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?

well done indeed!

at least with no bag drop there's no queue

Love hearing what you are all about, and to hear of those returning from injury or upping their mileage.
After an aborted long run Friday (didn't even make 4 miles) I managed just over 9 miles today. Was aiming for 10 but I was within 200m of home just before 9 miles and the pull to go back and have lunch and a cuppa was too great.

Well done @Jumbojem for getitng out today. I'm another one who can while away many hours getting ready to go out. 9 miles sounds plenty, especially if lunch was calling!!

@thepurplepenguin that sounds like really good progress, well done!

@LuckyMauveReader glad the thread is helping. You're doing great, keep going! I love your attitude!

@LaPalmaLlama team sports are also also great for young people - both DS's kept it up through university and beyond and it's helped with making friends, mental health, social support and in DS1's case a bit of extra cash from coaching.

Great work @Fizbosshoes! Hope your injury heals nicely @Starlightstargazer. Am feeling a bit the same in the hip/hamstring/calf.

I went swimming this morning, although I'm sure I spend longer getting in and out of my wetsuit than I do in the water at this time of year. Went home to get warm, and then went for a steady 10 miler. I took a snack today and took over 9 minutes of my time last week so quite pleased with myself. I experimented with running fasted two mornings this week (I think @Londonmummy66 had mentioned doing so) and it felt OK (I did a 3 mile and a 5 mile run, so nothing too big), so will keep experimenting with that - as a post meno slow runner I need all the fat burning help I can get. And a bit off parkrun tourism yesterday gets me to 21.15 for the week. HM in 2 weeks.

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree well done on getting all that running in. I'm trying to gear myself up to go for a run atm.

@Starlightstargazer can you sit on your heels, as in kneel on the floor and then sink back and have your butt touch your feet? If not, it may help to work towards that - I had what sounds like a similar problem to you and it was just massive quad tightness. I just did it for as long and low as I could while watching tv, took a break if it got too spicy and went back into it. Repeat. Also anything to strengthen your glutes would likely help.

well done to everyone getting out today. I managed a 10k while DD was playing netball. Pleased with pace so feeling quite motivated.

Did you go @Londonmummy66 ?

Preparing or persuading myself to go for a run, often takes at least twice as long as the run itself, sometimes most of the day! 🤣

Oh yes, when I'm following a plan I often end up doing the Thursday morning run at 7pm on Friday night (which doesn't help with parkrun the next morning) 😀

Yes I did @OhOneOhTwoOhThree - 8k but the wind was biting so not the most fun. At least the snowdrops and first of the crocuses are out in the local park to distract me. @Fizbosshoes - easily twice as long to get myself to move!😁

Well done for getting out, it's tough when the weather is so chilly (and/or dark)
My mindset is that I sometimes regret not making time for a run, (if i am too busy faffing, for example!!) but I very rarely regret the runs that I actually go out on, however awful at the time.

I can literally never run in the afternoons. If I’m not running by 10am chances are it’s not happening unless I’m meeting a friend and therefore can’t get out of it. Don’t know why.

Well done @Londonmummy66 . 8k better than 0k. The wind is indeed horrible today. Well done for spotting crocuses, I saw these cheery daffs in St James's Park this week, but haven't seen any other spring flowers yet.

Oh wow those daffs look cheery. They are not out yet here, they were in bloom by this time last year, this winter has been colder but drier than last year.
@OhOneOhTwoOhThree I have done my post long run yoga, it makes such a difference! Are you still doing yours?
I could do with losing some weight, it's crept in slowly over the last 5 years, and think I might be able to run quicker with less of a load. So, been trying not to eat everything this afternoon. Been a real struggle, I'm starving after a longer run! Maybe I should start having a protein shake or one of the many sachets of recovery drinks OH seems to have bought and not used?

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree - I must look out for them - I usually run through St James's Park once a week. Love the Royal Parks for a good run!

@Jumbojem hi, yes still doing YWA. I’m following the daily calendar but have somehow got a day ahead - I must have done two short ones back to back at some point. So today’s was a one hour balance practice - I decided better to do an hour today despite a long run than doing it tomorrow after work. Shattered now, DH is cooking dinner and I’m going to flop on the sofa.

Brilliant! Well done!

Really well done. Know the feeling of getting out there after a previous difficult long run 🏃‍♀️

I’ll give that a try, thanks! Looking at Google it seems I’ve got ilipsoas problems as pain is on my lower back around iliac crest, hip joint area and down into quad. Apparently all linked up. Definitely trying to strengthen glutes. Don’t think those muscles work when I’m running. My butt is big enough so it should!!

Yep I spend longer procrastinating, getting ready, worrying than actually getting out there. That’s saying something as 14 miles took me 2 hours 46 mins yesterday…

Mindful of not procrastinating, I put my running kit on as soon as I got up today and then as soon as I'd dropped DD at her friend I just turned around and went straight out for a 5k before the scaffolders arrived. Indulged myself and let myself speed through the downhill trail bit at slightly scary pace and then pulled it back for the road bit which includes a massive steep hill and then a long slow drag. Really need some new running leggings. Contemplating Sweaty Betty as so flattering but also so $$$$$.

@LaPalmaLlama very efficient!

I don't think Sweaty Betty have had a sale in the last five minutes so there should be another one incoming soon. Failing that I've had some good kit from this set up (are apparently an official reseller for SB whatever that is) https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/reskinned/Sweaty-Betty/_i.html?store_cat=4212202619&_trksid=p4429486.m3561.l170197

Ooh thanks- will have a look. Looks like reskinned maybe buy up the remainder stock/ end of lines but I'm not too fussy on pattern etc so might find something.

I suspect they also get the SB returns. I worked for a charity once that got a lot of Nike returns - usually nothing wrong with them and people sent them back as wrong size/didn't like the colour etc

I'm glad it's not just me!

I can roll out of bed for parlrun, but any other run seems to take forever to get ready for!

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree I am very impressed by you still swimming outside - I always say I'm going to try to keep going, but we usually go to Croatia at beginning of October, so I swim every day in the sea there and then can't face getting back in the lake (even in a wetsuit) when we get back!

And well done to you and @Jumbojem on sticking with YWA - I've been a bit thrown by not having a 30 day journey - I tried to repeat Flow and ended up setting my tendonitis off again so rested, now got another niggle and just not getting back into the yoga. I managed it last year when I was a lot less fit and I really need it for strengthen and destressing ...

Glad to hear others runcrastinate @BogRollBOGOF @Starlightstargazer and @Fizbosshoes ! @LaPalmaLlama I often run at lunchtime in the winter to get the slightly warmer temps and I do find that getting dressed straightaway in my running gear is key to getting out there.

And well done @Fizbosshoes for smashing your race! Bet that's a great feeling. I hope you've been wearing your medal/tshirt round the house in celebration!

Good tip on the leggings @Londonmummy66

Running wise, went on a 16k long run - decided to do it on trails and picked up a niggle in my left adductor. It really didn't feel great on Sunday afternoon after my run. I suspect it was a combination of having step up my physio exercises for my dodgy hips (hip dysplasia) and me having to stabilise more on the uneven ground/hills. Of course training had been going so well. Sob.

Sitting on my hands this week, I would have run today usually, so trying to make myself skip that and not doing the strengthen work or yoga either to not aggravate it. It feels almost fine now - just a vague awareness of it, but I do need to resist running I think. I am on week 7 of 16 for my HM plan (annoyingly it would have been a deload week next week, which would have been easier to skip, confidence wise), so it makes no sense to push things at this stage, but it's hard to be sensible!

I will wait to see how I feel on Friday and Sunday, which would be my other run days. My brain knows it would be better to skip even two weeks now rather than make this an actual injury, but it's easier to say than do. We'll see.