Well, hasn’t August been a weird month weather-wise, at least for those of us in Europe? Take your pick from record heat, drought, wildfires, thunderstorms, floods, hail and gales. 🥵🔥⛈️⚡🌨️🌬️
But it takes a lot to stop HU runners, so do let us know how things are going for you. Tales of race triumphs, persisting against the odds, everyday outings, injury comebacks, or other stuff – please tell us all in the comments!
As I’m still a long way from full fitness I’m currently sticking to short runs, frequently accompanied by taunting gremlins. 🙅Last week they kicked me out of the door for a slow 10k on roads and tracks with 222m elevation gain, then at the weekend tempted me into the forest to play on the trails. Alas, after a mere 800m, I was thwarted by a huge tree blocking my path. Can’t go over it, Can’t go under it, Can’t go around it, Got to … turn round and run on roads in trail shoes instead!
And there you have it – I'm definitely not made for roads! In fact many of my runs closely resemble We’re going on a bear hunt youtube.com/watch?v=0gyI6yk...
Wherever you’re running, and whatever sorts of runs you prefer, have lots of fun, and watch out for gremlins and bears! 👹🐻
The Marathon Team xxx
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🏅 There’s still time to tell us about any August events and to find out what your VRBs are up to – check out this post: healthunlocked.com/marathon...
With 5 boys in the house we’ve read that book many times over the years! You shut the door on those pesky gremlins along with the bears. You’re a trail running superhero in my eyes 🦹♀️
Perth has had its wettest winter for four years but for the last few days we’ve had some glorious Winter weather. I got back to my base mileage last week & I’m now on week 9 of my just finish HM plan.
I listened to an interview with Kilian Jornet recently with advice for non elites. So many helpful tips. The biggest takeout for me was to be disciplined about my running intensity as lately I’ve just been doing zone 2/3.
So as of last week I’ve re-introduced zone 1 back into the mix. I did a 7 mile shuffle today & left my ego at the door 🤣Patience in the process is probably my biggest challenge.
I am loving this running journey. Always learning & re-learning……….
Lovely photo RunWillie , and well done on getting back to your base mileage so quickly. 👍I have absolutely no patience so can definitely empathise with your feelings about process. Happy shuffling! 😉
Thanks misswobble He is awesome! The interview was done the night before he won hard rock.
There were so many good takeout's. I also loved that he said that you have to find your why and reason for training and running because that is how it becomes and stays something you do out of love for the sport and not obligation. ❤️🏃♀️🏃🏻♂️
Hi Cmoi - I wonder which of those climatic events might have felled the tree? 🤔
A 5K Training Plan I've been following culminated in a "5K Race" yesterday.
According to Garmin's Coach Greg, in the run up to Sunday I was well into the Purple Zone on the plan, as in "This is too easy for you, maybe you need a harder target?", but I was not convinced!
I think maybe I just cannot take the idea of me being in a running race seriously, even a virtual one.
Versus a target of 26:00, and an existing PB of 26:57 I finished in 30:35, so never really got started! Just could not motivate myself to try. It just seemed a daft idea. 😂
This morning as part of a 12K easy run I covered the first 5K faster, as I did in my two Easy Runs last week.
I believe I'm more likely to run a 5K PB unplanned, on impulse, rather than by following a plan. Although IIRC you may regard the idea of chasing a time target as daft anyway?!
Given when it happened I'd say the storm and gales felled that tree ForbiddenPlanet , though the drought will definitely have helped. 🙄
I can certainly relate to the "Nah, not up for it today" aspect of your 5k, and I'm definitely more likely to run a spontaneous PB since I've never followed a plan to run one!
As for chasing time targets, it seems to work for most runners but it just doesn't appeal to me. Since I have the privilege of living and running somewhere with varied (except for flat!) terrain and wonderful views, I see absolutely no point in trying to speed through as fast as possible. I don't much like running fast anyway, I'm too lazy and find it stressful. I'd much rather play off-road and on hills where I can legitimately slow down. ⛰️⛰️🏃♀️
Also, for me personally, it's only a real PB if I've improved upon my previous best over the same or very similar course. I wouldn't feel I'd achieved anything simply by taking advantage of a flatter route and/or better running surface. Controversial, I know!
Sadly wonderful views of nature are somewhat wasted on me; I've lived in beautiful countryside in the UK - though not with spectacular mountain views - and hankered after the city. I love the industrial heritage and architectural curios of the UK and the green spaces cities have. Of course my friends who still live in the countryside think I'm mad! For my part I love to visit them and enjoy the beautiful views ... for a short time, before I head back to the city.
I agree about not cheating via terrain wrt to a PB. My favoured route features a loop around an historic harbourside, and it's flat as a pancake. I do run the same route over and over which I know would not suit you, but I do at least get to exchange friendly greetings with the other runners who also repeatedly run the same paths as me (albeit faster, as I am considerably older and heavier!).
I lived in urban and suburban environments until the age of 45. While I can appreciate industrial heritage and architecture, they primarily appeal to me intellectually, not emotionally.
Funnily enough I used to love spending Saturdays shopping in city centres, but nowadays find busy, enclosed spaces and lots of people stressful. On reflection I always did, but I was so busy rushing that the adrenaline (the hormone not the shoes!) took over.
Always loved being outside in the countryside though, even as a teenager!
I can certainly understand the appeal to a city dweller. Growing up in the city I loved holidays in the countryside and dreamed of living there - just that in my case when I tried it I was disappointed. Glad that was not the case for you!
I run past a former factory site most days. The 70’s block is now listed 😁. I had a blast working there. It was fantastic fun. As I run past it I remember folks who I worked with, and the fun we had in the two pubs at both factory gates. We could drink at dinner hour in those days. Hic 🍸. Sneaking out to watch county cricket in the park next door 🍺. The road where I worked was famous for pubs and breweries so we crawled them routinely. Sometimes literally 😁☺️
I prefer trail because of the fresh air angle. Being an inveterate moocher I’ll run anywhere though. I love canals and old works and factory buildings. There are loads to choose from near me 🙂🏃♀️🏃♀️I’ve been reading up on a slope I run on most days. The hot weather has exposed the outline of a building there. I’m trying to find out what it was.
I found the grave of a famous drummer while using the water tap in a local cemetery. So much to see while we’re out and about 🙂
I think it's that word "race". Unless we actually having a real chance at "winning" it's a bit silly isn't it? Far better to think of it in terms of a "time trail" or testing and this can be done as a run in itself, or part of another, longer run. I'm not a fan of time targets but it's certainly interesting to test ourselves from time to time. I noticed yesterday my fastest time on a daily segment is from 2 years ago and is a whole min faster. Have I really gotten slower or do I just not try? I did try this morning but only knocked 20 sec off. I don't think we should focus on time but it can be fun, and useful to play with it. 👍🏻
Nailed it GoGo_JoJo . I'm all for challenges, but the idea of racing when I've absolutely no chance of winning makes no sense to me.
As for pace, I've just compared some of my post-C25K runs two years ago to what I'm doing now. I'm definitely slower now. Admittedly I'm coming back from injury, but the main difference is the type of running - nowdays I do much more off-road and 2-3 times the vertical!
That's probably it. Although I ran a Time Trial workout the previous weekend, and had a similar problem. The workouts in the plan did include Goal Pace Repeats, Stride Repeats, and Steady State activities, all of which were faster runs, and I particularly enjoyed the fast repeats.
I was watching a Running Channel video in which Sarah, aiming to improve her 5K PB was doing fast 400 metre, and kilometre repeats, which I think would suit me much more than the shorter repeats in the plan I followed, and I'm looking forward to trying that kind of workout during a once a week faster workout.
I agree it is fun to play with times, though in my case, I could probably run faster than I did 2 years ago if I just lost some of the excess weight I am carrying around with me! 😂
Hopefully there are lighter times ahead for both of us!
I am kind of fascinated at the moment by the different workouts and plans I see various RunTubers using. I used to just plod along hoping to gradually get faster, but I've seen such benefit from increasing my cadence from around 157 to nearer 180 steps per minute while following a S & F plan, that I'm wondering what other technical improvements I might benefit from. It's a learning process for me - I may well end up returning to "plod and hope"!😂
That's more or less the same as me misswobble . Looking at the photos I took immediately after my fall and getting back from A&E what strikes me now is how much fitter and more toned I look, notwithstanding the blood and dressings!
I ran most of my marathons 7 lbs lighter than I am now. I plan to have the excess baggage dumped by my next one in November. I do eat more in training for one though which is to get expected. There’s a balance to be struck however 🙂. I need to do more strength 💪
When I did Joe Wicks PE everyday I was in better shape than now ☺️
Two months ago I had something resembling abs, purely from running. They've now disappeared, unlike the bingo wings, which appear to be making an unsolicited return.
I was a bloater! I lost 4 st 9lbs though I’ve just logged on to my WW group for my weekly zoom meeting but was 30 mins early 😁. Combed my hair and sat down with a coffee specially☺️
Definitely! I am so ignorant of training plans and techniques 🙈 if I'm not having fun it's just not going to happen!! Well done on your weight loss. I lost about 35lbs between 2017 and 19. I'm about 3lbs heavier right now than I'd like but I know all I need is a few (properly) long runs to fix that 👍🏻🤣
You're so my running guru GoGo_JoJo ! It's the seriousness and lack of spontaneity in training plans that do my head in.
For example, yesterday I set off quicker than I've been able to manage recently. For about 400m I thought I'll do a short, faster run, and Mr Garmin will finally up my VO2 Max, which has crashed to an all-time low. Then, about to pass a field, I realised the views from the top would be really glorious in the sunshine. So I did a completely unnecessary, random, lumpy bumpy uphill loop round there instead, then changed my planned route to favour rough tracks not roads.
Ended up a sweaty red-faced mess with ouchy calves, but at least I had fun, which wouldn't have been the case if I'd been hammering along simply to please an algorithm rather than myself!
Weren’t you saying recently that you wanted to climb a tree? 😂 Short runs will get you back to where you want to be Cmoi. They are the bread and butter.
I’m glad there are no bears around here, just plenty of trees 😍 and, believe it or not, poppies! These were growing out of a pile of rubble by the side of a road and looked very happy.
My running is still going well. I’m not following a HM training plan but I did do a quick check with an old plan to see how my current mileage compares. Interestingly, it’s very close and my weekly mileage is almost spot on so I’ve either subconsciously remembered the runs from before or my body just knows what to do 🙂 Either way, I’m happy.
I have moved into a new pair of running shoes that I bought last year but haven’t needed to wear yet but I was starting to get a bit of knee niggle so thought it was sensible to move early rather than too late. I’ve done that once before and never again 😫
Update on the washing machine. It arrived but there was a fault and had to be taken back 🤬 The second new one comes on Wednesday 🤞which means I’m still hand washing 🙄Don’t get me started on customer service. It. Didn’t. Happen.
Thank goodness I could go out and run off the frustration 🏃♀️🤗
Fab happy poppies and it's great that your running's going well Irishprincess . 👍😊 Ugh to the washing machine saga though!
I'd still love to climb a tree, or even that stupid fallen trunk. 😆 I tried to clamber over, then to squeeze under, but my right leg wasn't having any. I might go back with a saw and a machete to see if I can create enough space (tools for the tree, not the leg!!!)
Haha. Reminds me of a tale from many years ago when we had the storm in ‘87. A colleague at work phoned her boss to say she couldn’t come in because a tree had fallen across the road. Her boss replied “ well, climb over it”. 😂😂
I'm only thinking of cutting back the undergrowth and maybe some small branches so I can get through IP. The remainder would need a chainsaw and proper lifting equipment!
Drat these machines! 😁. The door on my dishwasher broke yesterday. 🤬You can do your laundry while you have a bath IP 😁🛀. I’m not getting in with my dirty pots though 😀
I was too busy to go out for a run today 😬 Spent the whole day on the computer…apart from Molly’s walk that is; sausage day at the café is not to be missed! I have realised that I have driven myself into a cul de sac with todays composition….so big changes needed tomorrow ☹️ Maybe an early run will clear my head! On the subject of trails and roads, I have fallen into a habit of wearing my Brooks Adrenaline for everything. The heel drop suits me, my 6 months of foot problems has gone 🤞🤞🤞🤞I daren’t put anything else on. My physio says that they are tough enough and not to worry….so no plans to change.
You're investing in your feet 💳, saving on potential physio costs 📉, and wisely anticipating the likely impact of inflation 📈 Beachcomber66 . Spend boldly! 🤑🏧💷
Stack them up outside, wrap them in clingfilm, and call the result an art installation. Give it a fancy name such as Clinging To Adrenaline (Brooks No Argument) and you can charge people to see it! Sorted.
Slight snag; my current shoes are 21s. That will be because they are replacements for a faulty pair of 21s, even though I got them this year. . Off to investigate the changes made in the 22s!
I had the 21s, now on the 22s and the only difference I can tell is that the laces on the 21s are much better. Luckily I still have the 21s and keep meaning to swap the laces over!
I adored my Cascadias 🥰. I save shoe laces when I eventually bin the shoes. I saved a pair yesters when I bade farewell to my trusty old friend Torin. They’re ridiculously long🙂
Yay for sausage day and no foot problems Beachcomber66 ! Have a great run tomorrow, and yes, I think cheekychipmunks is right - invest in more pairs of the Brooks Adrenaline while you can.
I wore Brooks Adrenaline for years and ran mostly on trails. They were a great hybrid shoe and can take you anywhere. Only reason I switched to Saucony was Brooks changed their design one year snd I couldn’t get used to the new models ☹️
Annoying for you! I have an older pair which I use for walking. The heel guard developed a fault which was irritating my achilles when running. I got a new pair free of charge, no fuss and was allowed to keep the old ones. High arches are my problem and the adrenalines seem to deal with that well. The stability is good too, hence the trail use. Have stopped short of wearing them in bed 😂
My favourite book to read to the grandchildren Cmoi ! 🐻❤️
I retreated well and truly to the gym during the hot weather. Not my bag at all. I’m a rarity in that I love treadmill running as I’m so nosy and love to watch all the swimmers, aqua aerobics, other gym users etc. Not all the time, obviously, but the gym has enabled me to run in all weathers when otherwise I might have chickened out! 🐔
I also attempted jeffing at PR this weekend just as an experiment, and didn’t like that at all. At least I know. This weekend there’s a 10k race, there are two races next month and one in October too. Oh, and I received my Route 66 bling today. Running just keeps on giving. 😀
Congratulations on the treadmill running cheekychipmunks ! I don't think any amount of watching all the other gym users would help me though, I really don't like repetitive regular-paced running very much at all! 😱
I've never attempted to jeff, I struggle too much with stop-starting. Also seems odd to me to have to stop running and walk when you're happy running, then start running again when you need to walk! I don't have a problem choosing to walk on terrain that's physically too demanding for me to run though.
That Route 66 bling is quite something. As for all those races, that would scare me rigid. Way too much pressure for me, but I know you'll have a great time - enjoy!
That’s exactly it Cmoi . I’m way better getting into a rhythm and sticking to it. Actually it wasn’t proper jeffing I did at PR. It was an experiment to see if walking just the steep bits of the 2.5k hill would make the overall run quicker. It didn’t, so I won’t be doing it again. 😅
I can imagine that's quite frustrating cheekychipmunks . As I think I posted not so long ago, if I want to go up through the forest and run all the way I'll go on the road, which is about 3k and 200m elevation gain. Getting to the same point on trails is shorter and less elevation gain, but tougher, so I wouldn't necessarily run all the way.
A better running week for me last week,actually managed both club runs(2nd one a tough 6 mile climb up Culver cliff as my clubs away day the coast) * misswobble likes it up there when she visited a few yrs back!And also got to Rydes coastal parkrun so 12 mile's overall for me
Also we got poorly George dog for a little beach stroll and sniff,he even managed a little chase of his Frisbee which was great to see! 🥰🐕🐶
Thanks IP, the culver route runs Shanklin to Sandown on the prom 1st! Then up up up but nicer on the way back! 🤣George looks cute with his ears caught by the wind! Xxx
Just under 5 weeks until my HM and the training plan is ramping up the speed, which I’m finding a bit challenging. Funnily enough (whisper it!) I’m quite missing my hilly French routes, now I’m back in pancake flat Lincolnshire. I’ve done 4 x 14k runs in the last month and they are just not as interesting here 😕 Got the Spitfire 10k at RAF Cosford on Sunday with Shake-and-run which should be fun. We have each been allocated a young WW2 fighter pilot and will be running in their memory. My young man finished his training on 11 July 1940 and was killed on 30 August 1940 at the age of 21. So sad!
It is so sad. My great uncle Joseph lasted just 9 days on the beaches of Sicily. I think he's recorded as 19 but the family story is he, and his 2 brothers ran away to war, and as he was underage, he lied about his age so I think he was actually only 17. His father chased them down and managed to get the other two home but Joe was already shipped out. Wesley had been through WW1 with his brother and didn't want his boys to suffer nor his wife to lose her lads 😢
They were so full of hope and so many never came back. We have the international Bomber Command Memorial in Lincoln with a plaque for each of those who lost their lives. Sobering!
You'll probably be familiar with the little plaques to French Resistance fighters and others Sandie1961 - they're all over the place in this area, sometimes in towns but especially once you get onto the higher, remoter roads.
They all lied about their age, so keen we’re many of them to sign up to three meals a day. My mum to escape drudgery! My mother, her brother, brother in law and sister’s boyfriend. My father too - he and his brother signed up before WW2 as the farm couldn’t support them. Ironically my father nearly starved to death!
Bravo Mme la Grimpeuse Sandie1961 ! Your French routes looked lovely, not surprised you're missing them.
Not sure what to think about the fighter pilot allocation for your Spitfire run. On the one hand I think it's really touching and a lovely way to remember them, on the other I know I'd find it way too much pressure. I'd rather be given the choice tbh.
Merci mon amie 😘 To be honest, so many of them were barely more than children and it is a lovely thing to do. We were urged to look them up to find out their stories so that they seem more real. The medal is lovely too 😍😍
I get that it's a lovely thing to do, but I overthink and would stress inordinately about it. Am I insulting my allocated airman's memory if I don't take the race super-seriously? What if I'm too slow? What if I didn't finish? Am I letting them down? Letting down their descendants, if they have any? And then I end up feeling guilty about worrying about such ridiculous things. 😔
They were boys 😢 There’s a 19 year old commemorated in a village near me. He set off from RAF Worksop and made it just a few short miles to the outskirts of Chesterfield 😕. He was the navigator. What a job that was 😣That base has been removed from history and is covered over now by agricultural fields
My niece lives in Lincs amid current and former RAF bases. I’ve run around one of them for a good neb 😎. It was very early so only rabbits out and about
I did a Race for Life at Waddington years ago (nearly as exciting as running round Market Rasen racecourse- not 😂) and we are just 4 miles from Scampton.
Well I think I might have rolled under that 🤣 I'm expecting to see a lot of fallen trees in my area; all those dry weeks and then sudden rain, they can just "let go" and topple.
I got up on the hills Sunday and not before time. All my more "urban" miles before work are great for chopping up the mileage and allowing me to fit more into the day but I do miss the more rugged stuff and, more importantly I have really lost my hill fitness. So as the seasons change and paddleboarding and swimming takes a back seat I really need to hit those hills. I haven't achieved any of my SDW goals but I will still get there when the opportunities present themselves. 👍🏻😁
I wimped out of going under it GoGo_JoJo due to wonky leg, spiky bits sticking out from the trunk and and lots of dried brambles! Really frustrating though as normally I'd have happily scrambled over it.
Sympathy re loss of hill fitness too. I've lost fitness all round through not being able to run as much, but stupidly I've made things worse for myself by baking, comfort eating and consequently gaining weight. At least you're still doing lots of exercise! 🏃♀️ 🏊♀️👍
I’ve gone over one, and under one with the hound dog. You’re not sure how stable they are of course. I prodded and pushed with my feet before going over/under. At one of them the guy with the chain saw had just pitched up . I asked him if I could go over it before he started work. I thought if anything did happen he’d be handy ☺️ It was by the cemetery wall 😁
Ahh, one of our favourite family books (and one of just a handful that I have kept for posterity!). My navigations in and around the IC tend to resemble a bear hunt - my runs are more straightforward 😍 Still trotting through my Metric Marathon plan - getting out to nicer routes whenever I can - and hoping there are no bears waiting to derail the plan before the first weekend in October; fingers crossed. So for me, no news ... but sometimes that's good news and just how I like it (let the spice and variety come from an NRC speed run😄 ).
Love your adaptive approach Cmoi. There seem to have been more fallen trees here too this season. The storms are shorter but much more intense which seems hard on the older trees. Europe seems to have really been through a tough summer.
I am away for a week in the Kawarthas with the family out in farm county. Apart from relaxing by the water and a bit of kayaking, I did get a longer run in. Not too long, as I purposely treated this week as a cutback before one last big effort. It was pouring rain for the full distance but it was still nice. I don’t mind running in the rain in summer. And I found a nearby gravel road with a decent incline, so that became hill train central yesterday.
Nice long run this morning. Decided to reccie part of the HM route.Then I had the mad idea to cross the bridge rather than go under it. Have to admit walking up one of the hills. Lovely views from the bridge.
Beautiful photos Tabbles ! There's nothing wrong with walking hills if the gradient and /or surface make it physically impossible for you to run, or when it's a more efficient use of energy over the distance.
Thanks Tabbles , that's thoughtful of you. Unfortunately I can't tell much from that graph because the axes are time and height, so it doesn't give the percentage gradient. From the Strava extract in your previous post it looks like km 9 was 61m ascent over 1km, so 6% average gradient over that km. Does that seem about right?
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