Running

I find running shoe guru helpful (ymmv)
https://www.runningshoesguru.com/2019/07/asics-gel-kayano-26-review/

Thanks mate, actually pretty useful

thanks all for the XC tips. I'll try out 26.2 in Kingston/Surbiton, seems like their club is nearby and their kit looks pretty natty. Now I just need to get this achilles niggle fixed!

Hmmm might go later as need to go to the running shop in coal drops - did you notice if they have any peg 35s?

I’ll have a go at giving some shoes which might work by diff brands?

Brooks ghost
Hoka One
Nike Pegasus 35 turbo
Adidas Boston
New Balance Vongo

Thank you!

Solereview is a good site for info, in-depth reviews and good side-by-side comparisons. Having started in Asics years ago, I've found that Brooks are sized very similarly. I've currently got Brooks Ghost in rotation with other shoes and think they're great.

My advice would be to do some online research to see what the options are, then get down to a proper running shop that has a decent range to try a few on. I think there's differences of opinion as to whether "stability", "cushioned", etc. shoes make much difference, as opposed to just getting the pair that feel the most comfortable. So yeah, try a few on and see what feels the most comfortable!

Pretty sure they had a Pegasus of some description, the only two I took pics of to remind me were the Zoom stability and these mad fly knits that were half price to £65.

2 Attachments

I run in those flyknits (well a more lurid colourway). I like them.

Tried this.
Did a run. Recorded it. Saved it. Tried to view history:
No activities

Its borked isn't it?

I have the Blue zooms, they are pretty good. I suffer from shin splints and i'm a bit heavier than recommended (i'm tubby god dammit) and they give me decent support. Can definitely recommend them.

Just a quick status update, both my GF and myself finished the GNR this weekend. Our time was 2 hrs 58 mins, admittedly 20 mins of that was a toilet stop with queues being awful and the GF being less than enthused at peeing in the bushes.
It was a good laugh and i thoroughly enjoyed it. We are discussing doing next years but want to recover a bit first before we commit. My worries of not being able to manage the whole distance where utterly unfounded as i felt like i could have managed a bit further on the day. Right now i am aching like hell, but then it was fine.
This year we did it for the local nhs trust (our employer) but they have been less than useless with support to the point where they contacted another Compo at the opposite end of the country for 9 months rather than me. I only got a t-shirt because they contacted the GF a week before to check her size and she asked me what i'd chosen. Next year we'll likely do it for MS charities as my GF has it. But thats future me's problem. For now its a few weeks off running before i start to train again. Next time i want closer to 2:40 or better, but we'll see.
And one of the GF friends asked if i want to try an ironman.... ummmm.

Good effort! I’ve found having a race/event pencilled in is a good way to keep the motivation up.

@Stonehedge another one for the Brooks Ghost although as others have said head down to good running shop and see what they’ve got to say.

Nice one, thanks

Well done! Toilet sounds like a nightmare. I'm wondering about gnr for next year as I'm from Northumberland and it always seems to be such a great event

Im very likely doing it next year as its the 40th one too. And i'll pee in the bushes next time. Not quite brave enough to pull a Paula Radcliffe if i need a dump though.

Plenty of charities will let you run for them so a place should be easy enough to secure, or you roll the dice with the ballot.

How would you guys pace a flat 10 miler (Derby 10 in November)?
I want to break 1hr 15 which is around 4.40/km (my 5k ~4.00, 10k~4.20, hm~5.00)
Do you run a bit under in the hope you build up a time cushion or stick to the pace and aim for a negative split?

Even pacing. If I've got a definite time target I might start off a bit quick for the first mile or two, build up a very modest cushion in the first half, not more than half a minute or so, then aim for metronomic splits for as long as possible. Throw the kitchen sink at it in the last mile when you know the wheels aren't gonna fall off. (Hopefully.)

@CompoS - Nice one! Surely the stepping stone from a HM to Ironman is a marathon? ;-)

Surely the stepping stone from a HM to Ironman is a marathon?

@CompoS: HM, Marathon, Half Ironman* (70.3), Ironman*

* Other events with exact same distances but without heavy branding nonsense are available (and often cheaper)

Honestly i think the GF's friend is hugely optimistic that i could do an ironman without collapsing. I think HM are enough of a challenge for now, although i'd like to do a marathon just to see if i can.

Any suggestions for a good marathon that not too hardcore race type. something along the lines of the GNR just further?

do a marathon just to see if i can

I'm of the opinion that the vast majority people could complete a marathon, but you have to want to do it and put in a bit of effort sticking to the training etc which does mean making a few sacrifices (early mornings to fit in training runs or not going mad on that night out when you have a big run to do the following day). If you like big events then London is the biggest, though maybe not that local to you.

https://findarace.com/events/town-moor-marathon-half-marathon

Maybe too soon?

I found the difference between HM and full marathons to be huge. It's way more than just twice the distance.

I used to run more than one HM a month (including extending my run commute to be an HM) and could extend this up to ~30km, but pretty much every time past 30km I just fall apart (mostly due to being 15kg overweight).

2h05 to 2h15 HMs finishing feeling great and carried on the rest of the day as normal, sometimes playing 5-a-side later that day, yet I haven't finished a marathon in under 5 hours and each one has left me quite broken.

yeah, too soon. Realistically I think i need about a year to train. I want to get my time down for the GNR too. Might put the marathon off a year and having seen the ironman requirements thats definitely not happening. I always fancied trying a triathalon but one thing at a time i think.

Likewise the step up from half Ironman to full is quite big. Can get away with middle distance triathlon without it being a lifestyle change (assuming your lifestyle already includes a couple of runs and some weekend cycling). But long distance was a faff trying to fit a couple of training sessions a day in and sacrificing some of the fun rides for 'quality' turbo sessions etc.

It's entirely doable for just about everyone. Got clubmates whose first triathlon was an Ironman, but they tended to be people with a few years solid running behind them.

@CompoS just stick a triathlon in the calendar. There are loads that are very newbie friendly and swimming and cycling will only help improve your running anyway. Swimming would even help recovery

Congratulations, glad you enjoyed it, despite the toilet stops. Did you manage to see the Red Arrows?