Running goals, motivation and chat 2025

[Jumbojem]

All welcome! A place to share or goals and achievements and to motivate each other along the way.
A virtual mumsnet run club perhaps?

I have been on a half mara chat group the last few years but currently not training for one. So, my 2025 goals are:
Now until spring - get fitter for a 15 mile hilly trail run event in April.
Summer - try for a 5k PB, try to get faster?
Autumn - maybe do a half mara? Cross Country again ( I am slow and old but love this).

Who else wants to join me?

I pulled my calf pulling out the bed to vacuum under it last year - I was gutted as it was so trivial a thing to do!

I hope your toe is healed soon!

The storm isn't here yet, so I am going to enjoy the 10 degrees and sunshine during my lunchtime run instead of worrying about what's coming.

We've had the storm. V calm now.

Was supposed to do a long run today, but on the way to take DD to school at 7:15 I saw there was a tree fallen across the road (fortunately could turn round and go another way), but then I spent the last 2 hours helping my neighbour chop up the tree with our limited tool collection (2 hand saws and some loppers) and stack it in my wood shed. Unadopted road so couldn't ask the council to do it. I feel like I've done quite a work out!!

Tomorrow!!

We got off very lightly with the storm here so was able to have a relatively warm sunny mid-pace run Friday afternoon in 10c. Still nursing a cold but hopefully it’s on its way out now. Hope some of you park runners got out today ahead of the next storm front coming back in tonight

My half marathon is on the 16th Feb but im seriously considering pulling out. I've had a rough time with my mental health and just don't think I can do it anymore 😢 could I still pull it out of the bag if I felt well enough to do some runs next week and week after? I'd be sad sad to throw all my training away but right now I feel defeated

@bakewellbride sending you lots of unmumsnetty hugs. Mine is pretty shot too at the moment and is not helped by not being able to run (and DD going back to uni today). The usual wisdom is that if you can run 8 miles then you can do a half and I saw that you'd done a pacy 10 miles a couple of weeks ago so I wouldn't give up on the half yet. Maybe just try and get out for a few 5 milers somewhere nice if we get some sunshine.

if you can run 10 miles comfortably two weeks before you will be fine :)

@bakewellbride 16 Feb is still a while away and you've been training for it so chances are you'll finish it? Don't beat yourself up either way though, there will be plenty more races if you do decide not to.
Surprisingly good weather here today, light frost but sunny and not windy. I got a hilly and muddy 4 miles walk/run/slide on some trails I've never been on before. Taking advantage of the time between drop off and kick off for DSs football game. Nearly slid over just as I met someone walking the opposite way, which made me chuckle. Would have been very muddy if I had come a cropper. As my big spring event will be a muddy hilly one I'm going to search out some tips on staying upright. Also need better trail shoes I think.

@Jumbojem Have you ever tried Topo's? They're not that common in UK but they basically combine an Altra style splay toe box with a Vibram sole and reasonably big lugs so they are a good trail shoe on most surfaces. I find the problem with mud claws or similar is that if there is any tarmac at all, which there tends to be on routes round here, they are uncomfortable and the lugs just get trashed. My all time faves are Hoka Challenger which are a hybrid but they're no good on mud so summer racing shoes really.

@bakewellbride As pp have said, based on training to date you should be fine but don't try to compensate over the next 2 weeks as it won't make any difference to race performance and might just tire your legs out. Maybe just try to do a few easy runs.

@bakewellbride unless there’s the option to roll over the entry I’d not make a decision yet. It’s a couple of weeks away but it’s just a run and if you’re not up to it that’s fine too, there will be another chance.

i had a place to do the Lundy Island trail half a couple of years ago, I felt so unwell leading upto it with flu like symptoms but it’s such a cool run with the boat trip and sells out and didn’t want to let my friend down who I was going with. I’ve no idea how I made that run I was on constant paracetamol & ibuprofen & seasick pills! We just about made it by the 4hr cut off it certainly was an adventure but when I looked at my garmin later my poor heart rate had been in high zone for 2/3 of the run not because of the terrain but just coping with that virus. I don’t regret doing it but it put me off running for while as I’d pushed myself too much. If it hadn’t been such a special HM I wouldn’t have done it. The puffin medal is my absolute favourite from the runs I’ve done.

It’s this one if anyone fancies it but it can be hot or windy as no shelter and be prepared for a 12hr day with the boat both ways and waiting around outeredge-events.com/lundy/

Thank you so much everyone. My children have been waking me so much in the night that sleep deprivation has been really, really affecting me. I hate it and it makes me feel very upset and anxious, too exhausted to do anything.

@bakewellbride sleep deprivation is the worst. I’m through it now ( youngest is 13) but I still have flashbacks of when she didn’t sleep for more than 2 hrs at a time. It was like torture. I thought I would die of tiredness some days. It was a shock as my first was such a good sleeper. You have my sympathies

nice weather, 5 degree & sunny, a little windy.

had a great 8k with my teen. a bit slow as we were running in the dunes.
I love the mix of surfaces on that route, from tarmac, pavement, sand, compacted grit, bouncy forest. I will def feel that in my thighs tomorrow.

Honestly sleep deprivation is used as torture for a good reason @bakewellbride its so so exhausting & debilitating look after yourself. my eldest didn’t sleep through the night for years, she’s now 18 but I haven’t forgotten those endless days and nights trying to function. It does pass eventually.

No running today we had the brunt of the storm here so so windy and torrents of heavy rain. Hoping I can get a short run in Monday between more downpours forecast .

Returning to running is going slower than I would like, although I am making progress and probably need to keep in mind that I only came off crutches a month ago. I'm up to 35 minutes hill interval walking on the treadmill at a reasonable pace. Could definitely do longer but I get bored!

In theory I should be allowed to do impact exercise from this Wednesday but the physio has warned me that I'm still a way off that.

They're also talking about medicating me for my osteopenia, as my bone density is as low as it's possible to be without being osteoporosis, and I've had an atypical fracture. Don't know how I feel about the side effects though.

Life has been very stressful for the last few weeks and I could really do with a long, challenging run to wipe all of the thoughts out of my head for a while...!

@thepurplepenguin that sounds really challenging but what fantastic progress you're making, well done.

@JanuaryOSunshine @LaPalmaLlama thank you for your kindness. I actually felt so much better today, it's honestly amazing the difference sleep makes to me. I mean it wasn’t a full nights sleep and I was still up early but it was SO much better than previous nights and that's huge. I really feel positive again now x

I think I'll attempt a 5k tomorrow. Hope the weather isn't too bad!

Ugh just looked at the forecast it’s 60mph winds & 90% chance of heavy rain for most of Monday so im not fancing my chances of running now. I’ll do sone body weight strength stuff and walk the dog if I can

Managed 14 k yesterday interrupted with some breaks but felt good overall

today was a very different challenge. Helped out at a local 10k, pretty hard work! Saw pretty much all of the local running community either running or helping. Lots of pbs broken as conditions were good. I’ve run it myself many times but having ran a pb at it last year I knew I couldn’t improve on 55 minutes without a heck of an effort so pleased I made the decision to help out instead. DS was on the water station meanwhile and was a superstar.

@bakewellbride Thank you, and I hope you are able to make the right decision for you about the half marathon. Glad you are feeling more positive today 🙂

Loved watching this thread and it's given me the motivation to keep going! I reached 5k last year then had a hugely difficult time so it dropped off but I'm back into it and building back up. Does anyone have any recommendations for running vests? Need somewhere other than my sports bra to keep my keys and my hand for my phone!

3 good runs this weekend, Saturday was a beach run but path down very icy and a freezing wind, Sunday managed a 8 mile but road was very icy and had lots of trees to climb over in the woods, today no ice and just a drizzle.
Am sitting at 87 miles for the month so going to aim for the 100 miles which is almost double what I usually do. Am surprised how much faster I have got.
@probablynotthesame I either use a side pocket in my leggings for my phone and back pocket for keys or a few years ago I got a phone carrier that went round my arm.
@bakewellbride sleep deprivation is the worst. I do find if I am tired and force myself out I feel so much better.

@probablynotthesame i use running legging pockets the decathlon kit is very reasonably priced. Or for longer runs where I need water I have a running vest that holds soft flasks.