Running

Also in a bit of a running dip (5 weeks since Brighton, and an HM PB last weekend).

Skipped two runs last week (Thursday's 11.5k commute into work and 10k Sunday run) as I was feeling knackered, so I was down on plan (4h running this week, yay!). Daughter's school was doing a 5k sponsored walk on Sunday so at least I got to stretch my legs chasing after a bunch of 6 year-olds that I was loosely in charge of.

Did manage to get to parkrun on Saturday though, first one since February. Only a minute off my PB which surprised me given knackeredness and most of my recent running has been long slow distance. Started too far back and lost time in the first 2 minutes or so but I wasn't sure how I was going to feel so I'm not bothered, plenty of time over the summer to get back into it.

Usually have ~7.5h sleep a night and the odd weekly lie-in for an hour or so more but last 3 nights have been 10.5, 9.5, 10.5 so I guess I'm getting over something.

Top running from @philpub on Sunday. If anyone wants to join a friendly club in South East London we're available!

I still feel like I'm in a bit of a running dip after the marathon 2015. I also blame Askwith for highlighting the inherent pointlessness of chasing times in that book, the one where every run was across muddy fields as birds started chirruping in the countryside. Everything is getting slower, when i should still be getting faster, or at least think i should.

Was it your normal parkrun greenbank, not all parkruns are equal. I'm doing my first parkrun volunteering stint on Saturday, should be a slightly different way to spend Saturday morning.

I've been trying to sort out public transport for a point to point run along the South Downs this Sunday. Southern Railway aren't playing ball though; they used to have an unlimited travel ticket, now discontinued. The replacement is 'only available online' but is sadly 'not currently available online'

I also blame Askwith for highlighting the inherent pointlessness of chasing times in that book, the one where every run was across muddy fields as birds started chirruping in the countryside.

I enjoyed that book but took this with a pinch of salt considering how time obsessed he got in the earlier book.

Was it your normal parkrun greenbank, not all parkruns are equal.

Yes, never done a different one. PB was last year when I was still building up my running so doing more shorter and faster stuff. I should be able to take at least 3 minutes off that PB (hopefully 4 and a half) if I get rid of the excess weight.

http://www.salisburyhalf.com/salisbury-half.php - Fancy it @Arducius
Pan-flat, 1.5hrs on train.

I stole a route from @PhilPub today: Box Hill to Oxted along the North Downs Way. It was hot and I probably didn't have enough fluid with me or enough sleep last night. Some really fun bits but also some sections where it felt like all I could hear was the a roads nearby.

South Downs definitely feels more countryside-y.

May nearly done. Time to focus on some track and a half marathon in June.

Back from Lisbon - got zero running done there due to the schedule we had, so decided to pop out today for another attempt at 30k, keeping to a 140 bpm target. Missed both of those targets, sadly:

https://www.strava.com/activities/591901330

Stopped at around the 22Km mark due to a pronounced hot-spot under the ball of my right foot, whipped off sock and shoe, nothing, put back on - gone! So who knows, might be the sock had got tight? Anyway, what stopped play was that I'd hit Greenwich and was really thirsty - and could see that my 30km stopping point was going to be in the middle of nowhere. That twinned with my left hip starting to shout at me and I knocked it on the head at 26k.

From an "engine" perspective I am absolutely confident that I could keep going at that pace (4 hour marathon) with zero problems, probably significantly faster - but I have very little confidence in my legs (left hip specifically) lasting the distance.

Still - next Saturday shall be the test!

laps of greenwich park would have ensured your stopping point ended up in a decent place! I've made up mileage before or after a long run with a few triangles at the top of the park on many occasions.

How much do you want to finish it next week? If it is the ultimate goal then i suspect you will be able to battle through the hip pain; if not, and you have another run lined up soon it will be more of a challenge.

I entered the Stockholm Marathon on the 31st of March, I'd done the odd 5k up until then - so I'm going to be running it off the back of around 5 weeks of longer runs.

I'm under no illusions that this is ideal, and therefore I just want to finish - although I'd like to run the whole thing. I've got ~1,500km on the shoes I was running in today, which I think justifies a new pair, and I'll tell myself that the magic of new shoes will eradicate the hot spot in my right foot and defeat the left-hip Gremlins.

I'd also like to join a running club, if one in SE London can be recommended?

@Dammit Do you run predominantly on the forefoot? I do, and have also had similar infrequent hotspots in the past.

Yep, I do.

not ideal, as in far from ideal!

Shoes sound like they might be getting past it but, once again, far from ideal to run a marathon in brand new trainers.

There are many clubs in SE London, dulwich, herne hill, cambridge harriers, kent. Kent meet on Tuesdays at Ladywell arena, Catford; we have groups for everyone, from social runners to 14minute 5000m runners.

What time on a Tuesday?

Also, I have a pair of off-road biased trainers that are worn in, could wear them?

hot spot

Shoe laces too tight?

Just achieved a long term goal: 10 mile trail run. Longest run ever. Now feeling happy if sore :)

Would laces being too tight create a hotspot on the ball of the foot?

Certainly possible that they are too tight - since it was suggested that my purple toe-nail was potentially caused by my laces being too loose I've been doing them up tighter than I used.

It's not just pro cyclists that have to deal with poorly placed motos...

https://www.facebook.com/213103522034028/videos/1212359752108395/?video_source=pages_finch_main_video

Wow. That is quite something.

3 days in Croyde I've been getting some trail miles in balanced against quality time with family and friends. It was some of the best running terrain & conditions I can remember, particularly early morning running across Woolacombe Bay at Lowish Tide.

starts about 7 on a tuesday. PM either myself or @philpub for further details.

Apparently it's global running day - so happy running, y'all. I ran today for the first time in over a week after spraining my ankle AGAIN. Time to do some strengthening exercises.

I was going to go for a run then looked at the schedule and it said 45 minute swim.

So, I faffed around a bit, got my swimming stuff ready, faffed around a lot more and now it's too late to do anything as I've got to collect my daughter in a bit.

Still, I've got a run in to work to do tomorrow.

global running day

That's everyday no?

Short but tough run today here (to celebrate GRD of course). A gentle start followed by a sharp gallop across a field to keep out the way of some interested bulocks. Explored a bridleway that was more like a dry loose stony riverbed.

It was all a bit Askwith Running Free at times except I was monitoring HR (too high) & measuring distance on a popular gps phone app.

I'd also run/walked from Beer to Branscombe earlier, lovely sea views, 5th day of millpond flat waters.

the cool impossible by eric orton has a wealth of ankle strengthening techniques in it.

the only downside is it's literally the most eye bleedingly hard thing to read as he writes it all in some super wanky third person tense where he pretends you've paid money to go and train with him that reads like some weird non sexual cybersex story ""We are driving out to my favorite trailhead, you see a bear cub off to your right. That's Grand Teton over there. Drink it in. This natural beauty is recharging your soul." * pukes on cock *

the thing is the exercises and stuff hidden within is really good. buy it in hard copy so you can just bookmark the bits you need and skip the bullshit.