Running

There are lots of differences but a mountain of salt, a mountain of sugar and a vat of oil remain the constant features! I (thankfully) like Chinese food but I don't end up eating it that much as a) it's so unhealthy and b) it's a massive pain to find veggie food.

MSG? Addidtives? I've had a similar thing in the past where I've become really phlegmy and its whacked my breathing completely out of sync resulting in a stitch a shit time all round and its after I've eaten a chinese/takeaway.

Not sure about part A of that but can understand part b (pork/shrimp are pretty much considered vegetarian)

@Stonehedge I can imagine a number of factors, the heat of running, hotter evenings = poorer quality sleep, dehyrdation from sodium in food and depending what you ate/when it could have affected blood sugar and been in various stages of digestion.

Looks pretty damn accurate to me. My phone gps literally does loop-the-loops in some places.

Not really arsed about wrist heart rate as will be using the chest strap. Cheers!

Full on nuts hayfever symptoms just kicked in. Bloated from Chinese, hot, hayfever, recently upped mileage....think I have my answers.

Hay fever is a right bastard.

As for the heat, best tactic is to just power through it, imo.

Did a hot hay fever post-pizza run this morning and was real slow. Was going to push it to 10k but cut my losses and stopped at 5. Something something rest.

As for the heat, best tactic is to just power through it, imo.

Absolutely. Free training or something, innit.

Not that long ago a totally failed run like this would shake my resolve. My posts have been more through a curiosity whether other people struggle in a similar way.

I use a gentle small nettle sting to combat hayfever. Unless you're allergic to nettles it might be worth a try? IANAD DTAYOR etc etc

I decided to try that this year but there is a puzzling lack of nettles in our area at the moment....will be on the look out as soon as restrictions allow :D

Well, nettles that aren't really old and soaked with dog piss anyway

They're the best, honest.

So since the start of lockdown I have been running a lot and to be honest I'm really starting to enjoy it. Coming from someone who 6 months ago was still smoking 10-15 cigs a day I'm really chuffed.

So how do I increase my distance gradually? I'm currently around 10k x 2 and 5k x2 a week and while my legs are sore its manageable.

Increase your total distance 10% a week seems to be the general rule.

I'd add that a useful way of progressing mileage is to gradually build one "long run" per week, as opposed to just making each run a bit longer. Runs of different length will train different energy systems, and therefore different elements of fitness. So, running over an hour will help to develop increased number and size of mitochondria in the muscles, essentially the building blocks of improved endurance. You'll most likely benefit from slowing the pace down of these runs - incorporate run/walk if you need to initially - and just let the pace improve as you get fitter.

So add a km to one of your 10k runs, make sure you give yourself a rest day (/active recovery/cross-train, etc.) the next day, and maybe build this up to 15k over a few weeks. How far you take it obviously depends on your goals but runs of well over an hour if you can manage them regularly are great for building an endurance base.

If time is an issue, then double days can be useful too. You can run in the morning and then one at lunch or evening, I find this lets me get two rest days in the week if I do it right. I also find sleep and diet become a much bigger factor when I run more and more often.

But what do I know, I'm injured. Spent this week doing resistance band plyo work. If I were to try something gentle over the bank holiday weekend does that seem to soon? Or just see how it feels?

I also find sleep and diet become a much bigger factor when I run more and more often.

Best thing you can do for recovery (and a lot of other things tbh) is get good sleep. If someone could tell this to my kids it'd be appreciated.

I remember sleep...

Thanks guys - I think this week will be around 25-30 miles when all is done.
I'm following some advice around running in certain HR zones opposed to just running as fast as I can and wondering why I want to be sick.

@Tenderloin with lockdown I'm finding I can easily incorporate a run into my day - WFH is making it infinitely easier since theres no commute.

I tried upping the distance yesterday, not by much but went for 10km from 7km. Im really struggling with pacing, holding such a slow rhythm makes the actual running very uncomfortable, but running at a comfortable pace means i burn out around 6.5km I basically run/walk the rest. Eventually completed the loop in 58min. Can anyone recommend any exercises or mental tricks to help settle into longer runs? Its a bit mad, at high school I used to do well at cross country by basically outlasting the other kids. Not any more.

Running is hard, but I've started to enjoy my 5km loop. And the increase to 20km a week has made me feel a bit better about how little actual exercise lock down lets me do. Once I get the 10km down, I will be on a rhythm of 5km,7km,10km every week. As soon as that is comfortable I will add in a session of hill sprints at the end of the 5km.

I need to buy some ladies running tights, does anyone have any advice?

The only necessity is that they don't have those mesh panels everywhere.

I am doing some birthday present shopping

Thanks in advance!

Not much help but I also often find running slower less comfortable than running at pace

Im definitely finding this. Although my 'at pace' is mediocre to slow seeing what others are doing.

Decathlon!
I really like Under Armour but they're fans of the ol' mesh panel. Worth a look though.

+1 for Decathlon according to MsPub! But she also said ones that have a pocket in the back handy for keys and stuff.

Do you listen to anything as you run? I find listening to podcasts/audio books/music invaluable against the monotony/discomfort that running can bring.