Author Topic: Cross Training: Running (Read 436267 times)

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2450 on:** 23 March, 2022, 10:18:56 pm »

Didn't have the time to do 17 miles today, settled for 10, but the pace was much higher. It's a lot easier running in daylight and not in quagmires. Hope to do a half marathon on Saturday morning, exploring the Wey and Basingstoke canals.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2451 on:** 27 March, 2022, 02:04:44 pm »

Did the planned half-marathon yesterday, before breakfast on my training course. Made so much different running (a) in daylight and (b) on firm paths rather than bog, quagmire and slippery mud. When I turned onto the Basingstoke canal after 15km there was another runner (who'd just run to the canal junction) about 50m ahead going just my pace, so I managed to keep my pace up in the difficult kilometres and managed to beat my target time by 5 min (and my previous half this year by 17 min). Chuffed.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2452 on:** 16 April, 2022, 08:55:27 am »

14.5 miles yesterday before breakfast on our holiday in Basel I know the roads here from work trips but did take a couple of minutes to tour Burgruine Dorneck. Forgot how tough the 400m of descent is and how much impact it has on the hamstrings

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2453 on:** 22 April, 2022, 08:32:04 pm »

Plan to tick off one on my bucket list tomorrow - running around Basingstoke on trails. I shouldn't really double my distance, but it's hard to find slots for long runs, and I've got a gap in the Audax season, and also the ground will be bone dry at the moment but the grass and nettles won't have grown up to obscure the trails. Have used Ridewithgps as trails can be plotted using the draw lines function.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39163021

30 miles - aiming for between 4:30 and 5:00 hours.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2454 on:** 23 April, 2022, 02:25:06 pm »

4:38. I have colleagues who travel to European cities (and further) to run half-marathons and marathons. I think they are missing out - 25 miles of trails and 5 miles of quiet roads, lots of those trails either singletrack between hedges or paths alongside woods. Plenty of wildlife - roe deer and muntjac, rabbits by the buzzard-load, and a couple of hares, one not quite able to hide in the growing wheat, super views from the top of Farleigh Hill, and a complete circumnavigation of Amazingstoke without ever making contact with the town itself, except for a short out and back to home.

I did miss the long prep run, the legs got progressively tighter, sooner than I would have liked, but found a good plodding pace for the last 10km (which is probably the easiest of the route), but its in the book, and will now look at running the Basingstoke Canal from Byleet back to Basingstoke (following the course as best as possible after Greywell).

tom_e · « **Reply #2455 on:** 23 April, 2022, 06:19:49 pm »

Very impressive.

I know what you mean about the city marathons. I don't find my legs can take a lot of running, but I really enjoy the fun of covering ground off road - it feels so simple and free. The idea of pounding tarmac for 26 miles couldn't be less appealing!

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2456 on:** 30 April, 2022, 08:25:11 pm »

Had time for a half marathon early this morning, golden sunrise, green grass, blue and white flowers, it was like running through the winner of the landscape photograph of the year. Was a bit slower than I should have been but I think I’m still recovering from last week

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2457 on:** 29 July, 2022, 06:15:11 pm »

Keeping this thread distinct from the Cto5k log, for those discussing longer runs. Having stopped running in May to focus on completing my first post-lockdown Audax SR series, realised that the Beachy Head Marathon is starting to approach and needed to get some miles in. Also, am going to the trail running Mecca that is Madeira in a couple of weeks time.

Historically I've built up my running distances steadily, running once a week and gradually progressing upwards in distance to the marathon point. However, this spring I got to the half-marathon distance in three steps and have decided to do much the same again. Ran 5 miles on trails round the back of the Basingstoke incinerator on Monday and did almost 11 this morning, with an eclectic mix of trails in the Loddon and Lyde valleys today - taking advantage of bone dry ground and better knowledge of what country footpaths go where. Hamstrings are tight, but not unnecessarily so, therefore the experiment seems to work and I should be set for my favourite half-marathon route next Friday

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2458 on:** 08 August, 2022, 03:51:49 pm »

4 laps of the Cliveden Estate on the opposite side of the Thames from Cookham this morning. 9 short steep climbs in a half-marathon. Made my understand why I struggled on the Beachy Head Marathon a few years ago - find it hard to get back into a good pace after a hard climb, and so gradually slowed down. Now I know that's an issue, will head out to Watership Down area for some routes to practice on similar terrain. Need 9 more half-marathon distances to get to the 100.

Jasmine · « **Reply #2459 on:** 14 August, 2022, 02:28:41 pm »

One of the members of my longer weekend run group is training for a marathon, so we are currently ramping up our long runs with them. Today was 15 miles, with 1000m climbing. The heat really made a big difference, especially for the hills. I had wobbly legs and lungs pretty early on as all the hills were in the first half. Once we got on to the flatter section it was a bit easier. I hope next week is less hot!

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #2460 on:** 17 September, 2022, 05:02:43 pm »

10 miles along the canal today. I am definitely carrying too much weight at the moment

Quisling · « **Reply #2461 on:** 20 September, 2022, 11:11:25 am »

Quote from: CrazyEnglishTriathlete on 08 August, 2022, 03:51:49 pm

4 laps of the Cliveden Estate on the opposite side of the Thames from Cookham this morning. 9 short steep climbs in a half-marathon. Made my understand why I struggled on the Beachy Head Marathon a few years ago - find it hard to get back into a good pace after a hard climb, and so gradually slowed down. Now I know that's an issue, will head out to Watership Down area for some routes to practice on similar terrain. Need 9 more half-marathon distances to get to the 100.

Sounds like you've had some great runs CET

Watership Down is my reasonably local hill training spot as you can handily run loops there to get in some vert. I'll need that, as I've entered Wendover Woods 50 (mile) in November which has 10000' of ascent.

I completed my first 50 miler, the https://www.centurionrunning.com/races/chiltern-wonderland-50-2022 on Saturday evening, near the back of the pack of those who finished within the cut-off time. The weather was perfect (although the 08:30 start was very chilly). Legs are in reasonable shape and I'm looking forward to getting back into training harder again shortly.

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #2462 on:** 20 September, 2022, 11:15:20 am »

congratulations

Are you going to go for a 100mile belt?

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #2463 on:** 21 September, 2022, 07:04:27 pm »

100k on Monday cycling then weights yesterday and another 5k tonight. Very slow even for me as the legs felt very heavy.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2464 on:** 23 September, 2022, 02:45:05 pm »

A lurgy (common cold, but has the same impact as usual - no training for a week or so), plus other things have got in the way of dedicated training for the Beachy Head Marathon, but did manage a half around the streets of Basingstoke this morning. Was asked about injuries given the fact that I do a fair few long runs, I think keeping my mileage low and having most of my aerobic training on the bike helps - I only run once a week at most - this was my 9th half-marathon or further this year and my total running distance for the year is 210 miles.

toontra · « **Reply #2465 on:** 23 September, 2022, 04:02:03 pm »

Quality rather than quantity for me too. One long (15k) run a week and maybe one shorter but faster. I've learned from experience that trying to fit in 3 longish runs a week on top of cycle training leads to injuries.

Luckilly, I find most running-related injuries (ITB, achilles, shin splints, ankles) can be ridden through, so they compliment each other well. If I'm not able to run I can still get stuff done on the bike. The only time I've had to stop cycling in recent years was a torn hamstring (as a result of some comedy sprinting

).

Quisling · « **Reply #2466 on:** 26 September, 2022, 04:19:53 pm »

Quote from: chrisbainbridge on 20 September, 2022, 11:15:20 am

congratulations

Are you going to go for a 100mile belt?

Thanks!

The sensible person in me says "Hell no" but somewhere in the back of my mind I know I'm thinking "one day". The Chiltern Wonderland was my first 50, and I'm aiming to consolidate with the "Slam" of 4 Centurion 50 milers next year (South Downs, North Downs, Chilterns Wonderland, and Wendover Woods), and then if I survive those and retain fitness I'll look to extend - more likely into multi-day ultras rather than 100 milers...but at my pace a 100 miler *is* a multiday anyway

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #2467 on:** 09 October, 2022, 11:40:40 am »

Just back from my second ever 10k race and the first for about 12 years. Paced a perfect negative split to come in at 59:26 for the 10km. Really enjoyed it actually and can see myself doing some more. Iran/walked to 4k to the start line and back again as well although coming back was much harder.
https://strava.app.link/wewTOgsZYtb

Quisling · « **Reply #2468 on:** 12 October, 2022, 09:57:34 am »

Quote from: chrisbainbridge on 09 October, 2022, 11:40:40 am

Just back from my second ever 10k race and the first for about 12 years. Paced a perfect negative split to come in at 59:26 for the 10km. Really enjoyed it actually and can see myself doing some more. Iran/walked to 4k to the start line and back again as well although coming back was much harder.
https://strava.app.link/wewTOgsZYtb

Congratulations! Solid time that and more importantly you enjoyed it

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2469 on:** 22 October, 2022, 09:58:55 pm »

Got round the Beachy Head today. A bit warm for trail running, but it was well organised and the support around the course was brilliant. Was 13 minutes slower than 8 years ago, but I was training for an ultra then, and most people said it was hard this year. There probably weren't many runners ahead of me in my 85kg+ weight category. The medal is quite nice, a depiction of the lighthouse shining out over the Seven Sisters. There can't be many most scenic marathons in the UK.

Quisling · « **Reply #2470 on:** 15 November, 2022, 04:43:55 pm »

Well done at Beachy Head CET, that's a tough course.

I completed my second 50 miler (52 as it happens

) at Wendover Woods on Saturday after more than fourteen and a half hours, including 7 by head torch. The legs are still battered as the course had over 10000' of climbing and descent. The DOMS in my quads is easing off but one calf is a touch grumpy and the other ankle has uncomfortable tendons. I've managed a couple of 2 mile walks with the dogs but no running for a week or more I expect which means I can get back out on the mountain bike, and then build up to try and beat my half-marathon PB before the end of the year. I managed to knock 3 minutes off my (not particularly brilliant) 10k PB a few weeks ago which pleased me immensely.

No more races booked until March (a 50k) followed by 4 x 50 milers from April to September. If I'm feeling lucky in the new year I might enter a 100 miler in October 2023 as I should be pretty fit after all the 50s I hope. Not sure about a 100 but I guess you never know if you can do it until you give it a go....

Jasmine · « **Reply #2471 on:** 20 November, 2022, 02:14:15 pm »

I did my first ultra yesterday - Pen Llyn Winter. Previous furthest run was 36km, so I knew it was a fair stretch up to 60km. Surprisingly, it was enjoyable for most of the run. I was still in good shape at 35km. I lost a lot of time in the 38-44km section as it's a technical descent to the beach and then a hard ascent to 400m above sea level. That was less enjoyable. Fortunately the last 15km is mostly downhill on the road so I was able to wobble home reasonably quickly. I just about made it back in the daylight, a fraction under 7 hours.

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #2472 on:** 20 November, 2022, 02:29:18 pm »

Congratulations to CET, Quisling and Jasmine. Really aspirational and I have no idea how you manage running and riding to high standards.

Quisling · « **Reply #2473 on:** 21 November, 2022, 10:48:15 am »

Congrats on your ultra Jasmine, that's a decent time for any 60k let alone a trail event.

My post-Wendover 50 legs are recovering. Knocked out 16 miles on the MTB yesterday after walking the dogs. My cycling legs are well out of form. Mostly ship-shape now, with just a little grumping remaining from the tendons in one ankle. Hopefully do an easy 5k tonight or tomorrow and see what effect that has before returning to harder training.

In other news, I've entered a 100 miler next October

citoyen · « **Reply #2474 on:** 21 November, 2022, 04:24:24 pm »

I've been getting back into running lately - upping it from the once-a-week parkrun to an extra two or three lunchtime runs - easy when we've got decent changing facilities at the office, and there are some nice local routes (current favourite is an 8km loop round Hackney Marshes).

Really enjoying it - but it's leaving me with lots of aches and pains. I'm very out of condition.

Would love to do an ultra one day but I'm a long way off ready for that. Well done all of you.