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....?

Sophable, even after 3 years, I still find the first couple of miles tough but then my breathing adapts & I can speak again and carry on for quite a while. Try increasing what you're doing by a couple of minutes at a time and I bet by the time you get to 30 mins you'll suprise yourself.

You're not alone it IS hard to start with, in fact a friend of mine got to the stage while training for London last year when she found she didn't get into her 'comfortable running zone' until she'd done about 10 miles, needless to say we let her get on with it !

yeah I'm gonna do the glasgow 10k pretty bird - best time for a 10k has been 61 one mins - hardly whippet-like - but am gonna get off my rear end & start training. There's a lovely 10k in edinburgh in sept, I think.

To my shame girls I didn't get out cos there are v high winds which are bringing trees down! have raging pmt, am sure a run would help.

Potty1,

Tonight we did 800m circuits, our route is challenging (involving steps over railway bridge plus a little hill - flat track would be bliss)

We did 800m then 2 mins recovery, walking around, mostly swearing
We repeated it 5 more times, with some of us adding an extra 200m on the last 3 reps.

We were aiming to keep a consistent pace for each rep. ie we knew we would be doing about 5-7 reps so we were trying not to go flat out for the first 2 then struggle, equally trying not conserve energy and do a mega fast last one.

I find the blokes mostly go mad to start with then grunt & groan their way around the rest, getting cross when we whizz by

Next time you're at footy, warm up then try doing a 'steady' 400m & log your time, then stretch out, recover & do another circuit but aiming to run almost as fast as you can. Then use that as a base for reps ie try to do 5*400m with 2 mins recovery and aim to work at around 85% of your flat out speed. That will def help your 5k time.

The key is to try and maintain your pace throughout the session; you'll get tired (obviously) but as you tire, try to keep focused on your running form and use your arms to maintain your leg speed. If you feel a bit sick, you're getting the hang of it - and you will feel soooo smug afterwards. If you can rope in someone else to train with so much the better - we play catch up with the slower runners & try to keep ahead of the rest.

I'll (gradually) get round to posting some other ideas but it's Zebedee time now

Fionagib - it was a bit windy last night, wasn't it! I hope the wind has dropped tonight before I go over to Balfron. My cycle home last night wasn't much fun, into the teeth of the gale. Fortunately I don't have to go on many busy roads, as the wind did buffet me of course a few times. Dh gave me a lift in this morning

Maybe we could meet up at the Glasgow 10K!

Potty1, just had an email from Runners World which included this

It's an article all about speedwork, with stacks of examples, some of which are track-based.

Hi twink - I've just received it too, thanks for thinking of me, and your other post too.......

that would be great prettybird!

Hello, hello, this looks like fun: can I join in?

I'm actually killing time at work before I go out for a run, so this is kinda appropriate. Twink I am green with envy at your FLM place: I missed the ballot - again (about the fourth time in 4 years) - this year.

I'm another hard core Runners World fan. My days are often spent lurking between their forums, mumsnet and a couple of other forums (fora, perhaps? Sorry, my inner pedant is getting carried away). Seriously, their forums are really friendly and there's a whole section with lots of great advice for beginners.

I'm another with the same 'first 10-20 minutes are hell' problem. I've not solved it, but I do find wearing a heart rate monitor and making a conscious effort to run s..l..o..w..l..y.. for at least the first 10 minutes helps a lot: lets you get warmed up and the heart rate monitor really makes sure you're not fooling yourself and putting in too much effort.

Other things I've learnt the hard way: shoes are important and do wear out; increasing mileage too fast is asking for trouble; once your knickers are wet (when you're out in the rain, obviously), you might as well do that extra couple of miles

Anyway, since I've now put off the evil hour for as long as possible, I shall go and do my run. Twink - do you find club running is good for your motivation? Maybe I should try and find one locally...

I've actually managed to start back up again,this week. Not done much did 20mins on Tues & Weds. Plus 50 sit ups each day.

DS back at school and it's DD's first week doing 5 sessions at nursery! I thought I'd have so much more time!

Feeling absolutely shattered after dd's hospital appointments and speech & lang sessions. Can't wait to get into a proper routine!

Just need something to aim for now!! Saying that only just collected in the last of the sponsorship money from Flora Light in September!

Just thought I'd drop in after going out for a run - not sure how far I went but was out for 45 mins at a reasonably gentle pace, so feeling v motivated. Will maybe try and get dd in the jogger next week as her head control is getting a lot better recently. Slight niggle from pulled muscle, but much better than last week. Question is, can I stretch myself to 10k in time for Feb 6th?? Gizmo, lol at wet knickers - have been there before!

Stringbean, I reckon that if you can do a steady 45 mins you can do 10k in 3 weeks time.

Just try to add an extra 10 mins each week for the next 2 which will get you to an hour & five minutes running and also try to fit in a shorter, say 20 min session at least once and I'm sure you'll be able to make it.

Races always seems to help people to to do more than they believe they're capable of.

Good luck !!

Gizmo, lol at the knickers - we went out last weekend into what felt like horizontal rain in a howling gale, as soon as we were soaked to the skin, the sun came out; we perservered despite our bad hair & rubbing knicker elastic.

FLM place is via club after being rejected by ballot (twice for one application, talk about rubbing salt in !!)

I run with a couple of groups for some of my runs and would recommend it. You've always got someone to talk to while you're out if you want to chat, if you want to get faster there's always a group to try to keep up with and if you fancy an easy night there will always be people slower than you to keep you company.

Both groups do sessions which I would struggle to make myself do alone - speed trials and hillwork - but they have really helped me get faster.

Also, the friends I've made through running have talked me into getting into triathlon, I would never have had the guts to try on my own but having done a couple of short ones have found I love it.

Give a club a go, they all seem to let you go along for a while before making a commitment (which is only a few quid, about a week's gym membership) and see if you meet up with like-minded souls (as with all hobbies, there are extremes out there )

Dingle, well done on getting out, I need to get back to my sit-ups..

You could get a focus by checking out local races here if you can find one, it might help you to keep it up.

Thanks Twink, I guess I?ll have to do some investigation around here then (Cambridge). I?m sure there must be something that isn?t just for the students.

I?ve started running with the local Hash House Harriers most Mondays and that is fun: very social rather than a serious run, like a prolonged fartlek session with beer. If that?s a good example of what running with a club is like I could enjoy it, although secretly I quite enjoy the chance to switch my brain off if I?m running alone.

But as for triathlon?..eeek!! How do you find the time? I only have the one ds and a pretty relaxed working environment so I can do quite a lot of running, but fitting in cycling and swimming as well must require mega-organisation. There?s a big club here for Triathlon and I have a couple of friends who do it, but one of them has just had his first child and I don?t think he?ll be competing for a while?

Stringbean, do you think we could invent some sort of ?wicking? waterproof knickers? Possibly with a fleecy lining? Somehow I can?t see them being the most attractive things in the world but at least you?d keep your bum warm!

How are the rest of you guys doing? Cambridge is stuffed with people running at the moment, especially on Sunday mornings. The new year has certainly got people out of the house, and you've got to take your hat off to them - they're going through the worst bit of running (ie starting) at the nastiest time of year. It does get better, honestly, in fact it can be quite addictive in the end. Funny that, sounds a bit like babies.

Didn't get out yesterday, as got home from work late and then went to see a friend in hospital who has just had twins.

Will try to get out tonight though - and definitely tomorrow. After tomorrow it will be difficult for a week, as dh is away, so I would need to get in a baby sitter to look after ds every time I wanted to go for a run (at 4, he's a bit big - and heavy - to pput into my Mountain Buggy!)

Fionagib - once I have started running properly, would ou like to meet up for a practice run before the 10K? If so, cat me.

I got out yesterday - 5k along the local canal towpath. Surreal sight of an old bloke walking his dog dressed in full Scots regalia.....kilt, sporran the lot! Mad - it was bloody freezing. I wonder if he'd be interested in the fleece lined knickers?

Gizmo - welcome aboard - I'm a bit of a lurker at Runners World too - I think I've only ever posted once

Yes, last night was well cold wasn't it? I had a couple of layers on (nice combination of fluorescent yellow too tight long sleeve and an orange t-shirt over the top - blinding!) and my nice woolly leggings and still had very frosty hands and head. Perhaps time to invest in a hat and gloves.

However, obviously just a crisp winter's evening to the average Scot, Potty1. Presumably your bloke wouldn't actually be allowed to wear knickers (fleecelined or otherwise) under his kilt - isn't there some sort of byelaw about it north of the border?

Anyway, you didn't miss much Prettybird. Hope you make it out this evening: I however, am on an official rest day (so my schedule tells me) so I'll probably spend it manically cleaning the house in preparation for a visit of the inlaws next weekend. It will be harder work than my average outing.

Have a good one guys.

Gizmo - that's what made it so surreal - we're in Stoke-on-Trent!

Oh, LOL, LOL!

He's probably allowed to wear the knickers then!

I remember running past a guy in a race last year: he was wearing kilt, red (beefeater-like) jacket and tarten tam o'shanter hat. He was obviously struggling and lots of people were shouting encouragement 'come on scots boy' etc. I said something encouraging about how far he'd got and asked where he came from in Scotland and he looked kind of puzzled and pissed off and said 'I'm from Germany'.

Couldn't stop giggling: he really looked puzzled about why people were shouting about Scotsmen!

Gizmo, someone has beaten you and stringbean to it, this is copied from the Girls run too website:

Sugoi
MidZero Wind Boxer

A serious bit of underwear kit for extreme conditions, this boxer is both windproof and warm. Good and stretchy for maximum freedom of movement.
The girls say: A serious bit of underwear kit for extreme conditions, this boxer is both windproof and warm. Good and stretchy for maximum freedom of movement

I'll get me coat

Hot dang.

Well that's my career in extreme underwear out of the window. Is it just me, or does the concept of a 'sports string' (next to the boxers) just make you want to wriggle? Imagine the chafing

I didn't manage to get out on Friday but I did manage to get out yesterday for a 20 minute run - my first in months. Didn't feel too bad .

Unfortunately, that's it until Thursday at the earliest, as dh is now off the Austria for a week,unless I can get a neighbour or somebody to look after ds today (unlikely). Never mind - I'll just have to go ut and do some gardening - the sun has just come out

Hmm, the 'wind' boxer short style knickers are rather aptly named - still a gap in the market for fleecy ones I feel (well, if it works for nappies, why not?). Talking of underwear incidents, I had the bizarre experience of running in drizzly rain once, only to look down at my t-shirt and see two large foamy circles on my chest; I guess my sports bra had not been rinsed very well in the wash, and the soap came out in the rain instead! Caused much mirth with fellow runners.

Thanks for your words of encouragement Twink. I managed a 50 minute run on Sunday morning, but still no idea of distance as I haven't set my pedometer properly. Will try the same again in the week. Have tried a running club in pre-children days and found the whole experience really positive, but they meet at 7pm, which clashes with bedtimes, so it'll be a few years before I can go down that route again.

Here's hoping for some good running weather this week.

Good stuff, stringbean, when's your race? I'm sure 50 minutes has got to put you close to the finishing line, particularly when you add in the effects of adrenaline (and obviously the prototype fleecy/rainproof knickers).

Let's hope it's your first of many, Prettybird. I suffer from the travelling husband phenomena, too, but fortunately he's keen to get me out the door when he is here; I think he likes the results!

Having said that, I'm dithering a bit at the moment as I have a small niggle in my knee which makes me wonder if I should take a week out. It's nothing overwhelming and doesn't match any of the classic running injuries but it's not going away as I get fitter, which is what has always happened before. Anyone here had any knee problems? If so, how did you deal with them?