anyone like to start a runners' support group thread thingie?

[fionagib]

Inspired by Paula Radcliffe's victory at the new york marathon (but HORRIBLY unfit), I wondered if anyone would like to start running, or keep running, or get even better at running, and support each other here by telling each other how we're getting on, or swap tips, ideas etc?

I did quite a bit of running earlier this year, a few 10k races (and loved it, felt so much better, really proud, with more energy etc) but have let it all go to pot and now have jelly belly & bum, and a running bra that's probably covered with cobwebs somewhere...

Am totally un-athletic, was smoking heavily until 2 weeks ago, and just wanna make a positive change, avoid a winter of blobbiness, and feel really good & fit come spring.

so anyone like to join me....?

Twink - can you add me to your list - 10k, 15th May (the same one Fionagib is doing).

Here you are Prettybird:

First up is Stringbean with a 10K Feb 6th (done)
Twink, Bramley 10m, Feb 20th
Twink, Reading Half Marathon, 6th March
Then Beetroot, Bath half marathon, 20th March
Wondermum, Wilmslow half marathon, end March
Gizmo, Paris Marathon, April 10th
Twink, London Marathon, April 17th
Clary, RFL 8th May
Zippy, 10k beginning May
Fionagib, 10k May 15th
Prettybird, 10k May 15th
MumToTwink, MiniTwink, Twink RFL 2nd July
Twink, RFL 10th July

I think the May 10k they're doing is in Glasgow.

There's a list of Race For Life 5k venues here .

You're right Twink - it is in Glasgow. It is supposed to be the biggest Women only race in the UK at its distance - over 15,000 women will be running it.

Right, didn't run last night as I decided to take dd out in the jogger this morning. Got out as soon as ds had gone to nursery and wrestled the jogger out of the shed. No cosy toes. Hunted for this and finally found it stuffed under dd's chest of drawers (fortunately in a bag, so dust free). Outside again. What had been a damp morning then turned drizzly, but no problem, us runners can cope with a bit of wet. I then had to work out how to fit the cosy toes onto the jogger (the straps all needed removing and reconfiguring). I am not blessed with great spatial awareness when it comes to matters of this kind and it took me about 30 minutes to work it out and several attempts. By this time it was raining hard. I was wet. The cosy toes was wet. Then I realised that the lumpy thing jammed between my knees was the head hugger (also wet). Not having the heart to wrestle with it for another half hour, the whole thing went back in the shed and I stomped inside for breakfast. Think dd and I will go for a walk with the buggy instead, and I'll try again tomorrow. Best laid plans eh? How's everyone else?

Oh Stringbean, that's tough, I think I'd have thrown the whole lot at the nearest wall. Hope you did get out for a walk instead to relieve the frustration !

I'm suffering today after a bizarre session with the running group last night - involved lots of lunges, squats and sprints, interspersed with running very quickly up and down a staircase.

Definitely found muscles I didn't know I had, still, I'm off for a more normal session tonight so hopefully will run it off !

Twink, aren't those exercises you're describing for 'quick-twitch' muscles? It will be worth it when you can muster your tired legs for a sprint finish in the London Marathon, and look great crossing the finish line!

Hello all.

Still plodding along here. Sticking with the heart rate training though it is still v humiliating! The only good thing is that I am doing most of my runs in the dark at 6.30 in the morning before DH goes to work so no one can see me as I waddle along. I can't imagine being able to run my 10k in anything under one and a half hours - ho hum.

Beetroot - I'm doing the Great Caledonian Run/Stroll on the 8th of May in Edinburgh.

Oh I wish Stringbean, at the moment I'm having major doubts about the whole thing !

Zippy, stick with your monitor & things will improve, honestly. I've updated your details on the list:

Twink, Bramley 10m, Feb 20th
Twink, Reading Half Marathon, 6th March
Then Beetroot, Bath half marathon, 20th March
Wondermum, Wilmslow half marathon, end March
Gizmo, Paris Marathon, April 10th
Twink, London Marathon, April 17th
Clary, RFL 8th May
Zippy, Great Caledonian Run/Stroll 10k 8th May
Fionagib, 10k May 15th
Prettybird, 10k May 15th
MumToTwink, MiniTwink, Twink RFL 2nd July
Twink, RFL 10th July

Twink, don't despair. You still have another couple of months before the FLM, and I seem to recall you're following the Runner's World schedule? What does it matter if you have to stop and walk for a bit of it? Dh did it three years ago and struggled with the last 5-6 miles, but said he wouldn't have missed it for anything - he was on such a high when he finished - I've never seen anything quite like it! Just remember to put your name on your running vest, so the crowd can cheer you along. Dh didn't and it was the one thing he regretted (he had a '3 Peaks Challenge' t-shirt, so the crowd was shouting 'Come on 3 Peaks!!' at him the whole way round).

Only just found this thread and hope it might provide the inspiration I need to get back into running. Before ds (now 2.5) was born I was an avid runner and orienteerer, used to train with a club (serpentine) and go to the gym, ran 3 marathons etc and always thought I was hooked for life. When ds was born it was as if someone had flicked a hormone off or something, just can't get back into the groove. Anyone else found the same or have I just got lazy! Entered for an orienteering competition at the end of Apr so I'd better get going!

Hi lapsedrunner

I should think a break was well justified after three marathons! I could be completely wrong but maybe it's hard to get back into because you did so much pre-ds, club, gym etc - what I mean is, could it be that you are an 'all or nothing' kind of person and finding it hard to get back into it because you feel don't have the time to give it your 'all' anymore?

The orienteering competition sounds like a brilliant motivation- and great fun. I've always loved the idea of orienteering but my sense of direction is even worse than my running so if you don't mind I'll live out my orienteering ambitions vicariously through you .

Can't help lapsedrunner as I've only been running for approaching 3 years - to get rid of excess weight caused by eating for 16 while breastfeeding

But would love to hear more about orienteering, I could fancy having a go as my map reading is pretty ok - in fact my long runs seem to be turning into map reading training at the moment as I desparately try to find new routes..

Question for you marathon peeps, I did 19 miles today, in just under 3 hours, by the end was really struggling and in tears at the thought of ever managing 26.2. I felt as if I'd lost the capacity to make logical decisions. I feel ok now although my legs are REALLY tired but is this normal ? Will I ever feel as if I can make it ?

I finally got out today - after almost 3 weeks. It was hard, but I enjoyed it and my legs are feeling suitably achey.

Why is it that it takes months to gather a decent amount of stamina, but a few sort weeks for it to disappear?!

Twink - I think if you can do that sort of distance and still be standing you'll do the 26. Did you hit 'the wall' or do you think you were just about there when you stopped and thats why you mental processes were a bit shot

Twink this article in the Guardian today might help you. Not that I'm a marathon runner, but I've been lurking on this thread since I started running again at the beginning of January.

I'd also be interested in learning more about orienteering, lapsedrunner. How old do children have to be before they can join in?

Thanks for all your support, I'm pleased to report that I managed to run (or rather shuffle) both yesterday and this morning. I'm getting more determined to get back into it!

Twink - 19 miles in 3 hours sounds great. It is ample to do at this stage before a marathon, most I did was a couple of 20 milers. You'll manage the rest on the day no problem, the emotion of it all will carry you along.

For more info on orienteering check out www.britishorienteering.org.uk. I really enjoy it for a number of reasons: It can be as competitive or non competitive as you like as you compete against the clock rather than head to head with other runners. It's often known as "cunning running" because you have to use your brain and run at the same time, I find the map reading takes your mind off the pain of running! Best of all you are running off road (and often off any tracks at all) in lovely countryside. Children can start as soon as they can toddle, most local event hold something called a "string course" i.e. children follow a very short course of string through the woods to find animal cutouts or pictures etc at each "checkpoint"

Thanks all ! The article was just what I needed (strangely my copy of the paper was missing the magazine & The Guide so I'd not seen it)

Well done on getting out lapsedrunner & potty.

Fiona, hope the book is going ok and you'll be able to get out again soon.

Have a good week everyone !

Wow, Twink ! 19 miles in under three hours! That's fantastic.

Hey Twink

I agree: 19 miles in less than 3 hours is great and makes me think you are well on for going under 4 hours. It also makes me wonder if you aren't doing your long runs just a leeeetle fast? You're very close to 8.30 miling, which will probably get you a good for age time. I know that is your goal, but the adrenaline on race day will probably carry you a bit faster anyway, so you can afford to throttle back just slightly on the pace for your next couple of long runs.

Anyway, the first time you do these runs is always the worst bit because you are going to that distance for the very first time. This has two effects: the pain is probably at its worst as your physiology adapts, and secondly you don't know what to expect mentally, so it can all go to ratsh!t very quickly.

No mental capacity to make decisions? Check, entirely normal. Feel as if each half mile has to be the last and you're definitely going to walk the rest? Check - again, entirely normal. Worry that you're too slow, too unfit, haven't got the stamina, just can't b*dy do it? Check, check and check again.

I can't navigate on these long runs - haven't got the mental bandwidth. So I tend to bore myself silly running the same couple of long routes.

Tell you what: you seem to be miles ahead of your schedule (I've only just got myself up to 16 milers, with my interrupted training) so why don't you take three days off this week and run a 15 - 16 miler this weekend. It should be a piece of cake and might raise your confidence a bit.

Plus, if you're not already doing this now's the time to think about food during runs because nothing in this world is more miserable than the last miles of a long, cold, hungry run.

Sorry about the lecture but you are doing great - you're going to really surprise yourself in April - and I'd hate you to spend the rest of February/March dreading it.

Doh!

Just read the Guardian thing, which suggests exactly the opposite to what I was thinking, ie that you should keep your long runs as close to race pace as possible.

Well, I'm no expert, so I'm hardly in a position to argue, but surely if this is your first marathon, and you haven't built your stamina base, this is asking a hell of a lot? I've always preferred the advice to make long runs mostly just below threshold and add mid length speed work with an occasional long run (perhaps one in 3 or 4) close to race pace. Otherwise I just feel I'm operating too close to the injury zone.

Another good session, although hard, is to take 25% off the distance on a long run, and run the last 3 miles at as close to 10k pace as you can manage. Hellish - I certainly don't get anywhere close to 10k pace - but effective for mental toughness!

I'm doing the Edinburgh marathon in June and have run 6 miles so far as my longest run, I was supposed to run 7 miles on saturday past, but my throat was sore. My problem is I don't know anyone else doing it and can't persuade anyone to join me! Anyone else out there doing this one?

Oh and hello Lapsedrunner - hope you turn into comebackrunner soon!

OK Guys I have just seen this and can I join you all seem a bit advanced for me?

I am incredibly overweight and just started a new programme today at the gym. I managed a mile in 15 minutes this morning with a little running every two minutes and then walking. I am starting slow and hoping to build up.

I am doing weight loss and building up running at the same time. My gym has a running club and I may join that once I get fitter.