Running

Ran Coniston Fell Race on Sat. 8.7 miles, 3500ft/ 14km, 1065m.
Didn't want to blow a gasket so went steady on the climbs, felt pretty decent tbh - a world apart from doing Lakes races last year. Had a good descent - generally my strength - but then missed a turning in the last km. Quite funny really, final km pelting down only to see the guy who was just in front appear on the path on the other side of the river - whoops. A quick scramble down the gorge, through the stream, and back up and on track. Lost about 3 minutes and 10 places - finished 104/240. Definitely annoying but wasn't too fussed really - felt it was a good performance.

Legs felt sore from the really steep/technical descent off the top of the Old Man of Coniston, so set off on a gentle/short jaunt today, only to accidentally end up running 12 miles/ 1500ft. Running in the Lakes is just too much fun - hard to turn around to go home!

Pics from the race - when you see a photographer, just pretend you're having fun!

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mixing imperial with metric = capital offence

Arms like those have no place on a cycling forum.

I am very aware I am not the optimal shape for running and cycling!

Running & Carrying though?

http://www.gawthorpemaypole.org.uk/?page_id=21

total miles are smaller no than total km

kg are smaller no than lbs.

brain sees smaller number left to go doesn't feel like there's as much remaining, motivation is increased.

the science checks out.

RIP knees

@cookiemonster if you're anything like me once you're racing you'll be far faster than in training - I can barely do 4 x 1600 at my 10K race pace.

@nefarious top work - I need to get up to the Lakes more - good day for it it looks too!

someone ran a 4:06 mile with a sack of coal on their back. fuck me.

edit: reading fail, was a km.

Bonkers. Post edit edit, still rapid.

errr? who and where? that's nuts. edit - it's not quite a mile.

1,012.5m http://www.recordholdersrepublic.co.uk/world-record-holders/234/david-jones.aspx

ahh it's a kilometre, could have sworn I saw the word mile in there somewhere.

Sad news from the lakes.

https://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2018/05/07/runner-dies-after-going-missing-during-bob-graham-round-in-lake-district

Weird Strava gps wanderings tonight on my run. Shows me in all sorts of no-mans land vs clubmate I ran first half with. Must be the heat?

I find the best way to run a 5K is to go out fast and try and hold on to it, you'd be surprised how long you can hold it for.

I am doing a 10 km run this Saturday, would you recommend a similar approach? I am thinking I might be able to hold on to 4:45 / km pace for most of ten km but would drop off towards the end, and if I'd made time in the early parts of the run, then I could still do it under 50 minutes.

I am about as fast as you and in a similar postion in terms of just startign training to go faster in 5km and 10km. (5k - 21.45 / 10k - 48.30)

I find that method doesnt work for 10km and if you are trying to break 10km i would go out at 4.55 and then push after 5km / 8km depending on how you feel

In my view, even pacing pretty much covers ideal pacing strategy for any distance, with the odd caveat, e.g.

• Whilst all (long distance) races are 90-odd% aerobic, I think it is OK to get some free speed at the start of the race, letting the legs turn over at quicker than average cadence, whilst the heart and lungs catch up. The first 1k is often the quickest split for my 5k/10k races... qualification: we're talking a few seconds here; don't start off so quick (like, 1 mile pace) that you immediately build up lactic acid, and it becomes hard to settle into a rhythm for the rest of the race.
  
• What distances are you well trained for? If you're building up from 5k to 10k and still need to build up training mileage, then what feels like a comfortable pace during parkrun might turn into the wheels falling off around 7/8k into a 10k, in which case it's probably worth starting off more conservatively until you're more used to the distance. On the other hand, if you've come to racing by ticking the marathon off your bucket-list, then maybe you will surprise yourself just how much you can let a 5k or even 10k hurt, in which case maybe you can be bold and try to hold on to a harder pace than feels comfortable.
  
• Finally, people do vary in terms of their ideal pacing and I don't fully understand why I can predict certain people I know starting relatively quicker than others, but for my part my leg speed is relatively slow, compared to my aerobic engine being pretty good, so maybe other people genuinely benefit from a start which is that much quicker than their optimal average pace, and I'll keep spending most of the race trying to catch them. :)
  

Are you on the LFGSS strava running group?

Thanks @PhilPub for tips, I am ready for bed now but will try to reply properly tomorrow

No, I don't use strava. I use runkeeper or some shit.

Maybe I should try and convert

Recommend? No.

Is it what I continue to do every single time without fail? Yes.

(Listen to Phil though, definitely.)

just got a box of maurten 320 drink mix through to give it a try in advance of my 24 hour race in july.

gives 80g of carbs in 500ml sized drink, no added flavour but apparently is very sweet. designed to turn into a hydrogel when it comes in contact with the ph levels in your gut to help you absorb/digest it properly without any gastric distress.

last year I was very poor at taking on fuel during my ultras and ended up probably having a harder time than I needed to towards the end. only thing I was good at was drinking water/nuun so figure this might be a better compromise than taking gels every 30-45 minutes.

I have now joined (jack bircher)

Anyone doing the Hackney half?

I'll be cheering with run dem. mile 11

Whilst all (long distance) races are 90-odd% aerobic, I think it is OK to get some free speed at the start of the race, letting the legs turn over at quicker than average cadence, whilst the heart and lungs catch up. The first 1k is often the quickest split for my 5k/10k races... qualification: we're talking a few seconds here; don't start off so quick (like, 1 mile pace) that you immediately build up lactic acid, and it becomes hard to settle into a rhythm for the rest of the race.

Thanks for this. I'm still unsure of my pacing though, some days I seem to be fine to run for longer at a decent clip, other days I feel like I'm running through hummus. I tend to go off like the dogs after the hare in the first km and then it's all downhill from there. I tried to take it nice and slow at the half marathon at the start and then I felt like I never built up a good rhythm at all.

What distances are you well trained for?

Haha. None whatsoever

If you're building up from 5k to 10k and still need to build up training mileage, then what feels like a comfortable pace during parkrun might turn into the wheels falling off around 7/8k into a 10k

Hmm. But then, if it's only 2k to go, I can plod home....

Maybe I am overthinking it. I should just go and have some fun.