Another month is over, leaves are falling from the trees, children are being protected from playing conkers at school and the nights are closing in.
So how did we all do in September? I had a fabulous month and just made it to my 9 mile target, so my HM plan is on track. I hope you had a wonderful month and plans were carried out. If not, the goals remain and we adapt, so nothing is really lost in the grand scale of things.
Thanks for having me this month... another Quest starts tomorrow!
I had a great month, I ran two 5K' s at parkrun, one which was a PB, two 10Ks, of which one was a sub 70 minutes, plenty of cycling, other exercises too including your favourite, planks. 😊
Well done... amazing month hitting both PBs. I do love a plank... starting on the side planks now, they’re not so nice 🤣
Have a wonderful October Al
Thanks UNM, I'll be at Dunfermline parkrun this Saturday. 😊 🏃
I managed 3 or 4 runs a week most weeks, except one
Got to 16.5km, very happy with that, even if I wasn't happy with the run itself. I am doing lots of calf raises and they seem to be helping with my tight calves, so I will keep on getting taller then shorter 
Well done. I think your 16.5 demonstrates that the toughest bit of the run doesn’t necessarily have to be the bit we expect... I had an 8 mile run where it was the middle bit, and you had a tough start to yours... but it also shows how strong you are to keep going and get through that and into the easier running. Obviously we’d love a smooth run every time in training, but then on event day things are more likely to put us out of our comfort zone, so I believe tough training runs are essential.
Great job keeping the calf raises going... good to read that they are helping.
Have a great October
September was a fantastic month for me UNM! I achieved my goal of running a HM distance run on the 18th, having just become a first time grandma! 💙💙
I’ve been loving my running and my times are gradually improving having taken a nosedive over the summer, what with the heat, and my long distance aspirations. 🥵🏃♀️
This month I’ve also done an inaugural parkrun (Clevedon 👍) and I revisited my new favourite, Severn Bridge, on Saturday and ran in extremely wet and windy conditions. It was epic! 👊😀
This morning I got out my hill legs in readiness for a bonkers tourist trip up to scary Lyme Park next Saturday, and did a lovely 7k at Ashton Court. Also very hilly, but better the devil you know! 😈 😀
Basically running is ace! 😀
Congratulations on an unusual but excellent double in September!
The heat is difficult to maintain speed and distance in, a lot of marathon runners had to pull out at the world championships, so we have to be very proud of what we mere mortals achieved in it I think!
I may be off the hook for the hill at Lyme. My daughter’s current running plan has a longest run of 4K this week, so she’s planning to walk the hill and then run... I’m planning to get her training in miles over the winter as it’s too confusing for me in km! My plan has the only run short enough to be done on a parkrun as 2.5 miles, so I may be doing her run with her... but I do have a 3.5 mile one, so if I can work out where to start I may run from somewhere across the car park!
Great job this month and I’ll see you on Saturday.
Absolutely can’t wait and I feel terrified in equal measure UNM! 😅😅
Oh, and by the way, I believe there’s more than one hill - so maybe not so off the hook as you think! 😅😅
It’s a big stony uphill at the start, then pretty flat undulating over the top, lovely downhill, sharp muddy left turn where many get more muddy than they’d like (I forget what they call it) and then a deceptively hard gentle incline to the finish! Yeah, an incline or two up there, but they’re not significant ones compared to the start!
I’d prefer to run from 700m or so back... I may go find where that is this week and then have a chat with the back tailwalker (they have two) about running from behind them... I figure if I set off at 8:58 then they should be done with the formalities before I get to the start line.
Ahhh mud and hills! Lyme Park has it all! Will be interested to see how your run works out UNM! 😀
A bit depends on that tailwaker... the one at the back locks some gates on the way, so I need to know that they won’t make the course harder should I not be up the hill in time 🤣
And if it’s a really awful run you guys can come and rescue me 🤣
What was Clevedon parkrun like. I just saw it had been added after the update to the parkrunner app (easier and faster to use than the official map, plus it works offline which can be useful if we are travelling around)
We hope to do it on 19th October when we visit my brother in Weston super mare. I was expecting to revisit Burnham and Highbridge which is very nice, but a new parkrun is a bigger draw.
Clevedon was nice Sue. A lap of a small park, then 2 longer laps incorporating the marine lake and the seafront. It’s not hilly by any stretch, but there are several inclines. I enjoyed it. I also enjoy Burnham. 😀
Shame I can’t join you on the 19th, but I’m volunteering at Eastville Park ahead of the GSR on the 20th. Next time you come, let me know! 😀
I certainly will let you know. We are thinking of Yeovil Montacute on 26th but that's not definite yet. We will probably camp at Montacute on the Friday if we go there.
Would be good to hear what you think of Yeovil. It’s a bit further afield for me, but I’m loving my tourist jaunts, and if it’s a good PR I’d be happy to give it a go some day! 👍🏃♀️
I will let you know if we get there.
Have you been to Longrun Meadow in Taunton? That was very nice although I can imagine that it gets very wet in winter.
No I haven’t ventured to any further south than Burnham so far (I’m in Bristol), but Taunton’s not much further. 😀
Unfortunately Yeovil was cancelled due to bad weather. As was the next nearest parkrun to campsite, Street
I had a great month for the runs i did - bagged my first 10k since June🙌 but not great in that i have lost my motivation to get up early in the mornings and so not as many runs as i had aimed to do. Not helped by the weather i am sure, but reset for October, I have a monthly challenge set and hope to find the morning mojo 
- if anyone has seen it please send my way! Its a necessity to be honest cos then it will be doubly hard when we hit the dark mornings.
I've taken stock of my winter gear, dramatically reduced the amount i thought i needed to buy always a plus - so trail trainers and a running light is all i require.
Well done getting back to that 10k. It’s a hard time of year to be getting up early I think... The weather isn’t great, the light is going, it always takes me some time to adjust, I’d rather and out be up when it’s either light or dark. That mojo could be in your left shoe... if not it’s in the right one... not gone though, just hiding! As I said above, goals remain and we adjust to get there all the time... and so it’s great to hear your October plan is defined... have a great October Quest.
I had a good month UNM. As a new graduate (Aug) my aim was to run 5k as I had only previously ran max 4K on the C25K programme.
So I continued with 30 min consolidation runs 3 times a week (approx 3.5k) and then have done two 5k’s both at park run. Very pleased with progress. So will continue with this pattern for a while I think.
Well some on hitting your 9 mile target!
Great running... well done getting to that 5k... that’s, for me, the biggest milestone in the journey through the distances, 5-10 seems easier that 0-5 was, that’s for sure!
If you’re running something like 3.5, 3.5, 5 then you’re on the right tracks... compare it to the beginning of ju-ju-‘s magic plan up there in the pinned posts and you’ll see that it’s not about the same run every time once your comfortable over 30 minutes.
Have a wonderful October.
With no particular plan other than running three times a week, including a parkrun, I have had a good month. Just over 72km. The first week was only two runs due to being away and doing a few walking days. But I have been using the Guardian Advanced running podcasts and enjoying them. Because they last about an hour I have been increasing my distances., 5 miles today.
We did a Freedom Run at Clumber Park (waymarked parkrun route). It was very nice but I struggled with it for no apparent reason. I walked a fair bit so was surprised that it only took me 37 minutes. After a shower and second breakfast, we spent the rest of the day walking around the Park. The next run, along the avenue in Clumber Park was only 4km but I seem to be back on form since the parkrun on Saturday.
Sounds like a wonderful month of running. That guardian series is now downloaded to my phone, I’m gonna give them a try over the winter. You were doing some speedy running there if you covered 5k in 37 with a fair bit of walking... sounds like it can be scored up as a great interval session. I love the short ones when they come up... I got a 2 miler recently and it seemed to end before it got going, barely noticed it 😀
Have a great October, especially the 5th.
Yes, see you at Lyme Park
I’ve had a good month. New parkrun PB of 25:36, got to 52 Parkruns and got my milestone 50 T Shirt and I’m up to 10K again in sub 1 hour times. Looking forward to visiting Bristol to do my first UK parkrun at Eastville parkrun. Also looking forward to celebrating Parkruns 15th Birthday next weekend at my home parkrun.
Damien
Many congratulations on the PB and sub 60 10k, a great double for the month... and also getting to don that lovely red 50 shirt, that’s an achievement in itself, a year of parkruns!
Being part of the parkrun 15th birthday celebrations is exciting... have a good one, and another wonderful month.
Good month for me. I clocked up almost 170kms and took part in a 10 mile (16.1 km) race, which was a full km further than I'd ever run before
Great work... over 100 miles too!! There’s something about that extra km to 10 miles... I have to run it this week and it’s got me more nervous than any of the preceding 15! Many congratulations completing your first 10 mile event... are you heading to HM?
Have a wonderful October.
Thank you! Yes, now that I've broken the 10 mile barrier I am so much more confident that I can do a HM.......
It’s just a parkrun away now! This is what I tell myself on all my long runs when I get to that final 3 miles. You can definitely do it... enjoy that next stage of your journey.
Exactly! When I reached 6 miles in the race I thought to myself "just the distance that you run most lunchtimes to go, and that's easy!"
How far we’ve come!
Well, milestones/(km-stones?) seem to be tumbling through most of this conversation. Well done, all you runny folk! I’ve had a good month but no big markers to claim. Just a satisfying feeling that after a very fun summer of many visitors, I’ve been able to settle into a bit more routine with running. 😊👍 Mostly 3 times a week, with one longer run to help with building towards 10k. I find those the fun runs! Trying out things on the others: intervals, Jeffing, new routes. All good - keeping on keeping on. 😄 More house guests in October, but if the weather cooperates at all, I should cope....🤔
Not all milestones (or km-stones) can be measured by distance alone. Getting into that routine for the autumn after some awful weather (for running) over the summer and getting right on track to that 10k is in itself an important marker. You’re enjoying the long runs and that’s only going to help you going forwards. Great month, have a wonderful October.
I increased my distance a very, very little and picked up an ITB injury. I’m not disheartened and still plan to go up slowly to 10 miles. But I do have to keep up my core strength exercises. I did 10km on a beach which I’m delighted about. Exciting news today that parkrun is starting in my local park next week. So I’ll do my first park run next Saturday. I’ve said I’ll help too 😊
10k on a beach is huge, I can’t get to 5k on one yet. A local inaugural parkrun is very exciting, I’m very jealous there.
Hope that ITB settles down soon and you can then enjoy that journey to the big 10. Have a wonderful October.
Thanks unfit. I’m looking forward to autumn running
Scarily good month, as it’s next month that really matters 🙏. Long slow run target achieved ✅, race pace target smashed 👍, a 30-year 10k PB and a sub-24 parkrun.
If I’m dreaming 🛌, please don’t wake me up until after the Great South Run 😀
Onwards and upwards!!
Huge month... I’d wager the number of 30 year old PBs broken is tiny! Many congratulations and sleep well!!
Have a wonderful October.
Ooops - thank you, but unfortunately, what I was trying to say was that the New Forest race was my best 10k since one I did 30 years, not that I'd beaten the time I did then - which was about 41 mins I think …… now that would be a dream
Ahh... well, I’m still very impressed!
This month I’ve run a HM distance twice (once officially and once in training), plus a 10k PB (still slow 1h16) and a few gentle
5ks.
Looking forward to a couple of months working towards a faster 10k time whilst I work out what’s next!
Months can’t get much better than that. Congratulations on the PB and also nailing that 13.1 twice. Have a wonderful October.
A very satisfying month for me. Mr Garmin tells me I have run 75 km in September, which included my first 10 mile distance. I enjoyed my day at the New Forest 10k, which I have to say is the distance I enjoy and wish to concentrate on. I’ve gained a red milestone T-shirt at parkrun and I’ve met more VRBs. What more can I ask for?
Well next month I’d like to complete the Great South Run without injury, on a cool, dry, cloudy day with a gentle easterly breeze. I can but hope. 😉
A stunning month... many congratulations on reaching that big 10, I think I prefer the 10k as well. Have a wonderful October wearing that 50 shirt with pride, having fun at GSR and no doubt meeting more VRBs
A disappointing end to my month. I picked up an Achilles injury three days before my first ever 10k event and could not compete... 
I'm having physio treatment though so will be back.
I did manage to squeak my Escape badge on Strava (activity 5 out of 7 days for four weeks)by doing an upper body chair workout and a yoga stretch routine instead of my race and I would have done a lovely long walk in Windsor on the Sunday.
Thank you for hosting the Quest Neil, and well done to you and the other Questers.
I will be watching the October Quest from the IC and hopefully joining in before the end.
That’s really sad to read... did you get to defer your entry? Great attitude from you to keep moving and get that badge on Strava, it all helps us to come back after an injury. Hope you heal quickly and well, and maybe we will be on that November quest together. Have a good October
Thank you Neil, unfortunately no transfer was allowed, and defers were restricted to those who pulled out with two weeks to go on production of a doctors verification.
I think it helps that I actually did run the course earlier this month, and enjoyed it, so had nothing to prove. I would have enjoyed the atmosphere and the bling though.
Happy October running😊xxx
True... you know you did it. You’d think they’d send the shirt if there was one. Ah well, next year you’ll have it all.
🍏April Quest: Week2 Why do we run?
