Running

Ooo also I used new socks and am blister free - don't think that's ever happened on a long run before, even when using other run specific socks. They're Nike Hyper-Lite (I think) for anyone interested - pricey but apparently also magical.

I reckon the GFs going to be fine in this year's Reading Half after today. 18km along the Southern Upland Way. Sure it took a while but 21km on flat roads should be a piece of cake now :-)

I wore new socks too, Injinji. Got them to wear in fivefingers but discovered today they're ace in my Skora's as well. No sweaty toes rubbing together is wonderful.

I wear the thinnest version of ininji lines on all of my runs... simply fantastic socks.

14 miles to round of a week with 15 hours of training, I set off at what felt like a steady pace but I was unable to maintain it so it ended up being more of a plod than a run and I went with a safe and boring route rather than risk having to wade through any flooding but it turns out Eton seem to have opened up Dorney to the locals so it was packed which made for an interesting 6 miles as I did 2 laps of the lake.

I've also been reminded why I stopped running in the particular pair of lunar glides I ran in today as they appear to be knackered and all the tread has worn away from the soles!

I've got all my kit ready, just waiting for the sun to come up.

Sun came up http://www.strava.com/activities/105851040

Ran very slowly as a) I had no fucking idea where I was going and b) 5,000 feet here, and I wanted to take it easy. Pretty bleak round here.

Chi Running is a running technique. Works VERY well for me. Check it out.

ChiRunning Simplified!, Efficient and Injury Free Natural Running Form Technique Video - YouTube

5/77 today. Beaten by clubmate by 2 seconds. 1 and 2 were 21 years old. Bogtrot. Slufters and Ocknell n.f mudclaw territory only

Cooperating with gravity?

This smells like drunk running to me. I'm ace at that.

Lean forward, Spot approaching tarmac, kick it away with foot, lean forward, Spot approaching tarmac, kick it away with other foot, lean forward, Spot approaching tarmac, kick it away with foot......repeat untill home.

Re: barefoot running.

I worked up to 7km on my Skoras. Then after a Christmas party with the rugby club. I found myself looking at an impossible taxi queue, pissed up, at 4:30am, wearing trendy plimsol type things. So I ran 10km home.

Totally destroyed my knees for days. But saved £30 for a cab I guess.

Done a few runs since and I seem to be back on it.

Cooperating with gravity?

This smells like drunk running to me. I'm ace at that.

Lean forward, Spot approaching tarmac, kick it away with foot, lean forward, Spot approaching tarmac, kick it away with other foot, lean forward, Spot approaching tarmac, kick it away with foot......repeat untill home.

Thursdays run = +7C wearing shorts, and uber-light free-running shoes.
Yesterdays run = -7C wearing tights, and uber heavy studded shoes.

Still narrowly missed my PB up a steep climb step thoughl.

http://www.strava.com/activities/105910295

Hurt my foot last week - the muscles which you use to push your toes down into the floor when standing straight are sore. Did two miles on Saturday and had to turn around and come home. Boo.

Chi Running is a running technique. Works VERY well for me. Check it out.

ChiRunning Simplified!, Efficient and Injury Free Natural Running Form Technique Video - YouTube

lol

got my first speedwork session tomorrow night

12x 400m, 400m recovery with 1 mile warm up and cool down.

bit pissed off that I have to do it during hours of darkness as theres a 400m paved stretch through a park that's 1mi from my house that is nice and quiet that would be perfect for running up and down on but there's no street lights along it and while I can run down it using normal night vision no way would I run it at full clip (target pace is 7:20 min/mile) in the dark.

instead I'm going to have to head over to a nearby industrial estate and run loops of the road furthest from the main road. luckily the watch means I shouldn't have to find a stretch that's exactly the distance as I can set it to track my intervals for me.

Or buy a head torch?

I run at 7min miles along the Thames out in bucks with mine without any problem (it is a petzl tikka xp2) although I think the Cree one that ewanmac has recommended is both cheaper and brighter..

Or you could go to battersea park and use their track I believe quite a few clubs train there on a Tuesday - cycle there as a warm up and cycle home instead of a cool down...?

tuesdays are day 6 on my training schedule (weds is my day off) so cycling is probably too much of an ask on the same day as my toughest training session with 5 days running already in the legs. plus i prefer to stick a bit closer to home.

it's not the end of the world but if i had a choice i'd much prefer to be running in the park in daylight for the speedwork stuff. sadly there's not enough time or suitable places to do it near where I work.

oh well it's only for 5 weeks. the strength training that replaces it afterwards is much easier to do anywhere.

I would also give these ago. I've used them for the past year and they have worked very well on a variety of trails. http://www.vivobarefoot.com/uk/mens/breatho-trail-mens

If you shop around you can get them for about £50.

Also- I've asked this a couple of times, but the need is now imminent, as local trails here are essentially mud, and the Virratas have no grip whatsoever.

So to complement my Virratas:
Which do I go for/ Any other suggestions?
Roclite 243
Trailroc 235
X-Talon 190
BareGrip200

My guess so far is between the X-talon190 and the Trailroc235.

First run in a couple of months yesterday - planned to do an hour, ended up doing closer to 2.5. Lovely day for it, only spoiled by being followed by an escaped retarded dog on the way home, an overgrown lummox of a pedigree puppy which kept running into the road - had to spend half an hour dragging it round the area trying to find an owner. Eventually some nice lady took him and phoned the RSPCA.

We'll done on being a good citizen!

You don't really do slow build ups though do you - is your back sorted now?

lol

Why don't you try it. I'm the one lol'ing now..

^^Thanks, it's behaving itself - fingers crossed that continues, I'd almost forgotten how much I fucking love running...

Eyebrows, I got a pair of these for Christmas, I'm really enjoying running in them- I ran 23 miles in them over Sunday and Monday on the road.

http://www.asics.ie/running/products/gel-fujitrabuco-neutral-men/

How much do these weigh?

(Not a piss take question, honest - I'm looking for trail shoes at around 230g)

243g
with a 6mm drop.

http://www.inov-8.com/New/Global/Product-View-Roclite-243-Red-Black.html?L=26&A=Trail&G=Male

They're at the top of my list at the moment.

Slightly higher than the Mudclaws, because they're red.