Any runners on here?

Mountkeen said:
Well............not really.............route was sort of triangular so wind from the side on two legs and in your face on the third one. Should've done it in reverse!!! :banghead:
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Why do you never feel the wind behind you until you turn around and run into it?
 
Update seeing as its now 2 weeks away from the Cambridge Half. Training has been patchy, not been doing as much as i should, especially from where i started out. Dec was just a series of 4 miles, breaking 5 then 6 miles in early Jan. A few 6s then managed a 7, with 8 happening last week and yesterday doing 10. Pace dropped right off near the end though, but i did manage it although not sure where the next 3 miles will come from. My previous runs had been at a very similar pace (6 @12.22, 6.2 @12.34, 7 @12.22, 8 @12.32) yet yesterday was 13.19. First 6 was 12.19 so bang on normal. Last 4 though were a very slow 14.58. So aim is to try to do 12 this Sat!
 
Ooo getting close :)

Don't worry about where the next 3 miles will come from. They will come. A mixture of the crowd + drinks stations + a bit of carb loading (really, not a lot) + seeing the finish line and you'll be fine.

Just keep an eye on your watch in the first half. Do NOT run faster than your target pace. No matter how good you feel. You can always pick it up in the second half.

Meanwhile, I have Barcelona in 4 weeks and I've run 4.5k so far this month.......
 
JonathanRyan said:
Ooo getting close :)

Don't worry about where the next 3 miles will come from. They will come. A mixture of the crowd + drinks stations + a bit of carb loading (really, not a lot) + seeing the finish line and you'll be fine.

Just keep an eye on your watch in the first half. Do NOT run faster than your target pace. No matter how good you feel. You can always pick it up in the second half.

Meanwhile, I have Barcelona in 4 weeks and I've run 4.5k so far this month.......
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Yup...the biggest error is to run faster than your target pace. I made this mistake a while back and by the time I got to 9 miles I was a wreck. :sorry:
 
Think I developed nerve problems in my right knee, and have just had a 2 week break to let them settle down. Hoping for a run tonight, probably just a local 5K in the dark and bitter cold. :p
 
So. Cambridge half. Done! Slowly!!! In my defense I only broke 4 miles at the start of Jan, did 8 miles once and 10 miles once so should have done more training. But today was ok. First 6 miles were great and a good pace for me varying between 11.00 and 11.20. 10 miles cracked in 2 hours ish, but fell apart in last couple and needed to walk for quite a bit. Still, 2hrs 49 which I was happy with given lack of fitness even if most friends were 30-55 mins faster!!!
 
cambsno said:
So. Cambridge half. Done! Slowly!!! In my defense I only broke 4 miles at the start of Jan, did 8 miles once and 10 miles once so should have done more training. But today was ok. First 6 miles were great and a good pace for me varying between 11.00 and 11.20. 10 miles cracked in 2 hours ish, but fell apart in last couple and needed to walk for quite a bit. Still, 2hrs 49 which I was happy with given lack of fitness even if most friends were 30-55 mins faster!!!
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Ecellent stuff! So...when's the next one? Oh and where's your medal??
 
Still struggling with my knees a bit, though it *feels* like nerve issues because pains come & go - think I'll have to find a physio shortly.

Having said that, went out for an intended gentle 10K and managed a PB of 54.02. Running a triangular loop with the wind in the right direction can make all the difference, although since I've had those adidas shoes I seem to have broken a number of older PBs. :)
 
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Leap Day challenge today. I'm (still) not fully fit and terrified of hurting myself before Barcelona so today was about

  1. trying out my new vest
  2. testing a new way of lacing my shoes (rubbish - still got a heel blister, other foot went numb after about 6 miles and I had to stop to retie them once)
  3. seeing how delicious salted watermelon gels are (not too bad but not as scrummy as I wanted - probably they would taste better after more miles)
So I jacked it in after 10 miles in about 85 mins (it was a challenge race so about 5k = finisher. Any more is for ego ;) ). Then had people tease me about not running a full distance. People who were slower than me ;)

12799108_1037149202990146_3428987250261340808_n.jpg
 
cambsno said:
So. Cambridge half. Done! Slowly!!! In my defense I only broke 4 miles at the start of Jan, did 8 miles once and 10 miles once so should have done more training. But today was ok. First 6 miles were great and a good pace for me varying between 11.00 and 11.20. 10 miles cracked in 2 hours ish, but fell apart in last couple and needed to walk for quite a bit. Still, 2hrs 49 which I was happy with given lack of fitness even if most friends were 30-55 mins faster!!!
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Blimey - just seen that 2 people are in hospital from the Cambridge half :( And that's in addition to the guy who died at the Malta marathon. Tough weekend for runners.
 
cambsno said:
So. Cambridge half. Done! Slowly!!! In my defense I only broke 4 miles at the start of Jan, did 8 miles once and 10 miles once so should have done more training. But today was ok. First 6 miles were great and a good pace for me varying between 11.00 and 11.20. 10 miles cracked in 2 hours ish, but fell apart in last couple and needed to walk for quite a bit. Still, 2hrs 49 which I was happy with given lack of fitness even if most friends were 30-55 mins faster!!!
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Well done.

When's the next one then?
 
I pretty much have this on loop today.


6 days to the marathon and the only thing I have nailed is the taper ;) Oh and it's going to be 18 degrees and all my training has been about 15 degrees colder than that.

I have a feeling this one is going to be brutal...........
 
JonathanRyan said:
I pretty much have this on loop today.


6 days to the marathon and the only thing I have nailed is the taper ;) Oh and it's going to be 18 degrees and all my training has been about 15 degrees colder than that.

I have a feeling this one is going to be brutal...........
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Take it easy and watch your fluid intake. Look on the bright side, at least the route doesn't take you up Montjuic.

Good luck for next weekend.
 
'k I was right. It was brutal. Second half was probably physically the hardest thing I've ever done.

Due to a bunch of injuries I hadn't done any training (literally a total of 30 miles since the start of Feb). I was still injured (something to do with my peroneal) and walking was actually a bit sore in the week before the race. Saturday morning I was ready to abandon it and go for a DNS. But I did the breakfast run up to the stadium with my wife (first time she's run with more than 1 other person - may be her last...) and it wasn't too painful. Did a lot of walking in the afternoon and a bunch of stretching, decided to go for it.

I knew it was going to hurt so my "plan" was to run as fast as I could before the pain got too much. Then endure the rest. Anybody who has tried marathon running will tell you what a stupid idea that is - especially considering my lack of fitness.

Anyway, long story short, the second half was very very tough - 18 degrees and pretty much no shade. Lot of pain from my peroneal and some sever blistering (ankle pain was making me twist my foot so shoes were rubbing) followed by fairly severe cramps in calves and quads. I even considered the on course physio at one point but didn't know if I would be able to restart if I stopped.

40k in 3:45 and I was still hopeful but in the last long uphill at the end I saw 4 hours tick up on my watch and I just kind of stopped. I had nothing more. Crossed the line in a watch time of 4:02:24. 28 seconds outside my PB.

Today, lots of things hurt. But I got a shiny medal ;)

IMG_20160313_132952.jpg
 
JonathanRyan said:
'k I was right. It was brutal. Second half was probably physically the hardest thing I've ever done.

Due to a bunch of injuries I hadn't done any training (literally a total of 30 miles since the start of Feb). I was still injured (something to do with my peroneal) and walking was actually a bit sore in the week before the race. Saturday morning I was ready to abandon it and go for a DNS. But I did the breakfast run up to the stadium with my wife (first time she's run with more than 1 other person - may be her last...) and it wasn't too painful. Did a lot of walking in the afternoon and a bunch of stretching, decided to go for it.

I knew it was going to hurt so my "plan" was to run as fast as I could before the pain got too much. Then endure the rest. Anybody who has tried marathon running will tell you what a stupid idea that is - especially considering my lack of fitness.

Anyway, long story short, the second half was very very tough - 18 degrees and pretty much no shade. Lot of pain from my peroneal and some sever blistering (ankle pain was making me twist my foot so shoes were rubbing) followed by fairly severe cramps in calves and quads. I even considered the on course physio at one point but didn't know if I would be able to restart if I stopped.

40k in 3:45 and I was still hopeful but in the last long uphill at the end I saw 4 hours tick up on my watch and I just kind of stopped. I had nothing more. Crossed the line in a watch time of 4:02:24. 28 seconds outside my PB.

Today, lots of things hurt. But I got a shiny medal ;)

IMG_20160313_132952.jpg
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Being just 28 secs outside a pb despite the training and injuries is a hell of a time. And despite plenty of opportunity to give in you kept going and 4 hours is a more than decent time. Hope your not too broken!!!
 
Agree with cambsno, considering all things that's a serious performance. Hope the injuries aren't too sore and you can recover AND heal now.

Well done.
 
Sounds like you had an epic struggle so well done first of all for finishing and secondly for managing a very respectable time. You did the right thing to struggle on. I DNF'd a Half Marathon last year after violent vomiting and dreadful abdominal muscle spasms. Regretted it ever since.

Hope you're not too sore today.
 
Thanks chaps.

Feeling a bit battered today - but not too bad considering. I recover pretty quickly so should be fine tomorrow. I think I got pretty dehydrated out there - a friend forgot to put sunblock on and that cost him the sub-4 he'd been training for for months :(

My ankle's well dodgy now though. It's the only thing that's causing me concern about stairs today. And the blisters are so bad that I can't put as much compression on it as I'd like. Tough sport ;)
 
Well done, as said by others, having been unable to train and your suffering, 28s off a pb is an awesome achievement.
 
AndrewA123 said:
Well done, as said by others, having been unable to train and your suffering, 28s off a pb is an awesome achievement.
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Good news - official results are in and it was 4:02:21 which was 3 seconds faster than my watch. Bad news, I just double checked my PB and it was 4:01:31 - I'd misremembered it as 4:01:56. So faster than I thought but 50 seconds slower than my PB.

Now I really need a sub 4 ;)
 
Just managed my first sub 25min 5K (since re-starting running) tonight (24.55) on one of the steeper routes round here. The knee still feels a little delicate, but the physio has apparently helped my speed somewhat. :)

Wonder how long before I can mainatin that pace for 10K?
 
ancient_mariner said:
Just managed my first sub 25min 5K (since re-starting running) tonight (24.55) on one of the steeper routes round here. The knee still feels a little delicate, but the physio has apparently helped my speed somewhat. :)

Wonder how long before I can mainatin that pace for 10K?
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If you keep training, not long :)

Are you using a HRM to train and run? they are very useful for the shorter distances.
 
Nawty said:
If you keep training, not long :)

Are you using a HRM to train and run? they are very useful for the shorter distances.
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Thanks. :)

Just endomondo as a training aid. I need to get back to longer distances shortly, with a half marathon in 7 weeks time, so I'm just enjoying a chance to run a bit faster without having to worry about a reserve. I would be very happy with a sub 2hr HM though.
 
Which half?

Structured training really helps, only needs to be three times a week, something like long run at the weekend then a short efforts session and a medium tempo run during the week.

That will extend your distance and make you quicker at the same time :)
 
That's pretty much how I was training until I started developing knee issues a few weeks back: 8-10 miles at weekends, plus a fastish 5K and an 8-10K in the week. I've been just running shorter distances while the physio sorts things out, and should do something longer for the first time in about 4 weeks this weekend.

Its the Banja Luka HM in Bosnia Herzegovina in early May.
 
ancient_mariner said:
Just managed my first sub 25min 5K (since re-starting running) tonight (24.55) on one of the steeper routes round here. The knee still feels a little delicate, but the physio has apparently helped my speed somewhat. :)

Wonder how long before I can mainatin that pace for 10K?
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Race time predictor says you need to shave about a minute off that time to be confident of a 49:50 10k. Just pick a downhill one and you'll be fine ;)
 
Good to know I still have some way to go then. ;)

I was a little surprised at how much energy I seemed to have afterwards last night, considering how tired I used to get doing this run. Limitig factor is still the lungs, even though they're enormously better than they used to be.
 
ancient_mariner said:
That's pretty much how I was training until I started developing knee issues a few weeks back: 8-10 miles at weekends, plus a fastish 5K and an 8-10K in the week. I've been just running shorter distances while the physio sorts things out, and should do something longer for the first time in about 4 weeks this weekend.

Its the Banja Luka HM in Bosnia Herzegovina in early May.
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Bung in some 1 minute sprints into the 8k and jobs a goodun. Sprints really help.

That sounds like an amazing half mara, I also use maras / halfs as an excuse to visit interesting places.
 
Nawty said:
Ha ha, are you walking like you lost your horse? fear of walking down stairs?
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Nah - I recover pretty fast. Usually I'm annoying running friends by jogging up and down stairs the next day.

This time I ran with a damaged ankle ;) I actually went to the doctors a few weeks ago to make sure it wasn't broken :D
 
Think I now have the running bug - there was a local half and 5miler on today so had signed up for the 5 miler, goal was to beat 55 mins which would have been 11 min a mile and did that (just) at 54:53 so pretty happy. Ready for the next one now, a 10k in May.
 
Ran 7 1/2 miles tonight, and ended up stopping 3 times for stretching. Legs feel stiff and knees achey, which is quite disappointing considering it was a relatively flattish run. First longer run in several weeks though, so I probably shouldn't be too surprised, and I've got some info to take back to the physio about pains and running patterns.
 
Spare a thought for Eddie Izzard after his 27 marathons in 27 days. Like him or loathe him, that's got to deserve some respect!
 
Nod said:
Spare a thought for Eddie Izzard after his 27 marathons in 27 days. Like him or loathe him, that's got to deserve some respect!
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Yeah, that's pretty tough. I know a bunch of people who have just done 7 in 7 on the same course (it's laps of a lake - that's some mental toughness). Also, there's another chap part way through 401 in 401 days.

Whatever crazy scheme you come up with, there's generally somebody crazier ;)
 
Nod said:
Spare a thought for Eddie Izzard after his 27 marathons in 27 days. Like him or loathe him, that's got to deserve some respect!
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It's certainly some feat. He got quite emotional at the end and I can relate to that. Had a few tears myself after my first marathon. :crying:
 
JonathanRyan said:
Good news - official results are in and it was 4:02:21 which was 3 seconds faster than my watch. Bad news, I just double checked my PB and it was 4:01:31 - I'd misremembered it as 4:01:56. So faster than I thought but 50 seconds slower than my PB.

Now I really need a sub 4 ;)
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Bad luck Jonathan, but fair play to you for grinding on to the finish. I think that you have it in you to smash the four hour mark, particularly given the times you were doing earlier in the year. Best to have a "runners" rest (basically keep on running at lower intensity) until you can face training for another one.
Good luck.
 
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