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?

Ooo that sounds painful @OhOneOhTwoOhThree! But a great distance and the ice cream looks great.

Good work @Jumbojem- I am with you on wishing I could use fat for fuel. I’m giving a good push now with the IF as my weight had been creeping steadily up and I’m sure it’s not helping my pace, especially while I’m trying to get my BP under control. That’s useful to know for parkrun @Whataninterestinglookingpotatomy head says I should fuel but I’m not breaking any records so I’ll try next week. A bit of experimentation needed as you say.

Sounds very positive @Pea1985

Love reading all your posts, I’m so glad I found you lot just to natter about running. One of the things I’ve found I love is when I wave or say hello or even just smile at other runners when I’m out. It makes me feel like I’m part of a little world and none of them seem to look at me funny (as in ‘she’s running in a stupid way/she doesn’t look like a runner/she’s so slow) 😁

An older chap at church saw my FB post last week about my 10km run and came up to me today with the last six months’ worth of Runners World mags which I am so grateful for! I got a ‘5 months for £5’ deal a couple of months back but it runs out in a month or two so this is great. He’s going to keep passing them onto me.

I still don’t quite recognise the person I’ve become 😄

I forgot to add that a RL friend of mine suggested I join a running club for that sense of camaraderie but I have lots of other commitments in the evening/at weekends and I like making my own schedule for runs.

Well done @OhOneOhTwoOhThree thats a good run and yum treat after. Hope there’s no repercussions from the fall.

@Sparticle im the same. I toy with the idea of a running club as come race day it would be nice to be part of a team, but day to day I prefer to do my own thing. At least I found this little group so I don’t have to bore too many people in real life 😂.

I also like to smile and say hello to fellow runners. We’re mostly a friendly bunch.

Got my 20min strength training done this afternoon it’s good to see I’m actually seeing some improvements in my strength now. I Actually managed 10 full push ups after not being able to do one a few months ago. So it’s small gains but anything at my age is a bonus.

For hard core strength I was watching Disney+ earlier an Arctic climbing adventure and they were actually doing some pull ups using finger tips as training.

That’s madness!!

also 10 push ups is fantastic! I can probably just about manage 10 now, but it’s been a process. Couldn’t even do one not so long ago!!

Oh yes runners are the best. When I was out today I had encouragement from lots of people, including some friendly cyclists.

That’s brilliant. It took me a good six months of daily yoga to be able to do a proper push up using my arms and core together.

I too am glad I found you lovely lot to chat to about running. Not sure if a running club would be my thing as I like the flexibility, peace, quiet and head space of running alone. Not sure I would feel as mentally refreshed if I had to chat all the way through a run. I also can't say more then three words or so when tackling hills at the moment!

Well done on the 26 miles @OhOneOhTwoOhThree that's amazing 😀and so inspiring.

I bought a Garmin Forerunner 55 today. I've just been setting it up and trying to figure out how it works! Thank you all for the information and advice on running watches.

Welcome to the thread @Pea1985 😀

Morning all. Went for a hike with DH yesterday on my day off so no run, have no time to run today because of work and a meal out tonight, off to Leeds for the day tomorrow for work so no time. Feeling withdrawal symptoms!

On the upside I have just this minute bought myself a pair of Brooks trail running shoes on Vinted so I’m looking forward to those arriving. 😃

Hope you are all having a better running week so far than me. Tbf the weather here was torrential yesterday so it is very nice to see the sun this morning, even if I’m not running.

On fuelling - I don't like liquid fuel so I'll have water and suck a salt stick every 45 minutes or so if it is a hot day - if its not and is no more than 15 miles I don't bother with fuel as I carry plenty of inbuilt reserves at the best of times...... Longer distances I like a few dried apricots every hour and if it is very long I might add in a few mini cheddars in the intervening 30 minutes.

Hope that the fall is OK @OhOneOhTwoOhThree - I'd rest up for a couple of days and ice any bruising in case it flares up. I had a nasty fall last year which seemed fine at the time but flared up a few days later.

On the subject of falls I saw my consultant yesterday and he has given me a steroid injection so hopefully my knee should be less sore soon. As there is incipient arthritis its likely they won't operate on the meniscus but he commented on how the years of running mean that I have very strong bones! Hopefully will be able to essay a gentle run in a couple of weeks time.

Oh that sounds like good news, to be back running so quickly @Londonmummy66

@Sparticle i get withdrawal symptoms if I go for more than a day or two without running! Sometimes I can’t believe the person I’ve become 😂.

@Londonmummy66 that sounds positive about your knee and getting back to running. Fingers crossed you can get back to it fairly quickly.

just back from a 4 mile run. Went out with the aim of just a gentle run after the weekends efforts and about 1km decided I’d try for negative splits. The result was me more or less running flat out for the last half a km, so not really the gentle run I’d intended 😂. Never mind

just entered the ballot for the London landmarks half next year. Some girls from work did it this year and said it was amazing so thought I’d give it a go.

Fingers crossed for that gentle run soon @Londonmummy66

I love London Landmarks, it’s my favourite half. I’ve done it three times. I entered today too, although when I first tried was 22000th in the queue! I think the odds are getting evermore unlikely. We’re not very lucky as a family for ballots. Of two GNR, two Royal Parks and one LLHM between the four of us DH got into GNR once and DS into Royal Parks once.

I step away from the thread for a but and lots of lovely new runners show up, lots of races and Parkruns and unfortunately a few injuries, hoe they heal up soon.

I've had a bit of a slump post Manchester, definitely disappointed in my time in particular because I know I could have done better if I had been less ambitious. But slowly getting back into it, helped by having a few races that I booked earlier in the year. Even managed to be part of my club getting a 2nd place team award which is very satisfying!

For advice on C25k and what to do next I recommend the healthunlocked running forum, https://healthunlocked.com/couchto5k/posts/147653019/faq-c25k-completed....what-next Great advice and supportive community and I liked their magic plan to build up to 10k. Nike run club is also good if you like audio guidance -some great interviews.

Decided not to run today as still getting niggles in my hip flexor from Saturdays longer run. Really hope I’ve not upset it too much it’s been an issue I’ve had to manage flaring up on/off for years. Another reason to keep chipping away at the strength training to support all around it. Stuck to 4k dog walk instead. Don’t think I’ll be able to run until end of the week

Did a race on Monday, and really wasn't feeling it earlier in the day which was made worse by the time I arrived at the race venue, as it was raining.

It wasn't so bad when we started as it was just light and drizzly then, and the temperature was cool enough for it not to be too uncomfortable to run in. After a sluggish first 3K, I actually ended up with a course and 5K pb, which I'm pleased with.

Rested on Tuesday and I will go for a gentle 4 or 5 miles in the morning.

Have a lovely running week everyone. It's meant to warm up this week, so make the most of the weather, or early mornings!

Shuffled around the streets for 28 mins early this morning (I don’t think I can call it running really, I am sooo slooow), so that’s week 8 of C25K done. There were a couple of minutes in the middle which were enjoyable, otherwise not a lot of fun today for some reason.

I plan to try 2x 30 mins and 1x 35 mins and then parkrun a week on Saturday eek. It’s quite a hilly course so if I can run all the way and/or get round in under 45 mins I will be celebrating.
(It will be my first time so guaranteed a PB at least 😅)

First outing for my bargain Vinted trainers this morning - they are really comfy - and I have just invested £12 in a running watch. I’m always a bit disappointed after a run to discover the paltry distance I have managed so I thought seeing the metres tick away in real time might be helpful ha.

@NormaMajors1992coat not every run is good. Sometimes it feels good, sometimes it feels like you’re going to die. The important thing is you still did it, so well done!

glad the new trainers are comfy. My watch really helps to lee me motivated and helps me to pace when I’m out. I’ve found it super useful for running.

Thank you @Whataninterestinglookingpotato
I think I only kept going because I didn’t want to set a precedent of giving up when it’s hard. I was glad I persevered 💪
I think maybe I started too fast, so hopefully the watch will help with that. I am going up to 30 mins next run and will try to do that as slowly as I can. And not forget that running for 30 mins is a bloody miracle in itself, whatever the pace!

I know that feeling exactly @NormaMajors1992coat. I too did a 28 min couch to 5k 'run' last night and found it so difficult, legs felt heavy. When my legs felt better my lungs were struggling and when my lungs were ok my legs had enough. I too stuck at it, I was super slow, it wasn't an easy one and not sure why! Good luck with your park run, I was getting impatient with my couch to 5k training so I've done (a flat one!) already. I found Park run to be such a lovely friendly community 😁