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

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

Old thread....

Useful links

Runner's World

Race for Life

Map my Run

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

Thanks for advice Pralinegirl - plenty of lanes around here where I can run but need to get some new shoes - old ones are now three years old and a bit too knackered for road surfaces (only really been running for last 10 months though, since children hit 3 and 2 respectively). Have been planning trip to proper running shop where I can try out on treadmill etc for months and am finally going to make it on Weds, which is my day off from work. So hopefully that will put a spring in my step for road running, which is just as well looking at the weather forecast. I am hoping that one long run at the weekend and two shorter runs in the week will be OK as training for the Bath half. Can't do gyms at the moment - it just seems like too much faff compared to running out of the front door and back in again to your own shower. Used to love em, mind you...(why isn't there a wistful emoticon?)

Oh, and congratulations Pidge.

Pidge - Congrats!
I ran until 7 1/2 months but didn't run for first trimester as too sick and so started walking before running in 2nd trimester.
Most important tip - listen to your body! Hopefully you've been running long enough to know the difference between working a bit hard and doing damage/exhausting yourself. Don't forget your stretches (gentle though due to the fact that your ligaments will let you overstretch). That also means you are more likely to trip over a pavement so watch your step. Maybe invest in a new pair of shoes if you haven't for a while - and especially if yours are at all tight.
Most of all enjoy it - only do as much as you want to and don't put yourself under any pressure if you want to stay in / go to bed instead . Hopefully see you on an antenatal thread soon....

Totally agree latermater re convenience of running rather than gym for us mums. But in this weather if I warm up in there I don't feel cold when I start run and I feel raring to go - its just on Sunday I expected too much after 2 weeks off everything due to lurgy thing. Hope you get some good shoes, maybe at a decent price too. I like saucony. Ruined my last pair though. Went my favouite short four mile run. Unfortunately got half way and there was huge flood in road - going through neighbouring field not option due to fence. Felt boring to run back so I figured if I held onto hedge running alongside road and edged along would be good. Was two thirds along and feeling rather daring when branch snapped and I landed on my a--- in 2 foot of muddy water! Luckily mobile phone in pocket ok but husband phoned to come and get me. So I hate heavy rain.....

hatwoman - my other two are 5 1/2 and nearly 3 - both girls.

duchess - my times have been sliding ever backwards for about the last year, since my initial keenness wore off, so no danger there! And I tend to run so I can chat, which is a good indicator that I'm not overdoing it.

SachaF - very impressed at your running! I cycled regularly up until 8 months last time, but can't imagine jigging up and down with the baby bouncing on my bladder at that point!

Guess I'll keep going nice and steady. The big hurdle is going to be if and when the vomiting phase kicks in around the 6 week mark. I'd love to keep it ticking over through the first trimester, but will just see. I have to cycle 35 minutes each way to work 3 days a week anyway, so that should help keep me fit-ish.

Pralinegirl - yes it just feels defeatist to turn round and run back again, however daft pressing on may be - I wonder why that it is? Did something similar at the weekend but without your dire consequences - i.e. ran along busy B road home (part of Ermine Street, so the cars were speeding past) rather than retrace the lovely rural tracks I'd already done - weird...

Did a nice gentle (apart from a hill, which I took VERY slowly!) 5 miler with my club last night. Told a couple of my running companions about the pregnancy, and said if I don't appear in a few weeks time it will be because I'm being sick round the clock instead!!

Planning to do my usual gentle lunchtime run today from work. Which may seem overly keen, but it just happens that the two days when I run each week are consecutive. I may or may not fit in a third outing at the weekend.

Congratulations Pidge

hi pidge I'm here too (as well as on due sept thread) so we can be pg virtual running buddies. I had been a bit lazy before christmas and had dropped down to running once a week and so at the moment am just doing that still. Because of the various things we haven't had time to go on big runs and have only been doing about 3- 3.5 miles but thats better than nothing I guess. Oh and I've been joining in with the running club at school most weeks (I help to run it) so have been doing something twice most weeks actually.
My doc said I was fine to keep doing exactly same as before but just to make sure I didn't push myself and if anything hurts to ease off or stop.
I have found that I have felt fine but have been a little bit more breathless than before.

Hi All,
I used to run before having DD1 and could then comfortably run 5 miles albeit very slowly. Then when I was 3 months pregnant I found out I had a DVT in my leg so had to stop exercising apart from gentle walking. When my DD was 5 months old I decided to start running again. I got up to approx. 1.5 miles when I started getting pain in both knees. That was 3 months ago and still get the pain when I walk up and down stairs. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get running again without the pain?

Thanks.

Congratulations Pidge - fantastic news!

When I was pregnant I was asked a lot by fellow forumites on the Runner's World website (where I post a lot!) for advice on running during pregnancy. They turned some of my responses into an article which you might find helpful.

I ran until I was nearly 8 months pregnant but at the end it was about a mile at a time and very, very slow! The bump itself wasn't uncomfortable but the pressure on my bladder was the final nail in the coffin for me - it's no fun trying to run when you feel you need to pee every 10 steps!

Ran 15 miles on Sunday and it was a real struggle. I planned the route on MapMyRun and although I know the area reasonably well, I wasn't familiar with the topography so wasn't prepared for the fact that the first 5 miles were uphill (at times steep) into a strong headwind. Also ran the first couple of miles a bit too fast which had repercussions later as by 12 miles I felt pooped! Managed to keep going but did have to stop a couple of times in the final (uphill!) mile home. Will be more circumspect for the first couple of miles next run, and also carry some sports drink as had run out and only carried water which doesn't do much to restore energy levels.

Hi CurrantBun,
I used to post on RW forums alot too, met my DH on there I don't feel like a runner anymore so thats why I've posted here.

debithescot - oooh how exciting to have a electronic pg running buddy. I went out for my lunchtime 4.5 miler, which I've been doing weekly for about a year. And I confess it was slightly hard work. My legs felt heavy, but I wasn't out of breath, so I just took it very very slowly. Probably not ideal doing it the day after my club 5 miler, but hey. I'm just making sure all my runs are very slow and steady.

CurrantBun - thanks for that link, am going to check it out when I'm not at work .

CurrantBun - just read your runners world link from the safety of my home PC, without some work colleague sneaking up behind me and taking a look at my screen! Thanks so much for that - hugely informative and re-assuring.

I've got a few days off now - definitely won't run again until Saturday at the earliest.

peacemakeruk - other than having your shoes checked and maybe following a gentle plan that starts with a walk-run-walk routine I can't offer any advice.

Keep asking though because people do know about that sort of thing on this thread (it's easy to get lost amongst the sudden outbreak of pregnancy at the moment, I count 4 of us although the latest one is absent at the moment)!

My shoes are nearly new TDofNB. I did re-start with a run/walk routine and my knees were fine, its only when I run for 15+ minutes they start to hurt and then carry on hurting for days after

Not sure what the problem might be, Peacemaker - it's weird that the problem only starts when you run for 15+ minutes.

You could try running for 10 minutes, then stopping, stretching and trying another 5-10 minutes. If that's OK, you could gradually build up the length of time you run before you stop and stretch. Do you stretch after a run? I must admit I'm terrible at this but it can make a big difference to minor aches and pains if done regularly.

I injured my hamstring insertion when I was training for the 2006 FLM, and got well and truly told off by the physio I saw for never stretching as he said my hamstrings were as tight as a drum, and he reckoned the only reason I'd avoided serious injury was the fact that I'm so light and put little pressure on my joints. I stretched religiously for a while as I was paranoid about the injury returning, but of course it didn't and gradually the stretching stopped!

PMUK - Maybe try some strengthening exercises to stabilise your knee joints.

Have a look at some of the exercises here

Thanks guys, I do stretch after I've run but I'll definately try the stopping after 10 minutes to stretch then start running again. Thanks for the website, I'll take a look

hi everyone - well done on the 15 miles currant bun (are you doing a marathon?). I did 7.7 (very important that .7!) this morning - it was ok but moderately knackering. I'm not very good at pacing myself and I think I could have managed a wee bit quicker - but probably best not to push it too much as I'm still gradually building the distance, so I'm just pleased to be adding the miles on. a couple more weeks and I should be up to doing 10. I've just learned today that I've got a place in Fleet half.

I'm off today to get myself a new pair of trainers - we've got a new running shop opened near us that does gait analysis etc. and I just worked out today that my trainers are about 12 years old so I'm going to brave it. though I fear I may end up spending a fortune - a need another pair of "bottoms" of some description, (only have one pair plus some shorts which I refuse to wear until at least May) and I could do with something light-weight and waterproof, and cotton gloves would be nice (I currently run in dd's pink probably acrylic £1.50 H&M pair...)and a Garmin would be lovely...

Does anyone want a free place in the Wilmslow half?? My foot is knackered so am facing up to the fact that I will no way be able to do 13 miles on March 30th. Physio is treating for ligament damage for a week before X-raying for possible stress fracture if no improvement .

Will keep reading about you guys running to keep my pecker up.

I just wanted to ask a quick question please. Has anyone found weight just falling off them when they started running regularly. I mean serious running rather than the gentle jogging I was doing most of last year . I am definitely not dieting (for the first time in years) other than trying to eat sensibly and not too much. But all my clothes are loose and getting looser.

It's a nice worry to have I suppose but it does seem odd. Has anyone else noticed this?

OrmIrian, yep definitely! I'm pretty tiny anyway (5'1" and usually around 7 stone) but when I trained for my last marathon I went down to 6 stone 11lb and I just ate and ate and ate, but the weight just wouldn't stay on. Once I'd finished the marathon and cut the mileage I stopped losing weight but found it hard to put it back on - then I got pregnant!

On the plus side I hardly put on any weight in pregnancy other than the baby, the placenta and the fluid and lost it again quite quickly afterwards. Have now settled at about 7 stone 2lb but am marathon training again so we'll see what happens. My clothes are starting to feel looser, which I'm not overly pleased about as I struggle to find things to fit me as it is.

Thanks currantbun. Unlike you I'm not small. I'm 5'11 and usually hover around 10.10ish. And I've never ever lost weight so quickly and with so little effort. It's almost unnerving. But for me it's still quite nicely unnerving

However I am a bit that I considered my running to be 'serious running' when you are doing marathon training. ....