Weekly chat 23 May - 29 May

[Realfoodieclub]

Please feel free to share you runs and chat

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10]

I had a great run yesterday I broke the run into 2. First run 2km my normal running way then the second run 3km I did 30 second run/walk intervals. I did this to try and keep my heart rate down and It worked better than the running till I had to walk to slow the heart rate down, also mentally it was better, not so frustrating. So I have to take a week off to see my Dad this week, when I get back I will be doing more training with that in mind. On the plus side my pace was faster as well. Happy healthy running to you all.

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to Realfoodieclub]

Interesting strategy, RFC. I never run twice in a day, but I have been doing the earlier method you describe. I run/walk to keep heart rate down at the start, but run continuously for 5 or 6 k at the end.

Like you, I found it frustrating at first, but then I just turned off the timed intervals and started doing it by checking the heart rate. If it climbs too high, I walk until it drops 15 or 20 points. I think I usually walk between 20 and 30 seconds.

I find if I do it properly, my heart rate stabilises after 2.5 or 3k, and then I can run without stopping. It is really neat, almost like my whole body comes into tune at once. And after that point, my heart rate may climb, but I can control it through changes in pace.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10 in reply to parseraisin]

It was one run I just stopped and turned my Garmin off then started it again so the stats were seperate. I am such a stats girl😀. My heart rate is a bit of a bugger if I say so myself. It rises really fast and stays high then at rest it's back to 56-68 bpm depending if it was a training day or not. Doctors are happy with what I'm doing. It runs high while running full stop so I don't get much of a run before I have to walk. I find that 30/30 seemed to be easier on my mind (more structure rather than frustration) and kept it more stable, I was quite impressed with the way my body seemed to like it. Can't wait to get back and try it again. Like you I am hoping that I eventually will train the heart rate to stabilise easier when running. Hehe it's only been nearly three years!

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to Realfoodieclub]

I agree, the timed intervals can be a relief because they provide such clear, simple steps to follow. I use them for long runs for that very reason.

Your heart rate does sound tricky, you are smart to have gotten input. Mine is historically quite low, but I have not had a doctor's input since I started back running. I probably should do.

I've turned into a stats girl too, but more in the moment. I find I have almost no ability to match how I'm feeling with the effort I'm expending or what I am achieving in terms of pace. When I started using the Garmin I was amazed to see how hard I was running, and to note that I never stopped telling myself it "wasn't too bad yet" or "I can surely push a bit harder".

So I'm using stats to learn the hard way (as usual) to work smarter, not harder.

[parseraisin Graduate10]

Hello RFC, it is nice to see a 10k sister to the 5k quest.

This is my inaugural reply on the board. I've been lurking for a while, but somehow didn't feel like I qualified yet as a bridger. In the last few weeks, however, my training plan increased distances, and so now here I am.

I had a great running week, I managed three runs, 10.5k, 5k, and 14k.

The 10.5k was at a swift pace, not quite the projected race pace for my plan, but much faster than normal. The 5k was torture, but I recovered in time for the 14k, and completed with a strong finish.

This shall be an easy week: 7k, 5k, and 10.5k, all at easy or very easy effort. I'm following a myasics plan for 10 miles, and I've just been invited to adjust it to increase paces and decrease projected finish time. Any others out there with experience adjusting a plan?

[Realfoodieclub Graduate10 in reply to parseraisin]

Hiya and welcome to this forum, all are welcome , we really are just the same on here as the C25K. Wow you going some distance there, well done. I have done MyAsics plan but never got to the point to adjust it. They asked me once but it was to make it slower so I tried speeding up. To be fair most of the time I just couldn't hit the pace they recommended I'm really not that fast so I ignored the pace side of it and just did my own version of slow and fast. It still worked for me though. Happy running.

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to Realfoodieclub]

Hi thanks, yes, I am exceeding the paces, but I didn't really have a proper race pace to set up the plan with. I used my best 5k time from an everyday run.

The plan is a bit wonky, I don't quite trust it yet. They increased my distance faster than I would have liked, and the changes in pace they suggest are significant.

I think I'll leave it be, because as you say it is working well enough and I'm not looking for big pace increases, just to improve endurance.

[Terrorrun Graduate10]

Longer slow ( or very slow ) runs for me this week - increasing mileage, running 8 miles for the first time tomorrow, eeek ! Following a sub 60m 10k plan - beginners level.

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to Terrorrun]

Ooh, good luck to you. I did the first 8 miles over the weekend. I was nervous, but came through it okay. I suspect you will be fine, if you are training for a sub 60 10k. I can't even imagine it, my paces are muuuuccch slower.

[Terrorrun Graduate10 in reply to parseraisin]

Thanks - I am a bit nervous but am taking quite a flat route with good scenery so I should be fine. The pace for tomorrow is nice and steady. In fact all the runs on this plan are steady or very slow for the first three weeks - the only little bit of speed work is some strides at the end of some of the shorter runs. ( Which I found out are really fun ! )

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to Terrorrun]

I like strides too, but haven't done them for a while, thanks for the reminder!

[Hidden]

Hello RFC and everyone. I had a quiet week last week with a cold and general feeling of run-down-ness. Listened to my body and took it easy. But then Saturday's 6k was ace. The break must have helped. I'm enjoying running 6k at the moment, it's always just over 42 mins so hoping to improve on that (in theory I should be able to get it under 40mins eventually?) I think it's like my new 5k, I can sort of predict how it's going to go, really monitor my pace and feel like everything's under control, and it seems to push me quite hard still too.

That said, I'm hoping to start going slower and further again to repeat the 10k I did in November and am yet to repeat since. I'm also considering going further than 10k, as I'm wondering if I'm a distance person rather than a speed person, also I've been working out some nice long routes in my new area and I want to try them all out

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

I like the idea of 6k being the new 5k, sort of like 60 is the new 40, or 40 is the new 20 :-)!!

[Terrorrun Graduate10]

Sounds like you have a good plan coming together there Hidden . Glad your feeling better. I love a new route too

[Hidden in reply to Terrorrun]

Thanks Terrorun, yes hopefully it's a plan, just as long as I stick to it! Hope your week's going well so far

[GoogleMe Graduate10]

I have had the trauma of buying new shoes... not that they have arrived yet. But I realised that if I go out in my Adizero XTs again I risk an occurrence like my Dad had recently, when his shoes fell apart and he had to abandon his event, sole-less. I've gone for Brooks Cascadia 10s and a little nervous that they will be too chunky for me... but the XTs have gone weird and boot-like (and despite starting running in boots, I am not keen to return) and my even more minimal shoes are not so good on the old railway trails round these parts. Glad to have avoided two most current notorious exploitative retailers.

I realise I've written trauma when for many of you it would read 'delight'. I was really touched by a non-running friend telling me that the cost of new running shoes should be considered an essential household expense (and let's face it, there are not many, ? any, other fitness activities that cost less on a per week basis)

[Hidden in reply to GoogleMe]

I suppose we're saving on health-related costs elsewhere in our lives that we're not even aware of, and shoes are the most important bit of kit for running... So yes not so much of a trauma, maybe not absolutely a delight, but a good and profitable use of resources perhaps? Hope you find the right shoes soon enough

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to GoogleMe]

My husband just bought some Cascadia 10s. They don't seem clunky to me, and he tells me that they are really really comfortable. Good luck with them!

[GoogleMe Graduate10 in reply to parseraisin]

That's reassuring thank you! I don't mind waiting if that's going to be it when they arrive rather than having to start all over again.

[Noaky12 Graduate10]

Evening all! Away with work tonight & tomorrow night so trying hard to be good with the food & looking forward to a 5 mile build up run along the grand lady thames. Provided of course I don't end up having to work late & none of my various current injuries/issues flair up or the pub calls..............

[Bazza1234 Graduate10]

I also have another "tricky" way to run - to both maintain an average pace over a distance and also to not allow my HR to go too high. I set my garmin alarm to go off if it reaches a certain HR number - if this alarm goes off I walk for around 30 seconds. Then I run/walk - running until my average pace is a little above what I want my average pace to be and then walk until the average pace falls down to what I want it to be - at which time I start running again Sounds complicated I know - but it's not really. The only time the HR alarm goes off is if I don't slow down enough up the hills - the rest of the time I just us the run/walk intervals to determine my required pace.

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to Bazza1234]

Thanks for that explanation, I am always fiddling around trying to sort out how to manage hr, pace and run/walk. Explanations from others help immensely!

[misswobble Graduate10]

I'm still trail running in my original cascadia 8s Google me ☺ I read the other day they should last 500 miles ☺ Mine have never had as much as a rinse under the tap yet they look fine. They just seem to shed dirt. Must be the fabric.

Parseraisin I have accepted speed ups and slow downs to my asics plans. You can accept the change and see how you get on. You will find out soon enough, and myasics will feed back to you if needs be. They will be quickly telling you if you need to pull it back. Good luck

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

Oh, misswobble, thanks very much. I briefly accepted the plan, but panicked and declined because the mileage last week was particularly high, and my paces are slowing down as a result. When I saw the adjustments I thought I couldn't possibly manage, but perhaps it was a failure of nerve.

[misswobble Graduate10]

I always go with the tweaks which asics suggests, as they know about this stuff! I wouldn't have a clue. You soon know if it's working as they'll butt in again pretty quickly if you start slowing up and they'll offer to slow things down. I run hills so expect slower times. I do that as my upcoming race is going to be hilly and I want to be ready. I think asics base their plans on flat runs!

Don't worry about it, it's not a tyranny. It's just a tool to help you but it does help to kick you up the butt

[parseraisin Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

Thanks, I bit the bullet and adjusted the plan. It has been useful so far, so I'll give it a shot.