Running

Any of the basic garmins can do metrics as well as kms…

If you have lycra shorts with a zip pocket at the back, you don't even know you're carrying your phone, and it can't be seen, if security's your issue. Kalenji ones from Decathlon do me fine.

In more living-vicariously-though-your-children news, we took the boy to his first Junior Parkrun today, following big Parkrun yesterday. A very creditable 10.29 for the 2km, and now he's insisted on going for a longer run with mum straight after. So great to see him embracing it.

Some of the under 10s at JP are doing 8 minutes, it's really impressive. And it's a lovely set-up, great to have something like that for the kids.

Glad to hear it. ITBS was my first proper running injury about 17 years ago but it's never resurfaced thankfully. Hopefully the same for you if you manage it well.

I sneaked a 1-second course pb at the Thames Path parkrun yesterday, 16:35. Happy with that on a breezy day, certainly helped by being in a "race" for most of the run before pulling away in the last km.

And just treated myself to yet another new pair of cheat shoes, Asics Metaspeed Edge+ (in bright red to match race shorts). The marketing around Sky vs Edge appeared confusing at first but as a mild heel striker with a reasonably quick turn-over (~187 at 5k pace), Edge seemed the way to go. Hopefully will feel snappier than Endorphin Pro 2, which are very comfy but I'm not convinced make me any quicker.

Currently struggling with itband pain - well annoying. Haven’t had it for 5 years and on the opposite side this time around.

He did the whole thing without stopping in 36 minutes and kept a pretty steady pace.

he and I are currently at about the same level of ability then. makes a change from my garmin telling me i have a fitness age of a pensioner.

Did my first ever race yesterday - the glen lyon trail race. Came 28th out of 59 racers.

Course was pretty nice although also a little bit desolate. It was cool finishing across a giant dam.

A touch slower than I was aiming for but not really disappointed with my time considering I had 3 weeks off with a sore back and a cold in the weeks leading up. Spent the first half of the race in a small group of 6 or 7, then pulled away from them after one of the deeper river crossings (thankfully avoided any blisters after being shin deep in the river) and set the next runner in my sights. Slowly reeled her in over 3 or 4 KMs, while breathing through a stitch (maybe it was the second gel I had?) and eventually passed her, only to have her catch me up about 100 meters from the finish line and sprint past me.

Had a pretty hilarious moment as I started to 'sprint' (or as close to it as I could manage) to catch her up and thought my legs might just refuse and collapse but they/I figured it out and I managed to get past her by about 5 metres by the finish line. It was a good laugh and we both shook hands after we caught our breath back.

Thighs are cooked today and lungs still a bit tight. Had a v weird thing happen as I was trying to talk to another racer after the finish where my voice went super nasally and I couldn't enunciate my words properly or really even speak properly. It went away on it's own but that was mildly concerning!

Overall v enjoyable and just nice to have finished without any issues. Might try a road HM next and see if I can improve my time on easier terrain.

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Guessing the finish is Lubreoxh not Lawers dam? Elevation up to lawers would not be enjoyable.

Good running, warm in that valley on a sunny day!

Starts and finishes at Pubil.

There was an ultra the day before that did a loop of the loch then a loop over the hill to kenknock and round glen lochay which the elevation looks pretty brutal on.

Feel like I've got the same - what was your road to recovery previously?

Rest and lots of single leg S&C

I did 5km on the treadmill yesterday which truly sucked given how nice the weather was! even after that felt a little sore.

That said I have decided that I may as well try and get better at the skierg and rowerg whilst I'm injured. I want to see if I can crack a cumulative hour across the 5km event in all 3 this month.

Current pb's
run 19:40
rower 19:08
Skierg 22:09

What resistance setting do you put the ski and rower on for this sort of thing? In my ignorance I don't understand if these things work like a bike, i.e. harder gear, go faster or is it just harder gear is harder....

It's like a gear on a bike.

The sliding resistance on the rower doesn't mean that much either as it changes over time.
You can look at the drag factor in the settings which calibrates in real time as a gauge of how much resistance is actually being applied.

But it's time /500m that you compare. Someone doing 1:59/500m on any resistance is going faster than someone doing 2:00 on any resistance

Yeah pretty much what @duncs says

I’m using the Pete plan for the rowerg and a garage athlete programme for the skierg.
It’s meaning I’m not insane from not being able to run and gives me something tangible to train for

My hands are getting wrecked though

Last handful of runners doing well in Suffolk backyard ultra (260 miles +)
https://www.timingmonkey.co.uk/results/SBYU24/#0_5C4795

Madness! My colleague did that, he did 16 laps which I thought was impressive, but I had to scroll down a long way to find him.

Thanks both, makes sense, have looked back at previous efforts now and I can actually see the correlation around drag and time /500m or av power!

I find the ski erg remarkably satisfying for some reason, no one ever goes near it in my gym, but I enjoy 20 mins blasting away aimlessly. Now I've got a target to aim for!

I started with this programme. It's only 5 days but I think it's a pretty good mix and gives you something to base from.

And combining with: https://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/beginner-training/

Any massage gun recommendations?

Two runners remaining, 83 laps at 345 miles - astonishing.

I cycle and I work out but I suck at running, I'm struggling to run 3km now.
I'm thinking about doing half a marathon on the beach in January.
If I go running 2 times a week from now on (next to the gym and commuting by bike) do you guys think I can be prepared by then or is it too quickly?

This was basically me in a nut shell and I just completed a half marathon distance run last weekend. Started in January, going about twice a week so a very similar timeline.

I'm sure others might have more specific advice but for me the most important thing was really focusing on keeping all those runs in the first few months at a steady pace. The easiest way for me to track that was with a wrist watch/hrm and keeping heart rate in zone 2.

I have the cheapest "renpho" thing. It's fine, does the job, no complaints etc.

Thanks! Good to hear.
How did the half marathon go?

Yep that’s plenty of time. You will likely have the cardio ability just need to develop the strength.
Running consistently and building up the mileage along with the right strength and conditioning programme will help.

Focus your strength workouts on calf and posterior chain. We put several times our body weight through each leg when running so you will want to apply load. You can also look at incorporating plyometrics to help with getting your muscles prepped.

Hal higdon has some great and simple to follow half marathon plans which are around 16-24weeks. I’d take a look through those and then plan for how over the next 3m you can build your base running fitness and then from sept > Jan follow a specific plan.

Thanks that is helpful, I'll have a look into that.