Runners Rehomed

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Here we are in Sports, I've been so lax about keeping up with anything outside our little thread that I'd no idea it was here - but have just spotted a cycling thread, so will be later to bed than planned....

sarflondon .... I am soooooo looking forward to getting this thing done!! I think right now I feel a mixture of fear and excitement.

I have my 20 miler scheduled for Friday ... gulp!

Good luck for Friday Pidge. Are you running it on your own? I can't wait to get my last really long run over. Had to go down the Mall for work yesterday and felt quite teary looking at where the finish will be.

Are there any celebs to beat this year. Please don't let Lorraine Kelly be running...

Hello everyone...I'm very confused, didn't there used to be a runner's thread elsewhere on the site? Or are we all back to using this one again?

Anyone want to summarise what I've missed while I was on maternity leave? I stuck my head round the door while you were all in the Sports section but somehow didn't have the time to contribute. I'm back at work after my maternity leave now and find myself with more time to spend on mumsnet .

Whether it will mean more time for running is not clear yet, although my FLM entry means I don't have the luxury of giving up entirely...am following insane 'asking-for-trouble' regime of one mid week six miler and a long run on Sunday. Death or glory, that's me

Hey up Gizmo.

'Sports' got removed so I asked MNHQ to move us over here.

What have you missed? ....Well from my side nothing. Barely getting out more than once a week at the mo due to repeated lurgies.

Hi Gizmo! Yes, we got moved! Shame as I definitely identified more with 'sport' than 'health', but hey ho. Main thing is we have a home for mutual enthusiasm.

I like your FLM approach - and see no reason why it shouldn't get you round. A colleague at work who has done 7 marathons told me he did most of them on 2.5 runs per week, and did his fastest in 3.45, so there you go, a fine example to follow.

I went out for lunch with my colleagues today instead of doing my normal Wednesday run, so took all my willpower to go out for 40 minutes this evening (always hard after a full day at work, plus the 35 minute bike ride each way). So am rewarding myself with large glass of wine.

Feeling very very nervous about the 20 miler on Friday - can't stop thinking about it, and just longing to get it done ...

Yes, whatever happened to 'Sports'? Is it considered unmotherly, in some way? Laydeez obviously not allowed to sweat, I guess .

So, SMBK, what's up: seasonal afflictions? I have standard new baby starting nursery snuffles (probably shortly to be followed by first bout of D&V, if previous experience is anything to go by) and probably shouldn't really be doing my long runs as a result, but since that would leave my total mileage as 6 miles per week I can't believe that's right.

Hey, Pidge: 20 miles? For why? If you're doing FLM too maybe we could meet up? I've just scanned your recent messages and frankly, if you're doing 19 miles (with the obligatory 'crawl under a bush and die' mile in the middle) then I don't think you're going to notice much difference: it's just another 10 minutes of 'Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch....' Unwisely, I tried to finish last Sunday's run on a board walk by the river here (think heavy duty decking). It was a bit uneven, I couldn't lift my legs and the result was a spectacular pratfall that generated an admiring crowd of Japanese tourists. Not so much 'death or glory' more 'injury or ignominy'. I feel a t-shirt slogan coming on...

Changed jobs Gizmo - now working in a school and I've not been well since. Blimmin kids!

Having not been sick at all in 7 years, I've now had 2 colds in 6 weeks, winter vomiting bug, chest infection and tonsilitis.

Hopeful of getting back into my running routine over the Easter break. And would be grateful if I was managing 6 miles a week!!

Gizmo - you have cheered me up so much with your slip sliding on the decking tale!

SMBK - kids are just little germ factories aren't they. My two are with a childminder and in school, plus my partner is a teacher and we seem to have been constantly ill since about November.

sarflondon - are you tapering yet!!! I'm beginning to think the taper could be the bit of marathon training I'm best suited to.

Oh, Gizmo - yup, I'm FLM-ing, as you'll have worked out!!! Where are you located? I'm a south Londoner so it's pretty much my local event.

Good luck with your 20miler today Pidge.

My favourite bits of Marathon training were definitely the taper, and the carbo loading! Well suited to that!

Paddock Wood half marathon on Sunday. A less than ideal build up means that the most I have run is 10 miles, so it should be fun. I have been guaranteed flat though!

Can I join in?

I signed up for the RFL a couple of months ago. I have always been crap at running - couldn't even make it round the 800mtrs at school! Anyway, I started really well, was running 4/5 times a week and managed to work my way up from running for a minute to being able to run for 25mins (still only covering 1.5miles though).

To cut a long story short I haven't done any runnig for a fortnight now - Just can't be bothered So I need to get re-motivated. I never really get the 'bug' for exercise so it is always hard to make myself get out there, maybe that's where my problem lies, maybe I shoudl take a different attitude and approach.

Welcome to the thread Chloe. Nice to have another runner who hated it at school. I was crap at school too. Strangely I was only motivated to do the cross country runs which went past the boys' school and used to hide in bushes to avoid any other cross country. My old PE teachers would not believe that I run now.

Weather is a bit yuk now so hard to force yourself out to run. Tips to get motivated that work for me and my running buddies

• enter a race - should be some good 5ks eg race for life coming up. Worry of being humiliated and not finishing usually gets me out the door.
• buy new running gear. New clothes work for me in every situation
• find someone to run with. If you have a commitment to meet someone, the fear of letting them down is a good motivator.

Pidge thinking of you today. Given my running programme I am not sure that taper really applies. I have had to do only 3 mega long runs - 1 20, 2 x 18 and only do 2 other runs a week so I won;t really be ramping down like you. I have found the short runs hard to fit in as life is so busy. I have only missed 2 short runs in the entire programme but am fixating on them. any other marathon entrants in the "paranoid I am about to get an injury category"?

hello again everyone. hope you're all well. I like the "now I'm back at work I get to go on mn" line Gizmo! indeed. good luck Pidge for your 20 miler. I've been a bit lax these last couple of weeks - mainly cos dh went away so I had the kids to myself so just not possible to get much done. bu also because I've really started to run out of enthusiasm. I'm a bit fed up of it taking up so much of my time. I;ve got my 16m race in Kingston on Sunday - bit worried cos I haven't quite stuck to my schedule - I've done the mileage but spread over fewer runs iyswim. I did 6 or 7 this morning and I guess that's me done. no doubt I'll do the race and then not go out all summer...

anyway I have two questions - largely motivated by teh vanity of not wanting to look stupid on SUnday with lots of other runners around.

• do you get all snotty when you run - especially in this weather? and if you do, what do you, erm, do - with the snot I mean?

• and do you take your own water on races? I'd like to - I'm not good at grabbing a cup and drinking in big gulps (I tend to end up with more over me than in me). a sip every 5 minutes seems much more preferable. (I take dd's winnie the pooh bottle btw. It's actually a very good shape to hold...)

and one more thing. You're going to have to give me a virtual cheer over the line on Sunday. DH is just out of hospital and won;t be able to make it to the finishing line - which means, of course, neither will dds. I'll be a right billy-no-mates.

I've not got time to read the whole thread, so apologies if this has already been covered. Do any of you run with a pushchair? The only time I have to go out is when my two eldest are at school/preschool. I have a one year old and it would be so much easier to fit in the running by taking him with me. Any tips for jogging pushchairs?

Hatwoman I get very snotty when i run and try to tak e ttissues, otherwise i wipe my nose in my , erm sleev or tshirt!
Gross i know!
You can buy running bottles or pouches and tubes on most running sites.

dd- I'm afraid normally I use my sleeve too. but normally I;m on my own! just not sure about it in a race... also the water thing - I'm just interested to know if people use them in races, or if they're all deadly serious and rely on the "water stations". It's only because I'm vain and shallow and I don;t want people tsking at the amateur...

Sorry was skimming the posts didn;t read properly.
Haven't done a race yet, like you don't want to look a twunt! So want to do it right.

Well it turns out that I was being a bit previous and now I am stuck at home again with a baby who has duly developed his first bout of D&V. Two weeks after starting nursery, you could set your watch by it. I can really relate to SBKM's virus collection.

Anyway, Pidge, I'm based in Cambridge, but I'll be staying with my friend who lives very close to the start on the weekend of 21/22. After which the pain will commence...I'm wondering, are you doing your 20 miler right now? And it probably will be painful. This week I haven't even managed my midweek run so Sunday's scheduled 23 miles is going to come as a bit of a shock. Hey ho.

Celery, I did a few runs when DS2 was small with him in a secondhand BabyJogger. They are horribly expensive new and sadly hold their value very well secondhand, so there are no bargains available, but my one is extremely smooth, quite manouvreable and seems very robust, although it has had a pretty hard life. So if you think you'll be running much with a baby I'd recommend the investment.

I tend to put a tissue inside me shorts and use tht to blow my noce - I am just so ladylike me!

Never carry a water bottle, seems to just annoy me.

When I did the Kingston 16 I took so long to finish that my DS fell asleep in the buggy and never saw me finish! He was definitely fed up with waiting. I was then sick all the way home into a carrier bag (lovely) with DS shouting from the back of the car, 'Are you all right mummy?' Err, No - obviously!

Off out drinking in London tonight, ideal preparation for 13 miles on Sunday!

Welcome to Chloe55. Mu initial thoughts are that the better weather will help to keep you motivated, but looking out of the window at this very moment I'm not sure that applies today.

Gonna go round to mum's tonight and use her treadmill, that way she can watch ds for me too. I will go, I will go, I will go.

Hope all of you with long runs/races this weekend have a good 'un.

I just ran 20 miles

Sorry, just had to elevate that to a post on its own. I am so chuffed. Am trying at the moment to forget that I still have to do another 6 miles on top of that.

It went remarkably well - I felt 'ok' until about 18 miles at which point my right hip seized up and I had to stop and stretch, plus I suddenly felt shattered and was pretty miserable for the next mile. Otherwise, much, much better than my 19.5 miler. The joy of a flat route!!!

And the whole thing took me 3 hours 22 mins, including loo break, stopping to cross innumerable roads, plus quite a few 30-40 second walks to take on lucozade or consume revolting gel.

Gizmo - I lived in Cambridge for 9 years!! Lovely place. Then got lured to London to get a job. Though I'm very content here.

Hatwoman .... GOOD LUCK FOR KINGSTON!

And JoPG .... GOOD LUCK FOR THE HALF!

I'm off to down a large glass of wine myself!

well done Pidge - you'll be fine for the marathon. is that your last long run? are you tapering now? having said I'm getting fed up I also feel a wee bit jealous...

Well done with your 20 miler Pidge and good luck to JoPG & Hatwoman.

ah the subject of runny nose whislt running...ahem how do I admit that I am now a confirmed user of pressing one nostril closed with a finger whilst blowing out the contents of the other nostril (and visa versa). Horrible I know but I do try to do it discretly. I used to run with tissues but I find it's just not practical, I end up with a soggy mess.

Welcome Celery - I used to have an In-Step 10K Ultimate and it was great.

Pidge - fantastic. If you were any where near us yesterday the weather was vile so a great achievement.
Hatwoman good luck for your 16.
JoPG good luck at PW - have a great race. I will be the one sobbing at the end because I still have more miles to run.
Lapsed runner will take care not to run behind you!