Running

11/41-8.9 km Pamber&Silchester woods nr Basingstoke. Cold and misty in the forest. good training covering 9 km with navigation included in 60 mins now .

We need to get back to running like the ancient Greek inventors of running meant us to. Clothes are superfluous.

Good olive oil goes opaque when it's cold- is that what you are referring to?

Managed 10k in 42 minutes today. I think it would have been sub 40 if there were no lights or pedestrians.

Can anyone recommend techniques for increasing speed? At the moment I just run three times a week normally trying to keep below a 7:30 mile pace.

warm up
6x 1 k reps mate, recover for 1 minute
try for 3.45 mins per k's
warm down
increase to 8 when you improve
do some 5 k races too
enjoy

10k in 42 minutes

oof!

Yep, that's quite quick.

I failed at running last week- got out once.

Me, I am disapoint.

eh?

this morning was baselayer and a thin fleece, long johns and shorts. mittens, hat and scarf first, but took them off after 10mins.

Don't see the point of running around in a vest when it's 8ºC (if that) and misty out, running around with my skin turning red from the cold doesn't entice me, though others seems to like it.

if you're in shorts and vest now, what do you do in summer?

Couldn't agree more. I'm buying myself some tights as soon as possible really. I don't really feel the cold on my arms, but my legs - ooooh!

+1

My head gets cold too so I usually wear a hat of some description.

I tend to wear compression socks so it would have to be v cold to need tights as well.

Is it worth doing interval training on a treadmill or should I make the effort to find a track?

I don't rate the treadmill, it's fine for trotting along but I not a very accurate substitute for the road. I don't even bother measuring out distances (or I didn't before I got my GPS). If I needed to do intervals of 6x1km, I'd time it and run 6x3:30, or whatever pace suits you.

So to clarify, I realise you can do this in the road, but i don't want to do that as it would be dangerous trying to run hard and then discovering a big road in my way, I don't think I could concentrate on so many things at once and I'd do it in my 'commuting time' so I'd be carrying a bag if I was on a road.

I have access to treadmills, I quite like the idea of varying my training so I'm not always on the road but I'm not sure of the validity I running on a treadmill and the way that my trnsfer to running on the black stuff.

I have access to treadmills, I quite like the idea of varying my training so I'm not always on the road but I'm not sure of the validity I running on a treadmill and the way that my trnsfer to running on the black stuff.

Appologies, I don't have a very well informed/technical answer as I haven't run on a treadmill since I started running (semi)seriously, but maybe that tells me something. I know treadmills are supposed to replicate running but I find that on a treadmill you can basically put all your effort into hopping up and down while trying not to loose your footing on the rolling mat. You don't need to drive yourself forward on a treadmill like you do on the road, and I've never thought of it as an adequate substitute for running outside. Personally I can't see why you'd want to either, getting out into the countryside is what running is all about for me - I can't imagine anything worse than being stuck in a gym.

Is it worth doing interval training on a treadmill or should I make the effort to find a track?

Use lamp posts or whatever you can find.

A 90% sprint between 2 lamp posts, followed by a natural pace jog between 3. Repeat untill the very base of your lungs are burning, and your heartbeat hurts your temples.

Re: treadmills. No they dont replicate running that well. But they do engage the same muscles, while being less distructive. The highly distructive nature of running means cross training is essiential.

Did a pretty mamoth 20km mountian run yesterday. 2 times around a small mountian in town. Felt great throughout. But the running of such a distance over loose rocks has taken its toll on my ankles.

The two assents to the top were tough on the calves too.

(the mountian is very long and narrow. That^ view is of the narrow end)

I also don't rate treadmills; don't think they're the same as running for real.

I do nearly all my intervals on the roads or in parks and have done for years (occasional track work to sharpen up, being the rest).I often do sessions on the way home, usually fartlek as you don't have to stick to particular length reps with that, but I do make sure I get a more regimented session once a week, usually on a quiet road loop now it's dark early.

@Smallfurry- I'm jealous of your accessible hills. Where is that?

I miss having the Pentlands only 4 miles from my front door :(

^^^ wow, pretty town. I took a cheeky detour up a Whittenham Clump on Saturday but thats about as hilly as things get around here.

Thats Mount Aksla in the town center of Aalesund. There are steps to that building at the top. They are brutal.

I am truly spoilt for cycling, and running options. But we have possibly the worst climate in europe. Swings'n'roundabouts innit.

Run run run run run run pant.

Personally I can't see why you'd want to either, getting out into the countryside is what running is all about for me - I can't imagine anything worse than being stuck in a gym.

This x1000.

I love being outside, running and cycling just help with that.

If I'm doing intervals running a football pitch helps, sprint diagonally then jog across the width. Keep it up you'll feel on fire then collapse into a heap!

I used to run on a treadmill, because the gym was three doors down from work and I did other workouts as well. It's so much easier than running outside, because, as said, you don't need to provide the forward impetus. Makes you lazy and does nothing for your technique.

Unless you run in the middle of a barren dessert. There will always be markers you can use for intevals.

I still think treadmill running is a useful tool, due to its less destructive nature. Cant say I can be arsed to use one myself though. I use cycling as my less destructive cross-training, and rugby for inteval training. With trips to the gym for bulk and core strength. So all my hobbies kind of complement each other. Basically I'm constantly knackered, and therefore equally bad at all 3 ;)

I'm going to go for a run today.

There, I've said it on here so now I can't back out.

^ awesome, you'll love it! If it gets too hard, walk for a minute, i do it every now and again and it lets you carry on. But before, soldier on and repeat 'run to become, become to run'