I am hosting the Tortoise & Hare Running Club this week, and would like to invite you all to feedback on your week - how did it go? Did you achieve your goals, enjoy your experiences? I hope so!!!
I had some goals, and pledged to myself that I'd go to the gym 3 times this week - but then the dreaded time of the month scuppered me, and I didn't feel like it. However, I did manage one trip to the gym, and I ran for 5kms in total on the treadmill during that session, as well as cycling for 10km on the bike. My running was divided into 1km to start off with, then 5km on the bike, then another 1km on the treadmill, another 5km on the bike, and then a final 3km on the treadmill to finish off. So a bit like a 'sandwich' of running and cycling. I enjoyed it.
I also went for a few walks, but there was one where I decided to walk for 2 minutes and then jog for 1 minute, and kept alternating this pattern - and I have photographed the scenery that I came across during that particular occasion - a lovely flowery meadow - which I really appreciated. So colourful and really brightened up my day!
So tell me, what's your week been like - and what's brightened up your running experience - or been memorable for you?
I'd love to hear, and look forward to your replies. I may not be around much this evening, but I will hope to pop in and out during Sunday to reply to you.
Happy Running everyone!
Zest
p.s. If you're reading this and would like to get involved, then please join in - we love new members in our Tortoise & Hare Running Club - you're all welcome!
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Zest
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Well, I'm assuming all your Tortoise & Hare Runners are running about the countryside, towns, cities and wherever you're living over this lovely weekend, and that you'll be popping by to update us on your experiences. Hope you're all enjoying the weekend and looking forward to a good week ahead.
I'm going to pledge some 'goals' for my running this week - to try to motivate myself to achieve them.
So, I'm going to say I hope to:
Run 3 times this week! Probably at the gym mainly, but hopefully one of those occasions will be outside.
I'm not around this evening now, as I've got some stuff to do, but I will definitely pop back in the weekdays to hopefully reply to you.
Hi Zest! Really great pictures, what lovely flowers. I have a hankering for running in the countryside. When my running plan progresses to 15km or more, I will look at going to one of the big parks around London like Hyde Park or Richmond Park for a run around
That's cool that you've been mixing cycling and running - duathlon in the works??!!
I'm not sure if any one thing has particularly brightened my runs, but I'm really pleased with what I'm achieving with the myasics plan. Particularly with my fast runs which are quite unpleasant at the time, but I'm pleased I can do them - out of 8km I can usually run 6km at less than 6km/minute. My next run is 12km again.
And I'm happy to be wearing my new trainers! I've noticed that I've stopped getting pain in my left knee (so far anyway, touch wood!) - I think my previous shoes weren't supportive enough so I'm amazed at the difference.
I like your running goals - I think my goals are to complete all runs on my schedule and make sure I S T R E T C H properly afterwards.
I think you are making great progress with your Running, and you are soooo fast!!! A true Hare!!! Great that you've got plans to run in one of the big parks in London when your running plan progresses to 15km or more - as your next one is a 12km, I can see you are getting close to doing that! Really great!
Brilliant that you are enjoying your new trainers - I bet they look great too. Fantastic that you no longer get pain in your left knee (touching wood as we speak)... Shows how much a supportive trainer can help.
I hadn't considered a duathlon - I only use the bike at the gym, not a proper bike on the road.
Good luck with your schedule of runs, and great that you're remembering to stretch afterwards.
Well done with those runs LinaLamont - your fast runs times are great
Are you at the stage of taking anything with you to nibble on during a long run ? Can't remember what distance I started at, but I found great satisfaction is being able to stop for a quick munch along the way - eating and running, what bliss
thank you! I am probably going to start bringing snacks when I start doing 16k runs in a few weeks. Someone posted on the marathon support forum that kids size portions of raisins are good. I've actually started already eating them just before runs for a quick boost. I don't much fancy gels!
I've seen lots of suggestions online for baking protein bites or similar but I think if they tasted too nice I would eat them all in one sitting before I was even out the door...
Never tried the gels, but my husband used them once for cycling and said they made him feel sick, and I've heard that from others as well.
I used to make my own energy bites and would take a couple of those with me - I promised myself some at a certain distance and it would really spur me on ... (like a dog - you could train me with treats !!)
Did 12k yesterday - pleased with the time but my legs weren't very happy with me towards the end. I think I actually need to slow down a bit more on these longer runs... did all my stretches though
I think it's a mystery as to where the other T&Hers are - maybe I should tag a few - PippiRuns , moreless , RobLandsdown91 , my memory has gone blank now... lol I know there are quite a few more...
Great to hear you've done your stretches, LinaLamont - well done!!!
I've not been running yet, but hopefully tomorrow!!!
Have you seen any of those running calculators that show you the type of speed you should be running your long runs at ? I put my info in once and was surprised at how slow the long runs should be !! - and they felt much more comfortable when I did them at that speed
thank you! yes, in my asics plan I do have a suggested pace but I've been running slightly faster. I do have a problem in being able to distinguish when I'm running fast or slow. I use Endomondo on my phone which tells me my pace every km but I find it hard to modify. So that's something to work on
Going to have to really slow down though because my legs are still achey from my 12k 2 days ago!
Morning Zest and all the other T&H'ers
Lovely pictures ! I love wildflower meadows - the small park along the road from us used to plant up a wildflower meadow each year - but they've stopped doing it now for some reason, which is a shame A lovely view for you though when you are running along !
Last week I managed to get 4 runs in - each around 4km. I'm really pleased with these as with each one they are getting more comfortable and I feel just about ready to start to try and increase the distance slightly.
Fitting in runs for the next 6 weeks is going to be more difficult because of course school holidays have started. I experimented last week with taking my daughter along for a scooter ride with me, which worked out really well - we were chatting away and stopped for an iced coffee afterwards Last night we all took the dog out to the country park and I ran round it whilst husband and daughter walked the dog.
Hopefully then with a bit of 'management' I'm going to be able to manage to fit in the runs I want to ! So I think that's going to be my goal for the next few weeks - keep up a running schedule despite the holidays !
It's great to have you back in the fold of the forum and also the Tortoise & Hare Running Club! Yes, Wild Flower Meadows are beautiful aren't they.
Great to hear that you managed 4 runs last week of 4km each - that is really good. I know you're feeling more comfortable now and ready to increase your distance, so good luck with doing that.
Also, you've worked out a way to manage the school holidays so that you'll hopefully be able to continue to achieve your runs - and you've already made a great start with that, running round the park last night.
It has been really lovely to read about all your successes, tribulations and general comments and advice. I didn't manage to find the photos of the flower 🌺 meadows, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually.
As I'm new to the T&H I haven't got the hang of it yet. Missed Friday post so a quick catch up for last week. Only did the one ☝️ walk / jog (3k), a 40 minute very brisk walk and, if it counts 😂😂😂, 2 days of DIY kitchen fitting. I think this will be a long job as I'm a bit of a perfectionist and after all 2mm can make all the difference 🤣🤣 not that my partner agrees, but he's very good at hiding his irritation.
Anyway enough of my OCD kitchen fitting hang ups and onto the main topic, plans for this week. I'm hoping to manage 2 walk/jog sessions and maybe even a Pilates session too, so fingers crossed 🤞 and forward we go. xx
Lovely to hear from you, and I know you're a relatively new member of the Tortoise & Hare Club, and it's great to have you with us - such a lovely name as well - I really like it. The flower meadow photos are at the top of this post - hope you can see them...?
Great to hear you went for a 3km walk/jog and your 40 minute very brisk walk as well - I personally think they all count! Wow, DIY kichen fitting too - you've been very busy!!!
I would like to wish you success with your plans for this week - fingers crossed and as you say 'Forward we go'.
Hi Zest, great pictures those flowers are truly magnificent. Everyone sounds like they are going great guns and I'm half expecting LinaLamont to announce she off on a triathlon to Patagonia! I had a change of route (well a wee bit of a change) last week which I've stuck to this week - it adds some extra walking at the end to complete the loop from my front door. Did my usual 3 x 5K runs last week and 2 under my belt this week...so seventeen 5Ks since starting back after injury on June 16th - good times! Did the tennis ball thing under my feet before my run this morning as I was feeling a bit of tightness - the ball must have done the trick as I had a great run. Trying to focus on my running, balance and stretching - the strength stuff I'm keeping till winter and non-gardening time. Happy running everyone...
Great to hear how well you're doing - very impressive to hear you've accomplished 17 runs, all of them 5kms - wow, that is really great. Glad to hear that the tennis ball trick works, and that you enjoyed your run this morning. You sound like you've got things sussed in terms of balancing everything - including literally 'balancing'.
Yes, I love those flowers - they really cheered me up that day. I am also anticipating a Patagonian triathlon from LinaLamont , now that you've put that idea in my mind - I reckon she could definitely do that!!!
Hope you enjoy the rest of your planned runs for this week, and here's to some great weather - it's raining where I am today, but I think it will be sunny tomorrow.
haha I'm flattered - but I'm not much good at cycling and even worse at swimming!!
Anyway sounds like your running is going well, and it's nice to vary your route to keep things a bit more interesting! Glad to hear your foot is getting better.
Have a great running week!
Hi Zest ,
it's been a few weeks since I last posted in the T&H club. I started with the c25k plan in January and graduated in March, I then moved onto 10k and am now following the 21k runner plan via an app.
I have managed to keep up with the programme and completed 5 runs last week totalling 32.9k. These runs consisted of 2x4.8k, 1x6k, my long run of the week of 12.3k and finishing the week with a Parkrun of 5k (with my daughter). It was only my second Parkrun and otherwise I run on my own so it is a very different experience for me (I think I enjoy it!)
Already been on a couple of runs this week including my long run this morning of 14.6k, time for a day of rest tomorrow.
Hope everybody's running is going well this week 😀😅😀
Wow, I am so impressed by all your running 'career' so far - Graduating on the c25k in March, and then doing 10km and currently on the 21km Runner Plan - that is really great.
Well done for doing your 5 runs last week, and to already completing a couple of runs this week - it's lovely that you enjoy the Parkruns, and that you did the recent one with your daughter.
Completing 14.6km this morning, that is very impressive - really well done, and I hope you enjoy your much deserved rest day tomorrow! I hope it's a lovely sunny day for you, and that you really enjoy your day.
Sort of 'yes' and sort of 'no'!! I have a place in the Royal Parks HM in October running for the Alzheimer's Society, but I haven't finalised my registration yet (I've got until mid-August).
I'm not sure I can run for the whole HM yet, but I suppose I can always walk some of it. Having only ever done Parkrun with other runners I guess I don't know quite what to expect.
Maybe I should have registered for a 10k instead, but my Dad passed away in 2015 from dementia so when I saw it I impulsively applied. My Dad was 88 so had a good long life but I saw so many others diagnosed in early 60s and it is such a cruel disease.
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I reckon if you are doing 12-13k already then you should be able to do the HM in October Don't they say that as long as you've run approx 18-19k by the HM time, you can manage the rest just on adrenalin ?!
Sounds like you have you have a really good cause to run it for as well Go for it !
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Thanks for the encouragement 😀. I will assess where I am in a couple of weeks time. A fortnight ago I thought 'no way', but at the moment I feel really good. I just don't want too push it too far too soon and injure myself.
It definitely sounds like you are on plan to do a full HM by then - I'm at about the same stage as you on the MyAsics plan, currently running 12k as my long run, and my HM is 1st October.
Sorry to hear about your dad. Dementia is truly terrible, my granddad had it. I'm running the Cardiff HM for Cancer Research UK as my mum died of cancer in April this year. It's felt very cathartic to be doing something positive and active in the face of a disease that can make you feel so helpless...
Just done another fast 8k. It was tough because of TOTM, slightly achy legs and it's super humid here in lovely London. But I got myself to slow down a bit, which definitely helped.
I've decided to skip my next scheduled 8k because I just can't fit it into my schedule this week and I think I need the rest - starting to feel like I might be overexerting a tiny bit (likely due to TOTM though!) On balance I think it's ok to skip one run and hopefully feel more recovered
Well done on doing that fast 8k, especially as it's your TOTM, and I am pleased to hear you're going to skip your next one to have some recuperation time - I agree with you that it's sensible to skip one run and feel more recovered, than to over-exert and push through.
Thank you so much for hosting this week's T & H thread, Zest and for such lovely photos! How idyllic for a run!
I'm sorry to hear that you totm scuppered your original running plans, but very well done for managing a cycle/run sandwich!! That sounds very energetic!
I apologise for taking so long to respond, but I've been holidaying with my grandchildren and am only back today!
I'm afraid I only managed two 1 hour runs, before they arrived and then time and the weather put paid to all other intentions! I fear it'll be a struggle getting back into a routine and dawn is already arriving later!
Bear with me, fellow runners, I shall respond to you all, as soon as I can!
Great to see you, and I hope you've had a lovely time holidaying with your Grandchildren. Welcome back!!!
Fantastic to hear you've managed two 1 hour runs - that sounds like a very good achievement - and sorry to hear that the weather hasn't been good - and scuppered some of your other intentions! It's raining here today as well - and it's been thick white fog all day long... Let's hope that sunshine comes out again soon for us all.
Thanks for your encouragement as always - I am having a good week so far, and will look forward to reporting back in the next Tortoise & Hare post - which I will look out for tomorrow.
Happy Running!
Have a lovely weekend, and it's great to have you back.
Thank you Zest, unfortunately, we had more than our fair share of rain, which drove us out of the tent and back into the house, but we still managed to have lots of fun. Some sunshine, is long overdue and would be very welcome!
I'm delighted to hear that you're having a good week and can't wait to read your update tomorrow
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A lovely view for you though when you are running along !
Tortoise and the Hare club 30 April 2017
Slow and Steady Wins the Race 
