Running

After running daily for 18 months I found any change in pace or distance would start an injury. The distance had to be very short to manage it as well.

I got back to it for a couple of months and it went fine but quickly settled back into very regular (fairly slow) pace, like I can't go quicker or it will push me into pain.

I guess what I'm saying is go slower if you want to survive daily running. I realise that your training program might be asking for more though.

Thanks for all the thoughts on my 2 week update, was nice to read! Especially hearing how others find/have found it tough.
Small update: today was 6.5km race pace after the usual tuesday ~4.8km 'run' (30 - 90 seconds/km slower than race pace). It was tough, maybe the hardest run since I tried for a 19:xx 5k but I got around a smidge faster than the 4:30 target pace and I'm still just about in one piece. Life will probably get in the way of trying the 4.8km tomorrow and I'm grateful for the excuse tbh. Really finding it interesting doing this much volume and seeing how my body responds. Looks like for now the plan is staying resolutely in the 'tough but just about manageable' bracket which is where I think i'd like it to be really!

some very good (given 'normal' prices) prices at Nike atm. 25% off sale prices

Got some Pegasus 39 for £49
and Vaporfly for £101

Picked up a pair of Vaporflys, which I really don't need!

Thanks again for the input regarding headlamps for dark park running!

Looked at the Petzl Bindi, really liked it, but bought a Nitecore NU25 (the older version) eventually
(because it offers a bit more - is a bit brighter, longer throw, has high-CRI light and brighter red light)
..do recommend!

Did my first run in complete darkness earlier today and it was quite a thrill 🙂

Posted in here a few weeks ago asking about shin splints. I'd fucked around trying to play Dr Google and self-diagnosing then after going nowhere for weeks finally went to a physio who completely ruled out shin splints. After a few weeks working on it with the physio it is significantly better and after increasing my walk/runs last week I am back running this week - moral of the story is GO TO THE PHYSIO when you get a niggle and you'll save weeks of wasting time (making this point more to remind myself as much as anything else).

Ran 5km today in 24 minutes which in August would have felt very easy. Certainly not the case now :(

I am looking at a HM in May, probably Hackney and may start the Hal Higdon plan I had some reservations on that I believe @yoshy is currently on. I would like to run somewhere between 1.30-1.40 with the aim of undergoing another cycle and getting a sub 1.25 PB in late summer.

Tempted by the Vaporfly's at £100 on Nike at the minute but definitely not warranting a carbon shoe on current fitness.... (not that this ever stopped plenty of others)

Congrats on getting back running! I had a very similar experience recently (https://www.lfgss.com/comments/16710559/) and am trudging back to fitness too. Good luck!

How's this weeks sessions gone?

No runs here since last xc, chesty cough that won't shift. Thankfully next fixture postponed until after the national due to park double booking.

Nitecore NU25

I'll add one to my Xmas list as a Bindi alternative, thanks for posting about it.

Good shout with the headlamp. Nearly all my runs are at night (job/kid) and am continuously aware of being a bit invisible.

Also could be a laugh for running through Wanstead Park at night and trying not to shit myself.

Good! The race pace run on weds was really hard and I'm still pretty ruined and sore today so long run will have to wait til tomorrow but feeling alright!

Some more about Petzl Bindi vs. Nitecore UL25 as I have this on my desktop right now and thought some in the market for a good entry-level headlamp may find this useful -

Like I said I really liked the Bindi, for it's simplicity mostly, and it's nice design. Also heard a lot of good things about Petzl in general.

Petzl Bindi & specs

Nitecore UL25 & specs

..note this is the old version though, which got replaced by the new UL25 (also sometimes called NU25-400) and the "ultralight" version NU25 UL.
I chose the old one as I liked the design more and also the features were more ideal for me.
Liked the idea of that double-cord-band of the UL though (like the Bindi, but probably better, I thought) so I did my own with black 3mm bungee cord, and put a little blinking light in the back (just bodged it together with sliding knots to try it out, might just leave it like that though - it's 51g total, and fits very comfortably, I literally forgot it's there after two minutes 💁🏼

My primary reason for getting a headlamp in the first place was being able to see the ground better / being able to run in parks that have no lights whatsoever - and I disliked the sketchy feeling in the dark (fear of falling or rolling my ankle because I didn't see that stick etc.).
I quickly noticed how running in the dark (with a headlamp, in your little light "blob") is also super cool for meditative running, for really focusing on your movement and breath (with these temperatures right now you do actually see yourself exhaling into the bright light every time, very dramatic : ) -
so I suppose this is a big selling point if you're into that type of running and are thinking about whether to get a lamp, it's really cool as you can't have that like that during the daytime / with all the visual stimulation and people around etc..

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I've ran twice in spiked winter running shoes, and both times it has felt a bit like a mistake :-) I think I really need to save these strictly for total ice hell conditions. It had snowed a few cm last night, so I thought the more pronounced tread on the icebugs vs. road shoes might be good even if it wasn't really icy. Ended up feeling pretty beat up after the 10km run. I've got Hoka Challengers in the mail, hopefully they will be a bit more fun.

Definitely on board with getting into a trance with the light blob - that sounds great. Also cool idea with the rear blinkenlight.

I’ve been building long runs quite steadily since summer but also doing some more focused speed workouts and contrasting those with the slow runs being much slower than just staying in the default zone 3 constantly and not recovering enough to push harder on fast days.

Anyway, headed out early this morning in the rain with no headphones, some dates in my pockets and a bottle of water with the intent of doing 20 miles and then seeing how things were going. Also told myself that if it got not-fun, going home after 12km would be acceptable.

Ended up actually being very comfy and felt really good at 21km with the pace being fairly consistent up and down the hills on the loop.

Ended up knocking 10 mins of my PB and am definitely feeling more hopeful about getting below 3 hours at some point next year. Preferably in the dry.

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Also, my H10 chest strap started acting up half way and then just said 30bpm for the last 10k so the heart rate data is junk. Was in 150 bpm.

Fresh batteries so could just be the strap.

Is that a double loop?

Awesome stuff - that avg heart rate!! You should crush sub-3 easy

Oh lol

Three loops of Walthamstow. It’s exactly 10k, plus getting there and back.

Very nice. Given you got gradually quicker throughout rather than going out too quick and dying off then I'd say a sub 3 is very doable.

Yeah was quite pleased with negative-splitting it. Definitely felt like a tiny bit more effort across the board would have done it.

Going to take it easy for a couple of weeks but will do another gradual build and try a faster time when it’s less rainy and maybe colder.

The NU25 is the absolute shit. I’ve got a pretty significant number of hiking and running miles on mine. With a shock cord mod it is so insanely light that it feels like you’re wearing nothing at all. Seems to just last and last and last, too.

Woah, nice running

Thanks! Enjoying following your updates with how you’re progressing.