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 was just getting back in the flow of things and my achilles is flaring back up after a few years 🙄

I'm hoping to do a HM in a couple of months and am in training, so the current plan is to minimise training. Keep it to gentle paces, jeffing, flat routes and focus on the long run and parkrun and reduce the extras. Increase cross training like cycling.

I'm also being careful about what I do the rest of the time- using cushions to keep weight off the back of my ankle when on the sofa/ in bed, mobilising it before getting moving in the morning before putting weight on it.

Ar least this time round, I know more about managing it and working with it than first time round so can manage it quicker.

I did a parkrun this morning, left earlier than usual to do a fast/flat one that is just over 30 min drive away. Well it was flat, but not as fast as I was hoping (20-30 sec slower, and my slowest time on that course)
It was really busy I think 700 runners (it's always pretty busy) and took me about a km to get into my groove. Nearly tripped over a dog about 800m in 🤣
I'm doing a 18 mile trail race at the end of next month, so tomorrow long run will be mainly trail, but most of it with friends, and sociable pace

Ahhhh @SoapCollector happy days, I remember my first 20 minute run too (I was on a training course at some country house in the middle of nowhere). Well done!

Boo to splinters @UnaOfStormhold, hope it clears up quickly.

@JanuaryOSunshine I want to live wherever it is you do - your runs sound lovely!

Good luck tomorrow @thepurplepenguin. Let us know how you get on!

I've had a good week - good mix of runs from central London earlier in the week to a local country park yesterday and parkrun today. I'll be doing a long run on the river path/trails tomorrow - luckily a drop back week this week, so shorter than last week's long run. Thanks for all the shorts advice, I will be doing some online shopping this evening :-)

Opps hadn't seen the new page. Sorry to hear about your achilles @BogRollBOGOF. That's one of my weak spots too. Sounds like you know what you are doing.

@Fizbosshoes enjoy the trainls tomorrow!

Thanks @JanuaryOSunshine . I found going back to a run/walk session today more difficult than the 20mins continuous for some unknown reason!

I'm very envious of your running routes with the coastal views, sounds lovely.

Thank you @OhOneOhTwoOhThree it felt like a real achievement 😀

My achilles is a weak spot for me too. Think I over did hill training and increased mileage too quickly a few years ago and it's been a bit niggling on and off since. Hope you are soon on the mend.

Thanks yes im lucky to live somewhere others come on holiday in the SW but it does mean for the next 6mths I tend to go out very early to avoid people! It seems to get busier every year and carparks full of campervans overnight. There were easily 50+ this morning it’s sadly getting way too popular without proper facilities so we get toilet waste dumped and litter bins overflowing. Pre-covid it would be 1-4 vans now it’s just too many sadly.

the first 20 min running is a huge milestone. congrats!
I still sometimes can't believe that I can run for an hour. our bodies are amazing.

Thanks @bloodredfeaturewall 😁

the coach at the gym suggested plimsol type trainers for running on the treadmill for up to 10 min. apparently that strengthens feet. (where do adults even get shoes like that?)

Lovely to read everyone’s progress. I’ve been enjoying running in the later lightness. I start getting nervy about days getting shorter soon. I love all seasons but the one thing that gets to me emotionally is passing that June longest day.

@bloodredfeaturewall theres no way i could run in plimsolls on a treadmill that would be painful on my old feet. I need cushioning and I prefer trail for the same reason. With trail your slower and need to watch foot placement but the variety strengthens without the high impact of concrete. Heel raises & calf exercises surely would be better to strengthen. I’d really think it depends on your age and body type.

Completed my hilly trail 10k race today! Came in in 1:03:57 which last year would have put me in 2nd place for the women, but people were faster this year and I placed 5th. I’m still quite pleased with my time though! And the fact I survived it! There was 1100ft of elevation over 10k, which felt like a lot! As well as things to climb over and duck under. It was tough, but fun.

@SoapCollector 20 mins of continuous running is a great achievement and seems almost impossible at the start of C25K. Well done.

Hope everyone else has enjoyed their running this weekend.

Wow well done - that sounds unbelievably hilly! 😳 top 5 finish 👏

Well done on your trail run@Whataninterestinglookingpotato, great result.

Mine was toasty warm but not quite as hilly (although the big one close to the end left me questioning my life choices). 6k in 33.08, 11th out of 98 6k runners in total and 4th female. It's not as impressive as it sounds as most people were there doing the 10k, but I was pleased with my pacing as I was trying for 5:30 mins per km and I managed it almost exactly!

There was a male who finished the 10k in 39 mins, which blew my tiny little mind!

👏 fantastic! Well done!! Trails can be really tough! 4th is a brilliant result no matter the distance!

Thank you @Whataninterestinglookingpotato I'm finding all the running chat and race talk on here very inspiring!

I finally got off the injury bench yesterday to do the Town & Gown 10k in Oxford - flat and road which is what I should be focusing on. It was very hot so I really just wanted to jog round and finish so I was pretty happy with getting through. I normally train and run alone so it was lovely to be part of a team yesterday (and get fed afterwards!). I paid for it big time last night though as my MCL was not happy with any position I tried to sleep in......

Well done runners and racers!

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato that's an amazing time for a hilly trail 10K! Well done.

Great work @thepurplepenguin - super speedy!

@Londonmummy66 Town and Gown sounds fun, but sorry to hear that you are in pain now. Hope you feel better soon.

A warm 14 miles in the bag yesterday - mostly trail and riverbank so pretty flat. I tried to explore a new bit but was thwarted by nettles. And my first outdoor swim of the year without a wetsuit yesterday. The flow must have been stronger than I realised, as my arms are feeling it today.

An out door swim after a run sounds like heaven! I might have to try that!

I love a Sea Dip after a run it really helps ice the legs to help recovery. But I have to watch getting chilled quicker these days it’s been slow to warm up this year as we’ve had a northerly wind. The weekend forecast looks lovely though

WellDone on the speedy race times at the weekend they were fab.

Sometimes Garmin can be nice

The irony is that I'm slightly injured and that lovely zone 2 long run yesterday was because my ankle is not condoning fast pounding at the moment.

In good news, my ankle appeasement mitigation measures are resulting in it whinging less than it did last week.

Congratulations on all the race results, amazing times and places being achieved!
I'm still just plodding and feeling a bit slow. But the trails have been lovely, just the amount of insects getting in my mouth, nostrils, eyes drives me a bit bonkers. Running around the top of the local hill fort yesterday eve which makes a lovely flattish circuit (once you've dragged yourself up there!) with lovely views and not a soul up there. Lush!
New shoes day for me, ASICS novablasts arrived. Not the colourway I wanted but they are very light and bouncy. Just hope they are wide enough, feel a bit constricted but hoping once they form to my feet a bit will be ok. I've already gone a size up and didn't want to risk going any more, I have akward feet as one is almost half a size bigger than the other.