New Mature Runners Thread

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  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Morning all,

    RF - I was obviously lucky the stepping stones were firm when I crossed them all those years ago then. With my charity skinny-dip I do each September in the North Sea I know all about numb legs (and the rest of me!) :)

    HS - ignoring what Garmin Connect thought, Tuesday's run was more a case of "this run seems to be going well .." then finding it was average-paced run when I checked the figures afterwards. The car service was fine - nothing out of the ordinary - just an observation that three of the four tyres are getting low (which I was already aware of as the MOT is due in early March. Well done re the spinning session. My "things seen on a run" story was of a couple we happened upon years ago in a layby on a quiet road - the lady was bouncing up and down on the man's lap :-o :) Well done re your recent 6ml run and your Dibden Doddle.

    Molly - our thanks went to the Rambler's leader for knowing the paths well enough to (mostly) steer us clear of any muddy bits. I sometimes think I could probably manage a faster pace than I usually do - but I'm one of those "start steady, gradually speed up" runners. I think you need to join the "Ignore The Garmin Stats" club HS and I seem to have formed. Well done re your 6ml treadmill run. Brian back at work already? - that was a quick recovery! As before, I think this coming Sunday, we're getting the tail end of the storm that gave you 6-12" of snow. By the way, "just one more thing .." - its Columba, not Columbo (do you see what I did there?) :)
     
    Aquarius - it sounds like whatever you do, Garmin considers your workout at least 'impacting' if not more :) On a similar note, I managed to start my Garmin before we set off last week - I stopped it immediately and my Garmin suggested I needed 2hrs recovery ;):) Margaret especially enjoys "Sunday lunch" because it means I'm cooking it and she can put her feet up! Oops to forgetting the recoveries between your intervals.
     
    I had a nice 5ml run with the club yesterday. I did some faster paced bits on the long straight stretches of the route, made sure I ran up the hilly bits then jogged along with a lady called Julie aka. Ju Drop at the back a couple of times to give her some support. Our leader Claire took some photos for a 'Treasure Hunt' thread on Fetcheveryone. One of the things to find when out running was street art - we all photo-bombed Claire's photo of a shark (will try and post a copy of that photo).

    Went to an interesting U3A Science & Technology meeting yesterday afternoon all about 'super elements'. Some elements I'd never heard of but which are in daily use in things like smartphones and which may run out within the next decade as they are so rare. So someone will need to find another way to do what they do!
     
    Off for a golf lesson after lunch - possibly on the course if it isn't waterlogged, otherwise it will be on the driving range.
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    The shark I mentioned (Claire is the lime-green buff bottom-left - that's me bottom-right in the black woolly hat) ..


  • Good afternoon everyone,

    Molly, it's not forecast for much change in the temperature over the next few days, but we have an Amber warning for wind all day on Sunday. Definitely a day to steer clear of the forest. I imagine some races will be cancelled, as it will be dangerous driving to them etc.

    I haven't started to read the Zatopek book yet, but hope to soon get round to it.

    Your definition of the two Sarah's is not quite correct. Both Sarah's run marathons, but it is Sarah F that I race with and also do the parkruns. It is Sarah F in that photo I posted a while ago in the New Forest Half Marathon. We are hoping to do the Wilverley Inclosure parkrun tomorrow, but are waiting until later to see the situation regarding the wind.

    I think that you made a good choice to run on the treadmill yesterday, as conditions sounded rather grim. I find it very impressive the way that you can not only run on the treadmill, but vary your pace and the elevation etc. As I've said previously, I just can't run on them. I've tried a few times but give up after a couple of minutes. I always try to eat a couple of hours before running, and 3 hours before a race. I've never run without eating something beforehand.

    Hope you enjoy your rest day and are able to do your proposed 10 miler, weather permitting, at the weekend. 

    WtnMel, I like the advice your Garmin gave you to rest for 2 hours, after less than a second! I get similar rubbish, ie after a slow run "3 days recovery," after a tempo run the next day "12 hours recovery"
    Good that your car's routine service didn't show up any problems, apart from the warning that your tyre treads were getting low, which you knew anyway.

    Your run yesterday sounded fun and thanks for posting the photo of you all round the shark. I spotted you lurking in the bottom right hand corner😁

    Your U3A meeting sounded interesting.

    Hope you were able to attend your golf lesson on the course?

    Today is a rest day and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrows parkrun.
  • Good afternoon all

    HS I don’t know how I managed to forget the one minute recoveries either! I think it must have been because I was in a real hurry to get the session done as I was pushed for time, and to be honest I had my mind on other things, so not really concentrating on what I was doing. No wonder it felt like such a tiring session. I won’t be making that mistake again in a hurry.
    The meal was a bit of a disappointment to be honest. We’d gone to a very popular Indian restaurant that we’d been going to for years. It’s a bit pricey but the food is freshly cooked and delicious. Usually. But last night three of us felt our meals were rather harshly spiced and consequently suffered from indigestion during the night. The others really enjoyed their meals and had no problems afterwards. So what with not sleeping particularly well, and the fact it is bitterly cold today I’m rather glad it’s a rest day. I’ve done an hour’s strength work, so it hasn’t been a wasted day. 
    Your Dibden Doddle run sounds like it was an enjoyable if somewhat chilly run. Well done for another 6.6 miles on the road on Wednesday. I notice you seem to be including more runs on roads lately, is this in preparation for a forthcoming road race, or just to vary things? Like you I’m keeping fingers crossed for the weather tomorrow, as I’m hoping to do a parkrun too.

    Molly, great news that Brian is able to return to work on Monday. He must be feeling a lot better. It’s sounds like his medical team have a well organised post ablation plan in place for his rehabilitation. We don’t have anything like that here. Steve just has an appointment to see a specialist nurse 3 months after his ablation (the date of this appointment has already been put back a couple of weeks, and no doubt will be postponed again before that time) and after 6 months he will see his cardiologist, but we’re still waiting to hear about that appointment. Other than that he has a printed sheet with general advice on it, and the phone number of two specialist nurses he can ring Mon - Fri if he has any concerns. However when he had chest discomfort one day and tried to contact the nurse it went straight to answerphone, with a message to say that one of the nurses had retired and the other was so busy he could only pick up his voicemail twice a week. Not much good if you need urgent advice. I’m afraid our NHS is at breaking point, it’s really quite scary, but it’s one of those things that you are unaware of until you actually need to use it. Fortunately Steve seems to be getting along ok at the moment, but he is reluctant to start any form of exercise until he sees the cardiologist as he still has some concerns he wants to discuss. I’m trying to get him out for a walk to the shops most days (a 2 mile trip) as I feel that’s better than nothing. 
    Like HS I’m impressed at the variety of treadmill training you do, although given the outside conditions I don’t suppose you have much choice. I hope your feeling of nausea was just down to your heavy meal beforehand. I like to leave at least a couple of hours between eating and exercising, but I know it’s sometimes difficult to do that when you have time restraints. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you can get out for a run this weekend.

    WtnMel that’s a great photo, I had to look closely to see the shark though. Well done on your 5 mile club run, it sounds like quite a good session with fast stretches and some hills. I hope your golf session was as enjoyable as your U3A meeting sounds. (What’s happened to your Scottish dancing classes? ;) )

    I had intended doing a XC on Sunday, but the forecast is so dreadful I’m going to give it a miss. I did think they might cancel it, and I know that everyone says that XC fixtures are never cancelled unless it’s positively dangerous, but frankly I think it will be pretty close to being dangerous on Sunday if the forecast is accurate. It’s quite an exposed course anyway, and last year some club tents blew away, and then the weather wasn’t anything like as bad as Sunday is forecast to be. Instead, weather permitting, I’ve decided to do a parkrun on Saturday, but not the Riverside one I did last week, instead I think I’ll go back to the Gibside parkrun. Then on Sunday we’ll batten down the hatches and sit tight. :D Seriously though I hope this storm passes over quickly as I have another Grand Prix 5k on Tuesday at the coast, and as last month’s had to be cancelled due to the weather I’m hoping this one won’t suffer the same fate. I’ve never known so many events get cancelled as there has been this winter.
  • Good Afternoon Everyone,

    Columba, I am so sorry that I keep misspelling your name.  I have been emailing with a gentleman named Columbo regarding my work, and, because negotiations are ongoing, the name is stuck my head.  I will pay closer attention when I am typing your name.  

    WtnMel, Thank you for catching my spelling faux pas!  I think that this may be the second time that you've helped me out that way.  I do appreciate it.

    Brian will be back in the office on Monday.  At this point, our bedroom looks like command central with laptops and folders spread all over the bed.  If he is going to insist on working, he might as well do it in his office.  The first week of heavy rest, is mainly for protecting the incisions on his legs, which have developed an amazing array of purple and green bruises.  Now, as long as he doesn't engage in any activity more strenuous than walking, he can resume normal day-to-day activities.  The main problem is that Brian's normal activities include cycling around 200 miles a week. Now that he is feeling better, keeping him quiet is giving me a headache.     

    How nice of you to drop back to give Ju-Drop (what a great name) support.  I'm sure that she really appreciated it.

    What a great photo of your group!  You look like you are having a lot of fun :smile:

    I am sorry about sending the storm your way. I hope that you are able to get on the golf course for your lesson.  I'll try to send the next storm in a different direction :wink:


    HS, You and your Sarahs are a talented running group.  It is really nice that you can support each other for a wide range of running activities.  Do you think that they will run next year's marathon with you?

    We currently have a storm warning for our area through tomorrow; mainly for high winds. I think it is probably the same thing as your Amber warning.  My long run may have to wait until Sunday.

    For me the treadmill is an evil necessity.  The idea of warm weather finally coming around and my being too out of shape to run outside is depressing enough for me to overcome my dislike of the treadmill.  Before I moved to New England, I lived in California for a number of years, and I could never understand how anyone could run on treadmills.  When I moved to New England and found that for parts of the year my options were a treadmill or not running, I found that, for me, not running was much worse.  However, I would give up running on my treadmill in a heartbeat if I was able to run outside.  

    I hope that your winds die down enough for your Parkrun to take place tomorrow. And, if there is some wind leftover, I hope it is at your back!


    Today was supposed to be a rest day. However, because of the necessity of clearing the driveway this morning, I am classifying it as a cross training day. We've had steady, icy sleet falling for hours on end and coating the top of yesterday's foot of sludge.  It was too wet for the snow blower, so I ended up shoveling what felt like wet cement. The driveway and the walkway both felt a little slick after I cleared them, so I spent an additional period of time sanding the shoveled areas. Of course, with the wind blowing, a fair amount of the sand blew back at me, and clung to my soaked coat and pants. I was quite a sight when I finished.  
  • Aquarius, I'm so sorry our posts crossed.

    How annoying to have indigestion from your birthday dinner.  I think that taking a bit of a rest to catch up on sleep and recover from the dinner is a good thing.  I hope that you didn't push too hard during your strength training.

    Not being able to reach a nurse must be really scary for you and Steve.  I think he is smart to wait to see his cardiologist before upping his activity.  I hope that he gets in to see the Dr. soon.  Something that Brian did that was helpful during his first recovery, was to wear his smart watch most of the time and monitor his heart rate during regular activities. The watch enabled him to see that his heart rate was unnaturally elevated during routine activities, and that was the first clue that his arrhythmia wasn't cured.

    At this point, I can say our health care system is pretty close to bust, as well. Brian was prescribed blood thinners before his procedure. Even with very good health insurance, it cost a $1000.00 to fill the prescription.  And, in the hospital, we had some pretty bad experiences with different staff members pushing different treatment protocols, while Brian was too ill to advocate for himself. I'm afraid that I got a bit sharp with one of the nurses, when I told her to talk to Brian's surgeon before giving him what turned out to be the wrong medicine.  Even with the aforesaid 'very good insurance', I am expecting some large medical bills.  While the care is available in the US, you need to be able to afford it to receive it.   

    It sounds like you are very smart to give Sunday's XC a miss. I have my fingers crossed that you will have a wonderful Gibside run tomorrow, and that your weather calms down for the Grand Prix 5K on Tuesday.  
  • Molly - feel free to mis-spell my "name" any way you like!
    Brian seems to be making a good recovery, back at work already despite the multiclour bruises on his legs.
    Spicy bean stew before running is perhaps not to be recommended...
    HS - you're still spinning, I see. I gave up about this time last year, as the classes were so heavily booked that I couldn't get in for several weeks running, and then just got used to not doing it, and didn't go back.
    Aquarius - that speedwork of yours sounded like half a pyramid. Pyramid: 1 minute fast, 1 minute slow, 2 minutes fast, 2 minutes slow, and so on, building up to 5 minutes, and then coming back down again the same way, 4,3,2,1.
    It hadn't occurred to me to worry about being out running on my own. I did read somewhere that statistically, an old woman on her own is less likely to be attacked than almost anyone else. Most likely to be attacked? - a young man on his own.
    Speaking of multi-lap parkruns, I have done one in London (I've forgotten its name; might have been Northala Fields) which has 5 laps. Really hard keeping count! I';ve never seen pacers at parkruns. I did my local one last Saturday, and hope to do it tomorrow but will see what the weather is throwing at us when I wake up. The local (ish) running club, of which I am technically a member, has taken to doing a short hill rep session on Thursday evenings. I haven't been going out with them as I am embarassed at their always having to wait for me; but with hill reps it doesn't matter, as I just do fewer reps.
  • Afternoon all,

    Molly I well remember those huge multicoloured bruises, but unlike Steve poor Brian will have them on both legs, and from what I can remember they get worse before getting better! I hope your threatened storm does not stop you getting out for your run some time this weekend. I can see how you would prefer using the treadmill rather than not run at all. We invested in a treadmill a few years ago after we’d had a prolonged spell of snowy/icy weather and couldn’t get out for runs. We thought about using the treadmills at the local gym, but as occasional users (as opposed to members) the cost was pretty high. In the end we decided that if we got our own treadmill we would always be able to run in the winter, no matter how bad the weather was outside. Needless to say the following winters were quite mild, and the treadmill didn’t get used much, so when we moved house three years ago we decided to sell it. Apart from anything else the removal firm didn’t seem keen to take it (it was a pretty big model) plus the fact we had to move into rented property temporarily while our house was getting built, and there wasn’t room for it at the rented house. 
    What a pity your rest day turned out to be so exhausting, but you can always class it as cross training.  :)
    I was quite shocked to see how much you had to pay for blood thinners. Considering you have good health insurance that is appalling. How lucky that you were on hand to stop Brian being given the wrong medication. You would think that something like that would be unlikely to happen in a hospital, you’d imagine there’d be various checks in place to prevent it, but a similar thing happened to a patient on the same ward when Steve had his ablation done. The nurse gave the patient some tablets to take and mentioned, in passing, that they’d been prescribed because of his diabetes. The patient explained he wasn’t diabetic, but the nurse insisted his notes showed that he was. Eventually after much discussion it turned out the nurse had the medical notes of a patient with a similar name, but who had been treated some months earlier on a different ward. It really doesn’t give you a lot of confidence in the system when something like that can happen. On the plus side, in the UK anyone over age 60 is entitled to free prescriptions, so Steve has had all his medication for free. What would happen to someone in the US who didn’t have any medical insurance? Would they be eligible for treatment in hospital? 

    Columba I had actually intended doing the pyramid as you described when I did my session on Thursday, but realising I was short of time I just did the second half, thinking that would be better than nothing. I wouldn’t worry too much about being slow on your club runs, my attitude is they can’t expect me to be as speedy as the younger members. Good that you now have the option of joining them for hill repeats though. I hope you managed to get to your parkrun today, and didn’t get blown away.

    The weather was quite mild for my Gibside parkrun today, which seemed to have tempted a few more people to join in this week. I had a good steady run, but a disappointing finish time, until I realised that Garmin had measured the course as 3.10, whereas it normally measure 3.04 or 3.05. So judging on average pace instead it wasn’t too bad, but it’s still not where I want it to be. Onwards and upwards as they say.


  • Afternoon All,

    Columba,  How was your parkrun today? Did the weather cooperate?

    Aquarius, The way our insurance works is that each year we have to meet what is called a 'deductible', before the coverage kicks in.  The 'deductible' is a set amount of payments that we cover out of pocket. For our plan it is $1600.00 for prescriptions. After we pay the $1600.00 of prescription charges, our insurance covers the cost for the rest of the year (except for a $25.00 'co-pay' for each prescription that we also pay).  There is a separate deductible for treatment.  I know it sounds nuts, but this is the norm for most insurance plans. Because Brian's blood thinners were prescribed at the beginning of the year, their cost became part of our deductible and we paid for them.  

    In the US, once you reach 65, you are covered by medicare for most treatments and prescriptions, but there are still out of pocket costs in the way deductibles and co-pays.  There is a huge national debate occurring in the US at the moment around expanding medicare to cover everyone.  Things become very grim in our country for a fairly large demographic who don't quite qualify for medicaid (a disability safety net insurance), and can't afford prescriptions or some medical bills.  However, legally an emergency room must give life saving care regardless of whether a person in need has insurance.

    I am so glad that you had good weather for your Gibside parkrun. It sounds like a strong comfortable run, as well.  Excellent job! I have no doubt that you will soon find your pace to be where you want it to be, and you will be setting new goals :smile:


    Today was a pretty miserable run.  It was really cold out, with a very strong and even colder wind. Because of the wind chill, I put on an extra layer of clothing.  For most of the run, I was either feeling overheated or I was worrying about frost bite on my face, depending on which way the wind was blowing.

    I also managed to get a bit lost on the run. According to the half marathon website, the route will be a little different this year. The route map shows it meandering through a neighborhood with a lot of dead end streets and very few street signs. I got completely turned around in the neighborhood, and ended up going off route to get back home. This resulted in a 9.75 mile run, instead of the planned 10 mile run. However, in this case, the shorter route turned out to be a bit of blessing.  I was definitely happy to finish the run and be home.   Four more weeks to go until the half marathon.


  • I did our Park today and hey presto I managed another P.B.of 24.20.
  • Good morning everyone,

    The storm is well and truly underway, with gale force winds. I'm definitely not running today. There have been a lot of posts since my last one, so I will try not to miss anything.

    Aquarius, sorry to hear that your meal was a disappointment, especially when you say that the food was usually delicious.
    The only reason that I've been doing more road running, is because of the state of the forest. The deep mud and water make "serious running" rather impracticable. The Dibden Doddle is a social run, where we enjoy wading through the mud and other obstacles, and pace isn't a consideration.

    Glad you managed to do Saturdays parkrun which was slightly more than 5k.

    Molly, it is not 100% certain that Oakhaven Hospice will hold a marathon in 2021, as it depends on the success of the 10 mile race in November. If not, I will probably do the New Forest Marathon instead. Depending on race dates etc, I hope the Sarah's and other running friends will also run. We won't all run together, as we have different abilities, but will probably run with Sarah F.

    I hope the winds have dropped for you today and that you have managed to get out for your intended run.

    Your health service, even with comprehensive insurance, sounds like you still need "a healthy bank balance"  to get all the necessary treatment and care. It is a worry here that despite the new Tory Government pledging that the NHS is safe, things will go a similar way to the USA.

    I see that you managed to run yesterday, but that it was rather miserable with the cold wind. Also that you got slightly lost. I suppose it was a bit of a bonus that you got home sooner than expected. Hope your training continues to go well, leading up to your half marathon. 

    Columba, yes I'm still spinning, but only once a week now. My knee doesn't cause me any problems now, touch wood, so that's why I stopped the Wednesday session, and replaced with running instead.

    Did you mange to do the parkrun yesterday? It's good that you are doing hill reps with your club, as they are definitely good for strength and stamina.

    We didn't do the parkrun yesterday, but instead did "Sarah's 5k road run" It is 3.1 miles, so is the same distance. It was a very hilly run which was challenging, but we gave it 100%

    Damien, very well done for another parkrun PB. You are getting quicker and quicker.
  • Good Evening All,

    Damien Nagle, Congratulations!! You are setting new PBs at an impressive rate!


    HS, Yikes! Your weather sounds scary. I am glad that you aren't trying to run in it!

    Is the NewForest marathon in the local forest that you run in?  I wish the Oakhaven Hospice good fortune with their 10 mile run in November :smile: Am I correct in thinking that you will be doing that race?

    Yes, our healthcare system is a mess, and it is hard to see how it is going to get straightened out any time soon. I really hope that your government manages to sort out your system. It is my impression that your healthcare system is fundamentally sounder than ours.  At the moment, half of our country believes that health care is a basic human right, and half of the country does not.  The mood in our country feels like a particularly acrimonious divorce court.

    Well done for pushing through on 'Sarah's 5k', hills and all!  I hope that you were pleased with the results. Was the 5k on the road or in the mud?


    Today was an easy cross training day on the bike, followed by some strength training and dog walking.  My legs were less tired today than I had anticipated after yesterday's run.  But, I will be glad for tomorrow's rest day.  I figure that I have 2.5 more weeks of real training before starting a 1.5 week taper. So, I need to make the next couple of weeks count.


  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    HS - unsurprisingly, a local race that goes through woods was one of the local races due to happen on Sunday that was cancelled near me. 

    Aquarius - I would guess for fitness purposes, intervals without recoveries must be even more 'impacting' than normal ones! :) That shark is a great example of "trompe l'oeil" (spelling?) as at first glance it really does seem to emerge out of the wall which is actually dead flat as you'd expect. Re dancing - I'm off for another does of country dancing after lunch (and as I said, men are much in demand so my attendance will be very welcome).

    Molly - depending on who is there each Thursday, I can be mid-group or towards the back. People loop-back for me so I try and make a point of supporting the slower runners as I've been there too. The Thursday run is definitely a 'social' run so we do have a laugh in amongst the serious running stuff.

    Damien - well done re your new parkrun PB.

    Re the treadmill chat, it reminds me I haven't heard from my friend Joan whether or not her brother wants mine (which was hers!). Must call her to see if she's heard anything.

    My golf lesson went well - we were able to go out on the course. Richard has sorted out why I've been 'topping' the ball so much. All I have to do now is put the theory into practise! Hoping to play my friend Alan this coming Friday.

    Had a nice solo walk on Saturday (decided to do that rather than walk with the ramblers on Sunday). Will post a couple of photos ..
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    The route of my walk on Saturday ..



    And a photo I took above Woodmancote, looking towards the Malvern Hills ..


  • Good afternoon all.

    WtnMel:  Thanks for posting those photos of your walk, how long was it? Did you notice those two suspicious characters halfway between your start point and Woodmancote? They look like they’ve just committed a crime and are legging it :D . I’m pleased that Richard has been able to put you right regarding “topping” the ball, as you say you just need to put the theory into practice now (always easier said than done). Good luck for Friday if Alan manages to make it. Hope your dancing went well today, and that you if you were fought over by the ladies looking for partners you managed to escape intact. 

    Molly: I suppose that our health system is fairer than yours in that everybody is treated the same, whether they have contributed to it (through taxes and National Insurance deductions from wages) or never worked or contributed at all. In addition there is also the option for individuals to take out private health insurance if they want to. This is something we’ve done recently having found out at first hand about the lengthy wait for diagnosis and treatment, which we had been blissfully unaware of before this, having never needed to use the NHS other than for the usual minor ailments. Unfortunately we couldn’t use the private insurance for Steve’s ablation as AF had already been diagnosed, and was therefore a pre-existing condition when we took out the health insurance. Had we known how long it would be from being diagnosed and getting the ablation (just under 2 years) we would have taken it out a lot earlier! At least now we have it we know we won’t find ourselves in such a frustrating and stressful situation again.
    Gosh that sounds like a horrible run you did on Saturday, full credit to you for pressing on and not giving up in those horrible conditions, then to get lost too - what a nightmare. The fact that your legs weren’t too tired yesterday shows all your hard work is paying off. The next 4 weeks will fly by, I’m already getting excited for you for your big day!

    HS: Well done for your 5k hilly run on Saturday. Are you running today? I hope the weather in your part of the world isn’t stopping you from getting out at the moment. 

    Damien: Great news re your PB. Congratulations!

    I’m pleased I opted for the parkrun on Saturday as Sunday’s XC was cancelled after all. I thought it would be because the weather conditions were so bad, but yet again it was due to the “car park” (i.e. farmer’s field) being flooded. That’s three XC’s cancelled this winter due to the car parks being flooded. It’s been rearranged for next Sunday but the forecast doesn’t look much better for then, so I’ll wait until nearer the time to make a decision whether to do it or not. Tomorrow night is the next 5k in our club’s Grand Prix series at the coast. The weather isn’t looking great, but at least we’ll miss high tide this time so it shouldn’t be cancelled (famous last words). A rest day today (luckily as weather is so bad) but I did manage to fit in an hour’s yoga and a bit of strength work.
  • Just heard our run is off tonight. Probably a good idea in view of the weather.
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    Aquarius - the walk was 7.5mls in total and what the image doesn't really convey is the approx. 250m of ascent the route entails (but at least it's mostly downhill on the way back!). I took a closer look - those 'dodgy' characters are running away from the local school :) Fingers crossed for Friday's golf but I'm hoping to make time for a visit to the driving range tomorrow afternoon. The dancing went well - some of the dances involve swapping partners so no ladies were fighting over me ;) Not surprised to hear the XC was cancelled - better luck next weekend and fingers crossed the Grand Prix race also takes place without incident.

    Molly - re Aquarius's comments about the NHS, Margaret and I are thinking of enrolling into a private health cover scheme of some sort - we should get on and do it before anything happens as otherwise it will be classed as a pre-existing condition and not covered.

    I was thinking of running today. But after getting blown around while popping to the bank and supermarket, I thought better of it. Hopefully it will be less windy tomorrow. I used my 'free' time usefully though as I spent a couple of hours re-organising my spreadsheets for the swim club to make it easier to produce my Treasurer's reports for the upcoming committee meeting and the forthcoming AGM in April (some info was missing - some just needed to be re-jigged to make it easier to process).

  • Good afternoon everyone,

    Molly, the New Forest Marathon is a few miles from my local area at Brockenhurst, near to where the parkrun is held.  Thanks for your good wishes for the Oakhaven Hospice 10 mile race. I will definitely be doing it and am looking forward to it. It will be the first time they have organised it, so it will be interesting to race over a new route.

    Sarah's 5k is all on roads and starts and finishes outside of her house. We were joking that we could make it an offroad parkrun, and would have hundreds of runners outside her house waiting to run. At the finish, she could serve teas, coffees and cakes😁🍰

    Hope you enjoyed yesterdays rest day!

    WtnMel, I'm not surprised that your local race in the woods was cancelled on Sunday.

    I hope you enjoyed your country dancing yesterday. That will definitely count as cross training, and probably more enjoyable.

    Glad to hear that your golf lesson went well, and hope that it pays off when you play Alan on Friday.

    Thanks for the photos, looked like a very nice route.

    Aquarius, thanks, we enjoyed "Sarah's 5k road race" and beat her previous time by over 3 minutes.

    Yes, I ran yesterday with the two Sarah's and Grace. We did 2 loops on roads, the first loop together, and then the Sarah's dropped out. I carried on with the second loop with Grace and we achieved 15.1 miles which was Grace's target.

    Good that you were able to do the parkrun on Saturday. Hope you will be able to do the xc on Sunday, weather permitting. Good luck with this evenings 5k club grand prix.

    Today is another cold and windy one. I ran a 4 mile recovery run after yesterdays 15 miler. It was really hard going running into the wind which was "biting" as well as powerful. I ran instead of spinning, as I have an appointment for a routine eye test tomorrow morning, so won't be running.
  • This bad weather has been a kick in the teeth regarding running outside for most of us.
    The main thing is that we all stay safe.
    I am going to use my cross trainer or spinner for indoor training this week as its terrible here with the wind straight off the sea.
  • Good Evening All,

    WtnMel, What great photos of your walk. I am still amazed at how green everything is where you live!  That is a nice bit of hill climbing your route covered, as well. Great training :smile: For the life of me, I can't find the dodgy runners in the photo that Aquarius saw.  I have to admit that it's making me a little crazy.  At one point, I realized that I had taken my glasses off, and pulled the laptop screen to within an inch of my face.  

    Good job on making progress with your golf.  I hope it pays off in your next game.

    I would think that there would be some mental comfort in having both a private insurance plan and NHS.  It is possible that our system will mirror yours in the next decade. 

    Good choice on choosing not to be blown around on a run. My fingers are crossed that you will be able to get out tomorrow.


    Aquarius, I'm sorry your run was cancelled. How frustrating! Especially after your strong parkrun. I do hope your weather calms down.

    Along the lines of being 'frustrating', it must have been very difficult to wait that long for Steve's ablation procedure after his diagnosis.  My heart goes out to you guys.  That kind of worry is really hard to cope with. The pre-existing clause in health insurance is a pain.  With the exception of a few states, it was the rule in the US until about 10 years ago, when there was big shift in government policy around insurance, and pre-existing insurance clauses became illegal. However, it is possible that things will switch back.  A lot, of people have gone bankrupt trying to pay for care for conditions that their insurance policies refused to cover due to the pre-existing condition clause.

    I am really pleased at being able to actually run a half marathon, again. But, I'm not investing this one with high hopes for my performance.  I know from experience that the weather tends to be challenging for this particular race. And, while I am getting my fitness back, my pace is still a bit slow. My goal is to run a steady race and come in feeling strong. If I manage that, I'll continue on to my marathon training plan.  Thank you for your encouragement, I definitely appreciate it.


    HS, I have a wonderful picture of 100's of runners being served tea and cake outside of what I am imagining to be Sarah's house. It would be an excellent parkrun.

    Congratulations to Sarah for breaking her time by 3 minutes. That's quite an accomplishment!

    It sounds like you had a very enjoyable 15 miler. Well done!  However, I have to say that your 'recovery run' sounds like it may need it's own recovery.  Good for you for pushing through.  How are your legs feeling after two hard days?


    Today was another 6 mile hill training day on the treadmill.  I got a little closer to mastering the full workout, but I still had to make a portion of the workout a little bit easier than I originally planned.  It's nice to feel some fitness coming back. I just wish it would come back a little more quickly.  Tomorrow is a cross training/strength day.

    I am hoping to go by the running store this weekend to buy new shoes, and I will mention the parkruns to the 'powers that be', when I'm there :smile:




  • DamienNagle, At this point, I just go back and check, after I post, to see if a comment from you has shown up that hadn't shown up while I was responding. I don't know why it is always your comments that the forum hides, while I am posting. However, the forum is doing a good job of training me.    

    Smart move to stay inside and safe!  Enjoy your spinning :smile:
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    HS - when my club runs were in Bishops Cleeve I said I hoped no-one was expecting me to be serving teas & coffees afterwards! Yes, the country dancing was great fun - I wore my Garmin for fun and it showed I'd done approx. 6000 steps during the two hours. I'll not be back dancing until May now as I'm away in March and April has been cancelled due to Easter. On my walk on Sat I saw someone running up the hill out of Woodmancote and wondered if I can get myself fit enough to do the same sometime? Well done re your 15ml run with Grace - one of my clubmates is training for the Bath Beat event and recently did a 16ml run - her longest ever. It was a cold windy day and she had hail at the end of her run so she was glad to finish and get home to get warm again.

    Damien - don't blame you training indoors this week. One of my club's training nights was cancelled this week as it was just too windy.

    Molly - if you look at the photo again, follow the road towards Woodmancote from the start point bottom-left ("MH 080220 Cleeve Hill") and after it crosses under the railway line, you should see two small figures on the right-hand side of the road where the school is. Fingers crossed for the golf on Friday - I'll aim to get to the course early enough to allow me time for a quick warm-up on the driving range before we start. I guess the US medical system might change again when the orange man-baby is no longer in charge? Well done re another 6ml run on the treadmill. Hope you find some new shoes to suit - will you go for the same make/model again?

    I ran earlier this morning - was going to run later today but Margaret said she was going to walk as she was sat around all day yesterday at a meeting and she would need her coffee on her return! :) So I went out and did my run while she walked - I did 4mls and although it was sunny, there were a couple of icy patches where the pavement was in the shade so I had to gingerly jog through those bits. I noticed as I was out running, Cleeve Hill where I walked on Sat had a sprinkling of snow overnight on the very highest parts.

    I probably won't run now until Sat - it will just be a short run as I plan to walk with the Ramblers again on Sun (7ml walk) - weather permitting!
  • Damien, very sensible to do your training indoors during these adverse conditions.

    Molly, good news that you now feel ready for your half marathon. If I were you, I wouldn't worry too much about  your race time, as you don't want to push yourself too hard, which could aggravate your injury again. A steady pace is the perfect answer, enabling you to have a strong finish.

    The "parkrunners" would have their refreshments in Sarah's garden which is quite large😁
    She was pleased with her 5k time. That 15 miler was my longest run for quite a few months, but as it was run at a steady pace, didn't take much out of me.

    My legs are feeling ok thanks, and I haven't run today, as I had a routine appointment for an eye examination this morning. Details to follow at the end of my posts.

    Well done for another 6 mile hill session on the treadmill. I've found a treadmill hill session in Trail Running magazine which you might be interested in. It comprises 3 minute efforts starting on 10% incline, and increasing by 1% each rep, total 6 reps. That might be too many reps for a first attempt, but is worth keeping in mind.

    Good luck with your cross training today, and also when you mention the possibility of starting up a parkrun at your running store. They are a great way of socialising, as well as improving ones pace.

    WtnMel, I remember you mentioning that you hoped no-one would expect tea or coffee after your Bishops Cleeves runs.😃

    That's quite amazing, 6,000 steps during your country dancing.

    Good luck to your friend doing the Bath Half Marathon. I believe it is quite a fast flat course. That 16 mile training run will stand her in good stead. I would say that she doesn't need to run any further than that in her build up. I've just noticed that you said it was the Bath Beat race. I presume that it is a half marathon, hence the long run.

    You were wise to be careful during this mornings run if there were icy patches.

    Have an easy 4 miler on Saturday, and enjoy your 7 mile walk on Sunday, weather permitting.

    No running for me today, as I had a routine eye examination this morning. I have them at 2 year intervals. I was pleased that my sight hadn't deteriorated, so I didn't need to change my glasses. I did, however, decide to go for a change of glasses, and keep the existing ones as spares. I have one pair for reading and the other for long distance when I'm driving. I was advised, however that I have a very early start of cataracts, but they wouldn't be a problem for many years. I was advised that sunlight, even on overcast days, was responsible for speeding up the process, so it would be wise to wear the long distance glasses, which turn dark in sunlight, whenever I am outdoors. I've never tried running in glasses, but will give them a try when I'm running by myself. 😆

    I spent an hour or so in the front garden this afternoon sweeping up yet more leaves. I filled the green bag that the council supplies for garden waste, but there are still a lot to clear. That was the second bagful.
  • Afternoon everyone,

    I ran a 5 mile interval session this morning. First mile warm up, then 12 x 1 minute hard, 1 minute recoveries, warm down.
  • Good Afternoon Everyone,

    WtnMel, AHA!  I found the little guys :smile:  Thank you for the directions. And, I learned how to enlarge the pictures, as well! 

    I'm going to consider changing shoes.  I generally use Nike Pegasus. In the past, when I've changed brands, it hasn't worked out well for me.  Because I have very short and very wide feet, it is hard to find a shoe that fits well. However, it seems that there are two issues that might have been contributing factors to my tendinitis, beyond the basic issue of a lack of specific strength training.  The first issue being a looseness around my heels in my running shoes, which causes a lack of support. The second issue has to do with running many miles on on the same side of the road.  The roads around here have a curved shape to encourage water run off on either side. This means that, if you run on the side of the road, you are always running on a slanted surface. If you stay on the same side of the road, the slant never varies, and can eventually put strain on the tendons.  I am hoping that the manager of the running store will be available.  He has been around a long time and has a lot of common sense.  I am pretty confident that he won't try to sell me a different brand unless he really thinks it will help.

    Do be careful running with icy patches.  A friend of mine took a bad fall earlier this year and wrenched her knee. She said that she never saw the ice until after she hit the ground.  It will be nice when the warm air moves in. I hope that you have good weather for your Rambler's walk this weekend.

    Good luck on your golf game tomorrow.  I am hoping that you have better weather, and a terrific game.


    HS, It is hard to approach the half marathon without emotionally/mentally gearing up to see what I can do at this point.  I have to keep telling myself that this event is training not racing.  However, because the weather at this time of year doesn't lend itself to PB conditions, the general attitude of the runners is more about fun, and it's less intense which should help.  Also, it's not a huge event. Last year there were only 650 HM runners and 400 5k runners at the event.  

    It's great that your legs are good after your 15 miler followed by your four mile wind training session.  You really are impressively strong.  

    Thank you for relaying the hill workout from Trail Running. Are there recoveries between the 3 minute efforts? Or, is it just a really short and demanding workout?  I think I will be interested to try it after the HM. However, if there aren't any recoveries between the efforts, I think I will probably treat it like a progression run (or what seems to be a called a pyramid run), and see if I can master it over a few weeks.  It would be a definite challenge.

    I am glad that your eyesight is holding steady! I run with my glasses on all the time, as I am pretty much blind without them.  It can get really annoying in cold weather when they fog up, or when it's raining.  The younger runners around here tend to wear sunglasses in the summer, so I can say that you will definitely be in fashion :smile:

    Good job on your interval sprints.  Twelve is quite a lot of reps. Do you find that there is a lot variation in your pace between the first and last reps?  


    My plan for this morning had been to try an interval workout outside. However, we had a snow dump over night and the world turned white and icy again.  In a way, it was probably a good thing.  My legs have a bit of normal mid-training block fatigue.  I ended up running a 5 mile tempo run on the treadmill followed by some strength training.  Tomorrow is a rest day, and I hope to go out for an 11 mile long run on the HM course this weekend; probably on Sunday, as Saturday is supposed to be very cold. This time my plan is to drive the course first so I don't get lost again :blush:  




  • Good evening everyone

    As my 5k was cancelled on Tuesday I decided to go for a run on Wednesday, but woke up to find it had snowed overnight and where the snow was lying thinly it had frozen over. By lunchtime however it had thawed enough to get out. On a whim I decided to run tech-free - no Garmin! I made it up as I went along, which meant I had to remember where I had been and work out the distance when I got back (using previous runs recorded on Garmin), in addition I managed to forget to make a note of my start and finish times. Apart from all that it was rather enjoyable once I realised I could run at a pace that felt comfortable for the conditions without being bothered about what Garmin would show when I downloaded the data. I think I might go Garmin free on a longer run sometime, but on one of my usual routes where I know the distance.  
    On Thursday I had one of my regular “MOT” sessions with the physio. I knew my calves were a bit tight, and sure enough she had a bit of work to do there.
    This morning I did a slow steady 7.5 miles in gusty conditions but felt strong throughout which was encouraging, particularly as I hadn’t slept well the previous night (thanks to a dream I had where I was trying to hurry along a road and ended up tying to run, but couldn’t due to feeling a strong force pressing me towards the ground. I could see the end of the road in the distance, and knew I had to get there, so I ended up lying flat on my face using my hands to claw myself along.  I saw an alsatian dog running towards me and I was frightened it was going to attack me, however it appeared to run past but then I felt it licking my right ear and cheek. Then I woke up! Phew. That’s the last time I have spicy food late at night. :D  

    I’ve just heard that the XC which was cancelled last week due to the weather and rearranged for this weekend has been cancelled again, :( I hope parkrun will still be on.

    I was wondering where everyone on the forum had gone as I’ve had no emails from RW for a few days now to alert me to postings on here. But when I was about to post this I saw that there had been quite a few posts I didn’t know about. I’ll check my junk box after finishing here, and will read up on everyone’s posts and comment tomorrow. 


  • Surprise surprise - I’ve found a load of RW emails in my junk folder. I had an update on my iPhone a few days ago, I wonder if that’s the cause?

    I’ve quickly read through the ones I’ve missed -

    Molly I think you have exactly the right approach to your upcoming HM. It’s not as if you have anything to prove, the most important thing is to use it to see where you are in your training. To run a steady race and come in feeling strong would be the perfect outcome. 
    Yes it was a very frustrating and worrying time waiting for Steve’s ablation. I’m a real control freak and being unable to do anything about the situation was very stressful. How is Brian doing? Has he managed alright being back at work this week?
    I hope you get sorted out with some suitable running shoes. The camber on roads can be a problem when running long distances, that’s one of the reasons why I prefer off-road running. 
    Fingers crossed that you’ll be able to get out for your 11 mile run on Sunday, I think we’re all getting fed up with this disruptive weather.

    HS well done for getting Grace to her target distance, 15.1 miles is quite a stretch. I couldn’t imagine doing that and then running again the following day, and that interval session yesterday sounded a tough one. You are a great role model for your fellow club members, you never seem to be put off by the weather, terrain or mileage. I think you should give yourself a pat on the back 🙂. 
    Good news that your eye test went well. I think most people are likely to get cataracts as they get older, as yours are just beginning you should be ok for some years before they need to be done.

    Damien I hope you are able to get back to your parkruns soon, but as you say it’s more important to stay safe while these storms persist.

    WtnMel haha, I wonder if those dodgy characters in your photo are bunking off school? Or maybe they’re just glad its home time. I hadn’t realised your walk had such an uphill element to it, it’s not obvious from the photo of the route as you say. Did you manage to get to the driving range on Wednesday or was your 4 mile run instead of golf? I hope the weather didn’t stop your match with Alan taking place today. Enjoy your run tomorrow and Sunday’s walk (storm Dennis permitting).

  • Good afternoon all,

    I hope storm Dennis isn’t disrupting everyone’s running/walking plans this weekend. So far the weather is ok here in the North East, although as I type this the wind is definitely picking up and it’s raining now. Fortunately my parkrun today at Gibside went ahead as the weather was relatively good at 9 am.

    Right gang - I need some advice. I’m struggling to improve my time at this particular parkrun and I’d like to pick your collective brains for some ideas of where, and how, I can improve. This parkrun takes place in a hilly country estate on gravel tracks and wooded areas. The first mile starts with a gradual incline that goes on until the start of the second mile (with one short downhill section just before the second mile) the next mile is mainly steady climbing with some undulating sections thrown in. The last mile is flat for .25 then downhill for .50 then flat for the last .25. I’m fine on the the last lap and always manage to pass runners there, my average pace for the last mile is usually about 3 minutes faster than the first two miles. I try to take the first mile relatively steady as I don’t want to get a stitch or put too much into the run at this stage, knowing there’s a lot of climbing to come, but it’s this first mile that’s letting me down. This week my mile times were 11.24, 12.02, 9.14 (and 8.48 for the sprint at the end). This is the usual pattern each week. I don’t think I can improve much on the second mile, although that is my slowest, as it really is tough in places with a lot of people walking (almost as quickly as me running!) so I feel the only place I can improve is the first mile. Any thoughts people? (For comparison on a flat parkrun I average about 10 min miles). Also I felt quite strong today, despite my 7.5 miles yesterday, so I was hoping for a better time. :(
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    HS - I'd take the "6000 steps at country dancing" with as large a pinch of salt as any of the other Garmin "progress reports" :) The Bath Beat seems to be a cheaper alternative to the Bath Half and is a walk or run event (depending on participants choice) and over various distances - but there seems to be more emphasis on the availability of cakes at the various checkpoints ;) Re your eye test - I'd imagine you'll need to find some sort of rubber strap or similar to hold the glasses in place while running? Several of the "Thursday" runners wear glasses - the main problem they seem to have at the moment is them steaming up. I guess I'm 'lucky' in that my distance vision is fine and I only need glasses for reading or using the computer.

    Molly - glad to hear you found the little guys in that photo - phew! :) Re new shoes - I must admit, I found Saucony Guide 5 worked for me and have stuck with that brand/model ever since (I'm now up to SG13's!). That mention of running on non-flat parts of the road leading to tendonitis or similar ailments makes perfect sense. 

    Aquarius - I see you decided on a 'nekkid' run (no Garmin) on Wed. I still haven't managed to persuade myself it really doesn't matter about my time on a run and should just "get out and run". Funnily enough, in today's Guardian magazine there was an article about trail running and the first thing it said was forget about timing yourself as you'll be slower than a 'normal' run due to uphill bits, negotiating puddles & mud etc. I really should make myself leave the Garmin behind! Well done re your 7.5ml run - sorry, had to chuckle about your dream and thought you were going to say after the 'alsatian' was licking your ear you woke to find your husband doing that to you to wake you up :) I'm not surprised that XC has been cancelled again. I don't have any alerts about RW postings - I just try and remember to come on here regularly. But it does sound like maybe the phone update might have changed some setting or other. Those dodgy characters are probably one of the mums I see rushing up the road to the school because they're late! I didn't get to the driving range but I did manage a quick session before my golf yesterday (see below for an update!). I don't really know what to suggest regarding improving your time at the parkrun - hill intervals might make you stronger and more able to negotiate those hills but as I'm someone who also starts steadily I'd probably be the same. Hopefully HS will be able to advise!

    Seeing HS's mention of an eye test, I saw in my diary that my 6-monthly hearing check is due. Boots introduced a new system for appointments just before my last visit - needless to say the new system hasn't generated any appointment letter!

    I ran this morning - just 4mls again. It was hard going in parts fighting against the wind - but along the bypass it was literally a breeze as I had the wind behind me all the way helping me along.

    Annoyingly, despite no problems before or after the run, my right calf twinged an hour or two later at lunchtime as I walked through the hallway. I'm stretching it and will put some gel on it later if I need to and will keep my fingers crossed it's just a short-term thing.

    Having seen the forecast, I'd already decided I wouldn't walk with the Ramblers tomorrow and will do a solo walk next week. But my twingy calf has put paid to any ideas of walking for a few days until it feels better. 

    I had time for a practise on the driving range before playing golf with my friend Alan yesterday. And I'm pleased to say (drum roll ..) that I won by 7 strokes. Those lessons - and me remembering to go through the pre-shot routine and remembering the tips I was given paid off - I was hitting the ball better, straighter and further than before. Alan started suffering with his back as we played the 13th hole at which point, I was ahead by 5 strokes. He hurt his back last week - needless to say he didn't go and get any advice about it as he's a stubborn b****r at times - and thought he would be okay this week. He 'battled on' until the end - despite clearly being in pain - and although claiming he was 'fine' (despite him clearly not being fine) he did play until the finish. But by then he was shuffling along. Knowing Alan, he probably wanted to try and beat me. So although he wasn't feeling 100% by the end I'll still claim it as a victory.

  • Good afternoon everyone,

    Molly, it is not good running on camber, and that it why Aquarius and I prefer running off road.

    That hill session on the treadmill doesn't mention recovery between efforts, but I would suggest that you do take them. You will get more benefit from the session if you do. You are correct though in waiting until after your half marathon before trying it. 

    I did try to keep my efforts at the same pace.

    Hope you manage to do your 11 miles, weather permitting.

    Aquarius, some articles do recommend running without the Garmin now and again, and just running "by feel."

    Strange that RW posts were going into your trash. Presume it was the update that you mentioned, but that shouldn't have happened.

    Thanks for your praise, I do try to set an example to the younger club runners, which is perhaps why they like running with me. It is very rewarding seeing their improvements in pace etc.

    You were lucky that your parkrun went ahead. All my local ones were cancelled, even the mighty Southampton one which is never cancelled. Southampton's football match with Burnley went ahead, but they lost😬

    Regarding parkrun tactics, I found that in my second one this year, I ran the first mile far too quickly, and struggled for the remainder of the run. I find the best way is to start slightly slower for the first mile, and then increase the pace. This worked for my last parkrun and I ran really strongly, overtaking many that had set off too quickly. I think you have the right tactics for the second mile which you say is uphill, by not pushing to hard. It is possible sometimes to walk up very steep hills quicker rather than struggling to run up them. You appear to have left enough in the tank to up the pace for the final 3 miles.

    WtnMel, my distance vision is good, and they are only used for driving. They were only recommended for outdoors to help slow down the progression of cataracts. I have another pair for reading and the laptop and phone. I do get alerts whenever someone posts on here.

    Well done for running this morning. I had a good excuse for not. I was waiting in for the delivery of my parkrun t shirt for running 50. As it happened, I could have run, as the postman pushed it through the letter box. Hope your calf twinge is just a blip.

    Well done beating Alan at golf, your lessons are paying off. Hope his back pain soon clears up.

    I ran 6.6 miles yesterday at quite a good pace. I didn't run today as mentioned above. I might try tomorrow, weather permitting, but it is doubtful.

    I entered the Salisbury 54321 trail race series 21k this afternoon. The previous organiser had retired from his position and they notified us that they were unable to find any organisers willing to take it over, and therefore it would not continue. Out of the blue, "Immortal Sport" undertook to take over the reigns, so I'm really pleased as it is one of my favourite races, almost 100% off road.

    Take care everyone if you are out and about tomorrow!


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