Official Running Thread

knocky1 said:

You were looking good for someone who'd cycled up Dyke Road and gone over Ditchling Beacon the short and sharp way. After one week trying to mix in cross training for a baby Tri. I'm knackered. Thighs struggling to find their muscle memory. The kick in swimming gave me DOMS and 36 miles on the bike took all energy out of my legs for running this weekend and no training energy for intervals last Tuesday.
So flat shorter bike rides this week and easy Parkrun. I need to get ready for a fairly good effort at the Worthing 10k on Sunday.

Will do a Weakest Link Relay call to arms next week.

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Greg Bobkin said:

It is knackering. I've realised that I've never properly trained for the tris I've done before. A token swim and a few miles on the bike here and there to supplement my go-to exercise of running. Now doing each discipline three times a week (and only getting one rest day), I realise the difference it makes. A month ago, I struggled with 20 miles on the bike and swimming full stop. This weekend I did double that on the bike (and could've carried on) and swam 1,700m (and ALSO felt like I could carry on). I'm not saying the ironman will be straightforward, but I'm sure I'll be ready for it!

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Greg Bobkin said:

It is knackering. I've realised that I've never properly trained for the tris I've done before. A token swim and a few miles on the bike here and there to supplement my go-to exercise of running. Now doing each discipline three times a week (and only getting one rest day), I realise the difference it makes. A month ago, I struggled with 20 miles on the bike and swimming full stop. This weekend I did double that on the bike (and could've carried on) and swam 1,700m (and ALSO felt like I could carry on). I'm not saying the ironman will be straightforward, but I'm sure I'll be ready for it!

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big nuts said:

With a new Park Run in Lancing imminent, I’ve just read that East Brighton Park will host yet another Sussex Park Run. Great to have so much choice and variety out there.

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big nuts said:

With a new Park Run in Lancing imminent, I’ve just read that East Brighton Park will host yet another Sussex Park Run. Great to have so much choice and variety out there.

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big nuts said:

With a new Park Run in Lancing imminent, I’ve just read that East Brighton Park will host yet another Sussex Park Run. Great to have so much choice and variety out there.

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Seaford by the sea said:

Seaford parkrun is very close as well. Sorting out the final funding then testing out the course flat out and back along seafront

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Badger said:

There seem to be hundreds of these park runs around. I hope to get along to one when I'm in Sussex next month. Sadly I'm going to miss the Weakest Link race though, as I'll be in Croatia for a few days. Who schedules a race on a Wednesday?!

Meanwhile, I'm taking part in my first event since the marathon this Friday/Saturday. Ragnar Relay Niagara, starting in Cobourg and finishing right by Niagara Falls. There's about 200 teams of 12 (or 6 for the ultra teams) taking part, so it's going to be great fun.

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knocky1 said:

Remember to post the inaugural one on here. We like a day out.

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big nuts said:

Yes, very much enjoyed Worthing Saturday. My 4th venue (all in Sussex) and would like to get around a lot more in the future. Saturday July 8th I've got a completely free Saturday so I'm planning to run Bevendean that day if anyone wants to join me for a post race fry up? That is of course it isn't the debut run for Seaford or Lancing.

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penny's harmonica said:

I’ve been trying to stick to 2 rides, 2 runs and 3 swims a week. My swimming is by far my weakest discipline but I have seen massive improvements in the 4 weeks I’ve been training. I barely managed 8 lengths first time and now up to 34 and feel like I could do more. My front crawl is the same pace as most others breast stroke but its confidence building for me as never really been comfortable in water. I’ve also been trying to take the bike if an opportunity arises even if only for 3 miles and have combined that into some brick sessions to get the legs used to the change over. I completely agree it’s exhausting and I’m like knocky only doing the baby But very interested to follow your path to the iron man as it’s something I’d like to think I might try.

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The Complete Badger said:

Enjoy Edinburgh. I spent three nights there and thought it was a great city.

Edinburgh itself is incredibly hilly but the marathon isn’t, mainly because not much of it is in Edinburgh. It starts with three miles around the city centre followed by two miles through the suburbs to the coast. There are two nice downhills and only one incline in that section. At the five mile mark you reach the sea. It is then 12 miles up the coastal road into East Lothian, a turnaround point at about 17 miles and nine miles back down the coast to the finish in Musselburgh, which is a few miles outside Edinburgh. The route is largely flat and the temperature was nice and cool on Sunday. Overall I would say it’s a well organised event with nice scenery and it’s as flat as a marathon is ever likely to be. Downsides would be the fact only the first three miles are in Edinburgh itself and, as a result of the rural/coastal route that only passes through a few small villages, there are very few spectators in comparison with my marathon debut at Brighton. In fact, apart from the area at Musselburgh that you pass at nine and 26 miles, there was hardly anybody out to watch.

As for my race, as I mentioned on here last week, I didn’t feel at my very best going into it. I have run quite a lot since Brighton but haven’t really hadn’t the motivation to do marathon-specific training. I also didn’t have the drive that comes from having a target time. In hindsight, that actually turned out to be a good thing as I took the first half slowly. I reached halfway in 1:42:43, more than four and a half minutes slower than I did at Brighton. I was a bit concerned at that stage as I wasn’t running at my usual pace and I hadn’t really planned to be that slow. However, what happened next was I inadvertently learned all about the benefits of pacing. I barely fell away at all. I didn’t run a single KM over 5:08 and only a small number over 5:00, whereas at Brighton I fell off a cliff that had me down at 5:55 in the closing stages. I felt strong until the very end, in fact I felt better at some points after 20 miles than I did in the first five miles. I ran the second half in 1:46:19 to come home in 3:28:02 - almost two minutes faster than Brighton.

Considering I did two marathons so close together and couldn’t really get myself properly up for this one as a result, I’m delighted with that. It felt like I was far more comfortable with the distance this time and in control. It’s showed me the benefit of not racing out the blocks, which has always been my strategy over every distance. Compare my 1:38/1:51 splits at Brighton to 1:42/1:46 at Edinburgh and I know which one feels nicer! With that in mind and given time to dedicate myself to just one marathon next time, I’m feeling confident I can smash my time again in a few months.

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The Complete Badger said:

Enjoy Edinburgh. I spent three nights there and thought it was a great city.

Edinburgh itself is incredibly hilly but the marathon isn’t, mainly because not much of it is in Edinburgh. It starts with three miles around the city centre followed by two miles through the suburbs to the coast. There are two nice downhills and only one incline in that section. At the five mile mark you reach the sea. It is then 12 miles up the coastal road into East Lothian, a turnaround point at about 17 miles and nine miles back down the coast to the finish in Musselburgh, which is a few miles outside Edinburgh. The route is largely flat and the temperature was nice and cool on Sunday. Overall I would say it’s a well organised event with nice scenery and it’s as flat as a marathon is ever likely to be. Downsides would be the fact only the first three miles are in Edinburgh itself and, as a result of the rural/coastal route that only passes through a few small villages, there are very few spectators in comparison with my marathon debut at Brighton. In fact, apart from the area at Musselburgh that you pass at nine and 26 miles, there was hardly anybody out to watch.

As for my race, as I mentioned on here last week, I didn’t feel at my very best going into it. I have run quite a lot since Brighton but haven’t really hadn’t the motivation to do marathon-specific training. I also didn’t have the drive that comes from having a target time. In hindsight, that actually turned out to be a good thing as I took the first half slowly. I reached halfway in 1:42:43, more than four and a half minutes slower than I did at Brighton. I was a bit concerned at that stage as I wasn’t running at my usual pace and I hadn’t really planned to be that slow. However, what happened next was I inadvertently learned all about the benefits of pacing. I barely fell away at all. I didn’t run a single KM over 5:08 and only a small number over 5:00, whereas at Brighton I fell off a cliff that had me down at 5:55 in the closing stages. I felt strong until the very end, in fact I felt better at some points after 20 miles than I did in the first five miles. I ran the second half in 1:46:19 to come home in 3:28:02 - almost two minutes faster than Brighton.

Considering I did two marathons so close together and couldn’t really get myself properly up for this one as a result, I’m delighted with that. It felt like I was far more comfortable with the distance this time and in control. It’s showed me the benefit of not racing out the blocks, which has always been my strategy over every distance. Compare my 1:38/1:51 splits at Brighton to 1:42/1:46 at Edinburgh and I know which one feels nicer! With that in mind and given time to dedicate myself to just one marathon next time, I’m feeling confident I can smash my time again in a few months.

Click to expand...

The Complete Badger said:

Enjoy Edinburgh. I spent three nights there and thought it was a great city.

Edinburgh itself is incredibly hilly but the marathon isn’t, mainly because not much of it is in Edinburgh. It starts with three miles around the city centre followed by two miles through the suburbs to the coast. There are two nice downhills and only one incline in that section. At the five mile mark you reach the sea. It is then 12 miles up the coastal road into East Lothian, a turnaround point at about 17 miles and nine miles back down the coast to the finish in Musselburgh, which is a few miles outside Edinburgh. The route is largely flat and the temperature was nice and cool on Sunday. Overall I would say it’s a well organised event with nice scenery and it’s as flat as a marathon is ever likely to be. Downsides would be the fact only the first three miles are in Edinburgh itself and, as a result of the rural/coastal route that only passes through a few small villages, there are very few spectators in comparison with my marathon debut at Brighton. In fact, apart from the area at Musselburgh that you pass at nine and 26 miles, there was hardly anybody out to watch.

As for my race, as I mentioned on here last week, I didn’t feel at my very best going into it. I have run quite a lot since Brighton but haven’t really hadn’t the motivation to do marathon-specific training. I also didn’t have the drive that comes from having a target time. In hindsight, that actually turned out to be a good thing as I took the first half slowly. I reached halfway in 1:42:43, more than four and a half minutes slower than I did at Brighton. I was a bit concerned at that stage as I wasn’t running at my usual pace and I hadn’t really planned to be that slow. However, what happened next was I inadvertently learned all about the benefits of pacing. I barely fell away at all. I didn’t run a single KM over 5:08 and only a small number over 5:00, whereas at Brighton I fell off a cliff that had me down at 5:55 in the closing stages. I felt strong until the very end, in fact I felt better at some points after 20 miles than I did in the first five miles. I ran the second half in 1:46:19 to come home in 3:28:02 - almost two minutes faster than Brighton.

Considering I did two marathons so close together and couldn’t really get myself properly up for this one as a result, I’m delighted with that. It felt like I was far more comfortable with the distance this time and in control. It’s showed me the benefit of not racing out the blocks, which has always been my strategy over every distance. Compare my 1:38/1:51 splits at Brighton to 1:42/1:46 at Edinburgh and I know which one feels nicer! With that in mind and given time to dedicate myself to just one marathon next time, I’m feeling confident I can smash my time again in a few months.

Click to expand...

The Complete Badger said:

Enjoy Edinburgh. I spent three nights there and thought it was a great city.

Edinburgh itself is incredibly hilly but the marathon isn’t, mainly because not much of it is in Edinburgh. It starts with three miles around the city centre followed by two miles through the suburbs to the coast. There are two nice downhills and only one incline in that section. At the five mile mark you reach the sea. It is then 12 miles up the coastal road into East Lothian, a turnaround point at about 17 miles and nine miles back down the coast to the finish in Musselburgh, which is a few miles outside Edinburgh. The route is largely flat and the temperature was nice and cool on Sunday. Overall I would say it’s a well organised event with nice scenery and it’s as flat as a marathon is ever likely to be. Downsides would be the fact only the first three miles are in Edinburgh itself and, as a result of the rural/coastal route that only passes through a few small villages, there are very few spectators in comparison with my marathon debut at Brighton. In fact, apart from the area at Musselburgh that you pass at nine and 26 miles, there was hardly anybody out to watch.

As for my race, as I mentioned on here last week, I didn’t feel at my very best going into it. I have run quite a lot since Brighton but haven’t really hadn’t the motivation to do marathon-specific training. I also didn’t have the drive that comes from having a target time. In hindsight, that actually turned out to be a good thing as I took the first half slowly. I reached halfway in 1:42:43, more than four and a half minutes slower than I did at Brighton. I was a bit concerned at that stage as I wasn’t running at my usual pace and I hadn’t really planned to be that slow. However, what happened next was I inadvertently learned all about the benefits of pacing. I barely fell away at all. I didn’t run a single KM over 5:08 and only a small number over 5:00, whereas at Brighton I fell off a cliff that had me down at 5:55 in the closing stages. I felt strong until the very end, in fact I felt better at some points after 20 miles than I did in the first five miles. I ran the second half in 1:46:19 to come home in 3:28:02 - almost two minutes faster than Brighton.

Considering I did two marathons so close together and couldn’t really get myself properly up for this one as a result, I’m delighted with that. It felt like I was far more comfortable with the distance this time and in control. It’s showed me the benefit of not racing out the blocks, which has always been my strategy over every distance. Compare my 1:38/1:51 splits at Brighton to 1:42/1:46 at Edinburgh and I know which one feels nicer! With that in mind and given time to dedicate myself to just one marathon next time, I’m feeling confident I can smash my time again in a few months.

Click to expand...