Running

+1 for Decathlon when it comes to cheap but quality kit (especially cycling and general exercise clothing).

I’ve found my favourite socks are just cheapo Adidas multipack ones from footlocker or something.

Yes, lots wrong with the process IMO.

Interesting reading the Met League rules & agm notes... their comment snr womens participation had dropped last winter after distance increase to 8km. Be good to see a long term trend in a few years to see if it's a dip & recover levels off, or a downward slide... would help inform other league discussions. Maybe leagues that switched even earlier would have data for this.

I’ve put my back out over the weekend - so just as I was building up miles again after Achilles injury I’m back to not running (and in pain 😭)

I think it's the repetitive impact that really aggravates your body. I've heard trails are better for you for that reason. Glad it's feeling better.
I am also missing sport. I did muay thai twice a week and I've no idea when that will return. I have a lot less bumps and bruises tho.

How could I forget Decathlon, good shout. I have tried their running tops and had serious nipple chafe but I’ll give their socks a whirl. All my swimming kit from there is great.

@rhb also just treated myself to a pair of the 1000 mile double layer to see if they’re what I’m searching for.

These were the last years duff purchase,
don’t believe the hype.

Also that you are varying the part of muscle/tendon being used, rather than the same part every time. Similarly I find running varying inclines (hills) better for not getting sore, though not good for my average pace.

Gets a bit confusing when different injuries potentially get exacerbated by uneven terrain, e.g. my old hip injury that turned out to be femeroacetabular impingement (FAI) definitely didn't like the unpredictability of rough ground, especially when hills were thrown in.

7 birthday miles for me this morning in my new birthday shoes, Hoka Clifton 6. First time I've tried them, on the basis of liking the Rincon. Early impressions are very good; excellent balance of springy cushioning but stable, should make them an excellent mile-muncher.

You’re getting old, Joe. 😉

More mile socks are indestructible. The elastic eventually goes round the ankle (after maybe 5 years) but I cannot make a hole in the toebox.

Many other socks have come and gone - the More Miles remain.

I think I got 5 pairs for a tenner at the London Marathon expo 6 years ago

Not sure my ribs would handle muay Thai.

My feet look a lot healthier now they don't get hit so often from football and hockey. Also My knuckles no longer have the permanent astro burn either.

First run in absolutely ages where I've had to stop. (I think since I was training for my first marathon).
Proper arrhythmia, palpitations and chest pain only 2km in.
Don't know where that came from. HR before was ticking at 130.
Bizarre.

😭😭😭😭😭😭

Nooooooooo!!!!

Stuck my old Forerunner 935 in the classifieds: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/349020/

Last time that happened to me it was a sign that I was physically exhausted from 18 hour work days and not enough sleep. Stress does that to me too. Hope you're ok mate.

Cool, the 1000milers take a bit of rearranging after washing but it's worth patience to get right. Did you get regular or talcatel?

Looks like some virtual racing has been a bit fishy... I'm digging for details next.

https://www.facebook.com/1629429403963466/posts/2628114584094938/?substory_index=0

Those More Mile’s look very good value too, I’ll remember them for next years spend up.

@rhb err, these ones https://1000mile.co.uk/product/1000-mile-fusion-anklet-sock/?attribute_pa_gender=men&attribute_pa_color=white&attribute_pa_size=l

They're new sub-range to me, same advice though.

FWIW I started getting the tactel ones as they seem to stay softer after a few washes than the normal ones.

Another +1 for decathlon socks, I have several pairs from there. My favourite winter socks are from Hilly. I have a two really nice pairs from Aonijie that a friend gave me as he's sponsored by them, but I decided that they were cursed so don't wear them any more. Double layer socks end up getting twisted under my feet so I don't like them.

Decathlon swimming goggles can gtfo, the only good thing about accidentally leaving all my swimming stuff at my ex's house is that now I have an excuse to buy new goggles.

Has anyone seen a garmin forerunner 235 for sale anywhere? I know someone who's trying to find one as a present. Or what's a decent equivalent?

Yes. I got sent a link on this topic yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/100000449509243/posts/3260393277318957/?d=n

There's cheating through making small loops and then there's digital doping.

I'm beginning to think I should start a rival service to Digital EPO that does the adjustments properly (using interpolation rather than just dropping random points) which also preserves device details/cadence/HR/etc. I could even return the results as an original FIT file to make it even less likely someone could work out I'd doctored it.

There are two ways I could do it:-
a) Charge a small fee via paypal and just profit from the twats
b) Make it free but then doctor the points in such a way that they can be identified another way (e.g. adding extra precision to the co-ordinates so that a repeating message is included, or some other form of cryptographic steganography). Then release the details of this so that Strava/et al can go through and kill all of them after they've been uploaded for 48 hours or so.

Option (a) is just morally bankrupt though.

does the adjustments properly (using interpolation rather than just dropping random points) which also preserves device details/cadence/HR/etc. I could even return the results as an original FIT file to make it even less likely someone could work out I'd doctored it.

I have never done this with the sole purpose of taking a KOM away from friends on a shirt stretch of hill. Even if it was explicitly made obvious, as the average speed was >200km/h

I like the idea of spiking the data though. Maybe even with the original data hidden behind the level of precision in the times.

Loads of this shit going on from people doing downhill running and doing a point to point tt on the bike with a 40 mph tailwind to driving the bike and riding the run to cheat in qualifying for something like the ironman 70.3 worlds is being suspected and a serious problem. There is minor stuff where people are doing things to inflate w per kilo on zwift or whatever just for bragging rights without any real prize at stake although cheating to win a virtual race is hardly worth bragging about. Maybe when vr racing is important what do the organisers do? Make every athlete upload a fitness test 20 min bike 3-5k run with hr, power and cadence and have their weight verified? Outside efforts to include elevation gain/loss as well or it doesn't count. Have something where you have to include some training ride data for consistency? That would make any sudden improvements stand out more easily but all this takes time and money and until v racing generates enough to cover this i just don't know. You will get people flagging stuff if they know what an athlete is generally capable of or what times are reasonably possible on a certain hill climb or whatever but that won't be enough and then you'll probably get rivals flagging up every single effort uploaded by someone they have it in for. Then you still have the problem of actual doping as with lockdowns in place and no doping control at vr races there will always be a few cheaters that will be making the most of that. I thought v racing was meant to be a bit of fun but it turns out it can be just as depressing as real racing.

The lad who cheated in the podium 5k appears to have deleted his Strava account this morning.

I agree @Retro_bastard, what is the point of cheating in virtual racing - it doesn't go on Po10 so it is just a bit of fun. All it has meant for me is that it is easier to push that bit harder than if you are simply doing a session.