[Closed] Running.

Just started running as an alternative to riding in this crappy weather.
I'm doing the C25K program and hate it, but it has to be done. With any luck a loosening of the muscles and improvement in style will make it more enjoyable.

I can't run more then 5k which I did with the c25k.

However, I've signed up for an ironman in 9 months so need to start running proper!

DS by the way, I did that, it sucked to begin with then after :0 weeks you realise that you can run 5 k and it becomes really enjoyable. Stick with it. I've just started c210k!

I did the skiddaw fell race yesterday in the wind, rain and mist. its amazing how warm just a vest can keep you. quite pleased with 8th place but need to do at least one session a week with hill reps and a long steady run. the problem with racing is that they often take place when you want to do a long run, but they do increase your speed

Ive decided to make a run my goal for the year this year.

I like to set myself a challenge every year, last year I did my first ever endurance bike ride (Gisburn Dirty Dozen in a pair). I was going to aim for Kielder 100 this year but with work plans changing I didnt know if id be able to committ to the training so i decided to enter my first marathon.

Have entered the Preston Guild marathon. Its only once every 20 years and it right on my door step so i thought why not.

Have started training but its not until 28th October so got ages to train still. Im fairly young and not too unfit so i figured I should be ok. Ive run a half marthon with a friend before when he was training for London and that was without training so with a few miles under my belt i'll be fine.

Was out running on friday and did 11km in about 53mins. Plan is to keep putting in 6-7km training ones a few nights a week tthen introduce gradually longer weekend runs to get used to the big distance!

A bit shit at the minute. twisted my ankle good and proper about 3 weeks ago, and only just this weekend felt like I could sort of run. It was a kind of hobble for the first couple of kms, then I warmed up and it was sort of ok but could only do about 8 miles, and at the end ankle was swollen and sore. had to strap it back up and ice it.

Hope it gets better, as my speed has totally diasppeared. Fell like all the training I was doing earlier has all been for nothing, and feels like I'm starting all over again. never felt like crying after a run, but I did yesterday.

Question, when you get back and your face is all crusty (gross I know) that's salt right? should I add some salt into my food afterwards to replace it?

I'm doing the Ben Nevis Tri in September, which involves quickly climbing the mountain rather than running as such. I finally tried a foam roller on my ITB to fix my knee pain and it has seemed to work after all. Need to get some speed intervals in, I think I'm going to try running up to the woods from my house and doing reps up the steep DH chute that I ride down on my bike.

Emsz - speed goes quickly but comes back quickly - you'll be fine in no time. As for the salt - our diets in general have more salt than we need I think. Maybe if you feel properly crappy after a really hot long one, or if you find you drink loads and pee loads but still feel thirsty.

I've never liked running, always been hard to do and knees have always been a problem..
However..
Over the last few weeks (3) I've been getting out and running in my local woods, takes about 5mins to get there and can run around either hard pack trails or free run on deer/rabbit/fox paths through the undergrowth. I've been really enjoying it TBH.
It's brought about a little change in my routine of train journeys and endless meetings and has revitalised a need for getting out in the woods with minimal time allowance and deep breathing heavily wooded undergrowth, then a run down the river and home.
I’m not too sure I could/would enjoy pacing on the road stuff (like the endless stream of Mums round my way) but bouncing in the woods is rather perfect.

Hope the knees hold out.

Well done Pieface - that's a cracking run, beating some very good runners.

I'm a commuter runner - I run to a local station on my way to work 3 days a week. With 2 small kids I don't get time to do much in evenings/ weekends so I'm basically adapting time-crunched cycling to running and thrashing myself with intervals.

Doing Ingleboro fell race in 3 weeks, Rydal Round and a couple of shorter races over the summer, then Leeds Abbey Dash 10k in Nov aiming for 34:XX.

I had a nice mini Forest Gump moment yesterday.
I went out to do my typical 9 mile Sunday run, then felt ok early on so changed it to a 12 miles, got within a mile of home, then decide I still felt fine so added on another loop and ended up doing just over 20 miles. Started to wilt a bit in the last mile, but I'd gone out with no food or water, so that was maybe to be expected. But overall I was pretty pleased with the outcome.

I'm gradually getting back into running 'properly' having had a good 12 years off (ITB injury when I was 21 put me out for a while and then just never really got back into it) - until I noticed how big I was starting to look in photos ... so I've been running on and off for the last couple of years (half marathon in 1:50 last year) but this year I'm aiming to push on; lose another stone or so and attempt to get my half marathon time down somewhere towards 1:30 .. with luck !

I do like running. But it's being rather neglected lately while I waste a lot of free time and energy on trying to learn to swim. Then weekend before last I thought I'd test the legs and "go long" - run for an hour (I'm a steady rather than fast runner, so this'd be roughly 10k) that way, then turn around, slow down even further, and see if I can then also run home again. Instead my guts had other ideas and decided after only 20 minutes that I really REALLY needed to find a toilet to pebble-dash. Which put me off carrying with the original plan.

Fearing the same, yesterday morning I did an inpromptu duathlon instead. Thankfully done without any hint of the backside backlash. Slow 10k run done with loops of the park, hard-pushed 20k bike ending back at the park for another 5k loop. It must be fun to watch someone comedically trying to run after jumping off the bike, but it sure as Hell is no fun being the one doing it.

I spent spring training for Paris mara which I did in 3:30 (was hoping for better TBH but I think I did too much too soon and didn't feel great).

Still trying to keep it up at 5-10 miles a week to get my body more used to it (I'd never run before about 18 months ago) so I can try another marathon and hopefully cut my time down - <3hrs is the ultimate goal, not sure how long I'll spend trying.

teaboy - see you at Ingleborough!
My running is going ok. I aim to complete, and ideally do well in, our club fell race championship. I've put a fair few miles in this year and balanced that with miles on the bike on the road and the SS off road. As ever my main aim is to compete in the Three Peaks cyclocross so it's all about that for me. My fell running helps. A lot.
The OP asked for pictures but everybody seems a bit shy. Here's me a few months ago:
[img] [/img]

I'm going for a run today for the first time in about a month, I expect to not be able to walk tomorrow. Last time I tried it I was following the Couch to 5k but 2 weeks in I was having major knee pains and couldn't walk properly for a week..

The only one I could find was me at about 800m to go in the local 10K.
I died at around the 8K point 😀
[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]Near the end of a fell race.
[img] [/img]At the finish to my local 10k.

Keep them coming!

Just looked out my mara pics, no danger, I look awful!

Post it!
If I ever do a marathon and do it in something like your time, I'll be posting pictures everywhere 🙂

i'm doing the local peak district fell races - about 1 a week, they're all about 8-9k, with about 300m of climbing, they take me about an hour (the winners/everyone else scamper round in about 45mins)

running down steep hills is brutal, especially if you're rubbish (i'm rubbish).

Thanks Ian I am talking full on 24-mile grimace here, with cross-dressing, can you handle it?

I started doing the parkruns a month or so back - used to run quite a bit several stone ago but not done anything for 10 years. Good fun, took nearly 4 mins off the PB already just by staying off the ale on the Friday night. Absolutely dead at the end of them, whereas it's clear the blokes finishing with me could do another 3 or 4 times round no problem.

No big aims - be happy if I keep the parkruns up and maybe go out for 2 short runs in the week. Maybe extend to 10K if I get into a nice routine with it. It seems like a bit of an injury-fest compared to cycling so just ticking over doing short stuff is fine for me atm.

It seems like a bit of an injury-fest compared to cycling so just ticking over doing short stuff is fine for me atm.

listen to your body, start off slowly, build up slowly.

fell running is full of hard-as-nails 50/60 year old super-giffers, running will keep you young.

Just about to go out for lunch time run along embankment, over westmister bridge then along albert embankment up to MI5/6 and back. It's about 10k and will be pacing it at about 7:30 with 4/5 6:50ish extended efforts in there.... hopefully they aren't too many tourists this morn.

Almost everyone here is complaining about a running injury or pain of one kind or another. I've hardly heard anyone complain about a cycling injury that wasn't a crash.

I see far more 70 and 80 year old folk trundling around (or blasting around) on bikes, not sure I've ever seen one running apart from on telly.

After a couple of halfs and one full, this year's challenge is a 10k and getting some speed in to my legs is proving really hard (8 x 500m sprints this evening, really not looking forward to it).

I've just come to the end of one the most solid training weeks i've done in about five years.
Six miles on Thursday, incl. 1.5 miles fast. 9 miles Friday morning slow. Mile on Saturday barefoot. ~12 miles last night, starting slow then 5k pace for the last mile.

I'm going to have a bit of an easy week now and hopefully run a parkrun PB in a week or two.

There's a couple in the local club who took up running in their 50s I think. There both in around about 77ish and do marathons at about 4:30 to 4:40.
There's a bloke round the corner from me who's late 70's maybe early 80's and still does marathons.

Mind you there's also a couple of mtbers nearby in their 70's who ride every week irrespective of the weather, and regularly drink to 3-4 in the morning and cycle home pissed. One of them can't see so well now, so they do tend to crash a bit on the ride home 😀

i really need to have a go at my local parkrun, I run mainly on the treadmill which is okay but I know outside is very different. I mainly run 5k occasionally 10k, but my ankle (shin splint I think) is a bit tender and my doctors cares not one jot. Need some new shoes as well, anyone used nike lunarglide 3?

I hate running. The weather doesn't put me off much, but the lack of get up and go I have right now is.

The last race I did was a 10k last year and that was tough. I missed out on a repeat performance this year due to some ork with the Army, but next year I'll be back for it. If I could get my arse in gear and get some miles under my feet I would be tempted by a half marathon later in the year, but I just need to get out more.

As for injuries... Where to start? I know my ITBs are weak points, so I stretch a fair bit, but I keep being told I need to stretch more. Same with glutes, hamstrings, quads and calfs. More stretching needed more often. I think I've also got some nice torn cartilage in my right meniscus, but I'm putting off the doc visit in case I get downgraded. I can still run, it's just a bit sore and tight. Nothing painkillers can't cure. Besides, it's all a big test isn't it?

Ive been to the last 2 park runs but my wife ran and We supported. This weeks race was with the presence of Liz and Martin Yelling. My wife beat her [liz was pushing a buggy] Martin came 2nd.
My predicted shabby results are out and i was a min quicker than thought and 23rd of around 230. Not too bad really. 😀

Running in the rain today wasn't too bad. Probably more of a light jog as I only covered just over 3 miles in half an hour, but it felt good and I managed to run the whole lot rather than my previous efforts of running for 5 minutes then having to walk for another 5 to recover 😆

I see far more 70 and 80 year old folk trundling around (or blasting around) on bikes, not sure I've ever seen one running apart from on telly.

Mother in Law, 64 ish, Croyde half marathon the other weekend. Actually she didn't make it to the start line due to some mysterious illness so I think you've got a point! She's a catalogue of injuries from running but is of the school of thought that running up a few more hills will sort that broken leg out.

Going to the other extreme littlest Mini Me completed his first fun run at the weekend, 800m on little just 2 year old legs. About 10 minutes behind everyone else, but kept going and refused to let me carry him for any of it.

I see far more 70 and 80 year old folk trundling around (or blasting around) on bikes, not sure I've ever seen one running apart from on telly.

The V70 class prize in local fell races is usually won by somebody. I hope I'm still able to ride a bike at 70 but if I can still run then I will be doing!

At the Tebay fell race this year (9m, 3000' including Blease Fell - 1000' in less than half a mile) the V70 beat all the V60s!

might go out tonight. my aim is to run once a week. i'm pretty crap but i have no expectations (unlike on the bike) which makes it more pleasurable.

cool thread....

i need to start again, putting the pounds on...

oh seems like some of you know your stuff.. any tips on making it more enjoyable...

half the battle is to actually get out the door... i used to go with my mate but he was fitter than me and it killed me mentally.

i have toyed with the idea of a heart rate monitor, is it worth the faff?

cheers

...any tips on making it more enjoyable...

go somewhere nice - singletrack is good 🙂

Monkey-boy, never really cared for the data. You're probably going to be going your own speed most of the time you are out, so it's just data that won't mean much.

My HRM kept slipping down mid run too. It was either leave it at home or superglue the damn thing on. I left it at home.

i have toyed with the idea of a heart rate monitor, is it worth the faff?

Of no benefit whatsoever in my opinion. When you are very highly trained and extremely competitive then maybe.

I did the skiddaw fell race yesterday in the wind, rain and mist. its amazing how warm just a vest can keep you. quite pleased with 8th place

Well done Pieface, excellent run

oh seems like some of you know your stuff.. any tips on making it more enjoyable...

Run off road, and perseverance.
It does stop hurting eventually, or at least hurting less, but it takes a fair while 🙂

i have toyed with the idea of a heart rate monitor, is it worth the faff?

They are helpful in pacing during training. If you run at generally lower than X then you get a different response to if you run at above X.

People often end up going hard all the time whihc isn't necessarily good in training terms.

You can use them in very simple or complex terms, it's up to you.

Depends what you want and what you like.

What do you like when riding? If you're a strava/ powermeter addict, maybe HRM's the way to go. If you're a singletrack pootler, go for a muddy offroad run and don't even take a watch - basically replicate what you find fun on the bike.

Make it fun first, then when (if!) you start to enjoy it, start to think about ways of getting faster.

They are helpful in pacing during training

The difficulty with training to a heart rate is the variability. Unless you collect a large amount of data over a very long period you dont get the opportunity to use it to develop a training plan. A restless nights sleep can elevate your resting rate by a few beats in the same way as an impending cold.
Some tiredness lingering from a previous session can elevate your heartrate and ironically tiredness can actually restrict your heartrate climbing.
There is no doubt they have a role to play for elite athletes who focus their life around training and competition and have the data as well as the where with all and support to interrogate it but for the novice there is more to be gained by concentrating on the basics.

basically replicate what you find fun on the bike.

Thats not to say without a heart rate monitor your running is not aimed at reaching your potential it still can be. I have known a number of international distance runners over the years I cant think of one who ever used it.

My hopes are to be able to walk tomorrow without wincing or looking like john wayne has lost his horse.
My aims are to be able to do a run for an hour once a week without getting into this state again.
I'm uninjured just aching [b]a lot[/b] and I'm a long way away from top form which was never any good at all.

Did my first "run" in ages on saturday 45mins of slow to medium jogging with some short steep hills, lots of stretching and a cold bath afterwards did nowt to prevent my legs hurting yesterday and today. Is this how non-cyclists feel after doing a big ride with no training? I've never hurt my legs like this cycling.

There is no doubt they have a role to play for elite athletes who focus their life around training and competition and have the data as well as the where with all and support to interrogate it but for the novice there is more to be gained by concentrating on the basics.

Sure, but one of the basics is how fast to run, isn't it?

And there's a lot of ground between rank novice and elite.

I've never hurt my legs like this cycling.

That's cos cycling's non-impact.

Did the Tadley runners 10k yesterday. This was literally the first time i had run since the London British 10k last summer (bar 15 minutes around the block Wednesday night to see if trainers still fitted and to remind myself how to do it!)
Just dipped under an hour which i thought was ok for a 42yr old 13 1/2 stone bloke who NEVER runs.
Legs are a bit sore today, and i expect to be struggling with stairs tomorrow if last year is anything to go by. 😕
Just entered the Basingstoke half marathon in October so fear i may nedd to actually train a bit. 🙁

Currently training for a marathon in October, aim is to go sub 3 hrs. Currently looking good as I did a 10K in 37:50 a couple of weeks ago and did 50 miles last week including 20 miles for the first time yesterday with no ill effects. Fell running is my major passion though and I am moving house so I can do more 🙂

In the last two weeks I have run up or over several of the major lakes peaks including Scafell Pike, Bowfell, Skiddaw, Consiton Old Man and Great Gable

After that its the 3 peaks race, been on the list for some time but I had to complete the qualifying races, then I was injured, next year though...

I use my housemates Garmin every now and then, as it'll show pace and I can measure new routes accuratly. But mostly if I want to run a faster time, then I use the stopwtach on my wrist and beat my previous PB. I don't much go in for all the other faff about running at a particular HR or pace.

I think scenery makes all the difference for enjoyment. running into the countryside (if you can) is bliss

Popped my heart rate minitor on during yesterdays 10k, just to see what i was ticking over at.
Found it quite helpful as although i don't know what bpm i should be aiming for when running, it was quite reassuring that after hills it was dropping down nicely in a similar way that it would after a climb on the road bike and i wasn't bouncing off the rev limiter the whole way round. 🙂

Quite scary that running for 6 miles is sooo much harder work than 60 miles on the road bike.

Did my first "run" in ages on saturday 45mins of slow to medium jogging with some short steep hills, lots of stretching and a cold bath afterwards did nowt to prevent my legs hurting yesterday and today. Is this how non-cyclists feel after doing a big ride with no training? I've never hurt my legs like this cycling.

steep hills you say? - did you run down as well as up?

i'd guess that you've got DOMS in your quad muscles (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), it's caused by eccentric loading of the muscles (forcibly extending a tensed muscle), the best way to cause it is to run downhill.

it's very difficult/impossible to cause it by riding a bike (no repeated violent extension of the quad muscles).

massage doesn't help - and will just hurt like hell, you can't walk it off, it lasts 2-3 days without really getting better or worse, and then disappears overnight.

(it's very odd, and it's still not well understood)

i get it pretty much every week, 'cause of the fell running and my almost total lack of finesse on the descents.

One does not always look our best when running[IMG] [/IMG]

I have found a HRM really useful in just pacing myself and understanding how much to back off to complete a long run at an easy pace. I think as long as you understand the variances that can occur then you should be OK. My HR was 10 bpm higher on yesterdays long road run compared with 3 weeks ago, but this was due to a cold and tiredness

+1 for a decent HRM / GPS.

I'm currently doing 10k in the mornings - running to the station. 5 days a week.

Pace has increased gradually from start of the year when I used to walk it - currently averaging around 50 minute mark (laden with rucksack containing clothes / lunch / towel and general work kit so i don't think it's too bad). The Garmin has been a really good motivating tool ( virtual partner etc ) and I'm one for collating as much data as I can. I've found working on cadence as well as looking at HR zones useful in increasing stamina and speed.

Aim is to have a week with one sub 46 minute and rest sub 48 run. Afraid to say i don't have a specific runnng training plan at the moment - will save that for later in the year.

Great thread, I'm struggling with my running and this is good reading 'cos it seems that I'm not alone.
I can only plod along at my slow speed (9km in 50mins last night) but am suffering from a bad back at the moment. I also work late most nights so fitting in runs is very hard.
I'm supposed to do a 14 mile run for charity in mid-August. My plan is to do a couple of 3 or 4 mile runs midweek then a long one at the weekends to get distance under my belt.
Has anyone got top tips for training? I've done 10km and 16km events in the past but I was a lot fitter and slimmer then and my body wasn't as broken.
Because I'm just an occasional runner, I just run at my own pace for as long as I can. All this fartlek and 85% MHR is just science fiction to me. There must be other crap runners who think the same??

Here's a photo of me during this year's Edale Skyline race where I came 8th

[img] [/img]

Ive not run in about a month. Just ran 4K in 22 minutes. Is that good/bad/average?

it felt hellish and thought I was slow but the same route normally takes me 25 minutes

It's a bit slower than me.

Sure, but one of the basics is how fast to run, isn't it?

maybe they dont tell you that they dont even provide reliable output to be able to guage effort (not speed) GPS monitors distance over time (speed) which is useful (but not all the time) HRM no. Running at the same pace can give different readings dependent on many factors. Without significant information it tells you very little.

My HR was 10 bpm higher on yesterdays long road run compared with 3 weeks ago, but this was due to a cold and tiredness

Did the HRM tell you that you had a cold? or did you have a cold then notice that your HRM was elevated?
Chances are you felt under the weather and responded the same way with or without a HRM by taking it easy.
If you had a cold but your HRM indicated a normal reading would you have trained normally?

Running at the same pace would result in different HRs yes. But running at the same HR would be a good indicator of the actual effort expended and hence what your body is doing, wouldn't it?

Not perfect of course, but a bit better than going by feel.

I'm not saying get one, I'm not saying it'll be brilliant for everyone, but they can be useful for regular runners if you decide you want to train that way.

Here's a photo of me during this year's Edale Skyline race where I came 8th

Your showing off now 😉

Ok then, can someone inspire me to go out for a run? I'm knackered and feel like sleeping, but I'm still fat.

I'm not anti HRM I just think it takes peoples eye off the ball in the sense that their are other factors to consider, it also gives people another reason to run slow as athletes often set their max levels very low using generic formulae then hold back to stay within them. This is often impractical on training runs as the speed and terrain often vary plus HR rises as you get tired.

It could, yes. But then people can get obsessed with gear of all types, can't they? I mean, we're MTBers aren't we? 🙂

I used to find it impossible to run in any kind of base zone, but now I can cruise comfortably at an easy HR.

Ok then, can someone inspire me to go out for a run? I'm knackered and feel like sleeping, but I'm still fat.

Ok then, can someone inspire me to go out for a run? I'm knackered and feel like sleeping, but I'm still fat.

I'm not going - I think sleep would be more beneficial to the overall cause at this time.

And not eating any sugar.

I used to find it impossible to run in any kind of base zone, but now I can cruise comfortably at an easy HR.

Why was it too fast?

Morning runners!
I managed to get up and out the door for 6am today, ive done 3 x 1 mile efforts at 6.30 pace which felt flippin hard straight out of bed! Nearly 5 mile in total with warm up , stretches and cool down. Really pleased with myself. Got home, had breakfast with the kids then an 11 mile commute to work by bike. Im going to attempt this every tues and thursday mornings. Then hopefully a long run and a shorter tempo at the weekends unless im racing.
Im sure i will be tired later but im wide awake now! 🙂
I've got a bit of stiffness in my hamstrings from the weekend race still so will get the massage stick on them tonight.
I don't use hrm, i did for years but never really new what i was doing with it, i know the basics but unless you have a coach or fully understand it i wouldn't bother personally. However i love the gps for speed pace and rarely run without it. Interestingly i put some of my lack luster weekend race performance down to forgetting my Garmin, i think if i had seen the pace i was actually racing at it may have spurred me on to push harder. Maybe?!
Bought 2 new pairs of shorts yesterday and was served by Darran Bilton a top uk Vet marathon runner, Nice guy and super friendly. He is quite well known on my local race scene as being the man to beat.
Roll on Thursday am!

http://www.alexvero.co.uk/documentary.htm
[url=

If you get chance to see this its worth a watch. It was aired in tv a while back but it may be available on the net for free somewhere.

That's cos cycling's non-impact.

steep hills you say? - did you run down as well as up?

I must get round to watching that time, as I recall it sounded quite interesting when it came out, but got some mixed reviews.
It's the club 5K handicap this evening. Looking at the entrance list so far, none of my rivals have signed up yet, so I might take the series lead. Mind you, they've still got a few more hours to sign on, but fingers crossed they're on holiday 🙂

If your talking about the vero vid i think he upset a lot of runners by basically saying you can all do it if you put the effort in. If thats true or not i dont know. I found it really good and for those who want to make running a bit more exciting try running like this chap..
[url=

Jornet.[/url]

I did a 4h 48m marathon on Sunday - actually quite pleased as it was the last section of an Ironman distance triathlon. Running well until i got to 30K, when it turned into more of a run/walk. 12h 33m total time.

On the right in the picture below - end of the first lap, about 10K into it.

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Well played RichardK... a respectable time for an Ironman.

Planning to do an Iron in 2014(happy to slowly build up to it, got my first HIM next month.) and would be happy with a time like that.

That Kilian Jornet vid looks like he's turned up at the Red Bull Rampage without his bike but carried on regardless 😆

i think he upset a lot of runners by basically saying you can all do it if you put the effort in

If thats the case who would it upset. Within reason athletic performance is dependent on effort.

killian video @ 33s, why is he wearing a sports bra under his shirt?