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....?

Well done Beetroot

Presumably you were running outside rather than on adjacent treadmills so that will have worked your legs harder than you're used to.

Do your legs hurt generally or are there specific areas that are painful ? They've had a bit of a shock so give them a chill-out for a couple of days. If bits are still hurting by Saturday it might be worth getting a sports massage {bliss, should spend the money on my face but..}

Welcome Potpouri, that's a good strategy & you've plenty of time to build up to a great race in September.

Good stuff Beetroot

I second the sports massage thing...a good thing to do, if you have the time, is to find a local adult education centre that does courses in massage or sports massage and volunteer to be a guinea pig. I have a friend doing a course and I am, ahem, 'helping' her by letting her give me a massage once a week.

Zippy, how's the knee? If it's a ligament tweak you might find laying off for a week could be sufficient, but do be careful when you start again: let the old ladies have right of way!

And hello Potpourri - know what you mean about the mild depression - aren't endorphins marvellous. Got to say though, my tummy is starting to look ominously flabby...I've fallen off the training wagon big time over the past three weeks.

Cool: congrats Beetroot. Am . Is now the time to mention that the GNR is, well, hilly?

So when are you planning to make your regular runner friend go out for a 5 miler?

lol Gizmo - my dh calls me and my running mates 'the spirit - levellers'..... for obvious reasons.

Go Beety!

I should just add that after three weeks of very hit and miss running you have all inspired me to get back out again and I had a lovely, endorphin fuelled run last night. Still feeling the afterglow (or maybe that was the Sauvignon?)

Next outing is a short one scheduled for Saturday: I should do a Twink and try and get some more races into my schedule, too. Is anyone round here in East Anglia/NE home counties?

Congrats Beety ! I'll update the list at the end of this.

Don't worry too much about speed yet, do you have lamposts in your neighbourhood ? If yes, try every so often to run quickly between 2, then revert back to your previous pace & repeat as often as you have the energy during your run.

Well done Gizmo, what distance do you fancy racing ?

Potty, we used to dread hills but as we can't avoid them unless we stick to the canal, we've got quite good at them now so when we race we can make up quite a few places.

Zippy, how's the knee ?

How are the rest of you posters & lurkers doing ?

Twink, Bramley 10m, Feb 20th
Twink, Reading Half Marathon, 6th March
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, Potpourri, Beetroot GNR 18th Sept

List update & I'm putting the GNR's in alphabetical order, so Beety comes first

Twink, Reading Half Marathon, 6th March
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
Beetroot,Potpourri,Twink GNR 18th Sept

Putting this at the bottom so I don't put anyone off, I had a blinder of a race today, despite the cold & took 4 mins off my best 10 mile time to finish in just under 1:18.

Feeling v chuffed

Woo hoo, respect to Twink (need awe struck emoticon)!

Under 8 minute miling for 10 miles. Well fast. You're a great advert for club running you know.

Didn't get out Saturday (world and his wife came to visit us in our new house) but managed to grab a couple of hours early Sunday morning into which I stuffed a 13 miler. Then grabbed DS, put him on the bike and spent another hour chasing DH and his mates for the beginning of their long run.

Slightly undid all that good work by having the mother of all fry-ups at a greasy spoon on the way home - but it was sooooooooooo cold and poor DS was in desparate need of a warm cafe and a hot chocolate (as was I!).

My problem with races is limited time. I need to be doing high mileage now (particularly with consistently undertraining for the past three weeks) so if I'm going to squeeze a race into the weekend it either has to be on a Saturday and really close to Cambridge or it has to be a high milage (more than a half marathon) sunday morning job.

Any suggestions very welcome!

Beety, you sound like you are well on track - let us know how the 5 miler goes!

An alternative to lamp-posts is to take a watch and run 30 secs on, 1 minute off, then repeat. You can do all sorts of variations on this: trick is to realise that if you're going to run 4 minute sprint sections you can't go off at the same speed as if you're running 30 second sprints! Sounds simple, but I took an embarrassingly long time to work that one out

Gizmo - short notice but what about the Bury St Edmonds 20? It's a good preparatory race for the London - and they 'll give you predicted marathon times based on your finish time in the 20.

Ooooh, 20 miles? Not 20k? Sounds like it would fit the bill perfectly and it could hardly be closer.

So when is it?

Oops - meant to put that in. That's the bad news - it's next Sunday!

Ugggnnnnnhhhhh.

Well, I suppose I could. Dither, dither.....

Race full, I'm afraid, and no 'on the day' entries . I'll just have to clock up some extra miles at home.

i ran for 40 mins for the first time yesterday. co9uldn't believe i actually did it!

still have no idea what distance i'm running (but i do run some uphill bits as well as down hill bits).

Sorry about the Gizmo.

Sorry about the Gizmo.

OOps. AND it had a mistake! Meant to say "Sorry about that, Gizmo".

Well, such is life, Prettybird - I'm sure there'll be other opportunities later in the year. Are you based round here (East Anglia) then?

Hey Sophable, that's good going - you'll probably be racking up 3-5 miles each time. How are you keeping your mind occupied?

No - I'm in Glasgow. But I ran the Bury St Edmonds 20 when I was living in Bolton. It sounds a long way - but I had used to live in Hitchin and had friends in Fairland Valley Spartans who were running, so I went down and spent the night there. I was actually working in Beverley/Hull (my life was complicated then!), so after the race I got in the car and drove back to Beverley. I was very stiff when I got back!

It was also a good preparation for London which I ran in 3.56.

NB: This was 13 years ago! I haven't run much at all since I had ds (now 4.5 years)and am now desparately trying to find the time, in between full time work, spending time with ds, spending time with dh - and not being a morning person, so early morning runs are not an option (yet).

But I will run the Glasgow 10k in May!