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....?

No more races until we hit Australia in the summer - moving house for a year means that we are booked solid through every weekend between now and leaving (not aided by the 6 weddings and attendant stag/hen nights) - running is about the only way of staying sane through the mire of renting out our house, doing visas for us all, packing, storing, selling the car and the like. Just hoping Oz won't be too hot to keep running (rumour has it that people do that sort of thing at 5 in the morning when it's coolest - not sure what I'm like that early!!). Good luck for next week

oooohhh. Nice one, Hannahsaunt: 53 minutes on a tough course must make you feel good. Hope you get a chance to keep your training up over the summer - perhaps your move will give you some extra weight training?

wow hannahsaunt you've got a lot on your plate - exciting times tho. Hope you manage to squeeze in the odd run.

am planning a 45 min run on wed and leaving it at that for this week - do you think that's enough, all the experts out there, before a 10k race on sunday? Or should I do a quickie as well?

Sounds like a great idea, I love to run but haven't much since having sons. I certainly could do with loosing a few pounds to.

Gi there fixd, am sure you'll find plenty of motivating people on here, I'd have given up months ago if it hadn't been for all the tips & encouragement on here.

It's tricky getting out for a run with young kids - when d'you think you'd manage to get out, arly am? Or teatime? Sometimes I take my sons (twins aged 8) out on their bikes while I run, chaotic but fun (but not ALWAYS what I feel like doing...)

How old are your boys?

Fionagib - congratulations on your Edinburgh 10k . Meant to get on here before to wish you luck, but I was down in London on business on Friday and yesterday, so had been really busy.

Did a 48+ minute run on Sunday - think my pace is finally improving slightly.

If I can get comeone look after ds tonghit, I might try to run most of the course. I already run a lot of it as part of my "normal" running routes (the nasty steep hill they talk about between 1 and 2k is the steep hill I have to do right at the end of all my runs ), but a lot of it I am used to doing in the "opposite" direction.

If I've got time, I'll then do a quick 2 miler on Thursday (but I'm down in Wakefield on business, so we'll have to see) and a relaxed slow one on Friday.

Fionagib - I'll CAT you to try to arrange somewhere to meet up. You will break an hour tihs Sunday!

Dh ran the route yesterday (or an approximation of it - he misread one bit of it and missed out a nasty hill, but probably still ran the distance) in 42 minutes

Fiona, now that the light nights are here I love going out as soon as the boys are in bed (did this all last summer and dh quickly got into the habit of making dinner whilst I was out so we didn't eat ridiculously late!). It was lovely to run away the stress of the day and have a relaxed evening after. Long runs were on a Saturday after breakfast. Do you work? Lunchtimes are good for shorter sessions; meaning to get into Gizmo's speed sessions - definitely my area of weakness; I quite like just plodding and listening to my story tapes.

Well done Fiona and Hannahsaunt - what a great achievement. I need to get ac into it this week had too much work last week and working evenings and a wedding away over the weekend so have had about 6 days off .

Hello

Following my 'rest' (ahem) weekend, I thought last night's hashing might be a good opportunity for some much needed speed + distance efforts.

Oh so wrong. As DH and I pulled up at the pub the heavens opened and lashed down rain continuously for the next 70 minutes. We were saturated within 5 minutes (how I was wishing for thermal underwear) and I spent most of the run trying to wipe enough water off my glasses to see where the edge of the road was (when it wasn't obscured by gigantic puddles).

'Wetter than a dolphin's c*ck' was the group verdict when we got back to the pub, and the chilling wind that went with it has left me feeling quite stiff and nursing a nice little sniffle. So if anyone out there has any suggestions for suitable waterproof running gear, I may well buy it simply to ensure that the sun comes out and I don't get to use it during the whole summer!

Hi Gizmo, I wore a pullover goretex with a hood last autumn through the Aberdeen rain (horizontal rain in a force 8 wind doesn't make for fun running!) which was great mainly for the wind chill factor. Had to use my left hand to manipulate the fingers of my right hand round my juice bottle though (only exposed part of my upper body). Soggy shoes though...

poor drowned gizmo!!!

Yes hannahsaunt I know what you mean about running off the day's stress, prefer mornings these days tho, to wake myself up and 'get it out of the way' - I work part time from home, 3 school hour days a week, so I can 'steal' the odd bit of time before I start work.

Annoying isn't it puddle, when you really do want to get out, but there literally isn't any time.

have replied to your email pb - sounds like you're v well prepared for sunday (& have a very speedy dh!!)

Poooooor Gizmo! How are you feeling today?

I often used to feel very virtuous if I did a good session in the rain - and I like the sound of the pub afterwards!

Fionagib - I've responded to your e-mail. I'm sure we will manage to find each other on Sunday. The area around us has been hoaching with female runners over the last few weeks - I wonder if they will keep going after Sunday?! Dh is a smart b@$£@%d, doing it so fast on practically no training (Gizmo, there is your answer! !). Unfortuntely he is out tonight (wine tasting acrss in Edinburgh), so we are not going to get a chance to run together and for him to help drag me along to help my base pace.

actually feeling fine, although a little stiffer than I would normally be.

Thanks for the sympathy though - not worth doing a session like that unless you can get some sympathy from somewhere!

Pub afterwards very fine (one of the benefits of hashing) although I suspect my cider consumption isn't the best way to fend off potential hypothermia. I shall investigate the wonders of Goretex, instead - maybe they have special pockets for carrying tinnies...

Looking at the clouds I suspect I'll be in the getting soaked club soon too but I'll be wearing my Altura Women's Nevis cycle jacket from Wiggle which dh got me for my last birthday.

It's fab, if a little bright, and has a big zip pocket in the back for tinnies

That, plus my trusty baseball cap keeps me fairly dry.

Gizmo, you make hashing sound like quite a laugh (sympathies re snivel btw)

Some of our Wednesday group do it but they're all nutters who do races like Tough Guy & Terminator and think it's fun to get soaked to the skin in muddy water in sub-zero temperatures so that sort of put me off having a go.

Have continued on the thread here that Almost40 started, when she had difficulty loading this (now very long) thread.

Good idea PB, I'll see you over there.