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....

Well done Pidge. I just find that kind of distance intimidating.

I've just completed another 4 mile run and knocked 3 minutes and 17 seconds of my previous time. I did it in 46 minutes and 32 seconds. I am so please because I did not look at my stop watch until I had finished so it as a pleasant surprise.

I think I will do a couple more of runs at this distance and then add another 2 miles. I'm thinking about entering a 10k in July and I'm actually contemplating a half marathon in September.

My DH, who has ran a half marathon, said that I was an inspiration to him because of my commitment. He has been so busy with work and studying that he has not had time to do any running for about 5 months but now he is going out straight after work for 2 and 3 mile runs. He is also contemplating doing another half marathon September so it would be great if we could do it together. You never know, when our 3yo DTS are older, we might turn it into a family affair[lol].

Good luck everyone with the training.

I survived . unofficial time of about 2hr 35 - which is 9m 40s / mile. I'm totally stunned - I though 10 minute miles would be pushing it! I've done 10m/miles over 10 miles but my 14 mile runs were more like 10m 30s. so am pretty delighted. it's amazing how much a race can lift you. found most of it fine in fact. last 2 miles were a bit grim though (and, I'm convinced, twice as long...)

Congrats to you hat! Well done on the time.

I finally got out again myself today managed a very slow 4 miles, but it's better than nothing. Gorgeous runing weather here.

Congrats Hatwoman...what next

superb hatwoman. glad you had a good race.

hey - well done hatwoman - a fantastic time. What an achievement. Hope you're celebrating in style.

speedymama - I STILL find that kind of distance intimidating. I've found the trick is not to think about it, but to plod, plod, plod and just focus on the next 20-30 minutes.

no running for me since Friday - we've been at a wedding. Might get my shoes on for a quick one tomorrow. I need to work out what the taper actually means in terms of my mid-week schedule.

well I've just had the most enormous roast dinner. not sure if taht counts as celebrating. unfortunately dh is on crutches at the moment, barely able to walk, and can't even have a drink with me owing to being full of drugs. (which also means I have to do all the housework etc) I so want to do FLM now. but seriously doubt I could do it next year as I expect to be working too much.

my official time is 2 hours 42! I just don;t see how that can be right. I'd accept a couple of minutes difference but that seems like too much. I suspected a fault in the timing when I did the 8 miles last year - my friend and I finished virtually simultaneously but had a couple of minutes between us. It sounds like it's been a bit chaotic this year - they let people switch distance after they'd started ffs (there's an 8.2 and a 16, starting half an hour apart, so I really don;t get how they can let people switch)also they had 3 seperate starts for the 16 mile and they've got a long list of people whose times they don;t know because they don;t know what time they started! I think they might have got me down as having started in the first wave.

Hatwoman - sounds like they need to use ChampionChip

I emailed them with my time according to ipod and they replied, basically saying "ok, we'll change it.." which doesn't exactly inspire faith. oh well, as someone firmly in the lower middle it's not important!

That's pretty rubbish hatwoman, particularly for a big event like that. I'm surprised they don't have chip timing.

how did sarflondon and jopg get on at Paddock Wood I wonder?

well - they've chanegd it - but to something 3 seconds quicker than what I had told them - which is better than just changing it iyswim - ie it looks like they did check. all the runners have bar codes so it seems reasonably technical...

I came 449th out of 738 women and 1653rd out of 2123 altogether. which means I beat 181 men. which gives me great pleasure

LOL at the beating men statistic hatwoman! I always try to calculate my result ignoring any blokes because they are so depressingly fast.

thanks for asking Pidge. Race was lovely - very pretty. I hope JoPG enjoyed it. I did 4 mins slower than 3 years ago which is a bit depressing. I am ancient thought and have just realised that I will be running my age in kilometres at London which I think is great.

Getting paranoid about colds now and back away at speed from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

You FLM & 16 milers are really putting me to shame (but Sarflondon I am older than you, that's my excuse). My 1/2M is on 29 Apr and will be my first race (except Orienteering competitions) since 2000 and my first 1/2M since 1997 .
Have been going easy on the intensity of training (old age & old injuries do get in the way). I realised that 2 elements are missing from my training a. speed work...no chance, and b. a proper weekly long run. With only 5 weeks to go I finally implemented the long run (nothing like leaving it too late). We live in a hilly area so I drove to a river bank for a flat out and back 45 mins each way. I assumed it was 9-10 miles and was depressed to find it was only 8 miles [hmmm]. This morning I went for another "long" (meant to do 1.45 only did 1.25) run, this time off road and with hills, I dare not even measure it as suspect it was depressingly short. When did i slow down so much, I used to be a 8.45 min miler easily.
On, On is all I can say, I have this idea that it's all about the mental approach and as I know what it feels like to run a 1/2M than I'll be fine....I suspect this won't help. I think I may suffer on the day

sarflondon - where is Paddock Wood? and how long? I've dnoe Kingston 3 times now (it helps that the start is 5 minutes walk from my house) but if I'm going to stay interested I feel I should start spreading my wings a bit...

Hi Hatwoman Paddock Wood is near Tonbridge. It is a half marathon. Are you looking for South East races for the Summer and Autumn now? There is meant to be a nice 15 miler (if that is not a contradiction in terms ) over trails near Bewl Water in July. I have not done it but am thinking of it. I lack the will power to run generally so have to have a race lined up. Alternatively if I have a bad race at London, I may cut my trainers into tiny pieces.

Good luck for 29th Lapsedrunner. Your training sounds fine especially if some of it is very hilly.

Hello Gizmo - just managed to read thread properly. Have you done FLM before? Any tips for newbies gratefully received. Now getting a bit worried about sheer numbers running given narrowness of streets.

Any other mnetters doing London?

sarflondon - my BIGGEST fear now is that my snottastic dd2 will give me a cold 2 days before the marathon. I'm almost tempted to put her into quarantine, she is such a germ magnet!

hatwoman - what about joining me in the Windsor half marathon on September 30th, pretty local, 5000 runners, chip timing, a nice run through the park! Entries filled up by May last year if I remember correctly.

lapsedrunner - you will do great - and you are going to have to work on that nickname! Personally I never do speedwork or hills at the moment. Am planning to turn over a new leaf once FLM is out of the way.

Pidge 20 miles! I think you'll probably find that 20 miles in RL = about mile 23 in the race itself, the atmosphere and excitement can somehow make miles disappear. And as for how you do the last 6 miles? Slowly....

Sarflondon I did FLM years ago (1997) so I'm not sure if any of my advice is relevant. I remember it being crowded but once you got past the start it was never a huge issue - and I understand they've changed the start arrangements now so maybe that will have improved too. The only thing I'll do differently is probably try to arrange a different place to meet friends after, because official meeting points are always so crowded and the last thing you want to do is fight through masses of stiff legged post marathon types suffering a collective sense of humour failure.

I have a persistant and annoying virus (it can't even be arsed to turn into a proper cold) that has drained any last trace of energy I had so I'm now in official Code Red trouble. Missed last weekend's 23 miler, will try it this saturday - otherwise I'll just have to turn up on April 22nd desperately undertrained and prepare for a long walk. Which isn't so bad, after all.

Gizmo thanks for the reassurance re the crowds and the excellent advice re finding family at the end. I can't think beyond the finish.

As for your training Gizmo, just decide that you are going to have a really good day whatever happens. Don't try this at home folks but I was very undertrained for a marathon in the Autumn. Longest run 13.5 and decided to try it anyway. I ran to 14 miles and was then doing 13 minute miles. I felt as if I was going backwards so decided to walk. Walked for 10 miles and then got enough energy to run the last 2. I had a great time, saw more of the scenery than usual, chatted to lots of people and had very fresh legs the next day. I was only 1hr 10 mins outside my pb as I am a slow runner anyway.

Now that sounds like a good game plan, Sarflondon (shouldn't that be 'Sarflunnon'?) In all honesty, I'm only doing it because it's London, I know the atmosphere will be great and I can't carry over my entry again. I have no aspirations to improve on my PB so I might as well go nice and slow and enjoy the day.

My current thinking is to run to mile 20 and see whether I fancy walking then. Maybe I will, maybe I won't but the last 6 miles down embankment is a great buzz so it would be nice to be able to savour it in a relaxed way, rather than flogging myself along ignoring my moaning knees

Is anybody else completely exhausted? Probably only myself to blame - too much work, I did an 11 hour day plus 3 hour commute yesterday and then sought solace in half a bottle of wine, and so was an unhappy bunny to be woken at 5.30am by dd2 on one of her dawn chorus wake-ups. So the thought of running 12 miles tomorrow is pretty foul.

Anyway, then we're off for a week's holiday, thank goodness. Hoping I might recover some energy in time for the 22nd.

Pidge I am so tired. Work is horrendous. Have been in the office for 7am three mornings in a row. I have to run 45 mins tonight and have tried out every excuse imaginable but will force myself out the door. All the best for your 12 tomorrow. I am doing mine on Saturday and we are taking dsx3 to Manchester for a football match tomorrow. My 12 miles will be fuelled on pie and chips and hours driving. I absolutely love running but find that at this stage of marathon training I am in permanent moan mode and not easy to live with.

Gizmo the last 6 miles sound great. Did you put your name on your shirt for London before? If so would you recommend it?

sarflondon - so glad it's not just me.

I hauled myself out of bed very reluctantly at 7.30am (having been half awake since 6am courtesy of dd2), and dragged myself around 12 miles.

Now off on hols - for little running, lots of carbs and (hopefully) some sleep!

Happy running everyone

Well I'm utterly lethargic and shagged out and I haven't even been training properly .

I know it's grim, guys, but it's a good sign - eat all you can, rest sensibly and you'll honestly be bouncing off the walls in short order. You've done the work, now it's payback time...