Leicester running partner?

[Deleted User]

A bit of a long shot but I live in Rothley which is inbetween Leicester and Loughborough and am looking for someone to run with either during the week or at the weekend for distance runs - plus 10 miles.
I am looking to try for a sub 3 marathon so am training between 6.2 - 7.2 minute mile pace but I need to discipline myself to go slower for the longer runs.
Is there anyone out there?!!

popsider

Andre, possibly, I have a mate in Rothley I keep meaning to visit.

Have you got any routes in mind - anything off road ? What sort of pace would you be running an 18-20 miler - I probably wouldn't want to average under 7.30s for that (and on my own probably a little slower to be honest) - I'm aiming for sub 3.10 but want to stay steady on the long runs except for the 2nd half of a couple of warm up races.

Tom, Derby

[Deleted User]

Tom - because of Family committments etc I don't have time to drive anywhere to go running so it is all around the villages. I have a nice 9.5 mile loop, a 7.1 mile loop and the Rothley 10K course which is quite challenging. For the FLM last year my long runs were made up of the 9.5 loop twice and then a short 3 mile loop to make it up to 22 miles. I have not found anything off road yet.
To be honest regarding pace on the longer runs - 15 miles plus I would want to be around the 8 min mile mark. The longest I have gone so far is 13.1 when I was mainly training for the halfs and 10K's. Now that I want to build the stamina I am going to try for further at slower pace. At the moment I am going sub 7 min miling on my 9.5 mile run without too much bother but not sure how I will do after 15 or so miles!

popsider

Andre, OK if you fancy some company let me know when you are next out I might be able to get out - like you depends on family commitments - to be honest I've never done a long run except on my own so it'd make a change.

[Deleted User]

Tom - What we can do is maybe organise a long run on a Saturday morning as I would imagine coming from Derby during the week will be tough.
I try and get the long run done in the morning so the rest of the day is free to recover!
I ran with a friend last year and it was fun but he got injured so i had to go it alone.
Did you do the Bolsover 10K 2 weeks ago?

popsider

No never done it - I've a feeling it was full or else I was doing something else. Yes I normally try and do the long ones in the morning - although I enjoy running I don't really like going through the day with the thought of having to run 20 miles later on.

[Deleted User]

I'm not going to be much help but I'm just a bit miffed that you 6 replies when my same subject title only got one!!.

I'm near Leicester city centre and I'm looking for an increase in distance with a view to a summer half-marathon, I've only done 10 miles once and that was on a treadmill.

At 8.15 pace I'm probably too slow for you but if anyone is interested in evening/weekend runs please get in touch.

popsider

Ah but that one reply contained all the advice you needed - join a club - you'll find they aren't stuffed with competitive athletes - just people looking for other people to run with at evenings and weekends. If you are city centre then maybe West End Runners would be closest to you.

[Deleted User]

Paul - there are a number of running clubs in and around Leicester. From the reasons I mentioned above I do not want to commit to a running club, I really just want to get back from work and go straight out of the house for a run. What marathon are you training for?

Tom - Bolsover was good as it is fairly flat but was very windy on the day which made life difficult for the last 4K.
I will check with my wife and maybe we could pencil in a Saturday or Sunday morning for a long run in the near future?

popsider

Andre,

Yes let me know - currently feeling a few aches brought on by upping the mileage so may not fancy 20 on tarmac but if you are going out anyway, don't organise a run on my account though because it'll depend on how my legs feel on the day.

[Deleted User]

Tom - will keep you posted then. I did my 9.5 mile loop last night, boy was it windy on the way back!! I am having a day off today and then speed training on Friday and then a long run on either Sat or Sun morning. After the Leicester half marathon I have had problems with my right foot - pain on the ball of the foot just before the big toe - I felt it slighty yesterday but it is not as bad as it has been. This is why I am taking rest days every other day until it is completely gone. I hate injuries, so frustrating!

popsider

You might be well advised to try and find something off road Andre - maybe a canal or Bradgate park. I did 2 record weeks for me over Xmas - nearly all on tracks and paths and legs felt fine. This week back to the routine of running in the dark on local pavements and I'm back to making sure I don't push the little aches and pains into full blown injury.

[Deleted User]

You are right - I do try and run on the grass verge whenever possible but it is not ideal. My running shoes are still pretty new so I know that it is not them that is causing the trouble. I travel alot with my job and so a lot of running is done on the treadmills and I find that this is easier on the joints. What sort of weekly mileage are you up to now?

popsider

Did 60 last week - 50 something the week before - those are my highest - trying to keep to about 60 for at least a month or so more then introduce some interval work and probably drop it down to 45-50 - then introduce some faster interval work and it may drop a little more, then taper.

[Deleted User]

Excellent mileage - the highest I got to last year for the FLM was 50. As I am not doing the FLM this year I don't have to increase the mileage yet but I do want to get some longer runs under the belt so that I can be fully prepared for the later marathons.