Good morning amazing runners! I hope that those of us who are preparing for the HU10 are fine tuning their plans and will have their fitness finely honed for the big week. A Spring run was such a brilliant idea linda9389 . Despite my incessant bleating about the recent cold wet spell (as in the whole year to date), I love this time of year. Wildflowers are reappearing in the woods and on Saturday I spotted my first Peacock Butterfly of Spring. Hopefully this one knows more than I do and can see warmer and drier (please) days ahead. A deer and two fawns have appeared too.
I know now that the trails will be flooded from yesterday’s down pours, but for the moment there is a hint of sunshine, wind 16 mph gusting up to 30 mph, but no rain…yet!! Not ideal for a 12k tempo run this morning, but I won’t care after the first five minutes. Despite the weather, my running is doing pretty well (equivalent of an actor saying Macbeth I suspect!!🧙). On Saturday I reached the lofty peak of “Superior” on Garmin VO2 max; top 5% for age and gender 😂. Back on the planet earth, my average heart rate when running has reduced, while pace has increased in a bit, so all good and all down to losing 10 lbs I don’t think I needed to lose! Pre Diabetes diet for you (hence the greenery replacing cake in the title. Normal menus will be restored next week). I am sure today’s long run will puncture the VO2 max balloon, but I definitely don’t care!
So, over to you; how are things going with running and otherwise? Whatever you are doing, I hope it goes well and that your week starts and ends with a smile. Don’t forget to tell us about races you have entered so that we can arrange Pom Pom cheers!
I’m feeling tight in one of my hamstrings after last weeks long run. I can run without pain but I haven’t been able to pick up the pace so off to see the Physio. I was due to run 18miles this week but we will see what he & the hamstring thinks about that. I’ve still got a couple of months to go so trying not to panic.
No need for panic, but that is easy to say…you have invested so much in this.
My hamstrings have felt much better since I started doing the Happy Baby pose regularly. My physio recommended it. It seems to be a good allrounder, taking the tightness out of glutes and hamstrings which reduces tension in calves and achilles too….but you probably have all that stuff sorted out by now! I hope your physio will find a quick fix,
That was a fault of mine too. I know that I need to do it now and it has helped a lot. I usually drop it off, then something happens to stop me running …so I start it all again! Trying to keep it up as I build back to HM.
Hello RunWillie, I hope that your physio has/had good news for you. I have had two hamstring episodes. The one a total ping moment when I was running along at easy pace. Ages ago now and I remember that I stopped running for a bit. I think I 'googled' for help and talked to a physio friend. The second one not a total 'ping' and my physio who I was then seeing about my knee problems) said that I could run but to shorten my pace. The fact that you can run without pain sounds very positive. 😊
Just back from the physio & I’ve been cleared to run 20k tomorrow. Hamstring is tight probably due to poor strength & general weakness in glutes & core. Also, got told off for not doing enough post recovery stretching. Physio can’t help me for this marathon in terms of strength as my marathon is only 9 weeks away so it’s a wing & a prayer for now 🤣
I was suppose to run 28km tomorrow so hopefully 20km will feel easy. I always run on my own except for park run. No one I know runs at my pace. Willie also now refuses to run except in a park for tennis balls or hurtling down a beach towards the ocean 🐾🐾
Good morning BC and other fab VRBs! Hope those of you here in the UK are looking forward to the slight warming up due later this week. It was soooooo chilly at Ashton Court PR on Saturday and not a whole lot warmer on my run yesterday. 🥶
All good here. 😀 I was miffed that the AC PR hill defeated me, purely due to me not running there enough over the last year. I’ve been avoiding it - it’s big! So that resulted in me taking 4 walking breaks, and much as I had a great time celebrating a friend’s 100th (plus AC’s 13th birthday too), I left with unfinished business on my mind.
So rather than do my HM Plan scheduled 8k somewhere easier, I made a pact that I’d return to AC and darn well crack that hill. I used to do it regularly. 💪 And I did! Slow as heck and my legs were extremely unhappy, but I’m sure I had a grimacy grin on my face at the top! What a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, and running back down was extra sweet. 🥰
I’m looking forward to HU10k/Great Bristol 10k combo. I have a totally bonkers May ahead, but all good stuff so bring it on! 😀
I am alright I think thank you, my body is still recovering from Saturdayt. I have just added a ridiculously long reply to Beachcomber about my long run on Saturday. Perhaps aiming for the longest reply award 😂
Can’t let a pesky hill get the better of you Cheeky! Excellent bit of running 🙂.
I have just expanded back into hill country. Tough to start with, but we get there. I have only run my ridiculously hilly 5k run once this year and I had to walk the peaks. I need to get back to them😈
Yep, let’s go for it! Some hills around here are unrunnable, even for the experts; but getting back to running three in particular which I could manage in the past is well worth doing. As others have pointed out, running down hill on trails is particularly tough too…but eventually it is really beneficial. VO2 max will hate it….but I have had my 5 minutes in the sun 😂.
Ok you’re on. I personally love trotting down hills, but you know me and that’s all I do anyway. I need to embrace the up again like I used to. I’ve been actively avoiding it of late and it won’t do!
Nice goals there BC. They’ll get you strong whether you run or walk them. 😀
Here’s my Ashton Court hill. 2.5k up (unless I add on at the top like I did for my 8k yesterday) and 2.5k down. The down is fun, the up isn’t - and there are varying degrees of steep. To be fair, the steep bits make the not so steep bits feel like a breather! My aim is to run it a little faster.
First attempt at my mini mountain(95m elevation gain) today cheekychipmunks . I was a bit apprehensive, and wore my new shoes for the occasion. I thought “built in excuse if I make a mess of things!” . This run was building on a steady run walk a couple of weeks ago. Objective; run it all! I added on 1k leg stretcher to start with….starting off a run at the bottom of a long hill is asking for trouble. To cut a long story short, I made it; ran all of the way…apart from having to open a gate and fight my way through a walking group🙄. The average pace was 7:26/k compared with 7:56/k on the last effort. This is just a start; I am including this as my weekly recovery run now. My heart rate hit 165bpm on the peaks but the overall average was 137; VO2 max didn’t even notice! Thanks for the challenge CC….deep down I felt that this run was probably a bit too tough for me now…but nope; I just wasn’t trying hard enough!! Thanks for the nudge 🙂
Hey Beachcomber66 that was impressive. Hard, yes, but it didn’t beat you! Bet you felt mighty pleased with yourself after that! 👊 💪
I’m going back to Ashton Court PR at the weekend. No more taking the easy option. Even today, on my final run of my NRC HM plan, which happened to be the 15 minute recovery run, I made a concerted effort to stick a hill in on the common just for good measure. Check us out!
I was pretty pleased…but surprised more than anything else. I didn’t expect to run the whole route today. Not getting carried away though….. steady improvement is what is needed.
Hi Beachcomber66 and all VRB's, you are doing great, for me running to low heartrate means my runs are lovely and comfortable but V02MAX has now dropped into the dreaded orange 'fair' it's only ever been there once before. Still says I'm in the top 40% fitness for my age and I don't take a lot of notice really. Happy that I can run.
Sounds like your running is coming along well and long may this continue. 😊🏃🏻♂️
I hope you don't mind a long reply! As you may recollect I have been on a DIY HM plan while keeping a not normal knee happy. My run/walks to keep my heart rate in the 118-128 range as per my understanding of the MAF have, in a way, been too easy, especially as preparation for my HM in less than three weeks. I perhaps need 6months or so of MAF before moving to speed runs or even continuous running.
Anyway, I decided that if possible I want to run my HM without walking and so for Saturday's long run I turned my heart rate alert off and attempted a 17km run (my longest run ever). Mr >61 was in full senior supporter mode. He drove me to a suitable spot on the High Peak Trail, the route of my HM and cheered me on at various points along the route. He doesn't think that there will be enough space for parking on event day. The aim was to practice lots of things to make it like my HM event. So I now feel fairly confident about when and what to eat for breakfast. I didn't eat anything en route and wasn't at all hungry. Also I was fairly happy with my new max cushioning socks, so happily no black toe nail. It was a cool day feels like 3 degrees C, so perhaps these socks will be too warm.
So this was to be my first run without walks for ages, 6 weeks feels like ages to me. I wasn't even sure that I could run without walking any more. I soon decided that as on my event day (don't think race day is the right phrase for me) I probably won't stop to take many photos, I did stop for photos on my 17km run. I found the run harder than I would have liked and my pace was a minute/km less than my 10 mile run 2 years ago. I had thought that this route would be a gentle descent, with a few steep descents. How wrong was that idea?! 201m ascent and 441m descent! The three long steep descents were two x 1:14 and one at 1:8, if I remember correctly. All three had signs saying cyclists dismount. My slowest km included the 1:8 descent. I am pretty useless downhill! Or at least steep down hill, so I have now watched some videos and plan to try out some techniques. I did finish the run and had energy at the end to up my pace, but the idea of matching my 10 mile pace of two years ago is not at all likely. My 10 mile route 2 years ago had 141m ascent and 136m descent along the River Derwent, so a much easier running route.
Saturday's run was a really valuable run although the pleasure of a new route has now been experienced already. I plan now to just run without using a heart rate alert up until the event, but still not push pace beyond effort 6 or 7 and mainly just easy. Obviously, I do want my body to think that just running is the norm, not run/walk which had become my norm. I ached all over on Sunday, but happily my knee hasn't swelled up, so that is good. Saturday's run has given me confidence that I can manage the distance, especially with the help of event magic.
Well done if you have read this far! Happy injury free running to you 😊🏃🏻♂️
Thank you cheekychipmunks. I must take it as a win as I ran my longest distance yet. Aw I am not confident about doing brilliantly but I hope to enjoy every moment, finish and not be injured 😊
I am really really pleased to read this >61. I thought about you as I was running this morning; wondering how things had gone. I have my answer; things have gone superbly well. Running downhill is an acquired art I believe. I think it was an ultra runner friend who said you can either go for huge leaps from leg to leg, or really short quick steps. I have always gone for option 2 with handbrake applied. It is a bit tough on ankles calves and knees if you go really quickly …if your knee isn’t complaining post run you have clearly got it about right.
Is comparing your 10 mile pace from 2 years ago helpful/ relevant anyway, given it was an easier route, it was two years ago, and you have just changed to all run from run/walk ? I think not; but you are the statistician/ mathematician! This run is to be celebrated for what it is; an amazing achievement both in its own right and given all you have been through. So…..the stage is set for 18 May. This weekend’s run should really boost your confidence levels. 🙂👏👏👏👏👏🏆🥂
Aw ... thank you. I am really looking forward to the HM. I even got really excited about our practice run on Saturday. W/E runs for me are always before breakfast, in fact all my runs are before breakfast. So to delay starting and eating breakfast first was very odd.
Congratulations on your longest run over61andstilltrying !
I don't understand why so many people think that running uphill is tough and running downhill is easy. Unless you're on a single figure % (less steep than 1:10) gradient that has a smooth, even surface, it really isn't the case. And even those gentler descents take it out of your legs.
Thank you Cmoi. Wow! It was really good to watch Elsey running down hill. I have one really steep slope that I can think of near here. Lots of hills but one really steep. I shall have a go at her wonderfully quick feet movement method. Just amazing to watch. I shall watch it again and cement it in my mind thank you 😊
I find downhill much more of a challenge and always feel it in my knees, so sometimes I just walk down, because when I run I can feel myself tense up which I know I shouldn't do so maybe I just need more practice 🙂
That's fabulous news (well, not the unexpected elevation maybe, but everything else is great). You're so nearly there now you have that 17k in the bag. Just keep sweet talking that knee and this half narathon is yours 😊
Aw thank you 😊 I really had it in my mind that this was a gentle decline with three steep parts. My husband rang me during the run and I remember exclaiming that the idea that this was a down hill was serious nonsense as I was looking at yet another slope going up. 😂🤣😂 I am very used to slopes up and down, but I just hadn't expected the uphill ones on this route.
That’s such great news! 17K and the knee is ok. Phew! That bodes so well for your HM and you've done the longest run so it all looks so good. Well done 👍
Aw thank you. I wanted to think that pace didn't matter to me, but it seemed to. Boo! All this low heart rate MAF run/walk hasn't reaped benefits yet, but I can only go from where I am. Ran this morning, easy pace no walking and knee all fine until the cool down walk back. Still not bad, so that is exciting that I think I may actually reach the starting line and complete the HM distance! Did I actually say that? Oh wow! 😂🤣😂
Hi Beachcomber66 and fellow runners! I have to say that I don’t actually have a plan for the HU Spring run, but I can still manage 10k with minimal training. I did finally manage to do my 3 planned runs last week though - a 6k Runniversary run on Tuesday when I got back from dad’s, 6.5k with my running club on Thursday and my fastest parkrun so far this year on Saturday (slow compared with previously, but finally under 35 minutes again 🥳) VO2 max is slowly increasing (from 36 to 38 with a fitness age of 20 😝 Yeah, right!) and I’ve finally become Productive again (probably won’t last long 😂)
Back to Cumbria tomorrow for mum’s funeral on Wednesday afternoon. Before that I am going to don my new Dementia UK t-shirt and do the first of my “31 Miles in May” in Penrith in memory of mum with any other family members who fancy a walk and to raise a few pounds for a very worthwhile organisation
Hi Sandie, good to hear from you. You are going through a very emotional period; fitting in the sponsored run before you celebrate the life of your mum is a good idea.
Miserable VO2 max cut me back by one point this morning, as I knew it would; 12 k tempo runs with hills tend to do that! So I am only excellent and have dropped out of the top 5% in my age group down to 10%. Sic transit Gloria Mundae!
Hi everyoneI've got a right knee injury which I developed around 18k during the Monsal trail HM. It's a IT band problem. It's fine til I run more than 4.5k.
The physio (also a runner) has said I can keep running (hurray) if it's not painful and given me exercises to do, which should help .
I managed 5.5miles this morning, through stopping several times after the 6k mark, to do the exercises and stretch my IT band, hips and quads.
I guess I will have to pull out of the HU 10 miles, but hope to complete a slow 10k, maybe walking the last couple of miles. 🤞
I’ve had the same issues before... mine was 15km into a trail half last year. Massive sympathy. It’s such a nuisance. Wishing you a speedy and full recovery! ❤️🩹
Thank you, it seems to be an overuse injury. I'm going to do more strength and stretches in my non-running time, as advised by the physio. It's good to read in other posts that you are building up. Is this from IT band or another injury?
I had what I thought was a left ankle/achilles issue post long run. My genius physio soon put me right! She started at the glute and worked downwards; it was a tight hamstring which was causing the problem…the ankle pain was just a symptom. Remedy; warm up exercises(I do exercise band crab walks and squats) then nerve glides, then adductor stretches with one leg in squat mode, the other stretched out and finally the Happy Baby pose to finish off. I didn’t think that I would manage the latter, but it turned out to be not too difficult. My physio ignores my age…so I do too 🙂
I’m just building up this time from a really quiet winter!! I got back to about 15km a few months after the injury. I was hoping to run the great north run last September but I’ve since discovered that long car journeys tend to set off the pain again. It calms down pretty quickly but a half marathon a long way away is a step too far for at the moment. Without an event, I didn’t really get back into running anything longer than 5k regularly. When Nike Run Club brought out their new 10k programme on the app, it seemed a good reason to pick up again. Alls gone very well so far! Hopefully it will for you too!
Thanks CSMN. Sounds as though your ITB issue is well on the way to being fixed 👍.
This morning’s 12 k tempo run put paid to my new lofty status…I knew that it would. I got a good hard run in; that is what really matters. AHR was only 140, so I think VO2 max was a bit mean……but that is the nature of the beast! Thursday’s recovery run might be the way back 👍
Thanks for the thread! I’m excited to be hitting beyond 10k this week. I’m planning 7 miles for my long run, building up ready for HU10. I think the timing works to do 7, 8, 9, 10 but as long as I get to 8 before the day, I’ll be happy. So far my knee has been behaving but I’ve been really disciplined at hitting the gym. That’s what IT band nerves does to you! My weekly mileage has ticked up to 15 for the first time in ages which I’m super pleased about. I know that’s not much compared to people here but it’s a massive encouragement to me. I’ve been doing one or two speed runs a week-mainly tempo or hill repeats. I’m missing some flat intervals so I might try and find something on NRC that takes my fancy for a change.
I’ve almost hit the superior VO2 max range. I went from top 15% to top 10% last week. I know it’s a dodgy metric and Garmin does stupid things but I would love to get there. Massive congratulations to you with yours! Love the butterfly. I noticed loads on my last sunny run. None on grey days but we do have fields full of bunnies whatever the weather is like.
Hi MissU, thank you. As you will see from the above, my “superior” was short lived! Today’s 12k 109m total ascent tempo run, which CB classed as a speed run, was tough ; but I think that it will be a good investment for an HM PB, which is what I really want to do this summer. Your recovery seems to be well underway 👍.
No butterflies today, but lambs have appeared in the field next to my preferred run….I only saw them on Molly’ post run walk today and didn’t have my phone/camera with me. No doubt they will put in an appearance here at some point.
Your recovery is going really well; no point in comparing your mileage to others. We are all at different points on the same cycle; build up, peak performance, injury; start again! You are doing all of the right things!🙂
🙂 it might not be now I have taken on cheeky’s hill challenge…. but it really doesn’t matter. I know how to get back to 43 points if I want to. More important to build up strength.
I see you did your 12K yesterday so you're well on your way to your target HM PB and of course, the HU event too 🥳
I’m aiming for 12K tomorrow having done 10K last week. I’m really hoping that the 2K jump will be fine. It usually is when I’m on top form so this will be a bit of a test. But I’m sure the strengthening exercises are working well and I haven't had the knee pain since Bath so I’m confident. I’m just deciding the route I’ll take. I did a loop around our village last week and ended up in ankle deep water which was freezing so I’m trying to avoid it again if I can. It’s all the rain. And I had to dig out long leggings even though I’d put them away 🥶
I just want to run in warmer weather sometime soon 😎
The garden is going ahead regardless and blooming nicely. I think I’ll take my cue from that.
Thanks IP. The weather up here is absolutely beautiful. No coat needed, bright sun and gentle breeze. Perfect for a run…..but not until Thursday for me. I am guessing that you are planning to run at easy pace, just to be on the safe side. The NRC plan jumps about post 8k, and moves from metric to miles. I always look at the jump and think “really ?” but this year it hasn’t been a problem. I should think that you will be fine and hopefully the post Bath HM niggle has gone.Look out for film directors!!
My wish came true and the weather was warmer 😎 and I could wear shorts. Whooop whoop 🥳 What with the sunglasses I could almost believe that spring had sprung!
12K done. It was the Goldilocks of Weather, perfect for running👌 I didn't take any water or fuel with me and I must admit that I could have done with some at about 10K as it got quite hot, but all is good and I can take two days off now.
And I discovered that, although there is no clip inside my belt for the key, there is a tiny pouch where it could be held tightly, so no chance of it falling out ever again.
Perfect run 👍. I have a problem with water bottles; if I use just water, the bottle adds a taste which I don’t like. I might try half a bottle of a non fizzy sports drink next long run. I will need something as it warms up.
I sometimes just add a bit of fruit juice and salt and that’s enough for shorter but hotter runs. Otherwise it’s Tailwind. I tried High5 in the past and the taste is quite nice but it’s not really enough for me for longer distances.
I have just watched Jazmin Sawyers, long jumper who was preparing for the Olympics, speaking about her recently ruptured appendix. In one second she felt a whack on the back of her leg and her hopes of going to the Olympics were gone. She was so articulate, so measured and whilst the disappointment was there to see, she spoke about how she had made sure that she had many other things in her life to “fill the gap” when these problems came along and mentioned her plans to get on with rehab as soon as possible. I will think of her the next time I get wound up over a niggle! Heal quickly and well Jazmin.
Ugh Garmin! He's decided I'm unproductive. What? I'm running again ... how can that be unproductive? Pfftttt!!!
Yes, I don't want to tempt fate, but today I ran for 25 minutes (W7R1) and although still niggly, my leg is coping without flaring up. With no real insights from the physio as to what's causing the injury, I'm relying on common sense to keep me moving! I am religiously doing the pre run warm up and the post run stretches that I found in the updated C25K app, I'm running slow and steady, I'm not running over the prescribed time (although I am doing a much condensed version of C25K) and I'm soaking in an Epsom salts bath post run.
Oh and it feels soooo good!
I have my eye set on the Royal Victoria event on Vancouver Island in October. Much as I'd love to sign up for the full marathon, I think common sense should prevail and I should aim for the half!!! But first, I know I shouldn't be thinking like this ... but ... I wonder if I can get to 10K in time for HU10??? 🤔
I would really struggle to cope with not knowing what was causing the injury. There are lots of muscles around the top of the leg/hip of course, so an approach which says “not clear which of them it is, but these targeted exercises/ stretches will fix it” just about works …..but I hate working in the dark. HU 10k? Just see how things are on w/c 19th I guess; I still do mad things, but pushing too hard after a long term repeat injury isn’t one of them…..that said, having accepted cheekychipmunks challenge I am off to run some crazy steep hills this morning ….very slowly 🙂.
hello Beachcomber66 and all, I’m so late to the party that I considered leaving it until Monday, but as we are away then I might miss that too. 😂
Last week I did manage 3 runs , which is a great success. A chilly intervals 4.6k, a chilly 5k to and around Southsea Ladies Mile , and then a nearby tourist parkrun in which I achieved my best time since November. I had set myself a target of 60 km in April and managed to run 69.5 , despite the wind and rain.
I confess I searched for local races as we haven’t done one for ages , so UpTheStanley and I are now booked into the Netley 10k on 19th May . Perfect timing for the HU 10k and no choice on the route.. It is described as undulating 😱 so we are going to do the parkrun there next Saturday to do a practice run.
I too am switching from excellent to superior routinely on Garmin. But it doesn’t really appreciate the benefits of a long slow run like my body does.
We had a terrific lightening storm in the early hours on Thursday, so I thought I’d add a picture. Not many people slept through that.
That all sounds really good Dexy5. As you know, I have given up trying to fathom the logic of VO2max; I ran faster than last week today, average heart rate was better…last week 43, this week 42🤷🏻♂️. Good job I don’t care 😬. Good luck with Netley👍
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