Running

Just this second signed up for the local half marathon in a months time. Dont really have time to prepare for it, and have an all-day rugby tournament the weekend before. So not ideal timing. But I had a craving for a distance event.

Wonder if this means I can buy new trainers?

No save the cash for bike bits....

second run of the week, only stopped once, started getting an ache my lower back, which I've never got before, probably could have run through it, but am getting cautious in my old age, walked for 30s and then ran the rest of the way.
Pace is a bit up and down, tend to start slow, speed up, slow down then speed up close to the end. All of the previous terms are of course relative. Doing 3k in about 22mins, and I'm thinking 5k in about 34min, depending on fitness. Wanna do another week of once round the park, then onto twice round the park, about 6k the following week.
But we'll see.

Corney, better to add 1 k per week than doubling your distance in a week

No save the cash for bike bits....

Havent had my summer trainers on for quite some time. Saucony Paramounts, which fit well, and have a lovely heel to toe transition. But I've put a fair few km's on them, and seem to remember being suspect of the level of cushioning left.

Pace is a bit up and down, tend to start slow, speed up, slow down then speed up close to the end. All of the previous terms are of course relative.

Find your slowest pace and stick to it, and try to even things out.

Strength comes from distance, almost regardless of pace.

After strength, you can build pace with intervals, fartlek etc.

Sounds like your umintentionally doing things backwards ;)

ed, your advice is noted, next week will add on a kilo, slightly difficult to judge though even though I'm using runkeeper, will just run to the next gate. which should be approx a 1k.

Corny, do you listen to music while running? I use Endomondo on my phone and it interrupts the tunes to tell you when you've run one k, the lap time for that k, the expected total time it will take to reach the overall distance goal you've set (if you've set one), and when you've reached the distance you've set as your goal. You can also get an update of your distance by using headset controls if you've got them on your headphones.

It also uploads your results to a central server where you can compare runs, see trends (as I have run further, my speed has dropped quite a bit - about a minute a km, now at about 6.30), running benchmarks (cooper results, fastest 3 miles, fastest 5km), etc.. I find data like that quite interesting, as I'm a nerd, but others may not.

corny, the free nike+ app for the iphone is pretty good. it gives you distance, route and pace. the gps can be a bit spotty but it works more often than not for me.

beaten to it by horatio. sounds like a similar thing. i will investimagate. congrats of getting that first 5k in btw. sounds like you're at a similar level to me. i only just got over the 5k line in march. i shall be watching your progress with interest.

Have to disagree with this... I have run in Asics/NB's for years and had wierd soreness... not muscles, just achey legs hips, back... they alter the natural gait which doesnt make sense to me. The minimal Nikes solved all of this... getting slightly sore heels on weeks wehre i put in more miles though, so need to address that.

Fair enough. The idea is appropriate running shoes stabilise the gait, and should'nt alter it too much. More of a case of minimising unwanted movements in the gait.

Sore heels could be a sign that your knees are taking a beasting too.

If you have the technique for bare foot running.....
http://www.northernrunner.com/mens-c1/shoes-c27/midfootforefootminimalist-c115/vivobarefoot-mens-evo-ii-p564

Chatted to Hatbeard at SE drinks yesterday about running, followed his advice and stuck to 9.5-10 minute miles for the first 4 miles, then allowed myself to speed up for the last couple.

As a result I took quarter of an hour out of my 10K time, 57.12 according to this:

[ame]http://connect.garmin.com/activity/79023130[/ame]

nice one!

All thanks to you- deliberately throttling back at the start meant that I did not blow up half way round.

Genius!

I should have done that yesterday evening, bonked like a mutha.

@ horatio and dooks, I've got runkeeper on my iphone and that calls out avg time, distance travelled, etc, I keep the phone in my pocket so it calls it out and I can hear it, so I should be able to figure out when I've travelled that extra k.

I think I just like to have a visual marker/cue to let me know how far I've gone. Something to fixate on..

All thanks to you- deliberately throttling back at the start meant that I did not blow up half way round.

Genius!

I've said it before, and maybe its partly because I'm a shallow competitive shite. But starting slowly in a mass start event. Means everyone leaves you at the start, but you spend most of the race over taking people. Which makes me feel great.

Checked my Paramounts last night, and I've worn through the wear resistant layer at the heel. This almost definitly means I've put enough miles on them to destroy the cushioning. Ordering a new pair this morning to pick up saturday when I arrive in Blighty. Down to the big 3

Asic kayano 17 - Brilliantly balanced support shoe, which has always had a slightly narrow last for me. The 17 is wider and should fit perfect.

Mizuno Nirana 7 - Brilliant support, on a wide last. This is probably the most suitible shoe for me. I've owned and loved previous models.

Brooks Trance 10 - Never owned brooks shoes before. But the level of comfort and cushioning in these is very tempting, as my knees take a battering from astroturf rugby.

I have a couple of hours to decide before I really need to order them. Common sense says just order the mizuno, but the non-newtonian fluid in the brooks is seducing my inner nerd.

Any advice gratefully recieved.

@ horatio and dooks, I've got runkeeper on my iphone and that calls out avg time, distance travelled, etc, I keep the phone in my pocket so it calls it out and I can hear it, so I should be able to figure out when I've travelled that extra k.

I think I just like to have a visual marker/cue to let me know how far I've gone. Something to fixate on..

corny I have an iphone armband you can have, makes using your phone to track running much easier and improves gps reception slightly over it being in your pocket. If I remember I'll bring with tomorrow night to lmnh or failing that souths on monday.

i just bought the Mizuno Nirvana's, well pleased. Previously i was using Brooks GTS and ran the last pair down too far, ended up with quite a lot of hip pain. replaced them like for like and it got a little better but not much
since i bought the Nirvana's my hip has cleared up and my knees are much better, i no longer strap them. they are pretty heavy but you don't really notice it when your moving. I use the Mizuno's for the long runs [anything over 13m] and the Brooks for shorter ones, seems to work.
I think i got the 6's cheap.

@ hatbeard, thanks for that.

@sf

Buy the geek shoes.

I got seduced by dynamic cushioning in my new shoes, Probably bs but the guy selling them told me they offer more support as you get tired and technique breaks down, sounded nice as The tendons in my left foot have been getting a bit sore in the halfs I've done.

They arrive on Monday apparently, I've never waited 4 weeks for anything before!

@sf

Buy the geek shoes.

I got put off the brooks, by too much talk of comfort in reviews. Both the Kayano, and the Nivana, give a little bit of road feel. The nivana being the slighly lower, more responsive feeling of the two. This responsive feel is what I love about them. The little extra cushioning of the kayanos, coupled with finding them £25 cheaper. Convinced me to go with them also. I may have been slighty infuence by aching knees though.

Kayano 17's - ordered
Skins 1/2 tights - ordered
Skins T-shirt - ordered
Gore running cap - ordered

Did'nt realise how much stuff I've binned of late. Gonna get a kick'in when I get home.

so, tonight. run or pub?

so, tonight. run or pub?

I'm munching on a big bag of Maltesers at the moment, so it'll be Run for me...

i have no maltesers, so i'll go pub then. it's only fair

So is there anyone here that uses any of these new barefoot running trainers?

My asics are long overdue replacement and I'm not sure what to go for next. Saw a couple of people wearing the vibram shoes when running my last half marathon, and I've read good things about them.

Only thing that currently puts me off, is spending £100 on not much, when you can get some trainers with lots of support for the same price?