Running goals, motivation and chat 2026 - Part 3!

[BogRollBOGOF]

Hello runners!

Continuing on with our general running chit chat...

@BogRollBOGOF glad the sports massage has done you well. I might have to book myself one just the near future, it does sound lovely.

club run for me last night. Dd1 is now fast enough to run with our pace group and she’s back from uni for a week so we went out together last night. Both DDs have said they’re going to come to track with me tonight, they seem to both have very much got the running bug. Though dd2 is still working through C25k.

Pacing dd1 for her first half the weekend. it’s going to be a hot one! So will have to see how she does with the heat as to what pace we decide to go for.

In also signed up for another marathon yesterday for November. I wasn’t going to do an autumn one but this one will be just for fun as loads from the club are going to do it together. So that’ll be nice.

@BogRollBOGOF thanks for that, I always imagined they were really intense and painful so never really wanted to give them a go! I might be brave and book in for one.

Anybody running edinburgh this weekend? Im pretty sure someone was doing the marathon but wasnt feeling it this year but cant remember who. Im doing the half, going to take it fairly easy as im still supposed tocbe in recorery from last weekend. I was very good and the only run ive done this week is my local annual 10k, yesterday, I ran it super slow (came i think 4th from the end) but I dont mind, I came away injury free, which was the goal.

Parkrun with my 9 year old on Saturday, shes getting fast! First sub 30 a few weeks ago, then the half on sunday and them im back into full training for the 70 miler in june. Im going to do all my runs after this weekend with my full pack, I've been a bit lax about that and im now running out of time.
Hope everyone has a good Bank Holiday weekend and enjoys the sunshine! Its supposed to be hot in edinburgh.

Hello Everyone,
How are you all doing with running in the heat?
Spare a thought for me for tomorrow, as I'm running Edinburgh marathon. No pb for me this time. I just want to make it around the course upright and hydrated!

Good luck @xsquared and @SFRSmum for Edinburgh tomorrow. I remember a few years back it chucked it down and everyone was raging the bag drop bags were left out in the rain, at least you won't have that problem.
That said I find hot weather running hard work. I've been taking an electrolyte drink daily recently, even when not running as I do not drink enough fluids.
Not posted in a while, been trying to do a 5k PB plan but I'm a way off getting a PB as yet. Struggling to get faster at all and seem to be getting slower. Running friend same age as me (50s) getting faster all the time leaves me wondering where I'm going wrong! That said I have had some lovely runs.
No events on the horizon so will enter something later in the year so I don't lose focus, just can't decide if I'd rather trail or road half, two I fancy are a week apart in September so think I need to just pick one.

Good luck @xsquared and @SFRSmum for Edinburgh today. My friend is running the half after running the 10k yesterday!

dd1 and i are off to the great west run for her first half, it’s going to be 28 degrees down in Exeter! I’m not too worried for myself as I’m not going to be running it at my usual race pace and I plan to stick with dd1. But I am a little concerned for her. I’ll keep a close eye and make sure she stays hydrated.

Hope all goes well in Edinburgh for @xsquared and @SFRSmum and the Great West Run for @Whataninterestinglookingpotato and DD.

I haven't done much since my marathon 2 weeks ago. I had a really sore shoulder, which the physio has diagnosed as my rotator cuff, and have also been working very long hours. I got out for 4 miles along the river on Thursday and had a hot parkrun yesterday.

I'm all taped up and have exercises to do. No swimming (boo, just as it has got warm), and limited yoga but I can walk, run and cycle. Just as well, as I'm keeping a friend company at a 25km cycle ride in s couple of weeks.

Thanks all, no PB, but i knew i wouldn't. There were a few places (the first 5k) where it was really congested so overtaking was difficult, but tbh even if I could the heat was something else!

@xsquared kudos to you for doing the full, in this heat! I was really suprised how many people were collapsed on the side of the road, and also slightly miffed they would only give me one half bottle of water upon completion. Bit daft in this heat.

Currently sat on some steps waiting for my husband to find me, hes bringing ice lollies 🤣

@whataninterestinglookingpotato hope your run went well too.

Well done @SFRSmum on your half!! It’s certainly a hot day.

I hope your shoulder is feeling better soon @OhOneOhTwoOhThree

the half went very well thanks all. I’m super proud of dd1 as it was a hilly course and super hot but she absolutely smashed her first half coming in at 1:52. I stayed with her, and watched her closely to make sure she was ok and we even held hands to cross the finish line. It was lovely. I had a wonderful time. It’s amazing how enjoyable it was when I wasn’t running at full capacity. I even did a bit of quite terrible vlogging to remember the day by. I sang, I danced and it was just loads of fun. Dd1 is soo happy with her time and she did amazingly as she has never run that far before.

I hope that @xsquared got on well with the full today in Edinburgh.

happy running all.

Thank you all, and well done to you too @SFRSmum.
That's appalling they only gave you half a bottle of water at the end!

It was far too hot to put a pb effort in and overall I wasn't impressed to be honest. Goody bag was sparse too.

Well done to you and your dd for completing the half marathon, especially on a hilly course not to mention the weather!

How lovely you got to cross the finish line together too.

Well done to today's racers! Not the conditions for PBs at all. I'm on holiday in Devon for a few days and about to go for an hour at a gentle pace (not least because I forgot my sports bra) which will be exploring style - in Ilfracombe so quite hilly! Just waiting for my dinner to digest a bit.

Well done those who did races in the heat this weekend, must have been tough! OH says running in this heat is poor man's altitude training 🤣 I ran/walked a few miles yesterday and was dripping.
@TyneFilth how did the explore run go? I'm heading to North Devon for a running weekend in a few weeks, got Copilot to suggest some trail routes and the four it gave me all say "medium to high elevation"!

A busy non-running weekend for me, but my step count was high. I was planning on a restful day today, and the weather is obliging at helping with that!
15-20k of non-exercise steps per day tends to feel pretty draining compared to being boosted to that level by running.

Currently planning on getting up earlier tomorrow for a long run that was intentionally deferred from the weekend.

I might do a fitness class tonight to wake my body up with some air con for comfort

I'm feeling a bit lost with my training. I have a plan, I'm following as best as time allows but I feel way behind, the doubt is trickling in. I haven't managed as many of the back to back runs as id hoped and only managed 2 days of over 50k walk/run (mainly walking) in the last 6 weeks. My runs have mainly been slow and low, which is fine for keeping me ticking over but I'm not sure how good it is for pushing myself.
Hopefully get a good back to back weekend this weekend, although it'll be likely to be Sunday/Monday looking at l free time and then I'll be in a semi taper, semi as the 70 miler is a practice run for a 100 miler 6 weeks later (which I've decided to mainly walk)
I have to remember I felt the same before my may ultra and exceeded my expectations on that by quite some way.

Question on switching over to marathon training, I've signed up for 2, one at the end of September and one at the end of October. I'm currently running at least 40k a week usually more plus walking, will I be ok to go straight into week 8 of a 16 week plan (milage is the same, slightly lower)

Hello 👋
Im hoping to get my running goals up this year to actually completing a half marathon. …maybe more !
im starting out with Parkrun. Completed 5k in 30 mins.
pace 6’22”.
no idea if that’s any good!
looking for motivation and tips.
also what to eat before.
😊

I am seriously lacking in motivation and don't know why. I have a 5k race tomorrow, a fitness race (Hyrox style) in five weeks and a marathon in October.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I started ozempic 10 days ago, could that be it?

@SFRSmum you may well be ok to go straight into week 8 of a training plan. I only trained for about 8 or 9 months weeks for my first one with a starting average weekly mileage of around 30 miles. Are you hoping for a time or just hoping to get around feeling somewhat human?

Welcome to the thread @Lemontreeinthecity a 30 min 5k is very respectable. Do you have a half in mind you’d like to aim for?

@Goditsmemargaret it is hard to motivation to run in this heat!! I hope you find your mojo again soon.

club run for me last night and 7 sweaty trail miles with the gang. I led a group made up of the few brave souls who turned up from the 8:30min/mile and 9 min/mile pace groups as neither group leader was around and there was only 7 of us who braved the heat. I had to make up a route on the spot as wasn’t expecting to have to lead. It was good fun, apart from my slight poor decision to run up the massive hill through the woods. But we all survived! I jumped straight in my pool fully clothed when I got home.

Hope others are coping ok in the heat.

I've managed a 10mi run today. I took it easy, had a few breaks and bought a bit of extra food and drink on the way.
It's a bit awkward with heat and long runs because I need fuel in me first so struggle with too early.
I appreciated the breeze!

I was away for the weekend so we were parkrun tourists. I had 12km in my plan for Monday but I binned that off, was way too hot for running. Then I had yesterday off work so did an early 5k but it was our running club charity night so I did another 5k last night as well, it was not fun! Got hill reps tomorrow so I’m glad it’s getting a bit cooler

@Whataninterestinglookingpotatothank you - I wasn’t sure if it was a good time or not 😊
I think I’m going to practice my local Parkrun route twice - to maybe build up to 10k?
also curious as to what anyone eats on the morning of parkrun (8am).
Ive found muesli and milk makes me feel a bit sluggish….

For parkrun I probably eat a bit of bread/toast with jam and peanut butter on it. For longer runs in the morning I would force down two pieces but not enjoy them.

if it’s a race of half marathon length or longer I would also have a flap jack near to the start of the race.

@Lemontreeinthecityfor parkrun I eat a single slice of toast and jam at about 7:45

For parkrun, a banana works well for me.

Like others, parkrun I might have a banana or a nutty bar. Something small and light. I mostly run parkrun fasted though.

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato thanks, I think Ill go in at a later week, looking through the plan it looks to be very similar to my ultra plan, just the massive milage for the actual ultra is different 😂
I'm not aiming for a time, sub 5hrs probably and sub 4.30 would be amazing, but tbh I don't enjoy running super fast so I very rarely do it, hence all the ultras

Not so subtle brag I'm afraid

With my focus being very heavily focused on distance, not speed, over the last 6 months, I haven't really raced many runs recently but today, everything fell into place at parkrun.

Well fuelled, my 9 year old who I usually run with had other plans and I was feeling strong. I achieved my goal for this year or getting a sub 25 min 5K (not parkrun I must add, it was 25min 15 seconds, that's my next goal!)

Very proud of myself!