Running goals, motivation and chat 2026 - Part 3!

[BogRollBOGOF]

Hello runners!

Continuing on with our general running chit chat...

Last page of the old thread: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/exercise/5362744-running-goals-motivation-and-chat-2025-part-2?page=40&reply=151267773

Hi!

I wasn't on the old chat but can I join here? I'm signed up for the Amsterdam marathon in October.

I only started running again a few months ago after a five year hiatus (thank you cancer).

We have a fitness race (Hyrox type but with 500m runs) in two weeks so I've been running within my training but haven't done more than 8k as focusing more on strength.

Once that's out of the way it'll be all marathon training.

I am very excited and nervous. I felt like rubbish for years after my cancer treatment and I'm finally getting back to it all.

I’m in

Thanks for the new thread @BogRollBOGOF

welcome @Goditsmemargaret good to hear you’re back to health and running. Good luck for your hyrox! I keep thinking about one of these, maybe something to look at once my events are out the way. Amsterdam marathon will be amazing.

Welcome to the thread @etchedinstone

Club run for me tonight. Nice 7 miles. I decided to bite the bullet and run in the next pace group up and was pleasantly surprised that I could still talk! So feeling more positive that I’m back to fitness and almost marathon ready!! It was back to the rain and wind tonight though which wasn’t so pleasant. Fingers crossed for dry weather for the rest of the week.

Thanks for new thread

@BogRollBOGOF thanks for the new thread.
Welcome new thread joiners.
@Whataninterestinglookingpotato yes, not a fan of this change in the weather. There I was thinking runs in the cold, wet and dark were over it was all three tonight! Looks promising for the mara for you, are you doing Newport? I have a few friends training for that one.

Hello 👋
That sounds like a great way to build back up into running again.

Sometimes I think Hyrox sounds rather interesting... then I remember burpees and wall balls. Wall balls aren't great for a short arse who can't catch

Ooh a new thread!
I have started a new training plan for ultra total warrior in June, it’s at least 24k 🙈
I also have a trail half booked two weeks on Sunday and am now scared to death

Ah, don’t be scared @tinks3110 you’ll smash your events!!

im slightly scared for how much stuff I have signed up for following the marathon. Yes it is Newport @Jumbojem. I signed up for most of it prior to getting injured but hopefully it’ll be ok. This weekend will be the test as to whether or not I can hold race pace for a long time without doing myself in!!

Thanks for the new thread @BogRollBOGOF and hello running friends old and new!

I’m at that stage in marathon training where I’m constantly tired and needing to drag myself out, although I usually enjoy my runs once I get going. I had a steady 5 miles yesterday in the gloom and will run once more before my 20 mile race on Sunday (I say race, I will not be racing as it’s super- hilly and I’ve agreed to Jeff at the back with a friend).

@Goditsmemargaret congratulations on your return to health and running. Amsterdam sounds lovely for a marathon - I am imagining canals and windmills but am probably completely wrong!

Hello new threadsters!

Four days to my half marathon and I'm very diligently tapering, resting, fuelling and hydrating. No booze, lots of easy digesting protein and carbs and watery drinks.

Gel/bars/sweets chat towards the end of the last thread - I like my raspberry KMC refill gel, and I've got one of their reusable squidgy bottles. However that's 2x70g serves which is only enough for 10k, so I'm going to need a couple of the SIS gels in my race belt too.

I also need to do my mobility/conditioning a bit more diligently as well as the resting bit. I've got a long term shoulder injury which is worrying me as we go into Tri season again (promise I won't mention the T word again, this is pure running chat!!).

Have got my eye on my first ever full marathon now too... Beachy Head in October. Plenty of uppydowny and interesting. Not PB territory, but if it's my first it's a pb by definition!!

I have dipped in and out of your previous threads. This year I am training for the Marathon Eryri, it’s my first one. I did train for London last year but in December 24 I was really unwell and had to take a month off and I never got my fitness back up. This one is a tough run but I am less focussed on pace, it’s just about finishing. I’ve got 26 weeks and just sorted out my training plan: easy run, hill reps run, long run each week

Good luck for your half @TyneFilth and get signing up for that marathon!! It’s the natural next step 😂.

@thenewaveragebear1983 welcome. Good luck with your marathon training. You’ve got plenty of time so I’m sure you’ll be more than ready when you get there.

I made the most of the sunshine and my annual leave today and did a 10.5 mile run with a hill sprint session thrown in the middle up the enormous hill! I tried a Kendal raspberry mint gel around half way and though it was a bit gross going down, it didn’t have a lasting stickiness after and left me feeling quite fresh. So not bad. though trying to suck them down without dropping my pace is still a work in progress!!

I ran quite hard after the huge hill to try and stick to my aspirational half marathon pace and I could probably have done with another gel if I was going to have to do a half marathon distance at that pace. Maybe I’ll take 3 with me and see how it goes. I actually got my 3rd fastest ever 5k time in that run!

Hope everyone else has managed some time in the sunshine.

No running this week for me, I have the lurgy. It's been about 10 days since I ran between race recovery, a busy weekend and my face feeling keen to waterboard itself. I've ended up busy on Saturday so no parkrun, but tbh, it's probably saving me from myself.

In good news, I'm about to break up for Easter so will have time for some soul runs in nice places in the next couple of weeks.

Hope you feel better soon @BogRollBOGOF

I went out yesterday for a tempo run and actually quite enjoyed it and I don’t usually like the speed stuff.

I have Halifax 10k next weekend and then my test half marathon on the 12th. Decided to treat the half marathon as a run not a race and just see how I get on

Thanks for the new thread @BogRollBOGOF .

I accidentally did 16 miles instead of 14 today, as the footpath was closed leading to my house. Friend and I were fuming as we were within touching distance of the end, so had to loop back. It did feel good that we could do 16 at the moment, as I've been feeling very sluggish recently.

I'm feeling more alive after a better sleep. Coughing is still a bit of an intense anaerobic workout though. I'm hoping to lace my trainers up again early next week...

I know I've had a rough week when my Strava is empty!

Glad you’re starting to feel better @BogRollBOGOF

my local half marathon completed today and with an unexpected PB!! I didn’t expect to do as well as it’s my first race this year due to being injured and my town is known to be hilly. There just over 700ft of elevation on the course, so could be worse but certainly not flat! Though I think being on home turf helps as while it is hilly, I know all the hills, where they are and what they feel like to run up!

I finished in a time of 1:36:27 and was 9th female over all and 3rd in my age category! Very pleased as it’s a readable sized event with over 1200 runners doing the half!!

Hope everyone else has had a good running weekend.

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato congratulations on the PB, must feel great and a positive for the marathon training.
@BogRollBOGOF hope you are starting to feel better, feels like you've had a tough winter bugs wise (if I remember correctly). Let's hope the move to spring sees the back of bugs.
I have a hilly 15 mile trail race in 2 weeks so did 9.5 miles of hilly trail yesterday. My favourite time of year on the trails,not too muddy the glorious bluebell woods about to burst into colour and scent, wild garlic springing up. Explored some new trails, but was busy looking at my phone to check I was heading the right way and ran straight into a big muddy bottomed pool of water across the track as I hadn't been looking where I was going. That will teach me!

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato congrats on the PB! I also PB'd today in my half - quite a lot slower than yours, though.

This will out me if anyone on this thread knows me, but my chip time today was EXACTLY the same as in the same race 20 years ago - to the second! How freaky is that??! I am obviously 20 years older, much better training and fuelling, and this had 118m of elevation but was 4-5 minutes better than the absolutely flat half I did in October. So I'm really pleased.

No more running-only races on the plan for me until Beachy Head Marathon in October. Never done a marathon before and it's trail and hilly... Bring it on!!

Despite running for decades, I’ve only got back into ‘proper’ training in the last 4/5 months.

Tried really hard in a parkrun yesterday and managed a pb of 21 mins. But today, I’m absolutely good for nothing. Went out for my long run and stopped after 3 miles and walked home as I just felt exhausted.

My body feels like it’s run a marathon not a measly 5k.

I’m 50……..so could this be the reason? Recovery just takes longer.

Gald that you are feeling better @BogRollBOGOF . Hope you can use the holidays to recuperate.

Congratulations on a great run @Whataninterestinglookingpotato! Well done, must be a great confidence boost for you.

Glad you enjoyed the trails @Jumbojem despite your muddy pool of water! That's exactly the kind of thing I'd do.

I did our local running club's 20 mile pre-marathon run today. My friend and I jeffed the whole way 30/30 and came in well below the cut off despite our worries. Over 1000 feet of elevation and I'm very pleased that I had a couple of practice runs on the hills. Rather than a medal they give you a lovely hoodie which I will be wearing for the foreseeable just so I can tell anyone who will listen how I earned it

Sorry I missed a couple of updates while I was writing my post

@TyneFilth that's fantastic, well done. Strava tells me I had a HM PB today, but that's only because I didn't have Strava in by younger days. There's no way I'd ever be anywhere near a 20 year old result.

@etchedinstone sounds like you really pushed yourself yesterday - 21 minutes is a fabulous time for parkrun. Were you taking it nice and easy on your long run today? I'm well north of 50 and despite being fitter now than I was 10 years ago it does take me a while to recover.

Thanks all! Yes, doing well today has given me a bit more confidence for the marathon!

your trail run sounds lovely @Jumbojem even with the muddy puddle. Good luck for your race.

well done on your half marathon PB @TyneFilth it’s impressive that you’re still as fast as you were 20 years ago! I wasn’t running like this 20 years ago so I think I’m def faster now over distances than I was then (but nothing to compare to) I was though much faster at sprinting when younger. I’m a bit rubbish at taut now!

well done on your parkrun PB @etchedinstone thats a fantastic time. You might be tired now because you’ve pushed yourself harder than you have a in a while.

well done on your 20 miler @OhOneOhTwoOhThree
A hoodie is a great prize to get!!

happy running all!

Well done everyone on some fantastic results. @etchedinstone I'm over 50 too and I watched a few of the videos from the YouTube channel in the link this week. It was saying it's not just recovery from running but the whole mental load we have as women/parents. Plus trying to run too hard too often. It was a food for thought and that they said you should feel energised and less tired after an easy run, not drained made me realise I'm pushing too much on them, and feeling down about pace. That said a 21 min 5k is very impressive.