Been doing a few solo mental floss runs this last week. This morning's was a nasty one in the cold wind and hail just before the snow hit. I really must invest in some proper mitts soon. I did get a head torch a little while ago though - I don't honestly know how I managed without one last winter. So much easier to run home when it gets dark at 4:30.
How about you? How has your week gone?
Sometimes we don't feel like putting a whole post up but just want to share something small, so this is a great place for doing that during the week. Please join in the discussion! If you're new or a lurker this is a great place to say a little hi without the pressure of a full post.
ATTENTION ALL!
Please note that WE ARE NOW GIVING EVENTS THEIR OWN MONTHLY CALL OUT POST to make it easier for us to assemble the weekly pom pom posts, so please leave your event details there and not here! I've just put the post up.
Happy running!
Decker, Sqkr, linda9389, & roseabi
XXX
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Decker
Ultramarathon
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Brrrrrr! Hope you manage to stay warm on your runs, Decker. You have such challenging conditions. Here in London we are somewhat luckier...in fact, it might be my favourite season to run, as I like it frosty!
I have had a fantastic week of running. I have finally been discharged from my physio (she has been treating me for patellar tendinitis). And thanks to her rehab plan I feel stronger than I ever have! I am now signed off to slowly build up to 10k again, and that makes me very happy. 😊 I had two very enjoyable solo runs (a 5k and a very gentle 6k), but the cherry on the cake was parkrun, where I was joined by the very lovely Dexy and UTS. All in all, a joyful week of running and a reminder of what running is all about - joy of being out in nature whatever the weather, and community. 😍
It is fab, thanks misswobble. One good thing (actually too many to list to be honest), it got me into parkrun - I volunteered when I couldn’t run it, and now I love it and look forward to Saturdays!
Aw, thank you so much TailChaser. 😊 I have learned so much from this time on the IC - mostly “do not panic, be patient!” and to turn my focus on to something else (in this case, strength training). xx
I’ve been amazed how much strength training you’ve crammed in Sadie, a great way of working that frustration off and then discovering parkrun too. You really have made it work for you and you’ve been an inspiration too! 😀
Well, I learned the hard way (injury!) that at my age, I should be focussing on strength to support my running if I don’t want to keep getting injured! 😂 It has helped being unemployed at the moment, as it means time to do all this work! (Though I mustn’t forget to get a new job at some point!) Parkrun has been a revelation and a joy! Why it has taken me 2 years to discover this is testament to how daft I am. 😂 xx
Take care out there Decker, it sounds quite extreme! I'm not an entirely fair-weather runner but I definitely have my limits 😎.
I too have had a great week. I managed to stumble over a box and stretch the pinkie toe of my good foot in a way it wasn't meant to go - the day before my first 10k in six and a half months! I honestly thought it might be broken and just couldn't believe I'd done it. It's still sore, bruised and swollen, but it did manage 10k yesterday so I'm now sure it's not broken - phew! So, barring accidents, I really should be able to run my first event in 7 months this coming Saturday. To say I'm excited doesn't even begin to describe it .... 🤪😵🥳🤩
Happy running everyone who can; if you can't right now, the joy of coming back injury free is worth waiting for 😘
Thanks OF. It was sore to run on, but not in a 'broken' kind of way, and it's easing each day. By Saturday I don't think it will be a good enough excuse for any poor performance 😂. At the time, I just couldn't believe I'd got so close and then potentially blown it again!
Oh no linda9389 ! I’m sure us runners suffer more than our fair share of toe injuries, often not even caused by running. 😩 Mine was when I doing yoga last year - downward dog to lunge - and I thwacked my foot on the arm of a very sturdy armchair! Flipping Norah, the pain! 😩😩
Enjoy your event - naturally we need to hear all about it and see pics of your beautiful bling. 🏃♀️🏅😍
That sounds like a very enthusiastic transition! Ironically my stumble was onto a box of energy bars 🤣. By Saturday I suspect it will be no bother as it's easing every day. I'm getting disproportionately excited for that bling 🤣🤣🤣
I have been hving a break due to pain in the side of my foot. It has subsided and so I got out for a short test run on Sunday. Everthing seems okay so I shall be starting my HM training plan this week!
Oh bloomin eck! I wonder what that was. Hopefully nothing and you can crack on with your race training
Weather's a bit crap but having a plan does make us get out where we might not. Try and keep off the main roads as it's a longer winter of training when you're getting drenched by passing juggernauts
Have a great week. I hope your foot shuts up nagging!
There is one part of my run where the roadside gutter is prone to flooding after rainfall. I either cross over to the other side or utilise my desire to not get drenched by making that section a fast interval!
Start of week 2 steady 13k completed without dramas. It was 3/4 degrees so my jacket stayed on for the whole run; very unusual, I must be getting soft. Off to the physio for a sports massage on my tightish legs and an annual service/mot. I want to check out whether my now every run hill routes require a change to my daily exercise regime, and whether I should mix in some flatter stuff to avoid injury....in short getting advice before I pick up a problem rather than limping in for repair. Sounds logical, but it will be interesting to check whether it works in reality!
Running up hills does take pressure off your shins, but exerts more on the way down, so take care not to let rip too much on those descents. Anyway, this icy weather sort of rules that out. I would mix in flatter runs Mixing things up is always a good idea - distances and terrains
Have fun out there! I kept my jacket on yesterday too, over my compression top, and felt toasty
Thanks misswobble. I think that I am probably too impatient to become better on the hills. I do come down quickly on a shortened stride. I will do a flat 5k this pm; no doubt the physio will repeat your advice tomorrow!👍
Hello Decker, I have committed to doing a 5k a day in December. I am really hoping it will be OK. As an everyday runner I usually do a mile on a Monday, but I did my 5k for today!I am handing in the final assignment of my course this week which is a huge relief as its been a tough year. It will be great to finish and then hopefully nail a great job.
I've had a rubbish week, been in bed for most of it with aNOTHER ghastly cold. When will it end?? I managed one 15k run last Tuesday, which was probably a mistake in hindsight.
A good thing to come out of all this is that I did a lot of feverish plotting while I was down, and have decided to ditch my marathon plan, which I realised was boring and probably doesn't help with my goals! I found a new one that looks a lot more fun and doesn't start til the end of December. So I have time to do a month's worth of really easy, low heart rate running, which is a new sort of challenge I'm looking forward to! Already did a 5k today, nice and easy in the sun 😊😊😊
Also have decided to cancel my swimming pool membership and start it again in the late Spring, avoiding the "virus soup" mentioned previously, over the winter. So I'm going to be doing more running, and adding in some yoga videos, and strength training. I'll also try to get out on my bike when possible - Strava friends will know I have a FABULOUS NEW BIKE!!!
🤢bike envy🤢; I did trawl the Black Friday sales but nothing caught my eye that I could also justify (nice new coldgear running leggings and a new pilates top though 😍)
Serious stuff! I think I need the distraction of the great outdoors and am adding layers each time I go out! Now I'm not working for a bit, I'm hoping to have more flexibility to work round the weather and the light 🤞
I want to try the slow heart rate running, but my watch is showing everything as zone 5, like the whole marathon and every run. So my watch is not the best gauge.
Watches are certainly not the most accurate hr monitors! I am only wanting a rough idea though, and I'll probably get tired of looking at it pretty quickly 😄
Virus soup sounds horrific roseabi ! 😩 I don’t enjoy swimming so never use the pool at the gym - who am I kidding, I never use the gym 🤦♀️, and that confirms it 100%. When my little grandson starts going to the pool one day we won’t be taking him in the winter!
Enjoy your amazing bike and happy easy running before hitting the marathon plan! 🏃♀️🏃♀️
I am really fed up with being ill, so I may be being a bit over-dramatic. Also my sinuses are very sensitive to the water, and I will be giving nose clips a(nother) go!
Please, I wouldn't want to put you off taking your grandson swimming!!!! I love it, and it is a fabulous exercise and life skill xxx
I've been thinking of getting a head torch so maybe, just maybe I'll find it easier to get outside in the evening during the week. For now, I've been just using the elliptical instead since I'm not following any plan and just trying to find the love again.
I started a 4 week glute program on Asics studio app last week and ran to a guided run on the weekend. It's been fun changing things up a bit and the love is working it's way back in. I drove over to a nice pathway we have that goes through town yesterday for my run and enjoyed the change in scenery. I was only running for just under 6 k but started to find my groove in the last Km - i think it is time to slowly start building my distance back up a bit, but still without worrying about a plan and just running whatever I feel like running. I'm back to trying to figure out my winter running layers - the last 2 runs I overdressed on my top half again. I'll figure it out eventually 😁
I've got a body torch which you can tilt downwards to put the beam where you want it, it took a couple of runs to get used to it but now I love it...and it's so comfy you can't tell you're wearing it!
You may blind yourself with snow reflection though 😏🏃♀️
I was thinking the body torch might be better for me but I have a head torch I use when we camp to read at night. I'm going to try this first since it doesn't cost me anything....yet 😂
Defo...the head torch might suit you perfectly and save you some money on running gear for a change 😉
I came to the end of my second lot of antibiotics yesterday and, touch wood, my chest seems fine. I’m usually impervious to colds etc, but the previous infection and the antibiotics have clobbered my immune system, so I’ve picked up my partner’s cold. BUT overdosing on echinacea is slowly getting it under control and stopping the symptoms getting full blown.
So yesterday, after 12 days when I was too ill to run, I did the first day of the Marcothon run every day in December challenge, which I did last year. It was a treadmill run, the first 7 minutes of which were done at just over 5min/km, which is very fast for me. I always run faster on my treadmill because it’s quite small, so I have to take shorter steps, which improves my cadence - can’t quite get the hang of doing the same thing outside.
Meanwhile the boiler packed up in the early hours of Saturday morning. Luckily I have emergency home cover With my house insurance, but they can’t get the repair part till mid week. So running is a problem in that I can’t have a bath or shower after. We are also clocking up about £15 a day running three fan heaters to keep the house warm.
Hey ho!
Off out for day 2 of Marcothon in a minute. It’s a minimum of 25 minutes or 3 miles/5k, whichever comes first. I shall be doing the minimum till I’m 100% well, but some people are doing it around marathons and half’s!
Started HM training this morning... icy surfaces again, this morning, with black ice and worse than yesterday so I was inside
Doing a December Marcathon too... started yesterday ( I did get out and managed to get down to the fields.),,, Running every day in December,,, but building it into my HM training.. with some very easy 25 min runs.
I cannot afford to fall and break anything, so am being over cautious maybe...but it is set to warm up later this week
Running every day in December..minimum of 25 mins..or 5K..whichever comes first... Hidden did it last year, and got me into it this year..I am incorporating it into my HM plan..so quite a few very slow relaxed 25 minute runs.. x
There is a Facebook page for it. Too late for this year for you, but i would recommend it. Such fun, motivating, lots of banter, and the many Scots participants (it started in Scotland though now worldwide) give hilarious comments in phonetic dialect
Starting today I'm making a conscious effort to be more organised with my training! I spend a lot of time jogging about a bit which is great but I've realised if I want to achieve my goals I'm going to have to put a bit of effort in.
Hopefully my running week is going to look something like this:
Monday: speedwork
Wednesday: easy pace club 10k
Friday: easy pace social club run (5 miles with the option of adding on to it to get those HM miles in)
Saturday: tempo 5k at parkrun
Started well today with 6x800m with 2 minute recoveries which was supposed to be at goal 5k pace but actually ended up being 15 secs per km quicker! Going to mix up the workouts each week - might do a progression run next week or maybe some shorter reps?
I'm leading the club 10k on Wednesday as our usual coach is on holiday - I'm pretty much the slowest runner in the group so that could be interesting 🤣
Blimey Decker if that was me the mitts would be purchased asap! Brrr! !
Not much to report here! I had a slack running week last week with nephews birthday dinner (instead of Tuesday's run club!) And a pre Christmas sparkle disco weds night (but was running related as my ventnor club! (But meant I missed my trail run club that eve !)
Did run 6 miles back from dropping my car off to garage Friday morning (1st solo run for ages! ) it was nice but i wore the wrong clothes ; shorts and t-shirt and was very chilly ! Missed parkrun saturday due to lack of sleep/enthusiasm but as luck would have it bumped into the lovely C3PO Sat evening at comedy show in local theatre so got to say hi after all (was sad to miss seeing her visiting our parkrun again!)
Back to usual this week and 10mile race/slog up hills next Sunday 😊x
It's chilly here—we're having a bit of a cold spell and are currently in the minuses for a chunk of the day and the canal has iced over—but it pales into insignificance compared to you northerly guys 😬❄️
Running has taken a back seat temporarily, things are so busy at work (but I did win an actual BAFTA this week, which naturally I've been working into conversation any where I can) but I'm trying to remain relaxed about it. It'll wait for me! I've got a million new pairs of shoes, so it better 😂
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Weekly chat 27 - 3 December 