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.

Hi - new here, very impressed by all the running. I'm back to running aged 50 after quite a gap! I have got up to week 8 of couch to 5K. I wondered if anyone had the same issue as me - I find it so much easier to run in the evening! I had completed two 28min runs last week in the evening then tried a mid morning run on Saturday and had to stop after 10 minutes! I'm frustrated as I want to do a park run but worried I'll fail.

Welcome to the thread @LEVERONROSE

i think when I was starting out I found running in the evening easier. I’m not a morning person anyway and so rarely get out very early. I am ok now with doing things like parkrun with a 9am start but try and avoid anything much earlier than that!!

that said. Park run has a nice atmosphere and that may help to carry you round. It’s also a run not a race so if you feel you need to walk some of it then it’s no big deal. Just see how you get on and then you have a starting point to build on.

well done everyone else on your runs. Rest day for me today so I’m off to the gym for legs bums and tums. My New Year’s resolution is to not skip strength training to try and avoid another injury!!

Thank you @Whataninterestinglookingpotato - good to know it's not just me. Think I need to do more day runs to reassure myself as I think it's partly psychological! Hope your strength training went well, I've had a couple of back issues so trying to do a bit of core every day.

Out on a club run last night and came back soaked. My shoes are really soaked and I am using the newspaper trick to help dry them out. I have been dithering over buying a second pair of running trainers for a while as I wanted to see if I was going to stick with running after my C25K. I think it’s time 👟💦

@TheSlimmingPumpkin i have 2xtrail and 2xroad trainers on rotation as I buy a new pair when the old ones still have a few months left in them but it gets me through the wet winter weather with some shoes always hanging off the radiator. My DH is the same so it’s quite funny seeing the range of insoles drying in our hallway! We have a dog so it’s out in all weathers. Plus two sporty teens so our shoe rack is all trainers! Well done on your run.

@TheSlimmingPumpkin you do need a second pair of shoes this time of year. I actually have two pairs of daily trainers, two pairs of speed shoes, two pairs of trail shoes (though usually use the same mud encrusted pair) and a another pair of daily shoes that I picked up super cheap in the sale and use for the gym or sometimes mixed terrain runs in dry weather.

I may have an issue with buying shoes!! As it’s actually dry for a change today I may treat my new speed shoes to an interval session at the track later.

Without looking too hard, I've just counted 13 pairs of trainers lying around, and I definitely have more unaccounted for. Totally reasonable for a family of 4 runners

With the DCs' PE and 5k/ junior parkruns, they need a supply of dry trainers for succesive days.
I can see the difference now they're into adult sizing... and feel it when I kick the stray shoes in the dark.

It was a proud moment taking the 15yo to the specialist running shop for his first proper pair 😊

Wow to all those shoes you guys have but I now understand why. I am off to a Runners Needs place tomorrow just to try on different brands for comfort. My two 10k runs coming up in spring are on flat-ish surfaces and one is around a town. I spent a large part of today looking at reviews etc and as a relative beginner felt a little bit overwhelmed. At 62 I just want to complete the course, not fall over, not give up and I am not interested in medals. So I am more interested in comfort and stability. I will need some trail shoes as often the club’s summer runs are around woods off the river towpaths.

I ‘geared up’ over the December period which included my birthday with a proviz crossover body light thing for running at night, shoks, a second long sleeve quarter zip, and two running jackets and gloves etc. pretty much most of the gear but no idea 😂. And not that geared up as I didn’t buy extra trainers then 🙄

The other day I tried an early morning run, and between not being in the flow of the day and cold weather, my legs were absolutely not interested and I aborted mission.

13 hours later, absolutely fine!
Work/ energy are unpredictable though so I'm better scheduling an early run in knowing that I've tried.

I'm fine with parkrun. There's a big difference between 6am and 9am, and the crowds sweep you along too so less of the mental side of it.

@LEVERONROSE I think body clocks are quite individual I’m much more an early morning runner or I over think it and just don’t go. Even parkrun feels too late for me sometimes. My DH is an evening runner he’s quite happy going out in the dark as it settles him for the evening. I’m the opposite if I exercise in the evening I can’t get to sleep. I don’t like events much any more as there’s too much standing around beforehand I get too anxious about the run. I’d just go with what suits you.

@TheSlimmingPumpkin its good you’re going to runners need. Just try on a load of different ones and see what you like.

I like my asic gel trabuco for trail and they’re cushioned enough that they can cope quite well with mixed terrain too. I have the 11s as I got them for a bargain price in the outlet.

Thanks everyone for the advice, I'm glad it's not just me. I am determined to do a park run though and hopefully I'll be pulled along by the excitement of the moment and if not, I'll run and walk. I'm running with my neighbour at 8am this Saturday so I'll see how that goes - she's a lot fitter than me so I'll definitely get a work out! I'm impressed with the number of running trainers people own, I think I need to increase from my current one pair....

So I am increasing my running trainer count by one with a pair of Brooks Ghost. Going online to find a cheap deal on the last version.

Hello runners and newcomers to the thread.

We've been away on hols so I have been a bit MIA. I managed 1 four mile run while we were away, and did lots of walking and hiking. I had a nice sunny run yesterday, although I had no energy and could not get going, but it is back to horrible murk today.

Only 2 pairs of trainers here at home and another pair in my locker at work. Plus a pair of trails. @TheSlimmingPumpkin I'm a Brooks Ghosts user.

Question for you all. I missed my long run on Sunday. The plan is:

10 miles (done the week before last)
12 miles (should have been Sunday)
9 miles (drop back this week - due this Sunday)
15 miles (back up - due next Sunday)

So would you do 9 miles or 12 miles this Sunday? I'm less worried about skipping mid week runs.

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree i would probably do the 12, but that’s me. How are you feeling in yourself? Are you feeling tired or well rested? If well rested then do the 12 if you’re feeling a bit tired go for the 9 or make it up to 10. Remind me which race you’re doing again?

I’d aim for 10m and if feeling energetic carry on and if not then stop.

On a random note, has anyone tried FTP fuel pastels? I’d like to try them as looking for fuelling options for my April marathon and I don’t like gels. I used energy bytes last time but they have quite a lot of caffeine in and I did feel a bit weird after last time. They look good but you have to commit to buying nearly £40 worth of them. I don’t want to waste my money if they’re rubbish or i don’t like them. Wish they did a sample size so I could try them out before committing.

Have you tried just regular food @Whataninterestinglookingpotato like flapjack, dried fruit n nuts trail mix, salted peanuts, and put a carb mix in your first HM drink then switch to electrolytes for second half. Can be gentler on the stomach if doing longer distances.

Thanks @Whataninterestinglookingpotato and @RunningInto . I am tempted to do the longer distance. I could repeat the 10 mile route I did two weeks ago and extend.

Like @RunningInto my go-to is flapjack rather than gels or gummies. But I am a slow and steady runner/jeffer so don't need the instant hit. DS1 keeps giving me samples of his rocket fuel to try but I don't like any of it (he rows, so needs to fuel for short bursts of high intensity).

I'm doing a local-ish marathon in May with a friend, with an incidental HM in March as it fitted with the training plan. I said no more long runs after last year's 50K

And I have no idea why my reply has been hidden...

Thanks @RunningInto and @OhOneOhTwoOhThree

I always eat a flapjack before I start but I’m not sure how well it would go down mid run. That’s why I like the jelly type ones. A couple of quick chews and down they go! I could take some bits out on long runs though and experiment.

I only take about 200ml of electrolytes with me in a little flask as don’t like to carry too much but maybe I can find an electrolyte drink that also has carbs. I think I need to look more into stuff.

I also need to get cracking with training as I feel really behind but still trying to balance building up my miles with not reinjuring myself. Someone I know is doing Manchester on the same day I’m doing Newport and their miles are already so high compared to mine! she did 20 miles at the weekend and the most I’ve done so far is 13! I do have a plan but only very loosely following it. I’ll try and do 15 miles at the weekend. Mind you last time I didn’t follow a plan, did lots of random small races, only one 20 miler as my longest run and I did well. I feel a bit more stressed about it this time though. Maybe because I’ve been injured for so long and I’m still not as fast as I was.

good luck with your training run @OhOneOhTwoOhThree

Flapjacks can be a bit of a PITA for crumbling at the wrong moment and leaving you with an awakward gob-full to chomp through

It doesn't help that my nose clogs easily when running so I'm very much a mouth breather while my sinuses try to waterboard the rest of my airways.

Dd1 sent me the info yesterday for marwell zoo 10k and said she would really like to do it. Entries opened at 7am this morning and I set a reminder as thought it would be popular. I didn’t realise just how popular! I was busy so didn’t log on until about 7:07am and already 990 out of 1100 entries were gone! Fastest race sign up in history completed and dd1 and I have places. By the time I got back to the home page after signing up all entries were gone! Never had that before!! I guess that’s how it is with really popular races!

I am signed up for Kew. I get the impression that 10k events in what are considered to be different locations can sell out in really quickly. It shows there is a demand even though some are quite expensive.

The parkrun 5k is incredibly popular. Maybe in some locations a parkrun 10k would be a thing, I know it would depend on volunteers etc.

Wow those are quick sell outs. Having said that. I'd pre-registered for the Serpentine Swim and Dock2Dock and both sold out before I got round to registering (I was quick enough off the mark to get a normal D2D place).

It stopped raining this afternoon, so I got out for a slow 6 miles. I had a massage yesterday and was feeling the after effects in my legs today.

Still on flapjacks, I buy the mini bite version and cut them in half before I set off.

@TheSlimmingPumpkin enjoy Kew! We were registered for the HM a year or two ago but bailed at the last minute for some reason (probably illness but I can;t remember now).