Running

I ran my first run in a month today.
Loved all 10k of it.
I genuinely can't find time to fit in runs during the week.
40 miles of commuting a day, and long hours....

I really miss it.

@ ed, it looks like it might be a hot one.

^^ You obviously need more fat to protect your fragile body.

I think I'll risk it with two two handhelds, I pass a shop at 5k and 30k so I should survive. It's really just about getting 3 hours and if I'm dehydrating the only short term effect seems to be slowing down...

^^ oi!

Survived!

A change of plans last night meant we came to my inlaws so set off from Wokingham, ended up running 34.5k in a bit under 3 hours, found a handy londis store with a lovely cold can of coke amd a bottle of water to rehydrate,, still feel pretty fresh which either means I haven't run hard enough, or I'm getting into pretty good shape!

Had just over a week off until today and ran 17k comfortably. 5.40/km so slow but meh, nevermind. Should still be on course for a sub 2hr for my first half marathon in september.

Obviously there's a million and one causes for blisters so I'm not expecting a definitive answer but i seem to be suffering with a big nasty fucker on the edge of the ball of my foot/big toe joint every time I run further than 5k. Currently running in 5:10 freerunners which are essentially beefed up reebok classics for parkour. The fit is good and they're exceptionally comfortable for everything apart from long distances it would seem.

Question is, am I best off using a dose of htfu and some Compeed or is it worth popping into runnersneed or similar to have my gait looked at and run the risk of being told I need to buy some shiny new shoes I can't afford?

Fancy socks?

Good question, are you running in proper running socks?

I haven't had a proper blister since I was given a pair of x-socks four years ago, nuff said

Also, slipped into a ditch today and turned my ankle over, after about 500 metres I decided it didn't hurt enough to stop, but it's now swollen and quite painful, hope its not too bad :(

I'm using cheap donnay trainer socks from sports direct so guessing the answer is no....
Will invest in something better(any reccommendations for a good summer sock?) and give it a week and see how I hold up before worrying about new shoes.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/x-socks-sky-runner-socks/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/x-socks-run-performance-socks/

I have both of these and whilst not quite a luxurious as hilly twin skins they come with a two year guarantee and I haven't had need to call them out on a guarantee yet...

Thanks for that, will get a pair asap. Seem pricy now but cheaper than a couple of packs of compeed...

Managed much more consistent pace for this morning's Regent's 10k. Shame the result end was 15 seconds slower than last month.

Was going along quite happily at 4:20/km until about 7.5k when I started to run out of gas a bit. KMs 8 and 9 were 4:32, 4:44 respectively but found the energy to pick it up again and run 4:09 for the final 1000m.

Definitely carrying a bit of an injury after a small bike related mishap last week tho', got a nice bruise developing on the outside of my left thigh just below the hip. That didn't actually bother me but could feel my quads over the last few K, presumably compensation for the damaged muscle or something.

Have had sore ankles for the last few days. Yesterdays certainly 12k didn't help. Did some googling and it seems like I should cut down on milage and give it a rest. Not surprised tbh as I've almost doubled my milage the last couple of weeks.

Add to this, smashed my knee up go-karting this morning so limping now, more reasons to chill.

Hopefully knee is ok tomorrow or tuesday, and it'll be swimming and cycling for the rest of the week.

this is a mates blog about Scottish 6 days just completed
6 events
3 forested sand dunes, the best beautiful difficult running terrain
3 working forests
42 km
1, 265 m climb
136 control locations over 6 days
came 37/ 59 in age class from an international field
http://www.ineedtotrain.blogspot.co.uk/

I've just signed up for the Eden Half again, after it's brief hiatus last year.

It's a really nice route that I would recommend to everyone - and entry gets you free entry into the Eden Project for a year (or at least it used to), and free entry on the day for supporters and family.

I might join you for that if I can get a spare room at my parents house!

Recovery pace 5k last night with interval training tonight then 35km planned for sunday, should be fun as I'm staying on a narrow boat for a week so will be running along a tow path along the kennet and avon canal!

Is a month too short to train for a marathon... Probably.
Can't decide if I can run Nottingham.

2hrs/ just under 40miles of commuting each day means I get home and have no desire to lace up the running shoes, or do anything much apart from work for the course.. They're currently reproachfully looking at me across the room.
I felt great on my last run this weekend, but its no longer the simple stroll it used to be as my cycling miles have massively increased.

More indecisiveness to come.

Depends on how experienced you are at marathon distance and how well you want to do.

If you are comfortable with the distance in general then, sure why not? You probably won't go setting any pbs though.

Course it's not. You're plenty bike fit. A couple of long runs, a handful of sharpeners. You aren't going to win it, but sure you can do it.

Henry if it helps I'm not going to get near your London time, so you won't get beaten by me!

Normally I'd say its not enough, but I know you're super fit and whilst you need to focus and do some adaptation stuff to get back into running you'll make it round in a very good time if London is anything to go by!

Also just had the worst case of post run shivers.....

Think I was hugely calorie deficient considering I've done 2 hours of cycling, 3pm minutes of free weights then a 40 minute interval running session,I think I spent too long in wet clothes and my core temperature just dropped like a stone.

40 minutes of shivering later I found a packet of sports beans in my bedroom and necked them, with a tonne of water, followed by sausages and salad followed by some dark chocolate.

Still feel cold, but much better

I think you need to throw away your scales, and stop trying to eat a weight loss diet and shift to a training diet, the weight you're at now is pretty low, and you're just going to be harming your performances by focusing too much on it.
That's just my opinion though.

Thanks all, I realise that I would probably be able to run it, but the issue is not the actual running of the thing, but the sheer amount of time it takes to train for- considering the amount of course-work currently on, at a time when I cannot afford to neglect it by coming home more tired than I do already.
This is the issue- the balance needs to be there, whereas for London I could put running at the forefront in my time off.

Hmmm, fair point, I am slowly increasing my calorie intake, but untill I can see my stomach muscles I'll keep 'dieting'.

If that's the case the sack off the marathon, its not worth jeopordising your career for, you'll have time in the future when you've passed exams/done all the registrar/houseman stuff to run your legs off!

^^You should also note that ewanmac and I are possibly not the people to be listening to for sensible, reasoned advice on distance running - 'yeah, sure, run to Nottingham, sprint the mara, jog back to London for a nice warmdown'.

I'm showing decent-ish form on my usual 5k route around home, but still struggling with very inconsistent distance measurement from the garmin ('5k' varies by as much as 300m). Fairly confident I can crack 20 mins in the right circumstances and would like some record of having done so before I get too old and knackered. Since I can't rely on the gps (and haven't found a proper flat parkrun course yet), is there a track where you can just turn up and knock out 12.5 laps? The Parliament Hill one only has a very small fence round it, which obviously isn't designed for keeping people out but they still list opening times on the website (7.45-dusk).

Regarding being old and knackered, I've been getting grief from my left hip over the last month or so, which definitely gets worse the more I run. Was worried it could be the start of arthritis (just gone 38, so wouldn't be that unusal), but it actually feels like it's more on the very top/outside of the pelvic bone rather than the joint itself. Guess it might be a good idea to rest it for a while and see if that improves things, otherwise it's back to the physio.