Running goals, motivation and chat 2025 - Part 2!

[Sparticle]

Hi all, just setting up a second thread - I hope you don’t mind @Jumbojem but the other one was getting a bit close to ending…

Sorry to keep harping on about the weather but it’s still raining up here so instead of running this morning I’m going to get back on my lovely water rowing machine which I’ve neglected totally since starting running back in Jan/Feb. I miss it (and I miss the muscle toning it gave me) so I’m going to get back on this morning for a change.

Might do parkrun tomorrow or a longer run, haven’t yet decided.

Well done everyone on your running and racing!! Some great times there.

great 10 mile time @SFRSmum and well done on your 10k @tinks3110 not every race will be a PB race but your time was still great. And as you say, at least your body carried you through unlike the poor person you saw.

I haven’t been able to run since my half in November. Managed to really mess up my adductors and hip. I feel a lot better this week but I’m trying to be sensible and not rush out the door in the hope that I’ll be able to do the 10 mile trail race at the weekend. I’m think I’m now at a point where I’ll do it, taped up with in an inch of my life, but not race it. It’s a big social event for the club and I don’t want to miss it but also won’t go mad and set myself right back.

I've had races where I've jeffed it as there was some last minute dodgy niggle injury. The half marathon with a trapped nerve in my neck radiating down my arm was interesting... I had one arm static resting it on my chest. I managed in a more leisurely but pleasing 2:30... I had been training for 2:10 pace.

My speed intervals were ticked off nice and early this morning. It definitely felt like stupid o'clock, and unlike last week, it wasn't even hitting dawn when I got back.

I'm feeling better for fitting in a mid-week run and it hasn't drained me for the day despite walking to work and being on my feet all day. Nearly at 18,000 steps and the run was a small proportion of that.

Well done @tinks3110 and @SFRSmum on your races.
Wow, those were some early speed intervals @BogRollBOGOF
Sorry to hear you are still suffering with the hip @Whataninterestinglookingpotato hope it is OK for the weekendl
I have been a lazy runner this last week, just did a few short and very easy runs. Ignored all the garmin suggestions to do threshold or sprint intervals. I'm bored of the same few winter run routes and the wet! The new showers and changing rooms at work should finally be finished next week so I might try for some lunch runs. Cross country this weekend but I'm not really feeling it, not my favourite course and it's forecast to be wet.

It's definitely harder picking routes in the winter. Even in daylight a lot of my trail is impractical as you just end up with feet like bricks of raw clay.

Add in trying to find decent lit routes for darkness.

I've had DH doing laps of an industrial estate in order to do intervals on a flat, unbroken path. He's a heck of a lot more patient than me about running up and down the same piece of road repeatedly. I like a "journey" and need variety to keep my brain in the game. There's a reason that I've never been on a treadmill for longer than it takes to check gait

Since I've been getting home at dusk, my energy in the evenings has waned.

In less than 3 weeks it will stop getting darker and at least by the end of January there'll be light until 5pm. That logic helps me break winter into more managable chunks.

I have been appeasing the Garmin Gods. Even the God of Anaerobic Workouts is happy with my service and deems me to be "productive"

Well done on keeping the Garmin gods happy @BogRollBOGOF it's a hard task master for sure!
Yes, we are in the depths of the darkest spell now so just need to hold on for another month and the tide will start to turn.
It's my day off today so need to get out for a quick run before the rain, and in daylight!

Forced 5k on flat seafront this morn it was dry but the wind was really picking up & I had to cross the road to avoid sand blasted eyes at one point. Nursing a cold & now it’s raining hard again so I’m glad I made the effort to keep the kms up still just about.

Hope the dark days and injury niggles don’t knock too many of you out of action.

Another sub-30 for me and a CB for that event. CB for one DS and a new PB for t'other DS.

9⁰C fine rain was pleasantly refreshing rather than too annoying. It eased off by the start line so I took my jacket off and wrapped DS's coat in it. It then rained throughout, but I was better off for having been tricked.

Well done all on your running this last few days.

I did the 10 miler today. It was lovely to see everyone and take part. I ran it but didn’t race it and did it in (1:51) which is actually a respectable time for that race but about 10-12 mins slower than I would have got not injured. I just couldn’t risk slipping too much and re injuring, it was so slippy and ankle deep mud for a good part, as well as one hill you literally had to crawl up on hands and knees, so couldn’t go at full tilt. In a way it was quite nice not to be flat out.

great fun though and glad I managed it!! I also don’t think I’ve re injured and so I’m very happy about that!!

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato well done on the 10 miler! Sounds like it was lots of fun indeed. Glad the injury didnt rear its head again too.

We were away this weekend, so only managed a short 40min run on saturday and nothing at all on Sunday. Still managed 52km last week though surprisingly. (Should have been 66km)

Did 12km today, decided to do an out and back along a path I usually do but continue on for 2km, the extra km were very wet and boggy but I was trying out my trail shoes for the first time so perfect trial run. Held up well, really comfy and superb grip, didnt slip once.

Glad to hear you are back out running and hopefully recovered @Whataninterestinglookingpotato
That sounds like a fun run @SFRSmum and a good new pair of trail shoes.

Managed my XC race Saturday, faster than last year on that course despite it being both wetter than last time and a crazy headwind on the open section. Typically at the turnaround you enter the trees, but conditions are the same for everyone I guess!
But I was much slower than 2023 me so I'm hoping to get as fit in 2026 as I was in 2023!
Other than that struggling with mojo a bit.

Anyone planning a Christmas Day parkrun? There aren't many on round here but I'm doing local boxing day run (hence our nearest parkrun rarely runs Christmas Day). It's great fun with lots and usually an amazing turn out of spectators.

That sounded like a good trail run @SFRSmum. I love a bit of trail.

well done one xc @Jumbojem

i did a 5k lunch break run today. I was a bit sore after the 10 miler at the weekend so gave it a few days before trying again. I was ok today as long as I didn’t push the pace too far, I managed a 28 min 5k, which is the best since my injury, but quite far from my normal. I’m not fully recovered but I was determined to do the 10 miler and as I survived I think I’m going to slowly get back to it now. I don’t feel any more sore after running today than I did before so I think as long as I take it steady I can ease back in. I tried to get a physio appointment but the nhs can’t see me until 16th of jan and even private couldn’t give me an appointment until the 6th so just winging it until then.

Hello all! I’ve not run as much this week as had a bit of a cold. I managed 5k at lunchtime on Tuesday and headed out for 7 miles yesterday. I fell at 2.5 miles and bashed my knee 🙈 but got back up and carried on. Knee is very sore and bruised today and ruined my favourite leggings.
no running for me this weekend as so busy, looking to just keep it ticking over for the Christmas period
happy running everyone

Hi everyone, I have been aiming for little and often - so got out over lunchtime yesterday and after work on Tuesday. Parkrun last weekend and a 10K on Sunday. It's all adding up, so I am only 26 miles off my target of 1000 for this year. My plans include a Christmas Day parkrun with DS1 and volunteering at parkrun on NYD. Training for my next big run starts on 22 December.

Hope you are feeling better @Whataninterestinglookingpotato

Sorry to hear about your fall @tinks3110, hope you bounce back soon. Shame about the leggings!

Well done on XC @Jumbojem

Great total @SFRSmum !

Been struggling with a not so lovely virus so only 1x4k run/trail walk with the dog in the last 12days. Still got lingering head ache & fatigue not helped by so so much rain in the SW. Ticking over fitness with dog walks instead. Hope to get running mojo back as energy returns. My fb memories popped up this week with two different Half marathons in the past years that I’d done “this week” when I was bit younger no where near that now but nice to still be running.

I'm actually planning on having Saturday morning off parkrun this week. I'm ridiculously knackered, and just need some vegetating time. My Garmin/ HRV has gone into strained category despite low exercise load, and I believe it. I felt my throat prickle 10 days ago but surprisingly it didn't turn into anything but I've just felt drained since. Illness/ absence have been crazy at work and that means my workload goes up to fill the gaps.

I've already had an hour's nap this evening.

Well done everyone on getting out. Sounds like a few of us are struggling a bit. I think it’s partly to do with the time of year. There’s so much other stuff going on and fitting it all in is a bit draining.

I hope your knee is feeling better @tinks3110
i hope that you have enjoyed a restful morning @BogRollBOGOF
you’ll easily reach your goal @OhOneOhTwoOhThree
I hope you manage to kick the virus @RunningInto

it was such a beautiful morning this morning that I had to get out. I was going to go a bit further but only really had 30 mins so just did a 3.4 mile loop which took me out into the country side. It was lovely and the best I’ve felt since being injured. I actually felt like I could have easily gone further. Still keeping the pace steady but I’m feeling more hopeful that I’ll be ok for marathon training in earnest in Jan.
garmin has told me that my training is now unproductive rather than strained. I’ll take that 😂

Lovely morning for a run today freezing with some mist but the sun came out eventually. I had a really lazy week, feeling tired and a bit meh but had a decent parkrun this morning. First time I've done my home one for a couple of months. I wore trail shoes and made up ground on the first lady, in the muddy parts but she left me for dust once we got to a path!

Feeling much better this morning. The Garmin gods approved of my 9 hour sleep.

I set an alarm for 8:30 as back-up and woke naturally just before 8am. I was out shortly after 9 to collect DS from parkrun, but it was a much-needed leisurely start to the day. DH has gone into work and dropped DS off to run parkrun solo. This is a major development in his confidence and motivation for an autistic teenager. 😊

The route skirts the carpark, so pulling up at 9:30, it was about my pace running past the car. It was quite nice to watch the runners and spot familiar faces running past, and give a wave to a regular volunteer.

I feel like fog has lifted after 10 days.
My main activity level for the day is sorting the house ready for Christmas decorations to go up.

Managed to do 24K with my running partner after a long hiatus of the long run.

It felt better than I thought it was going to be, as it was freezing this morning!

Well done everyone on this weeks efforts.

I find its getting out the door thats the hardest mental hurdle, as soon as im out Im so glad I did and always enjoy the run!

Upped the milage this week, 78km according to strava, I think ill have a rest day today though, I dont feel like I need it but ive ran every other day this week so suppose I should.

No races for me this week, got a 10k santa dash next weekend which im very much looking forward to. Kids are doing the 1km dash too so it'll be a nice family day out

Brag about my child also, started parkrun in August, and yesterday completed it 10 mins fastest that her first attempt. Very respectable 31 mins! (Shes 8) Seems to run better when I marshal rather than join in, and this week she ran with a very supportive but firm friend.

Love hearing about the kids doing parkrun it’s such a great initiative. We are a ND household and both my girls did PR when they were younger. One needed jelly baby sweets as motivation to run between the lamp posts at the 3-4k mark but then saw a boy in her class who cheated by not running the whole thing but still went down the tunnel so she sprinted the last km to beat him. I did seriously judge the mum though for encouraging that as there were no mitigating reasons he just sat on the bench until the run looped back & rejoined. Shame really as it made DD who was 9 really question it.

It was nice to have finally had my 5d migraine lift and I had a lovely sunny dry 5k trail run with dog this morning. Hopefully the fatigue will lift too now. Hope you all get to enjoy some sunny runs this weekend.

I managed to get back to club run tonight!! And I managed to run in my usual group! I was struggling a bit yo that last hill but we did 8.5 miles and a 9 mins a mile pace. So pretty pleased with that as it’s the furthest I’ve run on the road since being injured. That’s usually my easy pace, I held up well but definitely tougher than usual. Amazing what 5 weeks out will do! But very glad to be getting back to it! Nice to see all the Christmas lights around town too.

Hope everyone else is managing to get some runs in on these dark nights.

Great stuff @Whataninterestinglookingpotato !

3 miles in central London this evening for me, a bit slow as I was dodging pedestrians and stopping for traffic lights. But a nice change of scene.

I picked up a stupid injury last week, partly due to fatigue, so I haven't run for over a week. My brain isn't complaining as much as usual though. Hopefully i should be OK by parkrun at the weekend...
I'm walking smoothly now but not 100% ready for impact yet.

The last 10 days have been busy so in a way it's been a mild relief to not have to fit runs in too.