After a weekend absolutely crammed with events for many HU runners, it’s time to tell us all about your running and how things are going, whether you’re bedecked with bling, going about your usual routine, or languishing on the IC.
You’re saddled with me again for this week’s chat, and I’ve got an earworm. Worse, it’s manufactured K-pop, complete with bizarre lyrics, cutesy video, its very own challenge and an ultra-catchy tune that you find yourself singing despite yourself. Yes, it’s BTS’s Permission to Dance! youtube.com/watch?v=CuklIb9...
So what on earth has this got to do with running? Not a lot, tbh, other than that I’ve been thinking a lot about motivation for running recently and what we allow ourselves to do.
Coming back from injury ('Cause when we fall we know how to land is self-evidently not the case for me!) I’ve spent three months attempting to do things right. Resting up, not overdoing it, doing sensible, short runs, getting out regularly and early even if I didn’t feel like it. Guess what? I hated it. Too many shoulds and shouldn’ts, and not enough running in ways that I know work for me.
Obviously nobody should ignore good practice, but don’t be afraid to give yourself permission to run your way. Training, races, treadmill, track, roads, trails, fast, slow, flat, hilly, audio-coached, tech-free, planned, spontaneous... Let's break our plans and live just like we're golden!
Tell us all about your way of running in the comments, and may you all run safely, injury-free, and happy!
The Marathon Team xxx
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Written by
Cmoi
Marathon
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Cmoi you are so right! It is so easy to get bogged down with “what you should do”. Although that said there are times when plans are important, particularly if you are training for a particular goal. For me the challenge is to work towards improvement without destroying what I enjoy. With both cycling and running I would love to be able to do it better, be quicker and stronger, but if to get to that requires me to do stuff that makes me suffer to the point that there is no pleasure in it, then I will have lost something really precious to me.
Yesterday I cycled 45 miles in the Cotswolds including a hill I really loved (never thought I would say that!), I had a wonderful day. This week I will do one short run to stretch my legs before I join Sandie1961 in a trip to Venice to take part in a 10k. I won’t be very quick and I shall certainly be jeffing but it will be an amazing experience!
Aw thanks Shake-and-run 😊. You've hit the nail on the head with your comment on improvement - that was exactly how I felt during so much of my marathon training. Yes, the result was most definitely worth it, but there was so little joy in the process.
Your cycling sounds fabulous, as does the Venice 10k with Sandie. Definitely one for creating magical memories!
Your "do it your way" posts have always been fascinating to read. I love the idea but find that when life is busy/trying I need the "shoulds" to get me out of the door.
I seem to lurch from one Mr Garmin race plan to the next in order to get me out there and do more than the absolute minimum. It is the "shoulds" that send me out for those long runs ( lots of time to think and "rewire") or speed runs ( no time to think about anything except the next bleep on the watch - a little holiday for the mind).I frequently don't feel like going out but but these runs are invariably the ones which finish with bouncing back through the door at the end feeling at peace and ready for the next challenge!
The beauty of this whole running thing seems to be that it can be whatever we need it to be!
Thanks Week7 - as you say, it's really interesting that running can be so adaptable.
For me plans are great for telling you what to do in order to achieve a particular result, but they just don't motivate me. I get no satisfaction from ticking off completed runs, and actively dislike out-of-context instructions to do x, y or z when conditions clearly aren't right! For me it's much more motivating to be self-directed: find out what I need to know, then apply it in the way that works for me.
Brilliant Cmoi. 👊 I’ve had to suck up my pride in running the GSR 16 minutes slower than last year because I ran it my way. But know what? It’s like I had a PB because I was fully expecting not to be able to run it all, or even complete the course with the way I’ve been feeling for the last few weeks.
I made a pact with myself that I’d take it slow, and preferably run the lot unless I felt I really had to walk. My legs screamed at me, but I managed the 10 miles with no walk breaks. A sensible and massive win!
I agree with Shake-and-run . I have to enjoy what I do, or I simply won’t do it.
Aw shucks cheekychipmunks , I'm not sure that's brilliant, I'm just coming out of left field as so often.
Delighted that you had fun at the GSR. You've had a lot to contend with and you came good - fantastic! The enjoyment factor is crucial for me too; I refuse to make myself miserable by running in ways I don't enjoy just because they work for others.
I walked today, in the breezy sunshine to shake off yesterday’s jittery legs. I walk to Lidl (and back) to stock up on oats and nuts to squirrel away for winter 😁. Speaking of squirrels - the little blighters have stashed their conkers in one of my raised beds 😁. It was a glorious day to walk and I reflected on my plan for this week. I’ve not settled on anything though. I might just do what I feel rather than what I should 🤔
I hope everyone else is more organised. Have a great week everyone 👍😀🏃♀️🏃♂️
Oh naughty squirrels 🐿️ 🌰! Are you going to let them get away with it?!
I rarely even know where I'm going to run even as I go out of the door misswobble , so there's no hope of my reflecting on a plan for the week! Of course I was more organised when I was actually training for a marathon, as I think you are at present (training I mean!) but even then I moved runs around. No choice as the programme simply wasn't compatible with my personal and professional lives.
Happy running, whether it turns out to be on or off-plan!
I am definitely an “I did it my way” man. In my case it is a matter of choices. If I try to run too fast too often, I get injured. So I go for longer slower runs which build up strength and I enjoy longer injury free periods. In the end, I get injuries anyway…my calf started to play up two weeks before the GSR. I thought that it was ok, but after 3 or 4K it went solid. I had choices; should I drop out and end up DNF, or walk it or run as best I can knowing it will hurt and the injury will take a while to resolve. I went for the run option….I had just invested too much, emotionally, into the weekend that I wasn’t going to let it end in (sorry!) failure without a fight. So I ran it, 10 minute slower than pb time, ugly short stride etc etc, but the medal is in my bag and I could share in the joy of other finishers. On another day in different circumstances I might have made a different choice. No rules; just what seems right at the time. There is a big “but” though…if people are doing C25k or building up distance for the first time; stick to a plan.
Another GSR triumph against the odds Beachcomber66 , well done!
Definitely agree that C25Kers need to stick to the programme. As for building up to a distance, I used the Magic Plan to get to 10k, but have to admit that I didn't stick rigidly to it. Never had a plan for anything else until marathon distance. However, I should probably qualify that by saying that I'd read lots on the HU forums about rest, hydration, fuelling, pace, building up distance gradually, etc. so I just sort of put that into practice without a plan. The trail marathon was a bit of a step up, in all senses, so I got a plan and took it seriously, even though I didn't enjoy most of it.
Ugly short stride (hah! shuffle more like) is my normal!
Usual average stride length on a long run is .95m. On Sunday it was .87m. That means a lot of additional steps to cover 10 miles…no wonder I was shattered!
Yep. I guess our strength and fitness has our stride length built in…so if anybody suddenly cuts their stride length by 10% they will notice it on a long run….that’s my story and I am sticking to it. 🙂
I'll be honest, I had absolutely no idea what my stride length was, had to look it up. I'd imagine mine varies throughout pretty much every run because of the terrain. My cadence and pace certainly do.
Hmm, for a while I’m likely to be doing mostly club runs so it’s a case of following the instructions of the run leader. There again, I’m the run leader so I have a fair bit of control over the run! To be fair to myself, it’s set for the ability of the group and I do my best to establish a consensus and fit in with that.
It is nice to be free of a training plan for a while and doing runs just because I like the idea. I might do a few NRC speed runs; I enjoyed those during my HM training. Might even try a few more hill repeats.
I imagine that you're a great run leader SkiMonday 👍
If people have signed up to do club runs, they've presumably grasped that they need to follow, or in your case give, instructions. So they shouldn't expect to be able to do their own thing completely, otherwise why bother?!
As is already well-documented I hate speed runs! Also, I hardly ever do hill repeats as I'm surrounded by slopes. That's my excuse anyway! 😉
I don’t do hill repeats as a rule but I have done some on my current marathon plan I like to make progress on a run. See a hill, run up it, run on 😀🏃♀️ Still, they’re good practice so can’t knock it 💪. I’m lucky as I’ve got a trio of three local streets on hills which lead on to a bigger hill 😁
I love hills! There are a lot of uppy-downy bits where I live, so my door-to-door runs rarely come in under 100m elevation gain. If I run up the forest road it's about 8km distance and 390m elevation gain. I've only done the full stretch once, though I'm hoping to fit it into a more ambitious route at some time in the future.
Great post Cmoi . I’m really torn. I like a plan to keep me on track (literally!) but can feel constrained by one. My NRC HM plan officially ended yesterday…at the Bath HM! The plan was excellent and definitely got me ready. It took me outside my comfort zone with speed runs and nailed the importance of running at a comfortable pace. I feel a bit lost without a new plan!
This week I’ll most definitely be taking it super easy. My legs hurt today! I hobbled over to our village shop and back and it wasn’t fun so it’ll be a day or two before I try a little run. What’s next? I’m tempted to try for a faster 5k over the winter. I’m not thinking about that yet though.
Thanks MissUnderstanding 😊 and congratulations on the Bath HM!
It really interests me that you say you feel a bit lost without a new plan as I've never had that feeling. My trail marathon plan worked, certainly, but it had a Dementor-like capacity to suck the joy out of running.
Enjoy your super-easy week, and deciding on what's next for you!
Thanks for the congrats! Legs are still a bit sore but much better today. I’m definitely going for a walk later and I might put my running kit on just in case I feel like a gentle trot!
I think what I liked about this plan was it was very flexible and I (almost) always felt like I was choosing which runs I wanted to do each week, where and when. If it had been a more prescriptive must do five runs a week guilt inducing serious one I don’t think I’d have liked that. So far pretty much all my running has been on a plan so it’s weird not to have a vague structure, even if I’m not choosing to follow it exactly.
I’ve just managed to find a local running club who seem to be like minded and non scary so maybe going out with them a couple of times a week will be a good substitute for having a plan!
My trail marathon plan was officially 16 weeks of five runs a week plus cross-training once a week. I knew that wasn't realistic for me so I spread it over five months and pretended that being on my feet for hours teaching, carrying around vast quantities of teaching materials, dog walking and occasional yoga constituted cross-training. I'm really not good at taking this running thing seriously.
How nice to find a running club that suits your needs - have fun!
After about one year of trying to run all out I came across Jeff Galloway’s Run/Walk/Run and have not looked back. Started properly trying this method at beginning of year and on the 2nd/3rd October I completed my first ever marathon.
I’m currently taking an extended rest due to my cerebral palsy. Us lot get tired beyond the normal so vitally important we take on board resting up longer than normal.
I’m still moving forward and walking for now but will be starting back soon doing my usual 10 sec run followed by 30 sec walk. Much love all 💖 Richard x
Great to see you here Ramdoesntgiveup and congratulations on your marathon! Your challenges are different from those faced by most of us, and it's wonderful that you've found that jeffing works for you. Enjoy your well-deserved rest, and all the best for your restart! 👍😀
Thanks for hosting the chat this week Cmoi. I have no structure or plan at the moment and it’s quite nice. I’ve just been taking in the Autumn colours which were on full display this last weekend as you can see in the pic. This is my fave time of year for running. Reading all the race reports over the last couple of weeks has been very inspiring as well. So many people here pushing through their own limits! Happy running all!
How wonderful - in the literal sense of the word - to be able to run in such spectacular scenery! I can quite understand why it's your favourite time of year to get out there, especially when you can simply drink it all in without having to focus on more technical aspects of running. Enjoy it, and may it provide inspiration for your next big running project!
Interesting thoughts Cmoi. I confess to liking a plan. I pretty much follow the same plan all the time. I adapted it from Roseabi's plan to make it something that worked for me - and I guess that's why I find it so easy to stick to (except when injury or occasionally life, get in the way). I do love ticking things off, I do love seeing measurable progress, and I do love the variety a long run, a speed run and an inbetweeny run give me. I'm not good at following an exercise regime per se - largely because I hate that sort of exercise; on the other hand I do love mixing in my cycling and have recently found I love walking too! So my 'plan' is already something that works for me.
Right now I find myself between training plans though (in fact I don't even have a spring event to aim for); rather than being at a loss, I'm raring to go 😍. I ran my metric marathon two weeks ago, then impulse booked the 10 mile GSR and yesterday impulse booked the Lincoln 10k! I'm giving myself permission to 'event' and to have fun!!! Not being injured right now I'm going to make the most of it 🥰
You've had more than your fair share (whatever that might be 🤔) of problems and so deserve the opportunity to enjoy events injury-free linda9389 .
You don't need to "confess" to liking plans, progress or events, you're definitely in the overwhelming majority there - you only have to glance at the content of forums and running magazines to see that. That's where my shoulds and shouldn'ts come in - I keep wondering what's wrong with me, not loving all these things that "proper" runners do. It would be so much easier to fit in!
I can't relate to the idea of needing an audio coach, a plan, running with others or whatever else to get me out of the door, to vary my runs or challenge myself. If I can't motivate myself to do those things, then external influences don't help me, they just add pressure and guilt.
My plan 😜, right now, is to get off the computer and go for a messy trail run up in the forest. Minus my Garmin because I know the algorithm will hate it, and I'll find that demotivating despite my wanting not to care!
Morning Cmoi and everyone. Lovely post and those words “….and live just like we’re golden” are magical ✨ I need to keep reminding myself.
I’ve always run for pure joy where I can which is why for years I hated training plans. But now I’ve done a few and can say that, while I wouldn’t want to be following a plan all the time, I can at least enjoy them while they last.
But my news is that I am running again 🥳 albeit it was only ten minutes but hey, tomorrow I get to do 15 minutes so all is good! After two weeks of zero running or gardening I was getting a bit cranky and even my husband kept asking, “are you going for a run tomorrow?” 😂
My osteopath has loosened up my coccyx and lower back considerably and I need to do exercises every day which I am doing. I’m a very good pupil 😇 I just need to be careful what I do and how I do it. That in itself is a challenge 🙄
Thanks Irishprincess , and yay, yay, yay you're running again, that's excellent news! Sending you oodles of gold stars and encouragement ⭐👍⭐👍⭐👍⭐👍⭐ - and take care to be careful vibes too! 😄
Hi Cmoi and thanks for hosting the chat. It’s been such a busy week hasn’t it with all the HUers out there running the GSR and other events. Very inspiring to think that at one point not that long ago we were all sat on a couch and contemplating other things other than running,
I am a strictly by numbers runner, as you know, they both excite and motivate me. But at the same time I dislike plans and usually make my own, foucsed on reducing times and increasing speed. I’ve never really been one for a long slow run, taking in the scenery and wildlife but I definitely appreciate it when I go for walks. Walking allows me the time to focus on these things as numbers become meaningless and I allow myself to appreciate all that is around me. I strongly suspect that this is where I will find most joy as I grow older and he need for speed has dissipated. I am living the healthiest life I can muster and I’m loving every minute of it whether in training, racing or walking in nature. Living like I’m golden.
You've certainly achieved more than most since deserting the couch RunBrianRun . 👏
I'd never have had you down as disliking plans though! There again, you concentrate on track sprint events don't you? I can't imagine there are many plans floating around in cyberspace geared to that. You must need a much more specialised approach, so it makes perfect sense to personalise things.
Similarly, I find that distance training plans are ten-a-penny, but invariably geared to road races and unsuited to trail events. Why would I want to follow them? It'd be like preparing a motorbike rider for their practical tests by having them drive a car!
Keep on being golden, whether that's by winning medals or simply loving life.👍😀
To be honest cmoi I just read an awful lot and then try and distil what’s right for me and tweak it as I go. I’m finding that sprint plans exist but are mostly geared around the active summer season and specific events within it. Most plans seem to distil to winter = strength/technique, summer = speed/technique. Nice and simple in theory but oh my gosh, there’s so much to learn within each of them.
I’m experiencing so much for the first time and I just love it tbh. 😀😊 The biggest change in me has been my body shape. Because sprinting is based on whole body strength and stability I am working many more muscles than I used to as an aerobic runner. I feel fitter and stronger than I ever have.
I can’t extol the virtues of strength and resistance training for older people enough. Muscle sarcopenia and atrophy can be resisted as we age, and sprinting is certainly a great way of going about it, whatever your “speed” might be.
Quite right too! I've never met a plan that I liked yet! 🤣🤣🤣
Apart from being forced to limit by time or distance due to injury I've never followed any plans.
I've had to upgrade my watch as my Forerunner 645m fell apart recently so I ended up with the FR745 which has the audacity to suggest what I should do every time I select "run"! I'll probably turn that off in time but it amuses me currently to see its ideas even if I have zero intention of listening to it! 🤣
My pre-work runs are a bit boring but they're good for me in many ways. All the rest are about fun, hills and nature and maximising all of those. 👍🏻
Literally laughing out loud at the audacious new watch and your reaction to it GoGo_JoJo ! That's exactly my feeling about being dictated to by Mr Garmin. I love reading about your pre-work runs btw, whether they're the descriptive birding variety or the potatoes-tomatoes-my-load's-not-ready ones!
Currently I don't have a formal plan. Just running 3 times a week. Long run at weekend which I'm trying to increase each week. Tuesday club run and Thursday some sort of speed work.
Today I didn't quite make the 11miles but that might have been due to part of the run being very muddy. So much so I couldn't really walk.
For a non-plan that sounds like a pretty good plan to me Tabbles . Love the photo of the local wildlife too, I bet you had to hide for ages to capture that shot!
Well you are correct didn't consider it as a plan 😀. Its my first no watch based plan. I find a need a goal. As I have no race booked I thought better put some structure so not to lose the fitness speed I had built up.
I had to run along the fence as they had the exhibition on where I sometimes run. So sneaked a couple of shots
Another great photo Tabbles ! I've never used a watch-based plan. Mr Garmin and I don't get along that well as it is, and I think it'd definitely be divorce if he kept telling me what to do. 😉
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