The Alternative Everyone's Welcome GNR 2011 Thread

Hi all - just an alternative thread for GNR newbies. Everyone's welcome hereimage and come and go as you please. No cliqueyness allowed. So start by introducing yourself and your 2011 goal!

I am hoping to do my 10th GNR in 2011 and less than 2 hours will be a good result - long way to go.

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  • Hi - good idea.

    I am a running newbie based in the north east and looking to do GNR next year. If I don't get through on the ballot I will try to get a charidee place. I was supposed to do it this year but I ended up having to be abroad with work so gave my number to a friend (which I know isn't offically allowed). Wasn't really prepared for it anyway. I am up to 5 mile runs - 3 times a week. Loads of training plans on the net so I am going to grab one of those.

    Any tips on maintaining the motivation over the winter? I try to run before work but am wondering how to get my sorry arse out the door on a cold, rainy morning.

  • Hi SourSusan - know her well having read plenty of Horrid Henry books in the last few years! How long have you been running?

    I have spent the last few years struggling with running motivation so I may not be the best one to answer but when I did used to go out early mornings I used to put my running stuff all out and hang running shirt on the radiator and then set heating to come on 15 mins before wake up so that when alarm clock blasted there was at least a tiny incentive to get in the clothesimage. I am intending to try the same for cycling to work over the winter this year - I read somewhere you should cycle over the winter and then that is worst it can be so the other three seasons are then a relative breeze but we will see.

  • image where's my avatar pic gone? I am sure it was there before.
  • Morning BBS image

    Busy busy at the mo but will pop in later.  My avatar has disappeared too.

  • Ah, it's just come back...bizarre image
  • Spinning is also a good way of keeping up cycling over the winter.
  • Morning RTG image...of course, forgot about spinning (how could I forget)? I am determined to get out on the bike plenty though over the autumn/winter - only problem will be snow and ice I guess. Still no avatar for me. It seems to have happened when I changed my nickname.

    Are you doing GNR 2011?

  • BBSloth - LOL, yes Horrid Henry rules in our house at the moment.

    I have been running on and off for about 18 months but find because I am overweight that it is really hard work and so I end up getting dispirited and not running for weeks. You and raring to go have given me an idea though - cycling might be worth a go.

    I am going to try 30 minutes running this afternoon and will let you know how I get on. Off to a christening now.

  • That was late for a christening SS. No what you mean about running being difficult when one is carring some extra weight image. That is my issue nowadays but hopefully the cycling is going to help. I cycled to work and back today 22 miles or so there and back, so that's 66 miles this week.image

    Cycling is great- not the same effort on the joints and not as boring - only down side is takes a lot more time to get the same benefits in terms of calorie burn and weight loss. Give it a go.

  • Hi folks,

    Good to see you back on RW  BBSloth

    Hi RtG - sorry I missed meeting up with you at GNR. Were you under the bridge earlier?

    Hi SourSusan - Winter is difficult re motivation.  I did do some 'yomping' in the snow this year.  That was fun, and quite tough in heavy boots!  I try to do as many 10K races as I can but even those are few and far between in winter.  I know gyms can be boring but are you a member of one? Mine has tv screens on all the equipment so i may have to use them this winter.

  • Hi RLTW image  I was under the bridge, but must have gone before you arrived.  Think I was panicking about the fact that I would have to be in my pen half an hour before the race start, and how many loo visits I would be able to fit in! And I did have to stop en route as well, grrrr!

    SourSusan - remember last year when we had all that snow and ice?  I did quite a bit of running on the treadmill.  I put music and podcasts on my i-Pod, which made it a bit more bearable, but yes it isn't as nice as running outdoors.  Better than falling over and breaking a leg though, which could have happened if I was running outside!  Other forms of crosstraining are good to throw in too, e.g. swimming, elliptical trainer.  Does depend though on whether you feel that you could justify the membership cost of a gym, unless you have a gym that does 'pay as you go'

    Impressed with the cycling BBS image.  How long till the Coast to Coast?

    I haven't done any running since the GNR, though have done some crosstraining.  Better not leave it too long or my 'fitness' (such as it is) will disappear image.

  • I haven't been for a run since GNR either.  I waqs going to do a 10Kon Sunday but I forgot to register and there were no entries on the day image. I did a boot camp at lunchtime at work today though.  That felt like it hit the spot nicely.  So hard to fit in runs with work atthe moment. 

    Next target, Royal Parks Half in 3 weeks. Got a PB there last year image

    Just correcting a few typos!

  • Managed to get out for a 4 miler yesterday evening. Not very quick but good to be out there again, and no knee or calf issues image.  Glad I'm not out today though - weather is bl**dy awful!
  • Rain,  rain and even more rain!
  • Raring to go wrote (see)
    Impressed with the cycling BBS image.  How long till the Coast to Coast?

    Gulp - next weekend RTG. Dreading it. It isn't actually coast to coast but Carlisle to Tynemouth via Kielder - 124 miles I think? We only have two days to do it in. The only consolation is that there are at least 3 or 4 people less fit than me doing it.

    RunLikeTheWind wrote (see)
    I did a boot camp at lunchtime at work today though. 

    Hi RLTW - what are these boot camps like? We have one on our local beach 6.30 a.m. on a Tues and Thurs, I think and have thought about going along.

    God, day from hell today...

  • Expensive BBSloth.  The proper Boot camp is 6.30 am & 7.30pm on Mon & Thurs. For the first 6 weeks it works out at £15 per week.  I couldn't do the mornings cos I need to get the kids off to school.  I can't do Thurs because of choir.  That leaves one session and the price remains the same.  I did a trial one and it was really good.  They have a way of setting tasks that can be adjusted according to your ability.   Like running up a steep grassy bank for 10 seconds. Then running down again.  It doesn't matter how far up you ran cos everyone will be coming back down after 10 seconds. You can do press ups from the knees and squats with or without a jump when you come up.  Just can't justify £15 for one session.  The same chap comes to work at lunchtime but that is more of a keep fit really.  Doesn't raise a drop of sweat.  Still quite good though and much better value.  If he adds another evening session then I would probably go back to the proper boot camp.

  • RLTW - my fellow night-owl - how are you?

    Yep £15 is well steep.

  • EEEK didn't realise it was that soon BBS!  I'm sure you'll do fine though.  And having some people less fit than you is reassuring I reckon image.

    The boot camp thing sounds good RLTW - I find I will never do things like hill reps or squats on my own! Do they have British Military Fitness training sessions in your area?  That sounds like a similar thing, and a lot cheaper. Depends as you say if it fits in with work and family though. I think they do evening sessions.

    No VLM place for me (third time rejection) but not bothered as I'm re-thinking the idea about big crowded city races.  Prob going to go for Chester Marathon, though that isn't until the October and I don't think I'm up to doing two marathons in a year, lol.  Well, more to the point I don't want to be tied into marathon training schedules for six or seven months in a year.  I will probably do two or three sprint triathlons in the spring and summer, plus the usual club runs - then build up to the marathon over the late summer to autumn.  Sounds like a plan image.

    Is SourSusan out there? Hope you're okay image

  • Raring to go wrote (see)
    Is SourSusan out there? Hope you're okay image

    Yes I'm here ...thanks for all the support RTG. I am just taking it easy - takes all of my effort just to get off the sofa and go out at all at the moment. Still, GNR 2011 is a long way off. I am trying various ways of getting fitter at the moment - even tried zumba last week - nearly killed me.

    How are you all? Are any of you RTW, RTG or BBS GNR first-timers?

  • SourSue - I have done GNR 8 or 9 times but not done the last 2. used to love it but now dread the idea.

    For how I am see other thread "Good day or Bad Day"image

  • Hi SS - done the GNR three times now.  First time I did it in 2:30, then 2:10 in 2008 (still my half mara PB) and 2:22 this year (calf and knee probs halfway through).  It is getting sooo expensive, so not sure I'll do it again.  Another great race to do if you like Newcastle is the Blaydon Race. It is just under 10K distance, and great fun.  You have to enter quick though, as it fills up in a couple of days!
  • If I get in (fingers crossed) it will be my first GNR. I am ok with the distance - just - but seem to have only one pace. If I try and go any quicker I go to pieces. Any hints and tips? I would love to get under 2 hours.
  • Hi AnnaMG - various things you can do. Speed work is the obvious one but hard to motivate yourself to do it which is why many join a running club - is that an option for you? Google "fartlek" as a starting point.

    RTG - agree about Blaydon - great race but notoriously difficult to get in.

  • I agree, the Blaydon is excellent.
    This year I registered as soon as registrations opened at 1am and I believe by midday all of the 2000 on-line entries were taken and the 2000 postal entries were filled within 2 days.
  • Welcome Stringyimage. Nice to see you here. Yep, Blaydon is ridiculously popular. There's a lot to say for the quieter races, just the worry of coming last.

    I am struggling with the running motivation but have a 120 mile cycle event this weekend image

  • Looks like the weather is going to be good this weekend though BBS - much better than last weekend anyway.

    Hi Stringy! *waves* image

     AnnaMG - I'd agree with BBS. Speedwork is the way to go if you want to pick it up a bit.  If you've not done it before, then don't rush into it too quickly. Maybe a fartlek type session once a week, then see how you go. I've been trying to do a speed session each week and as BBS says, it is bloomin' hard - especially on your own.  I do find I can manage it on the treadmill though, just putting in a few 400m repetitions at my best 10K pace (or a little quicker if I can manage it) then a couple of minutes walk or jog recovery.  You'd need to warm up first with say 10 mins easy jogging, then the same afterwards to cool down. I managed to get my 10K time to 54:33 this summer, which I thought I'd never do as my best time had been 55:30 two years previously.  I'd love to get my half mara time down to 2 hrs (from 2:10) but maintaining that pace for that long is sooo hard! image

    Haven't been to a club run for a while, so think I'll go this evening image. We usually do a town run lasting about an hour.

  • I mean do a couple of mins recovery walk or jog between each 400m metres of course - didn't explain that very well!image
  • Thanks for the speed advice BBS and RTG. Getting out of the door would be an achievement.image Running club sounds good in principle but I am pretty shy if I am honest. I guess if I went with someone else it'd be easier. I will see which is our closest.

    Oh dear, I see what you mean about the "other" GNR thread BBS - what did you do?image Looks like you are better out of it. Still, some of them seem pretty riled that there is an alternative thread. Why?

    Hello Stringy - looks like I need to be prompt on the Blaydon Race. You think we are cliquey on here? We haven't been going long enough or have enough people posting yet to be accused of that. Maybe I am missing the joke? 

    Anyway, lots to do tonight - hope everyone is well.

  • Grrrr...why can't I get my photo uploaded?
  • Hi SS - listen to RTG - she knows her stuff.

    I understand your worry about going to a running club but they are usually pretty friendly from what I have heard/ experienced. I guess, like anything, some will be better suited to you than others and you need to go for a while before you feel you belong I think but worth it - pretty much everyone who is in a club raves about it.

    The photo has to be below a certain size (12kb???) and then has to be approved by the moderator.

    As for the other stuff, not sure - you'd have to ask them. Wasted enough energy worrying about it last year.

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