Official Running Thread

big nuts · Mar 29, 2020

I’ve read some great books over the years. Off the top of my head:-

Today we die a little - half running, half political about the life of Emil Zatopek
The Ghost Runner - a runner who couldn’t compete as an amateur as he took an expenses payment as an amateur boxer. He used to rock up and beat the best but his times were never recorded
The Art of Running Faster - Julian Goater - A really good technical book

Some good shout outs already that I haven’t listed.

Artie Fufkin · Mar 29, 2020

Simgull said:
Thanks for that. I can only add my cousin (who was an Olympic athlete) wrote a biography of Otto Peltzer called His Own Man. it’s a pretty interesting read about a top German runner during the rise of the Nazis, he was almost certainly gay and it’s an interesting study of the conflicts of representing your country under an abhorrent regime.

Ona similar note, lots of interesting running related films on You Tube. I watched DPFR (Dark peak fell runners) today which was good. Some of the Banff Film festival films have also been made available which I am going to explore. Any other recommendations?

Here's a few running documentaries I like.

The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young - still on Netflix I think. A brilliant doc about one of the most brutal races in the world.
Where Dreams Go To Die - Gary Robbins and The Barkley Marathons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDZdsqbcGTU
Running For Good: the Fiona Oakes Documentary - on Amazon Prime.

Artie Fufkin · Mar 29, 2020

dazzer6666 said:
Yes we are, it’s not in the official guidance/rules. I ran past a group of coppers this morning near the A23, looked as though they were going to set up a checkpoint. Just got a ‘good morning’ nod from them......didn’t ask me how far I was going.......

They’ve just interviewed a guy on the news about the ‘30 minutes’ quote who suggested over an hour is maybe stretching things a bit, but in the context of things getting ‘a bit crowded’ in the cities/built up areas.

I went out for about 2 hours earlier. Saw maybe 10 people in total and didn’t get within 3-4m of any of them. Didn’t touch a single gate, fencepost or anything else apart from my own gate when leaving and returning. Far more risk in my short trip to the shops yesterday.

Definitely felt far more apprehensive picking up a few essentials from the local Tesco Express than running around the quiet country lanes here.

Guinness Boy · Mar 29, 2020

Artie Fufkin said:
Here's a few running documentaries I like.

The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young - still on Netflix I think. A brilliant doc about one of the most brutal races in the world.
Where Dreams Go To Die - Gary Robbins and The Barkley Marathons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDZdsqbcGTU
Running For Good: the Fiona Oakes Documentary - on Amazon Prime.

That Gary Robbins vid is superb. Might watch it now,,,,,

dazzer6666 · Mar 29, 2020

Artie Fufkin said:
Here's a few running documentaries I like.

The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young - still on Netflix I think. A brilliant doc about one of the most brutal races in the world.
Where Dreams Go To Die - Gary Robbins and The Barkley Marathons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDZdsqbcGTU
Running For Good: the Fiona Oakes Documentary - on Amazon Prime.

Was chatting to my coach about the most recent Barkley Marathons......he did it last year after waiting for years to get a place. He’s fairly hardcore and has a pretty good ultra CV (understatement perhaps) but got nowhere near completing (DNF’d on the second spur I think). He’d trained hard on some fairly shitty terrain (did 100,000ft of elevation in a month of training), has been part of the GB 24 hour team and has a 100 mile best of about 14.5 hours and a marathon pb of about 2.40. The weather beat him in the end, it was horrific apparently.

Artie Fufkin · Mar 29, 2020

big nuts said:
I’ve read some great books over the years. Off the top of my head:-

Today we die a little - half running, half political about the life of Emil Zatopek
The Ghost Runner - a runner who couldn’t compete as an amateur as he took an expenses payment as an amateur boxer. He used to rock up and beat the best but his times were never recorded
The Art of Running Faster - Julian Goater - A really good technical book

Some good shout outs already that I haven’t listed.

Thanks for the suggestions! :thumbsup:

I've heard the Emil Zatopek book is a must read.

Artie Fufkin · Mar 29, 2020

dazzer6666 said:
Was chatting to my coach about the most recent Barkley Marathons......he did it last year after waiting for years to get a place. He’s fairly hardcore and has a pretty good ultra CV (understatement perhaps) but got nowhere near completing (DNF’d on the second spur I think). He’d trained hard on some fairly shitty terrain (did 100,000ft of elevation in a month of training), has been part of the GB 24 hour team and has a 100 mile best of about 14.5 hours and a marathon pb of about 2.40. The weather beat him in the end, it was horrific apparently.

I listened to James Elson on an ultra running podcast about his attempt last year dazzer. I think you might have recommended it to me at the time. I can't remember which podcast it was though. It was incredible to hear his thoughts on the race. As you say he's one of the best UK ultra runners around but even he found it beyond anything he's experienced, plus the weather was horrific last year unfortunately.

This year's edition would have been this weekend I think but it was cancelled a couple of weeks ago

I miss following the race on twitter. I definitely think it's the toughest known foot race in the world and a badge of honour just to be accepted by Laz to take it on.

dazzer6666 · Mar 29, 2020

Artie Fufkin said:
I listened to James Elson on an ultra running podcast about his attempt last year dazzer. I think you might have recommended it to me at the time. I can't remember which podcast it was though. It was incredible to hear his thoughts on the race. As you say he's one of the best UK ultra runners around but even he found it beyond anything he's experienced, plus the weather was horrific last year unfortunately.

This year's edition would have been this weekend I think but it was cancelled a couple of weeks ago I miss following the race on twitter. I definitely think it's the toughest known foot race in the world and a badge of honour just to be accepted by Laz to take it on.

Here if anyone is interested

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/british-ultra-running-podcast/id1259450916?i=1000434227140

Greg Bobkin · Mar 30, 2020

timbha said:
Just got back from a run that included Old Shoreham Road. Passed 7 individuals/Pairs/families walking and each time I gave them a wide berth by running in the road. Not one of them said thank you or even acknowledged me. I’m trying to see the good in everyone, but.......the only person to give me the thumbs up was another runner.

"Running down Old Shoreham Road
And leaving families spaces"

:lol:

I know what you mean, as per my comment about judging looks from drivers. But on the whole I'm finding most folk pretty friendly. I went out yesterday morning and I passed a flatbed and an Ambulance – I gave the two paramedics a :thumbsup:

Greg Bobkin · Mar 30, 2020

Artie Fufkin said:
I'm sure it's been covered a few times on the NSC Running thread over the years but as we're currently hunkered down in self isolation and inspired by the "What Book Are You Currently Reading" thread popping up on page 1 I just thought I'd throw out some running-related book recommendations.

I'm trying my best to limit my time on the various screens we have in the house and finding that picking up a book in the evenings once my boys are asleep is very calming.

So here's a few recommendations (Bozza will be happy as I'm sure all of them are available to purchase on Amazon )

The Classics
Born To Run - Christopher McDougall
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Haruki Murakami
Eat and Run - Scott Jurek
North - Scott Jurek

All of Adharanand Finn's books. I loved Running With The Kenyans and currently reading The Way of the Runner and have The Rise of the Ultra Runners up next.
Running With The Kenyans - story of moving with this family to Iten, Kenya for 6 months the home Kenyan distance running)
The Way of the Runner - story of moving with his family to Japan for 6 months to find out about Japan's obsession with marathon running)
The Rise of the Ultra Runners

Running Training Books
Daniels' Running Formula - Dr Jack Daniels (I think this is the don of distance running training books which I continue to go back to time and again).
Advanced Marathoning - Peter Pfitzinger & Scott Douglas (another really top running training book full of brilliant learnings and insight).

Anyone else have a few book recommendations to throw into the mix?

'Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.' Amazing book.

I very rarely read books (partly, I've concluded, because I spend my working days either reading or writing words), but I sat down with 'Build a Bonfire' on Saturday afternoon. I know it's not running-related – and I've already read it – but it was an hour of bliss. It has also got a great photo of a bunch of mates front and centre mid pitch-invasion. The photo (or a similar one) made the front page of the Argus and they got absolutely roasted for it by the school (we were sixth-formers at the time).

chimneys · Mar 30, 2020

Bozza said:
Pressed for clarity on the rules, Mr Gove told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "Well, obviously it depends on each individual's fitness.

"I would have thought that for most people, a walk of up to an hour, or a run of 30 minutes or a cycle ride of between that, depending on their level of fitness is appropriate."

Source >>> https://www.politicshome.com/news/a...tints-to-30-minutes-amid-coronavirus-lockdown

Why didn't you also put in bold the final 8 words of that quote, as clearly relevant to Gove's point?

He seems to be saying don't do more than you usually do just as an excuse to stay out? If you are used to running for an hour, why would it now be appropriate to run for 30 minutes, whilst being able to spend double that time out the next day walking?

knocky1 · Mar 30, 2020

Greg Bobkin said:
"Running down Old Shoreham Road
And leaving families spaces"

:

Running post of all time.

I can’t stop signing it.

Bozza · Mar 30, 2020

chimneys said:
Why didn't you also put in bold the final 8 words of that quote, as clearly relevant to Gove's point?

Because I wanted a stranger on the internet to post aggressively at me.

chimneys said:
He seems to be saying don't do more than you usually do just as an excuse to stay out? If you are used to running for an hour, why would it now be appropriate to run for 30 minutes, whilst being able to spend double that time out the next day walking?

"Seems to be" being key there, I think. He was pushed on the point because guidance was, and is, slightly vague.

I know runners who have taken this 30 minutes as definitive guidance. I note via Strava, [MENTION=24867]chaileyjem[/MENTION] did a 30 minute run last night that referenced Gove.

There will be some who will find the continued ambiguity and stay out longer. I ran 8 miles last night.

dazzer6666 · Mar 30, 2020

Not sure if already mentioned but 'Keep on Running' by Phil Hewitt is a great read - he's also a local (Chichester way I think) and there are quite a few Sussex references in the book.

knocky1 · Mar 30, 2020

Grainy but great documentary from 1982 about Steve Ovett. Shows him rehab running round Brighton & Hove Streets. Interesting look back to the year before Wembley.
Get it onto your smart TV.
Have I mentioned I took his U-12 400m Brighton & Hove Schools record at cinder track Withdean in 1972? Slow 75 seconds but we were tiny.

chimneys · Mar 30, 2020

Bozza said:
Because I wanted a stranger on the internet to post aggressively at me.

"Seems to be" being key there, I think. He was pushed on the point because guidance was, and is, slightly vague.

I know runners who have taken this 30 minutes as definitive guidance. I note via Strava, [MENTION=24867]chaileyjem[/MENTION] did a 30 minute run last night that referenced Gove.

There will be some who will find the continued ambiguity and stay out longer. I ran 8 miles last night.

Aggressive Bozza?! Wow! Absolutely not intentional, to you of all people. I was merely trying to ask what I thought was a pertinent question, but I guess different people read things differently in these ever more stressful times.

Guinness Boy · Mar 30, 2020

Bozza said:
Because I wanted a stranger on the internet to post aggressively at me.

"Seems to be" being key there, I think. He was pushed on the point because guidance was, and is, slightly vague.

I know runners who have taken this 30 minutes as definitive guidance. I note via Strava, [MENTION=24867]chaileyjem[/MENTION] did a 30 minute run last night that referenced Gove.

There will be some who will find the continued ambiguity and stay out longer. I ran 8 miles last night.

Perhaps could have been worded better as a response to you but I get the gist of it. 30 minutes doesn't seem to make a lot of scientific sense. If you're trying to limit the amount of distance covered by people then parkrun alone will tell you there are people who can do nearly 10k in 30 minutes and others who will just about manage 2 miles. Then there are those of us (I suspect you and me will be two) who will run up and down our gardens if we have to. At that point the amount of time and distance becomes moot - it's just exercise.

I'm still taking "enjoy the exercise" as my stance. Though nominally preparing for an ultra in July I think both me and coach have privately conceded it's not going to happen, so I'm all about keeping in shape. If the government locks it down to a definitive 30 mins (and let's face it, they could check on strava unless we all stop recording our runs) then that's fine - I'll do 30 minutes every day. But I'd like to think it was a scientific figure and not one Gove wrote on the back of a fag packet. As Dazzer says, there are those of us who are able to run a lot further without encountering many people.

Greg Bobkin · Mar 30, 2020

Another book suggestion. Local running Doctor - top bloke too.

Bozza · Mar 30, 2020

Anyway, 8 miles for me last night. 7.5 miles made it to Strava, the first 0.5 didn't as I'd started an indoor run on my watch by mistake. Fortunately I looked at my watch a lot earlier than I usually do, so I noticed, stopped that activity and re-started an outdoor run.

Unlike others above, I don't own running tights, thick running tops nor snoods and the like, and the real feel was -3/-4 with that bitter NE wind. I had a brainwave before I went out: many, many years ago I bought a pair of Nike compression socks and I'd never worn them. I have no idea what compression socks are supposed to do, but I dug them out and put them on anyway to help keep my legs warm. As most of my shorts are basketball shorts, there was only the tiniest of gaps between the bottom of my shorts and the top of my socks!

42.6 miles for the week on Strava with a further 2.0 miles AWOL due to user/watch issues. That's a lot for me, and my legs were feeling it a bit on this morning's PE lesson with Joe.

Garry Nelson's teacher · Mar 30, 2020

knocky1 said:
Grainy but great documentary from 1982 about Steve Ovett. Shows him rehab running round Brighton & Hove Streets. Interesting look back to the year before Wembley.
Get it onto your smart TV.
Have I mentioned I took his U-12 400m Brighton & Hove Schools record at cinder track Withdean in 1972? Slow 75 seconds but we were tiny.

Funnily enough Steve has mentioned this many times over the years. It often features in interviews when he's asked to reference the greatest disappointment in his athletics career. Apparently this disappointment, coming at a developmental stage in is career, was a huge motivator. Indeed in one such interview he was quoted as saying:

"Losing that record really gutted me. But it spurred me on. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that if I could ever find that slightly built but strangely charismatic little guy who took my precious record away form me, I'd bow down in supplication and hand over all my Olympic medals to him. Whoever he is. wherever he is, I just want him to know that not only do I owe him a huge vote of thanks, but so does UK athletics."

(The interviewer records that at this point Ovett sobbed uncontrollably, and the interview ended.)

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