Running

Knackered my knee a bit in a ride over the weekend, frustrating start to the year.

That training session sounds insane @nefarious . I did 8km with ~270m climb (didn't think it was much until I thought of it in the context of a bike ride - 32km with 1000m climb would be nuts) over christmas and that was tough enough!

Aye - worth noting the pace tho! Took me over 2 hours. Even one of our strongest runners was doing 11 min/miles average for the hill session. And if you take out the warm up, the hill session is 800m over 10km, lol.
Need to get that steep hill fitness back - won't stand a chance in the Lakes or Scotland otherwise - and a session a week like that should do the trick!

steep hill fitness

Something I definately lack! There seems a gradient past which running becomes ridiculously hard, and almost as slow as walking so you burn a lot of matches just to get to the top a few seconds quicker.

Went out with them today - super nice bunch of people! Didn’t meet Kevin but I’m sure I will. Thanks very much for the suggestion

"For either running or walking, slopes between 20 and 35 degrees require nearly the same amount of energy to climb the hill at the same vertical velocity,” said Rodger Kram, an associate professor in CU-Boulder’s Department of Integrative Physiology and senior author of the study."

https://running.pocketoutdoormedia.com/whats-the-perfect-slope-researchers-study-uphill-mountain-running_142099

I do a lot of walking up the steep bits. Everyone does. It was a massive relief to start racing and seeing everyone around me doing the same. I'm sure the front runners aren't walking, but there's enough people in front and behind me to make me feel ok about it!

Interesting, thanks! Good to know that walking up a hill is the "tactical" choice sometimes.

D'oh! Just pulled out of the National XC.
Saw GP on Monday to get a physio referral for my dodgy foot, but arranged an X-ray at the same time. Results back already - a probable "old" stress fracture (that I didn't know I had) that is already showing signs of repair but still giving me gyp. In all likelihood I ran the Frankfurt Marathon on a broken foot. Oops! It really doesn't feel tooo bad at the moment, so I'm hopeful that a few weeks of active recovery (indoor rowing/cycling/core, etc.) will see me right, and a few weeks of easy/steady running of increased mileage will get me fit enough to fulfill my April marathon pacing plans.

Feeling pretty chilled about it but bit of a shame to miss the iconic Type 2 fun of the National.

Hope it heals well and you're fit enough for us to see those lovely red shorts at VLM!

Glad it went well.

Not ideal - heal soon! good excuse though :D

I've semi decided not to bother with London now. I don't think I'm going to be able to get sufficient quality or quantity of training in to do it properly.

I've entered the nationals. 5 hours driving up, one hour running, then five hours home again.

Also an unexpected 18.02 5k last night after 18 months of 19ish minutes.

Celebrating tonight with a very wet January evening.

Get well soon @PhilPub

Hope you're back on it soon in time for April.

5 hours driving up, one hour running, then five hours home again.

Oof long day. I was feeling sore at the prospect of mcr to North of Leeds & back but that'll be a 5hr round trip I guess including the race!

Edit congrats on the 5k improvement, sub 18 to come yeah?

It's almost dot watching season... rumour that this will be the simplest spine weather-wise.

https://youtu.be/Bi6YhrL5NcY

We are doing the train. No idea what time trains yet.

Congratulations on the 5k clocking. Building nicely for the 2019 Ladywell 10000...

@rhb - disappointingly kind weather this year. The serious weather that was being predicted before Christmas appears to have disappeared.

Fix up soon mate!

I think there'll be mixed feelings amongst the racers. Should be a fast winner time & lots finish.

Didn't realise how poor my 2018 was, with my current marathon plan I'll pass my entire 2018 running distance by the end of Feb.

Belated HNY, running thread people.

2018 Highlights

1. Sub-18 parkrun, and a few first-place finishes #notarace
   
2. First few attempts at 10k & HM, with sub-37 and sub-1:27 achieved
   
3. Joining a club in late-November and having my first go at XC races/track sessions
   
4. Watching wife and son continue to stick with and enjoy running (including his 19:46 at Hove parkrun on NYD2019 - I'll lump that in with the 2018 stuff)
   
   

2019 Goals

1. Sub-17 5k/parkrun
   
2. Being a competitive V45 for the club in XC, track, and the club road competition
   
3. Sub-35 10k? Hmm…
   
4. Supporting my wife and son with their running goals (son having just joined the club and doing XC debut tomorrow at Wormwood Scrubs Met League U13s)
   
5. Getting shot of this interminable achilles tendinopathy
   
6. Continuing to keep abreast of this thread and all the inspiring stories therein
   

I went for my first run ever the other day, I can't run.
Did 2 miles, so I guess that's something, legs felt like they were gonna fall off though.

Running is really crap until its not, then it's great

Waiting for this

Running is really crap until its not, then it's great

Exactly. In the early stages it does get easier (or less horrid). Keep at it.

But then you reach the point that it doesn't get easier, you just get faster.

I used to be the promising young football talent this country had to offer (in my head) 15 years on, I look more like Maradona now.

But yeah, I think I just need to get used to it!