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Official Running Thread









Dorset Seagull

Once Dolphin, Now Seagull
Just restarted couch to 5k after my previous attempt failed with an achillies injury. This thread has prompted me to register with parkrun so I can undertake my first one in a few weeks time. Its a bit frustrating to have been a half decent runner in my youth (Unbeaten at Hove Grammar regular cross country runs) and finding at 65 the body struggles with the basics
 


CoolTed

Member
Nov 2, 2015
42
On balance, better not to think too much about what comes next...............

But the official designations are thus

1. 60-64 - old git

2. 65-69 - very old git

3. 70-74 - extremely old git

4. 75-80 - extraordinarily old git

That's good, we're covered for a good few years. And we still have words like incredibly, phenomenally, disgustingly, etc. in reserve for later.
 








knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
12,982
Just restarted couch to 5k after my previous attempt failed with an achillies injury. This thread has prompted me to register with parkrun so I can undertake my first one in a few weeks time. Its a bit frustrating to have been a half decent runner in my youth (Unbeaten at Hove Grammar regular cross country runs) and finding at 65 the body struggles with the basics

Greetings. You were 3 years above me and 3 years below Paul Gasson at HCGS.
Good luck with Parkrun.
 


dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
52,702
Burgess Hill
To quote Edmund Blackadder when told he was a ‘nothing but a lapdog to a slip of a girl’ (by Redbeard Rum)

‘better a lapdog to a slip of a girl than a………..git’.
 




knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
12,982
This old git was very upset after Parkrun today. Set a target of 23:11 to finally get back to the 70%+ AG. Running 36 seconds quicker than last week's 23:57 seemed well within reach.

Got confused at the start and had 22:11 in my head. Set off at the correct pace (without the cheating shoes saving them) and it hit me hard halfway managed to keep going to the end but couldn't finish fast and failed by 24 seconds in 22:35. Very unhappy.

The old git got home and found the target was 23:11 and I had smashed the target by 36 seconds and an AG 71.8%. 82 seconds faster than last week rather than the 22 seconds I thought.
 


Garry Nelson's teacher

Well-known member
May 11, 2015
5,257
Bloody Worthing!
This old git was very upset after Parkrun today. Set a target of 23:11 to finally get back to the 70%+ AG. Running 36 seconds quicker than last week's 23:57 seemed well within reach.

Got confused at the start and had 22:11 in my head. Set off at the correct pace (without the cheating shoes saving them) and it hit me hard halfway managed to keep going to the end but couldn't finish fast and failed by 24 seconds in 22:35. Very unhappy.

The old git got home and found the target was 23:11 and I had smashed the target by 36 seconds and an AG 71.8%. 82 seconds faster than last week rather than the 22 seconds I thought.

That word, 'confused' is beginning to go with the territory (see below). But that's a big chunk out of last week's time.

20.38 for me at Worthing and went home very cross thinking it was identical to last week and that surely I could have shaved a second off somewhere, surely.
Gt home and found it was 2 seconds faster than last week and therefore and (sorry to trouble you for the updated league table) an SB and (therefore) a PB for age grade @ 82.79% (only good enough for 6th best today at speedy Worthing).

My pal in his 70s reported a huge PB of around 25 minutes at Preston Park only to realise that he was one lap short! Of course he didn't register his time. Easily done, I guess. Confusion rules!
 


Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
55,834
Back in Sussex
I saw a local runner I converse with a bit on Instagram was doing the David Goggins' 4*4*48 challenge - 4 miles, every 4 hours for 48 hours - to "celebrate" his 40th birthday. He'd posted his schedule and who he was with on each run. He had noone to run with him at mdnight last night, so I popped down to keep him company on what was his fourth run as he started at midday yesterday.

This represented two firsts for me:

1. Travelling somewhere to run. I always run from my front door, back to my front door (even if my front door is a hotel or AirBnB etc away from home).
2. Running with someone else. I've never run with anyone else. Casual chatty runs are quite fun, even at midnight, who knew?!?

I'm going to pop down and run with him another once or twice this weekend - it feels a relativelu easy way to get some miles in - at least for mei if not for him!
 




knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
12,982
That word, 'confused' is beginning to go with the territory (see below). But that's a big chunk out of last week's time.

20.38 for me at Worthing and went home very cross thinking it was identical to last week and that surely I could have shaved a second off somewhere, surely.
Gt home and found it was 2 seconds faster than last week and therefore and (sorry to trouble you for the updated league table) an SB and (therefore) a PB for age grade @ 82.79% (only good enough for 6th best today at speedy Worthing).

My pal in his 70s reported a huge PB of around 25 minutes at Preston Park only to realise that he was one lap short! Of course he didn't register his time. Easily done, I guess. Confusion rules!

Great running GNT. I know I'll never get that AG at 5K, unless I give the one lap by confusion a go. Hopefully I can get near it in the summer at 1500m or a mile.

4 weeks in the NSC Tourbus around Galicia for me coming up. Be good to step back from Parkrun and work on easy mileage with interval training.
 


knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
12,982
Busy tomorrow so early table for GNT chipping away at a higher AG percentage and myself moving up a few places.

NAME 5K SB 5K PB SB AG 10K 10M HM M
GNT 20:38 20:20 82.79% 40:31 1:19:12 1:31:18 4:19:55
Artie Fufkin 18:12 16:55 77.29% 35:47 1:15:58 2:42:07
CoolTed17:1875.27%36:1059:55 1:20:39 3:01:52
Simgull 20:51 20:21 73.7%42:45 1:11:46 1:38:14 3:44:28
St Leonard's 18:21 18:2173.30% 1:34:35
Knocky 22:3917:45 72.04% 39:52 1:34:00 3:50:49
Blue&WhiteSea 18:49 17:05 72.01% 36:53 1:00:09 1:22:39
Bad Ash19:3019:18 70.51%43:27 1:35:003:39:23
Soistes 24:04 21:51 70.36% 46:14 1:43:12 3:51:33
Curious Orange 21:01 18:36 67.96% 37:59 1:24:23.9 3:29:23
Greg Bobkin 22:52 20:54 61.08% 46:57 1:18:01 1:39:00 3:57:37
Notters 22:1322:13 60.54%
Big Nuts 18:00 38:10 1:05:38 1:24:23 3:15:59
Badger18:0537:41 1:22:572:56:33
HerrTubthumper19:03 1:36:10 3:05:34
Ben Eltons Bro20:3343:03 1:32:31 3:28:03
Anchorman 21:34 46.25 1:41:38 3:55:00
Bob! 22:41 45.391:16:42 1:44:21 3:53:35
Guinness Boy 22:04 46:50 01:21:06 1:45.30 4:00:06
snowflake%44:16 1:14:03
ForestRow 1:30:24
Ninja Elephant 17:37 % 37:33 1:07:57 1:27:43 3:10:49
Fitzcarraldo 19:33 %
Mr Banana 19:28 %
P's Harmonica 20:10 % 43:03 1:33:56 3:27:19
Left Back 21:02 % 45:47 1:42:01
Mr Blobby23:05% 48:54 1:20:05 1:47:44 4:13:22
CompleteBadger 19:37% 41:25 1:17:11 1:30:58 3:29:52
chaileyjem24:45%54:47 1:54:30
DFreemansPerm28:46
Biffy Boy 19.55%41:31 1:33:17 3:18:39
Dazzer 19.57 % 1:36 3:43:
jimmygull20:5049:19 4:04:32
seagull-si21.29% 1:43:42
lostinlondon 22:00 % 44.13
Nathan22:36%46:58 1:44:54 4:06:25
sjamesb346622:58%47:141:21:12 1:48:49
JoePrecious 19:44 46:19 1:24:08 1:38:13 4:04:30
Jonny Rainbow41:43 1:12:40 3:24:38
Shippers 1:43:42
 


Did 21 miles yesterday in 3 hours 23 mins. This is really the grim bit of marathon training, going to go up a mile now each of the next three Sundays
 




A rare visit to Preston park. Impressed by the overall quality and size of the field (460 or so). 21.17 just scraped me over the 80% AG on a windy day and a course with that mean little hill. Quite pleased - but not as pleased, I think, as the VW55-59 who clocked a 94%!

I ran up that mean little hill 19 times yesterday, it's an old friend :D
 


Dorset Seagull

Once Dolphin, Now Seagull
Need some advice. Doing the couch to 5k and now on week 6. It seems that whenever I have 2 runs to do with a rest I always really struggle on the first run but find the second, after the short walking phase, quite easy. When I say struggle I mean really gasping for air etc. My thoughts are that by the second run my body has settled down and so it is far easier.

Any advice on how I can make sure my body is able to deal with the first run as I do with the second. I always do a 10 minute muscle warm up and the 5 min fast walk before the first run so am following the correct preparation. Would it help to do maybe a couple of minutes of running during the initial 5 min walk and end with a 3 min walk instead so I am properly warmed up for the first run.
 


Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
55,834
Back in Sussex
Need some advice. Doing the couch to 5k and now on week 6. It seems that whenever I have 2 runs to do with a rest I always really struggle on the first run but find the second, after the short walking phase, quite easy. When I say struggle I mean really gasping for air etc. My thoughts are that by the second run my body has settled down and so it is far easier.

Any advice on how I can make sure my body is able to deal with the first run as I do with the second. I always do a 10 minute muscle warm up and the 5 min fast walk before the first run so am following the correct preparation. Would it help to do maybe a couple of minutes of running during the initial 5 min walk and end with a 3 min walk instead so I am properly warmed up for the first run.

I think it's down to your "settling down" theory.

I've run every day for over two years, I run 60+ miles a week and can comfortably run 15 miles at a time, but at the beginning of almost every run I feel briefly knackered to the point I'd probably give up if I didn't actually know I can run a reasonable distance.

So, for me at least, it's just a matter of carrying on running and my body sorts itself out quite quickly.
 


dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
52,702
Burgess Hill
Need some advice. Doing the couch to 5k and now on week 6. It seems that whenever I have 2 runs to do with a rest I always really struggle on the first run but find the second, after the short walking phase, quite easy. When I say struggle I mean really gasping for air etc. My thoughts are that by the second run my body has settled down and so it is far easier.

Any advice on how I can make sure my body is able to deal with the first run as I do with the second. I always do a 10 minute muscle warm up and the 5 min fast walk before the first run so am following the correct preparation. Would it help to do maybe a couple of minutes of running during the initial 5 min walk and end with a 3 min walk instead so I am properly warmed up for the first run.

Probably right with your thoughts…..the first run is a bit of a ‘shock’ to the system. If you use a heart rate monitor you’d probably notice the same - usually big spike in HR for the first few mins until you settle. Don’t worry about sticking too religiously to the programme - perhaps experiment a bit with, as you say, dropping some (slow) running into the fast walk - or ideally aim for a gradual increase in speed from the off…walk, faster walk, slow jog……

I suspect you’ll find it easier when you drop the walk interval between runs and do a single run and you’ll just get used to a few mins of regulating your breathing at the start. It’s perfectly ok to walk for a bit to allow it to settle too……sometimes even 20-30 seconds will be enough.

The first 5-10 mins of a run is my favourite bit - said no runner, ever :lolol:
 




timbha

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
9,955
Sussex
Good advice above. I’d also think about your breathing during that initial warm up. Take a few deep breaths, holding your breath for a few seconds to gradually expand your lungs.

As others have said; just run through it…… we all suffer for the first few minutes
 


Curious Orange

Punxsatawney Phil
Jul 5, 2003
9,967
On NSC for over two decades...
I was amused to see on Strava that I got an achievement for my participation in the Surrey Half Marathon over the weekend - my third fastest time of the 2020 route...

:D



Lack of training showed!
 


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