I bumped into a friend this morn at the supermarket. He and his wife foster puppies that eventually train as guide dogs. This photo is of Eaton, their latest pup out on escalator and stairs training today. He did brilliantly by all accounts!
I was able to get a longer run in on Saturday, and really relax into it. I tried to keep my pace easy and just run. After coffee and a pastry, I felt I could even go further. Instant fuel. Forget gels - pastries are where its at! It was really nice catching up with friends in my group again too. Still coming to terms with the freezing weeknight runs though. It is a holiday here tomorrow so I may get a daylight run in if things work out.
How about you? How has your week been?
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Happy running everyone!
The Marathon team xx
Written by
Decker
Ultramarathon
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Oh my goodness Eaton is adorable! I used to foster rescue puppies, but now that I am renting I'm not allowed to bring random animals home anymore . I do miss it sometimes but it is also a lot of hard work.
This weeks running has been ups and downs - I am up to week 6 of the 10K plan at the moment, and both of the shorter runs were terrible - I even gave up on the 4K one and decided that 3K was enough. I think that potentially it was just too hot on both occasions (although I did at least manage to make the whole 5K run).
But then last night I did the 9K run and it felt amazing. Of course there were a few moments of it feeling like it was gonna be too hard, but then I just slowed down and took it easy. I think this was the first run where pretty much the whole way I felt like I was properly 'running easy'. And I think it definitely helped that there was a nice strong breeze around to cool me down. Garmin did take away a VO2max point, but honestly the fact that I could go the whole 9K feeling ok was a great mental boost. I even seriously considered just going for the 10K but decided against it because I like to get the little awards along the way (e.g. 'longest run!). Such a small thing but I do think they help....
I haven't posted on here much of late due to my new job. I have, however, still been running. Although that has been a bit erratic the last few weeks.
I nice weekend break in Chichester this weekend has left me with a bruised foot, which is worrying as I am booked in for the Brighton HM this coming Sunday.
Pastries sound good to me, if a bit messy for a marathon 😄
I got some good runs in this past week, but I've been niggled by a something in my hip-flexor-groin-somewhere-in-my-thigh (??? not sure where it is!). So I've been taking a few days off running, and cunningly avoiding Storm Dennis at the same time 😊😊😊
I'm saving myself for the Brighton Half Marathon on Sunday, but what with coronavirus AND large amounts of pebbles and shingle on part of the course, I'm not convinced it will go ahead. Watch this space!
I may try a long run fuelled by pastry and coffee to test the theory out. Ooh hope the hip gets sorted soon Abi. Storm Dennis sounds pretty bad. Fingers crossed the race still goes on.
Storm Dennis seems to have moved on, having deposited two inches of rain water in my indoor drip catcher in the sitting room overnight. I reeeeeeally need to get that fixed. I also really have to get out for a run or my legs will be cotton wool for my next event, but there are so many other things that have to take priority right now 😬 Anyone got a time machine? Or Bernard's Watch?
Oh Storm Dennis really left his mark there. Being 5,000km away, we missed the whole party. Hope you are able to slow time and get to that roof leak and out for some training runs soon too.
Hi Decker, I envy you being so far away from Dennis and it hasn’t really affected me here in the SW much at all. Lots of the rest of the country have had it bad though, so we’re just fortunate here. 🙏🏻
My HM training is coming along well, albeit fairly loosey goosey! I’m reading of my VRBs’ super plans and thinking “crikey they’re detailed and structured”, whereas I’m simply doing a longer distance version of the Magic 10, The long run of the week is further, which is really the only difference! I have added extra yoga though, so that’s one thing. 🧘♀️
Having said that, all’s going well. I’m super excited for the HM in (now) under 4 weeks time, and plans are afoot for VRB meetups etc! So exciting. 😀👍👏🏃♀️
Eaton is such a cutie! Glad to hear you're finding your groove again. Pastries sound like a great way to fuel, albeit messy and not very packable.
We're up north snowmobiling so my running is on hiatus right now. Of course I'm eating like I am training for a marathon though...so many glorious calories. We have one more day then back home where sensible eating will need to ensue and getting back on track with the HM training plan.
Eaton is a cute pup and super well behaved. Not surprised as this is their 9th foster! Yeah maybe I’ve not thought through the whole pastry thing. Enjoy the rest of your trip and hope to hear how it went after you get back.
I ran 10 miles for the first time this morning, and so thought I might graduate to the "big school" forum. I'm keen to run longer distances in the hope that it will improve my vascular health and reduce my weight. I read on this forum that chocolate milk is a good recovery aid, and I tried it for the first time today - very pleasant! Impressed by the tales of endurance and athleticism I read on here, and hoping to pick up a few tips from browsing the forum.
Welcome! I also love chocolate milk cold or hot after a run. Last week I added some vega protein powder to a glass of CM and that was quite tasty too. Also milk and honey nut Cheerios cereal hits the spot afterwards, but I think that is just me. 🙂
Over Christmas someone gave me a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, and I put some of that in a post-run cup of cocoa. Maybe that's not a recommendation as such, but it was very nice! 😄
Hmmm. That's an awesome recommendation! I have a very old bottle of Bailey's- keep meaning to check if it has a BB date but it's made it's way to the back of the bottle cupboard over the years ... does alcohol preserve cream??? 🤣
You’ll know as soon as you open it Linda 😖 but if it’s already been opened then no it won’t keep for very long at all. You’ll just have to get another bottle....
Sounds good! I save breakfast until after my run, and on running days have TWO poached eggs and grind some sea salt over them, which I hope replaces lost salt. I did burn 1,300 Garmin calories on my 10 mile run, but I've still put on a pound or so. Must be new leg muscle!
Aaah, a doggie pic to balance out all the cats 😍. Lovely! The pastries sound tempting but the coffee sounds way too scary mid run 😱.
I'm plodding through my plan, inwardly delighted to have safely got to within four weeks of my HM, with two HM distance runs already under my belt, although sadly the two long runs haven't much fun!!! The last one ended with two sore toes and a blackened nail - shame, thought I'd fixed that with heel lock lacing. Anyway, I keep telling myself the race atmosphere will make all the difference - and it will, I know that for sure. Plus, I'm very grateful to be able to run this distance again 😍.
You’ve had an awesome comeback Linda. Yeah I have a couple if nails that were threatening to go black but have sort if gone back to normal now for reasons that elude me.
Finally feeling groovy here! Managed around 27k this weekend. Looking at 4 -5 weeks of hard hills sessions and intervals now! Build that speed up! Feeling good about my running for the first time in like 4 months 😜🤪
Back running today after missing 9 days through a chest cold and sudden flood of other engagements/ demands. I had just nicely built up to 10 miles again, and now I have slithered back to square one on this snakes and ladders board which is HM training! I chose an easy flat 5k, in trail shoes to keep out the mud, and managed 7:00 pace. My heart rate was up though, so my VO2 score was docked 1 point; a bit of lost fitness and probably a lingering vestige of the chest bug in my system. Solution? another easy run on Thursday (swimming on Wednesday) and see how that feels....if all is ok, I will try a long slow run at the weekend to see if I can recover some of the lost ground. You just have to accept what you can't change!!😬
Will keep it steady. The 5k today was a bit quicker than I thought (today’s run hadn’t uploaded so I was looking at an older run!) It was 6:44 pace. 10 /12 k at the weekend should be about right.
You shouldn't lose too much fitness through nine days off, more likely it's the illness that will take time to bounce back from. You'll get there - especially with such a cool attitude 👍
It probably was the last little bits of your chest cold that made your heart rate go up, but way to go on that 5K run though! Great job! Ever since having my stomach issues, I've taken a greater interest on looking at my heart rate data after my runs now just to give me a rough idea of what my body is doing. My average heart rate is around 140 bpm and peaks for about 2-3 minutes but I've had a few runs where the run felt so hard and difficult even at an easy pace, for no apparent reason. When I've had those runs, I immediately check my heart rate data from the run just to see what could be going on. On my last run that felt really hard for no reason, my average heart had increased to 159 bpm and peaked for 15 minutes and the whole run felt horrible! So I knew that my body wasn't happy about something! 😃
My guests have just gone. Just chillin with a cuppa tea before heading out again with the four-legged guest 🐕. No running yet but plenty of walking being done Long run from last week still not done yet 🙄
Ah what a lovely 🐕😊. I’ve had 3 weeks off running whilst
Injured, and been cycling and have been walking and 5x daily calf strengthening exercises (eccentric calf raises
and drops). These seem to have worked, as I have now managed 2 slow 30min run/walks without feeling any pain or tightness. So hopefully I will be back to normal running soon if things continue to improve. 👍
Aw, cute doggie 😘 He has beautiful eyes. Dogs’ eyes always look so trusting.
Pastry sounds perfect, think of all that extra sugar 😋 but it could be a bit messy to eat mid-run! My perfect run would consist of having somewhere half way to stop and have coffee and cake and then carry on.....
My training’s gone a bit off-kilter as I didn’t get my long run done at the weekend because of the weather and because our family guests decided to come a day earlier than planned 🙄
They’re still here so no running at all ☹️ atm but will get out tomorrow for a little dander after they leave and then a long run on Friday. That’s the plan 👍
Have a good week everyone and nice healing vibes to anyone on the sickness/IC bench 🏃♀️🏃🙂
I am totally with you on that cafe aid station mid race! Hope you are able to get out soon once your family visits are complete (or perhaps convince them to come for a run with you!) 😁
They just left and I nipped out for a fast short one 🏃♀️🙂 I’ve taken the seven year-old and nine year-old for a little run before but, while they have great intentions to run the whole way with me, they have no stamina to keep going 🙄
Our parkrun was cancelled cos of storm Dennis and our Run group was doing all the volunteer posts so that was a shame (on the other hand a mini lie in was lovely!)
We opted out of the Ryde harriers cross country race on Sunday and 7 of us went for a 10km trail run ,very wet and windy in the storm; running in footpaths that were like rivers ! Very cold and wet in the end but that post run shower and cuppa was bliss 😊last night club run was soooo wet and windy too! Roll on some dry weather! Heading up Tennyson downs this morning with 2 friends and 2 doggies as have swapped shifts to do so!btw that pup is adorable Decker 😊
heading to southsea parkrun this sat if hovercraft running for Ventnor Sloggers away day! might see Dexy5 there!! Xxx have a good week everyone!
I’m with you in wanting this weather to change Aliboo. My heart goes out to those whose homes and businesses are flooded elsewhere in the country.
Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday so I hope the hovercraft is running. Unfortunately, the rest of my Southsea HU buddies will not be there this week. I assume you will all be wearing your club shirts so I can find your little gaggle.
UpTheStanley will be volunteering as number checker So he will be behind the scanners. He might even wear his hat!
I came on here to retreat gracefully from this forum because I haven’t run further than 7k since the Great South Run in October and now I’m heading your way to Colorado for a few weeks to enjoy the white stuff.
But I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s post so much that I might just lurk.
On return I am back to training for the vitality London 10k with some lovely HU running buddies.
No, don't retreat Dexy! We'll miss you. Don't forget the race support bit ... plenty of us don't have the marathon aspiration in us 😍. Do have fun in Colorado though 😀
Aww, we will miss you here Dexy, but I’m happy you will still be posting in 10k in preparation for vitality London. You’ll be awesome! I also can’t keep up with all the forums now! Enjoy the snow in Colarado!
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. I do miss it sometimes but it is also a lot of hard work.
