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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

Hello all! Hi Pidge - we "met" before on a previous thread, when I was pregnant and having to ease off the running a bit.

How did you do at FLM 2007? It was a very warm day, wasn't it? Remember watching it on TV and thinking that if there was going to be a year I couldn't run it, I'd chosen well!

Am struggling a bit with willpower to be honest. Started FLM training last week but as I'm nowhere near as fit as I was when I started training for FLM 2006, I'm pretty sure there's no way I'm going to get anywhere near my PB. I'm finding it hard to commit to such time-consuming training (at the expense of time with DS, who's now 10 months) when I'm unlikely to run a decent time. Thinking of deferring but may possibly want to try for baby no. 2 and 2009 is the last time I could use my GFA place.

Dilemmas ... I thought I'd start the training and see how my training time are looking after a few weeks compared with last time, and if I'm way off I might just have to can it.

HAve yet to get my running shoes on this year. HAve no motivation at all, and am so cross with myself for leetting all my ggod work last year goto waste.
Have a bad chest at the mo so want to be fully fit before I get started - or is tha tjust another excuse?!!

Oooooh - very excited to see you back currantbun - congratulations on the baby. You were an inspiration with your 'running with bump' all that time ago on the other running thread!

I really struggled in the marathon - it was cripplingly hot, plus to be honest, I just hadn't trained enough. I walked quite a lot and shuffled round in 4.33. Still, it was a great day out and I wouldn't rule it out at some point in the future. But we're contemplating trying for number 3 ... so am keeping my running low key at the moment!

Today I did my lunchtime run, but really struggled. I'm blaming it on giving blood last night. Anyway, I took it easy, plodded my 3.5 miles nice and slow and even walked a bit !

Pidge, that's a pretty commendable time given the weather conditions and the fact you were undertrained. You should be proud of that!

Ran 7 miles last night in the wind - was OK but my pace seems to have slowed a bit recently. I think it's because I've started running more miles and I need to adapt to the increased training load. Legs ached like hell afterwards, particularly my hamstrings, and I have the prospect of another 6 miles to do tonight (deep joy).

Have to say that at the moment my heart isn't in it 100% - I need to change my mindset as at present I'm convinced I won't so a decent time and feel that I'm simply going through the motions training-wise. Usually I'm really fired up but this year I lack enthusiasm. I think deep down, certainly at the moment, I don't really want to do the marathon but I also don't want to let my GFA place go. Also, although I don't particularly enjoy the long training runs needed for a marathon, I love feeling so fit - that was the one thing I hated about not being able to do long runs when I was pregnant, feeling that I was losing all my hard-earned fitness.

So we'll press on for now ...

CB - hi, nice to see you - I think that over time your motivation can change. Mine's always been the same - feel fitter and give my body some compensation for the crap it's suffered over the years. I've never had the inclination to do the longer distances.

I'm sure you'll find renewed spirits very soon - maybe not the same ones as before - but it's not always a bad thing

Well, I have completed three runs this week so far (3, 7 and 6 miles) and am feeling more positive about my marathon training. I also looked back at my FLM 2006 training log and was surprised to see that I'm managing similar times for my training runs as I was doing then, and I was a lot fitter in 2006.

So maybe all is not lost and there is a chance I could get closer to my PB than I first thought. Watch this space!

Only one more run to do this week - 12 miles planned for Sunday.

Well done CB. managed half anhour on the readmill. Hven't run at all for two months.
Felt so much better for it. Must stick with it now.

Am really missing running, having just had implanted contact lenses fitted (not suitable for lasik) and was advised by surgeon no jogging even for 6 weeks - then I get the cold from hell and so does DS. Meanwhile after Christmas eating lots of my nickname chocolates am feeling huge and bored stiff - even cleaned oven! I was running about 10K six months ago and just want to get back to something. So hope the weather is ok this weekend....

Well done DB, just getting that first run under your belt really hekps, doesn't it? Feel much more motivated now I can tick three runs off my schedule.

PG - blimey, cleaning the oven??? You really don't want to be doing that! Hope you can get back running again very soon before you find yourself defrosting the freezer ...

Horray did 3 miles o the treadmill this morning in 33 mins. Getting that feeling back again! Yeehah!!

hello pidge and currantbun. hope all is well. I'm getting back into things now...as ever I can't get out there unless I have an event. I've entered Fleet Half (anyone care to join me??) and I might do Kingston 16 too - so I've done my schedule and so far so good - 7 runs - in the last 2 weeks. was meant to be 8 but really struggle to get the 4th one in each week. did 5.5 this afternoon - longest for a while and actually quite enjoyed it. I've also found some mums from dds' school to run with - we do a 3 mile easy run on Thursdays after dropping the kids off - really good to have some company. found a great website for measuring and logging runs - if you have a garmin or similar it's probably not necessary but I really love it. keep up the marathon training - I got a place and the then realised I couldn;t take it up as I'm in France. derrr. next year perhaps...

Hi all, not been on this thread for quite a while! Did the FLM in 2006 and had probs with my knees since, and haven't run much at all. I have done much more cycling! Started running again on the treadmill last week. It was fine (had new iPod from dh for Xmas), until a day later - ouch!! Will try again next week though. Pidge you did really well in your 2007 FLM, my FIL really struggled, his training was OK and he's done it twice before!
Anyone else who did the 2006 FLM still around? (not read whole thread)

am off to get my running gait analysed today - will report back later!

Oh dear, i really can empathise with anyone else who is struggling with motivation.. I managed 30 mins on treadmill on Sunday morning but nothing yesterday. going to the running club tonight so that will be good, but must have a programme to stick to.

The other thing, which sounds really feeble, is that although I've got tubbier round the middle due to lack of training, I've also developed a respectable cleavage which for someone who normally struggles to fill a B cup is rather good.. I'm now facing up to having to wave goodbye to the knockers if I start to train again properly. How shallow am I?

At least i made myself do my knee exercises yesterday evening. I can be proud of something!

If I can only conjure up the fantastic feeling I have when I get in from a run, I find it much easier to motivate myself in the first place. How do you motivate yourselves? Tips welcome!

Hello again hatwoman! Long time no see. Might have been tempted by Fleet - but rather trying to extend the Pidge family at the moment, and so am not signing up for any serious bits of running .

Shamefully I haven't run since my hopelessly lethargic 3 miler last Wednesday.

Club night tonight and I am so out of shape I am going to be signing up for a nice slow gentle 4 miler. But at least it should get me out of the door.

Hello,

I've been hovering around this thread but thought I should say hello really.

I've been using that link that hatwoman posted to measure my runs as it's nicer than mapmyrun which I was using. Thanks HW!

I started running in about Nov and did a 10k in Dec (1 hour and 53 secs - how annoying!) during which I injured my foot and had a few weeks off over Xmas scoffing my face and losing my Slimming World free target membership.

Anyway back into the running now and did 5 miles this morning in the drizzle. Am stuck at 10 min miles but hey ho. I've entered a half marathon in March so that's my next target....

Quick qu to those who use SatNavs - where do you put them whilst you run?? My leggings have a tiny zip pocket which holds my mobile (if I'm on my own). Just got a Garmin and would like to be able to use it out of the car.

laundry lover which half are you doing? I rarely get below 10 min miles. but I console myself by remembering that most people (by which I means the ones that don't do any exercise at all)can't even do that. for a mile. let alone 5

I LOVE 10 minutes miles. They're the best ones .

My heart sank when I got to my club and they announced it was a fartlek evening, when I was on for a slow and steady run. But I bunked off with another runner and did 4 miles nice and even!

Then another 4.5 the next day at work.

The run I'm really struggling with at the moment is the one at the weekend. There are just too many other nice distractions!

hi again. I went out last night for 3 miles and it was brassic - so I went, by my standards, like the wind and did 9.45s. was quite pleased really. went out again this morning and I think it might have been a mistake. my calf is not happy.

Pidge, it's only since I finally made the decision to go for the marathon that I've been more focused with my Sunday runs. Before Christmas I missed quite a few, and when I did manage to do one it definitely wasn't a 'long' run!

I'm feeling quite pleased with myself because I did 12 miles on Sunday and it actually felt a lot easier than the previous week's 11, even though the pace was about the same. Last night I did 7 miles and boy, was it cold - started off OK and I physically felt the temperature drop about 5 miles in. Have to do another 7 miles tonight which I'm not looking forward to in this wind, then 3 Saturday and 15 Sunday.

Thought my Garmin had packed up last night as it wouldn't switch on, so had to use my old watch for my run. Dug out the instruction manual when I got home and there's a reset option, so tried that and it worked. No idea what the problem was as it was fine when I ran on Sunday. Last night's run made me realise how much I look forward to hearing the 'bleep' each time a mile is completed and checking my pace for that mile. Obsessed or what?

Blimey, i havent been on here for a while and am feeling a bit intimidated - 3 miles in 33 mins!! I started runnin in nov and managed 3 runs a week for the month, did nothing in december and started again when kids went back to school. I can do about 2 1/4 mils in about 40 mins! My longest was today 2.61 miles in 45 mins (maybe i sld cehck my stepometer!) and to make matters worse as a bit of motivation i've just sent off a form for a 10K run on march 23rd! I see one of you managed this in 1hr (and a few seconds!). ANYWAY, a bit of advice about breathing please, this is going to sound really daft but i know i;m doing it wrong, short breaths in and out of my mouth. I'm trying to do deep breathes in thru nose and out thru mouth but it's really hard and makes me feel worse, so i go back to puffing and panting thru my mouth, (this all sounds really stupid!). Anyway, is the trick to keep trying with the deep breaths thru nose? Any other tips for newbie greatly appreciated!

Theresa - I think you do need another way of measuring - I reckon there's a chance you're a bit out. measure your run on the web on the good run guide or map my run then time it.

re breathing - I have no idea what I do! I'll try to notice next time. I suspect not thinking about it is the way to go but that could be rubbish!

Blimey hatwoman you have just made my year. I've been playing on 'map my run' which is amazing. My little stepometer told me i'd run 2.61 miles but its actually 3.6 according to that site, i'm stunned and over the moon (and feeling slightly happier about entering the 10K run!). I knew my stepometer wld not be 100% accurate and on my 'list of jobs to do' is to drive the route in the car to try and check it but i'd never got around to it.
Thanks again

I didn't like to say it - but you could walk 2.5 in those times! glad to have made you happy. if you use the good run guide you can log all your runs, it works out your pace, and maps it on neat little graphs. I'm loving it. You'll be fine for your 10k.

Good to hear that there are some more 10 min milers on the thread! You too it would seem, Theresa.

I'm doing the Wilmslow half marathon on March 30th - am at Centreparcs with all of DPs family the weekend before and it's also my birthday so how am I going to manage a two hour run???? CurrantBun I am in awe of your long runs!!!!

Well I have hurt my foot/ankle again after that 5 miler so am having a few days off and we are heading south for along weekend visiting frineds and my brand new nephew. Back to it next week though.

Breathing - I can only get a good pace if I only ever breathe out and just let the in breath happen on it's own IYSWIM? Out through my mouth too. If I mess up my breathing I lose my pace at once.