Official Running Thread

The Complete Badger said:

I headed for Hove Park today to continue my strategy of small gains. Since setting my benchmark, my parkrun results have been:

Hove Park (today): 24:30
Lancing (27/07): 24:53
Lancing (20/07): 25:47

Happy with that as it’s another 23 seconds off on a harder course. I’m sticking to a plan of running at around 95% effort. It needs to be hard work on my unfit body but it can’t be so tough that it triggers another injury.

The plan now is to run at least twice this week and then aim for 24:00 at a flat parkrun next week. Ideally I don’t want to jump more than 30 seconds in a week.

I have to say that I am loving these parkruns, I’ve missed the feeling you get at the end of a run where you’ve worked hard. Just being able to run at 95% again is fantastic, regardless of how many minutes I take to stagger and sweat my way round.

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The Complete Badger said:

Thank you. It’s great to be back in the game, even if I do have to make up a matter of minutes before I’m competing with most people on this thread again!

95% is probably exaggerating it a bit to be honest. It’s just finding that level where it feels hard on the lungs and makes you sweat but is still OK on the legs. I’m not sure what that’s called or if it even has a proper name.

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The Complete Badger said:

Thanks, interesting. I’m probably running parkruns at 3 or just over at the moment and other runs at 2.

I cannot wait to be in a position to turn it up to 5 again. We all love a totally reckless 5 that you can’t keep up with beyond 2k

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The Complete Badger said:

Thanks, interesting. I’m probably running parkruns at 3 or just over at the moment and other runs at 2.

I cannot wait to be in a position to turn it up to 5 again. We all love a totally reckless 5 that you can’t keep up with beyond 2k

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Ninja Elephant said:

Another day of strong running from the gang! I was surprised by my early pace in Worthing, until the turn I was really on for sub-19 but my stamina isn't there at top pace at the moment so I have to settle for a SB equalising 19:30. I'm going to start the marathon training for Bournemouth/Leicester on monday, with a nice 10 miler tomorrow morning (on the assumption I drag my carcus out of bed in time to do it in the AM).

After the marathon, I'm going to target the Christmas Day parkrun at Preston Park for 5k PB.

A friend of mine absolutely slaughtered his 5k PB today - having run 18:03 (PB) and 18:04 in the last two weeks (Tilgate and Queen Elizabeth respectively), he rolled into Reading today and smashed a 17:07. He's only 23, but I didn't think that type of improvement in the space of two weeks would be possible. Especially given he spent the week doing epic cycles and no speed work at all. And then run almost a minute quicker - amazing. Anyone experienced anything similar?

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sjamesb3466 said:

Great running from everyone today. Was really confident about my 10k tomorrow until what was meant to be a sensible work meal out last night got a bit out of hand and I've been hanging all day. Needless to say my hopes of a PB are now dwindling and I'm just trying to rehydrate so I can at least make it round tomorrow. Fingers crossed a good night's rest will work wonders and I will wake a new man but that feels unlikely at the moment!

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Ninja Elephant said:

Another day of strong running from the gang! I was surprised by my early pace in Worthing, until the turn I was really on for sub-19 but my stamina isn't there at top pace at the moment so I have to settle for a SB equalising 19:30. I'm going to start the marathon training for Bournemouth/Leicester on monday, with a nice 10 miler tomorrow morning (on the assumption I drag my carcus out of bed in time to do it in the AM).

After the marathon, I'm going to target the Christmas Day parkrun at Preston Park for 5k PB.

A friend of mine absolutely slaughtered his 5k PB today - having run 18:03 (PB) and 18:04 in the last two weeks (Tilgate and Queen Elizabeth respectively), he rolled into Reading today and smashed a 17:07. He's only 23, but I didn't think that type of improvement in the space of two weeks would be possible. Especially given he spent the week doing epic cycles and no speed work at all. And then run almost a minute quicker - amazing. Anyone experienced anything similar?

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sjamesb3466 said:

My last minute doubts were proved wrong as I have a new PB Really tough undulating course and wasn't expecting cross country sections including a muddy trail through the woods but came in 74th with a chip time of 51:59. A bit disappointed almost as I was at 45:30 after 9k but the last 1k was up a very steep rough muddy/rocky hill so it made for a very slow finish. Good practice however for the Badgers Atherstone 10k in 3 weeks.

http://www.nicandsteve.com/Starttof...saUTwpDc3lBwX7D-JC7GjVnwkbj5vEqWwRJT-q9Jd69NU

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sjamesb3466 said:

Are you doing the Leicester Marathon? I'm doing the Half as I'm aiming for my first full at Brighton next year (got my entry sorted so it's happening!). If you are let's hope for better weather than last year. Was torrential rain the whole way round and it kept all the spectators away which was a shame. Its nice running in some drizzle to keep cool but it was honestly ridiculous.

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Garry Nelson's teacher said:

Great stuff by you pal. Don't know about the Reading course but QE is a beast (worse than Bevendean IMO) so the improvement could partly be explained by that.

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knocky1 said:

Good galloping. I'll add that to the table, extra points for the NSC traditional pre race drinking.

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Ninja Elephant said:

Yes - decision made this afternoon because Leicester is £35, Bournemouth is a disgraceful and impossible to justify £57. I suspect it will be horrific again - I've been to Leicester 3 times, for a football tournament in May/June time and it's been torrential every time! Including this year - I did the Leicester Victoria parkrun in the worst conditions I've known for any run.

Does the Half start at the same place as the Marathon? If so, we'll make sure to make acquaintances.

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sjamesb3466 said:

Haha, yeah it's pretty grey up here most of the time and seems to rain every bloody weekend! Met my Mrs up here while at Uni (she's a Leicester lass) and having finished uni over a decade ago I'm still here. Moving Market Harborough way once the Mrs finishes her nursing degree and we actually have money again.

I normally do the Braunstone Parkrun rather than Victoria as it's a much prettier course (albeit the park itself is in the middle of a hell hole estate).

Half Marathon and Marathon set off from the same location at the same time. Course is pretty flat from memory so you should be on for a decent time although the finishing stretch up New Walk (slight incline) felt like Everest last year though. Full Marathons split off around the 7 mile mark while I will be turning gratefully for the city centre! Sounds like a plan to meet up at some point if you're about pre-race, I need all the tips I can get!

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