Running

Happy Valley in Surrey is pretty nice too, and a bit nearer to home

There's a Happy Valley near Bramhall in Stockport too, it is a nice trail to run along.

Thank you!
It was really fucking tough morning out. Started off about as rested as I'll ever be and was feeling great, my knee was fine (in a brace) and we were making good pace. We were naff at descending, lost far more places than when climbing, and there's loads of both in Leeds. We feel behind the target 2hr pace makers when my partner was putting on her knee brace but when she saw them in the distance at around 16k she went full monster and reeled them in. We felt fantastic then and knew we just had to keep it up. Around 19.5km in though my unbraced knee did a horrible, painful twinge, but I could manage it with really careful concentration on small fast strides. It happened a couple more times and much more would have had me telling her to go on and walking the last stretch but we managed to get to the end in 1hr57. Considering at the start of the week I was considering dns, and even today I thought dnf was a real possibility, I'm over the moon. It was a great day out, the crowd and atmosphere really took the edge off what was a pretty uncomfortable time after the first half hour. My hr was ridiculous for the last maybe 3k, above 180 and just rising, finally to 200. I feel like it might coincide with my knee pains, is that a thing? The pace didn't ramp up to the extent I'd expect that kind of hr but I guess without much latent fatigue, and at the end of a long hard run it's quite possible.

Really chuffed for you both, excellent result.

My hr was ridiculous for the last maybe 3k, above 180 and just rising, finally to 200. I feel like it might coincide with my knee pains, is that a thing?

Possibly so but something I've not seen before I think. If your body was kicking out adrenaline to deal with the pain perhaps the hr rises?

Hope it's not too painful today & you can get back on the bike & running soon.

Thanks again, you've been a huge help in getting us both ready for it. Other half seems truly bitten by the bug and will be keeping it up I think. I'll keep running but I think maybe only up to around 10k or an hour? We'll see. Bus today in any case!

Another thing I was thinking this morning is that I totally underestimated a half marathon and how difficult it would be - I thought my on-bike fitness would transfer, and to some extent it did, but the amount of conditioning you have to put your body through to run for 2+ hours is incredible. Renewed respect (not that it was lacking) for those of you who regularly run distance and seem to be able to do so in comfort!

We’re not in comfort, we’re just better at hiding it ;)

Massive congrats on the race, glad you got round!

No worries, you both did all the hard work in getting the training done.

Glad you'll both be sticking with it to various levels, if I can help further just shout.

To borrow from that cycling quote, it never gets easier, just faster/further!

& @rhb maybe I need to start hunting down all the happy valley loops in the world then...

Has anyone tried to change their style before, and if so how long and how much work can it take before a different kind of stride feels normal?

My football team's physio said I take very shallow steps and could improve my pace if I pushed more off the ground and lengthened my strides by extending my front leg more.

I can see where he's coming from - it feels much faster (if also harder work) but it doesn't feel like the kind of thing that I will just be able to do without conscious effort.

Avoiding the marathon shuffle! Pretty common I think, not maximising the most efficient part of the stride (where both feet are off the ground), by failing to activate the hamstring and bringing the foot up and forward, having it land short.

I’ve not explained that very well, but it’s something I’ve experimented with. Definitely works, but changing your stride can be a long process.

Stride length is a lot like pedaling cadence on the bike - very personal.
Instead of trying to extend your stride, concentrate on lifting your knees and utilizing your arms.

lengthen your hamstrings for longer striding and higher knees

Has anyone tried to change their style before, and if so how long and how much work can it take before a different kind of stride feels normal?

Moving from a heel plodding, hip swinging strider to a more midfoot & stable gait took a good year plus.

I'd be wary of expecting magic gains from changes in gait, and more focused on what provides stability & protection from injury. Madgainz will come later.

Anyone want a Hackney Half number?

I literally just got this entry, but my runners knee has been really bad this week and I feel like running a half is a bad idea!

I'm still not 100% decided, but if anyone will take this for £30 it will force my hand nicely.

I'm based about 100m from the start, so pick-up would be easy in the morning.

Do I really want the humiliation of getting my gait/run analysis done?

I had mine done years ago. Knock knees and collapsed arches.

Kiss my ruined body

When you think a leg isn't doing anything it probably isn't right?

Your feet are the end of the chain, a good physio would be able to give you much more useful info IMO.

After the fascia around my inner ankle refused to heal after 6 weeks I relented and visited a physio who reeled off a number of probs, mainly lower back flexibility, shit glutes, tight hip flexors, poor leg mobility due to tight hamstring, y’know the usual stuff which plague office zombies like us who sit on our arse for 8hrs a day.

Hackney Half this weekend (though I haven't received the QR code to pick up the race pack yet) and I've got a question re pacing. It might be a dumb question, so be nice.

Do pacers go at a consistent speed (ie. if you want to run a 1hr50 half marathon, do they run each KM split at around 5:13 p/km from start to finish), or do they start off slowly, reach tempo pace and then ramp it up at the end? I'd love to aim for under 1hr50 and know I'm supposed to start of at a comfortable pace and then speed up, so I don't want to chase the pacer only to burn out half way...

Pacers should essentially run even pace. In practise, when I've paced half marathons (and marathons) my tactic has been to run marginally inside pace (~5-10s/mile) to build up a small cushion, no more than a minute, by halfway, then run at target pace to finish just inside target.

Should be interesting to follow progress...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxfwDwDHIfi/?igshid=42as6i3q27hr

I have a 10km on sunday, it it a bad idea to run a tempo 5km today and then rest tomorrow or should I relax today?

I'd run but not sure 5km tempo is best prep.

Before recent 5 & 10km events I have done a slow run of long warm up & cool down jogs with some very short sharp efforts at race effort inbetween.

That's quite mad!

Going to be hard to do, needs to ave 14.5mph on the bike legs allowing for minimal sleep / mechanical etc apparently.