New Year (almost!) New Mumsnet Runners Thread. Come on in........

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What's your aim for 2008?

Mine is to enjoy running for the whole of 10k rather than just the middle 20 minutes - and it would be great to do the distance in under an hour but I'm not overly hopeful in that respect

Bin Bag? What a brill idea, i have heard that before (when I didnt run!) but hadnt thought about it for tomorrow. Thanks!

Hi Theresa - sorry just seen your post, have had guests over Easter and only just getting on the computer. Hopefully the run went great. My top tip for running in the cold is gloves. I have terrible circulation and my hands always freeze even when the rest of me warms up.

Looking forward to hearing all about it!

No running for me, just lots of roast lamb and easter eggs.

Woke up at 6.30 to a fair covering of snow! Took the bin bag but didnt need it, the sun came out and it was quite nice but very windy along the coast. There were about 2000 runners and i was fairly near the back but not last i was aiming for 1hr 10 and managed about 1hr 8/9 mins (I forgot to stop my clock at finish line!) my official time was 1hr 11mins so was quite chuffed as i did have quite a few short periods of walking to catch my breath!
Waiting for all times to go on net so i can see how many people were behind me!

also, my knees feeling much better so thanks to everyone who advised finiding a running shop for advice on proper shoes!

Well done Theresa - brilliant result

Well done Theresa!

well done Theresa

7.22 miles on Sunday. Just checked on mapymyrun. I must admit it felt like longer

78 mins so I am improving a little.

I'd love to be at that speed OrmIrian but I seem to be getting slower! Was edging towards regular 11 min miles but creeping back down to 11.45 per mile. I have a very fast 3 mile route that I can do at a pace of 10.45 per mile that I keep for when I'm feeling fed up! But I can't see how I'm going to do the Great North Run at this pace!

I only started timing myself about a few months back theresa, and it was a shock to realise how slow I really was. Which is why I've become so conscious of times. Mostly the longer the run, the relatively slower the time - which isn't surprising really. I am thinking of stopping increasing my distances and just concentrate on getting quicker. Am wondering if signing up for some sort of race thing might help. Atm it's just for my satisfaction but maybe something to focus on would help. I am going to have to speed up or do shorter runs as I really don't have that much time to spare

Hello can I join you all again?

Was house selling from October and then moved in Jan so my running died a death.....

but now keen to get back to it. Did 5k few weeks back...have lost lots of fitness. New goals are Glasgow 10k and now thanks to someone on RW I may have a place in GNR.

By the way what has happened to the wanted and for sale sections I used to buy and sell on here but am a bit confused as to what has happened and why???

Hi all. OrmIrian, don't be despondant about your times. The best way to get faster is to run faster! Why don't you try mixing up your running a little, rather than varying the distances but sticking to pretty much the same pace?

I'd aim to increase one run a week by (say) half a mile a week up to about 10 miles. This one should be done at a comfortable pace - don't worry at all about speed; you should be able to run at a pace you'd be comfortable holding a conversation.

Then, you could make one or two of your other runs shorter but faster. Try a 'fartlek' run - this is a fairly unstructured version of speedwork and you basically start off at a fairly relaxed pace to warm up, then inject short bursts of speed during the rest of the run. You could, for example, choose to run fast between two lamp-posts, then recover between the next two, run fast again at the next one and so on. Depends where you usually run. I think you'll find that mixing it up a bit will help you improve your speed. You could also leave the watch at home on some of your runs and take the pressure off yourself a bit.

I've added a fourth run back into my week as I just didn't feel happy only running three times. Last week I did 5, 3, 6 and 10. Was pretty pleased to do a very hilly 10 in 1:21 (was in Wales at the in-laws). Am suffering with very tight hamstrings at the moment though - my own fault as I rarely stretch after a run. Will have to be careful though as during training for FLM in 2006 a tight hamstring ended up in a hamstring insertion tear which was very painful and cost me two weeks of training!

OrmIrian - my training runs never get any faster - the only way I go at any speed is in a race. So why don't you enter something. Nothing like running with a crowd to whizz you along.

mamamoo - can't enlighten you on the for sale/wanted I'm afraid. But welcome back.

Well, folks, I'm officially retired from running. I am just toooooooooooooooooooo tired. Plus the bump is beginning to show, and I'm still nauseous, and I've just had enough. Feeling pretty happy with myself to have run up to 12 weeks - albeit only once a week. But I knew this week I just didn't want to go out. I'm still having to be in bed at 8-8.30pm to even survive. So I figure I need my energy elsewhere!

I'm still going to be cycling 6*35 minutes on my work commute every week. And once I get my eczema and folliculitis infection cleared up I'm hoping to fit in a weekly swim. Otherwise ... for running ... put me down for a gentle re-introduction round about November/December time!

Pidge, well done for sticking with it so far. Currantbun, they're very interesting tips, might try out the lampost method!

Pidge, well done for sticking with it so far. Currantbun, they're very interesting tips, might try out the lampost method!

Thanks for the tips!

I am definitely sort of thinking about considering entering a race of some sort . I am not very good at making commitments to anything much.

I am running anything from 4.5 to just over 7 miles atm and I will try to stick to those sort of distances. It is tempting to increase the mileage to make it more interesting. But I won't. I have a good selection of routes now so I'll stick to those and try what you suggest cb.

How is the folliculitis doing pidge. DH had to stop taking the anti-bs as they gave him terrible runs - I know you should never do that but it was desperate. Hes going to the GP again this evening.

hello all Pidge well done and hope it all goes well, sorry about the sickness, did the exercise help?

this week has been a write off but hopefully will be ok tomorrow am inspired to increased mileage although I have time constraints (guess will just have to speed up)

Hello all, I'm not feeling very well today - came over all dizzy and shivery at work so ended up coming home. Nursery have agreed to take dd all day. Need to be in bed but am trying to get the coal fire going first as I am so cold. Trying to catch up with who everyone is so please excuse my lack of personals for a while. I have had 3 runs this week - 2 x 5 miles and a three miler last night. Wondering if I've increased too much and that is why my legs are hollow or perhaps I just have a virus and shouldnt have been out all week (have felt wiped all week). Congrats to all those new pg out there...so jealous DH won't let me have another one!

OrmIrian, well I've finished my second course of anti-biotics in 6 weeks! And they do seem to have cleared up the infection, though rather worryingly I had a small recurrence today on one leg, am just hoping it disappears. It's such a bore. Plus I'm covered in eczema, which is making re-infection more likely. I'm blaming it all on pregnancy and my immune system being a bit crummy. Good luck to your dp - hope the GP sorts him out.

sfxmum - must confess running didn't help at all with the sickness, it was a bit of a battle to be honest. But my daytimes have been relatively manageable and I've only really been incapacitated by the nausea in the evenings.

Anyway, am rather looking forward to putting my feet up now. Roll on the blooming phase of pregnancy.

Mamamoo - sounds like feet up is what you need to. Sometimes increasing training can make you more susceptible to viruses and the like. So listen to your body and make sure you recover properly before you pick up running again.

Hi all. I did my first race on Sunday and after nearly chickening out because I thought I would humiliate myself I really surprised myself! It was six mile across country in really deep mud and I did it in 62 mins. I am so pleased! I think I could have gone faster if I had been brave enough to start further up the field but I didn't want to get in anyone's way so started right at the back. I think confidence is my key and I can't believe how much improvement I have made over the last few weeks.

I need another target now!!

Hope everyone else is feeling better after all your ailments.

Maviscrewit, that's a great time for a 6-mile cross-country race - well done! Should do wonders for your confidence too.

I did just over 5 miles in 40 minutes last night - no doubt helped by the fact that I had to sprint across the park to avoid being locked in, as they were starting to close the gates (not that it was exactly dark).

I MUST start stretching properly though - my right hamstring in particular is as tight as a drum and if I'm not careful I'll have another insertion tear on my hands (which is what I did to the left one in 2006 - too much hard running and not enough stretching, or any in my case ...)

Am enjoying my running again now - so pleased I decided to withdraw from the marathon. The light evenings will help too as I can resurrect all my nice summer routes through the parks, rather than sticking to well-lit (and busy) roads.

Thanks Currantbun. I'm so pleased you are enjoying your running again. I have really got the bug now big time. Now I've managed to increase my distance without feeling its too hard I really want to get out as much as I can. THe light evenings really boost you too. I went out again on Tues night with a friend and did another 6 miles, this time in 55 mins (on the road this time). I felt great and didn't realise we had gone so far until I checked mapmyrun! 5 miles in 40 mins is great - I dream of doing 8 minute miles!

Remember your stretches - it would be a right bummer to injure yourself now.

Hi all. Managed about 8k this morning in the snow, first run since Ive been feeling a bit wobbly. Took me an hour so I envy all you speedy runners too. Once upon a time I could do 9 min miling on a Sun run...am more like 11 min miles now!!

Hope everyone is doing well

I have just started again after almost 2 months off. First I had an awful chest infection, then dh had knee surgery and couldn't look after kids while I ran.

But at least i am back to it now I have also joined a running club which has just restaretd its beginners' training after the winter break.

Sounds good, Wallace.

I'd quite like to join the local running club but fitting it in is a bit difficult. They meet at 7:00pm for a 7:15pm start and DH often doesn't get home from work until at least 7:00pm. So it would be a mad dash for me to get there on time. Also, they meet Tuesdays and Thursdays during the week, and DH plays football on Thursdays after work. That leaves Tuesday, which is their speedwork evening, and I'd rather join to go for a proper run so I can chat to people etc. rather than do speedwork.

Guess I'll just keep running on my own. In part I think that's what I enjoy about it - time on my own to work through any issues from the day, let my mind go blank or wander if I want to, and it's completely up to me where and how far I run.