enjoyed it.
I have 2 runs to add and I think our monthly total is actually (but might have got it wrong).
56.5

Thanks WaitingforToto. It was quite tough as the initial few miles, while mostly downhill, were peppered with lots of steep inclines and descents so my legs got a bit of a battering at the start. The weather went from rainy to sunny as the run went on and the scenery was beautiful. It took me 4 hours 3 minutes so I am very chuffed with that time for my first marathon. I might have to try a flatter one to see if I can go under 4 hours!

82.7

Well done Stingy! That's a great time! Agree about those early hills! I got a pb by 4 minutes so really pleased.

108.9

Congrats on your pb emummy - that's fab!

Ok folks I need a bit of support! I did the royal parks half last year in the pouring rain. I ended up walking most of it as I have dyspraxia and running in the rain is difficult. I embarrassed to say it took me four hours.

I decided to do it again this year and donut better. I have trained in wet conditions and dodging confers but am still slow. I had a flu virus last week and now have a stinker of a cold. Do I just write it off and not do it and just be pleased the money still goes to cancer research or do I suck it up and power walk the second half if I need to and accept I will still be slow?

Oh blimey just been reading your posts and see I have posted to some serious runners! Sorry!
Oh and I wear runderwear socks and have been blister free so far!

Every 'serious' runner was once a novice runner. Everyone is welcome on this thread, no matter whether they'revat the beginning of C25K, competing in high level athletics meets, or ultra-marathonning. It's all running and it's all great.

Royal Parks is a fantastic half marathon. For that reason I would go for it, unless cold symptoms were really impeding breathing.

Walking some/all is absolutely fine (especially as this is one with plenty of time before they start to shut the course). Consider what run/walk balance you can sustain best. Run a mile then walk a minute? Run 5mins, walk 1min? It might be better to try to mix it up all the way round, rather than run to your max, get too tired and struggle.

Well done emummy and stingynettle You have both done so well. How are you feeling now? Hopefully had a nice Epsom salt bath and glass of something
stayingalive I really don’t consider myself a serious runner and am definitely up and down with my running mojo. And I think anyone who runs anything- even 1K is definitely worthy!
I’m also meant to be doing the Royal Parks next week and having a bit of a wobble. Let’s try positive thinking together

I have been training all year since the last one which means I have run 5k three times a week, walked 5k three times a week and run 5 to 10k on alternate weekends. I am feeling much fitter except for this awful cold.

Due to various heath issues including PCOS and having had bariatric surgery 6 years ago when I weighed 27 stone, I still am trying to run at 16 stones which is not easy. I have only lost a stone in weight even with all this running and I still struggle to get under 15 minute miles.

Oh well I am doing this for Cancer research and because my class of year two children will be proud! If I can I will run the first six miles then judge the rest.

Hi guys, I think I might have posted on here before, I mainly post in the park runners thread.
Today I ran an 8k locally. I did it in 47.28mins. I am so happy, I can't believe it. I only started running last year when I local park run started and I couldn't run more than a few steps. Never had a problem walking, I walk fast but running..couldn't do it.
Today I ran 8k apart from a few steps I walked at the water station.
I cant believe I came in in the top 100.
@stayingaliveisawayoflife a mile is a mile no matter how fast you run it. Best of luck with your run. Fair play for getting out and doing it.

And well done to stingy and emummy !!

Well done @emummy and @Stingynettle with the PBs

Dragged myself out for a quick 3 miles in the rain but despite being drenched felt good so carried on to just over 9.

5 mile race on Sunday.

118

Thanks everyone,
stayingalive speed is just a detail! If you can do the distance then go for it. I guess check whether there is a cut off to be sure.

Huge congrats @emummy and @Stingynettle, you both did brilliantly!

Another lovely pre-dawn run this morning, I got to try out my new headtorch. It's a bit heavy and I finished with a massive indentation on my forehead but I'm sure I'll get used to it 😀 Treated myself to some new gear yesterday at the Nike outlet (inc some gloves) so I'm all set for winter. Hope the marathoners get a good nights sleep last night and are not too stiff today

16.3

*got a good nights' sleep

Well done on the Loch Ness marathons. I’ve dipped in & out of this thread a few times, but a virus knocked out most of my Sept running, which I’m trying to get it back now.
Just got my NO from London marathon magazine in the post. Anyone get in? I may see if I can find another one in March/April in the South. My DH did Southampton this year which was gd, but I need to motivate myself massively to lose 1-2st first 🙈my flipping peri-menopausal body just won’t shift any weight despite the high level of exercise I do every week. But doing a marathon has been on my bucket list since i was a kid watching it on the TV, I’ve now done 3xHMs so think I could start to build it up again...
Had a nice wet n windy 10k this morning I actually like running in the drizzle far more than the summer.

Just calling in to say thank you again for the advice a few weeks ago re drinks/ carbs mid-race.

I had my HM yesterday and duly ate my first jelly baby at 45mins and then one every 15 minutes till the end. That seemed to work really well for me. I was slower than I had hoped - 2hrs 7mins - but I have been carrying a niggle (I refuse to call it an injury) in my left glute and it was tight from about 5km (!!) so I know that slowed me down. It was still a really enjoyable experience for my first one and I can't wait to do another - although realistically that will probably be next year!

Out of interest, for those that have run about the 2hr mark for the HM, what time would you reckon to complete the first 10km? Yesterday I did it in 1hr, deliberately a bit slower than usual but with the idea I'd then be able to push on a bit in the second half. That did NOT happen! I stayed pretty much the same pace the whole way round.

I'd love to get under 2hrs next year and it would be good to work out what I need to do to get there.

Thanks again wise runners

I dropped off this thread due to quite frankly bricking it about my marathon and injury etc, anyway did it (with a stinking cold, the one thing I couldn’t control!) and got 3:53 super pleased with that for first one!

Well done emummy and stingynettle looks like everyone has been busy!

Hi all, just joining this thread for some advice. I have a year until I turn 40 and a marathon has always been on my bucket list. I've done a couple of half marathons a couple of years ago (albeit with probably not enough training) but I felt so unwell afterwards i resigned myself to never being able to do a marathon.

But my husband says what is a challenge if not something I really believe might not be achievable and try to do it anyway. Has anyone here done from zero to marathon in the space of a year? I'm thinking loch ness marathon next year but am I mad and unrealistic? Will it consume my life for the next year?

Hey givemestrengthorgin! If you’ve done half’s in the last couple of years then you’d definitely be able to train for a marathon in a year. Most plans for people with base running are 16/20 weeks so plenty of time!

What happens after a half though? Is it injury? Or that you pick up bugs?

Well done Buster, amazing time!
Congrats Daisy, glad the jelly babies did the trick.
TriSki the peri- menopause is a joy isn't it? It has seriously messed with my sleep recently, resulting in just 2 hours of sleep the night before the marathon. I've not heard about London yet, postie has just been. Hope you can find something good instead, there are a lot of other races to choose from.
Givemestrength welcome! You can certainly build up to a marathon over a year. The first step is to establish a base of regular running, say three times a week for a good few months, gradually building your distance. Marathon training plans are usually 4 months long, although I think there are some 6 month ones. Maybe see if you can work out the problem with your previous races - was it just lack of training or anything else? You could look at your nutrition, your fuelling & hydration when you run, and also if you do any other activities that could be cross training. Strength and conditioning would be good to start; it doesn't have to be lifting weights in a gym. You can try and do a regular routine of squats, lunges, core exercises etc and if you start those along with building a running base you will be stronger and less injury prone. Apologies if you do that sort of thing already!
It can take over your life a little, but you could always start and see how it goes. Loch Ness entries don't close till around June so you don't need to make a final decision right away. Also if you do Loch Ness there are hills so make sure you include hilly routes in your training next year. Good luck!

Thanks for the replies. It's been pretty much immediately after finishing the halfs that I felt unwell...very sick and shivery and
a headache. To be fair I probably hadn't trained enough. It's really put me off trying for a marathon but maybe if I went about it properly with the training i would be okay.

That also might be down to not taking on enough fuel on the day, but you have plenty of time to work that out

givemestrength the first HM I did I literally staggered over the line thought I’d never do one again, a year later I did it 10mins faster. I had to do the extra strength training mentioned above to avoid injury and I had to force myself to eat at the 10k mark then every 1-2k eat a jelly baby or Detroze tablet. I finished it tired but not wiped out. So I reckon you can do it just also look at the strength work & fuel too.