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Well, what a disaster my 7 mile trail run was yesterday. The course was ok, an out and back which was undulating for the first (and obviously last) mile then more or less flat for the rest. It was breezy and cool and I realised as soon as I started running that I was going to struggle as I had no energy and developed a stitch before mile 2. I struggled on until the third mile when I had to stop to try to stretch out the stitch. A passing runner kindly stopped to give me a tip for getting rid of the stitch (more of that later) but it took a while to have any effect. After that it was run a bit, then walk a bit whenever the stitch came back. I carried on like this until mile 5 at which point I was caught up by the tail runner who stayed with me for the rest of the race. By mile 6 I was really out of gas and starting to weave a bit, and unfortunately this last mile was the undulating part of the course, which I really could have done without at this stage.
I’m not a speedy runner at the best of times, but I’ve never been last to finish before. Whenever the tail runner and I passed a marshal the tail runner would announce “last runner” and the marshal would cheer and whoop in encouragement, which actually just embarrassed me, I’d much rather have been able to quietly finish the race without all this attention. Also every time we passed any race signage (arrows or mile markers) the tail runner stopped to collect them, which just seemed to rub it in as far as I was concerned. Likewise at the finish line everyone was waiting for me to finish so they could do the presentations, so when I eventually appeared everyone started cheering and whooping again, much to my discomfort. If I sound ungrateful I don’t mean to be, I know everyone - runners, organisers and marshals alike - had to wait around in the cold for me to finish, and were only trying to give me a friendly supportive finish experience, but to me it just felt like it was drawing attention to the fact I was last.
The lesson I take from this is not to kid myself that I’m fitter than I am. I knew that I’d had a virus for a few weeks and as a consequence I hadn't been running much, but because I wanted to do this race I persuaded myself I was fully recovered and would somehow magically be able to run well. It probably didn’t help that there were less than 80 runners taking part, and most were club runners (and younger than me) but whether it was 80 or 800 it still doesn't change the fact that I struggled for most of the race.
And that stitch tip? Stretch out the arm on the opposite side of the body to the side where the stitch is, (so if the stitch is on your right side stretch out your left arm) hold it straight out to the side and clench and unclench your fist until the stitch goes. It makes you look a total looney and I’m still trying to decide if it was a genuine tip or someone having a bit of fun.
Hope everyone else's running this weekend went better. Looking forward to your race report HS.
Will - thanks for the update. I'm a (sort of) ex-teacher and I appreciate the appeal of a long run after a day at the chalk-face. (What ages do you teach?) I just thought that if someone finds 10K 'a sprint' then they are either very fast or not a 10k runner!
Aquarius - oh no! Your pre-race fears were realised - plus the added 'bonus' of a stitch. Your discomfort comes across very clearly; people are trying to be kind but - as they say' the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I hope it hasn't dented your confidence. I can't say that I had a worse Sunday than you but in my case the road to hell was paved with uneven slabs................
As for me, it was indeed a very bad Sunday as I took a fall. This is a function of uneven paving slabs and (mainly) my running style (a shuffler) - every now and then I simply clip the top of the slab and go down as if shot. (My poor training partner had as much of a shock as me.) This time it was worse than usual as I cut my knee, damaged my hand and - in an attempt to save me from falling flat on my face - pulled my chest muscles as I landed. Consequently movement of any sort has been a challenge! Whereas a few years ago I'd have bounced up and shaken it off, yesterday it was me who was rather shaken (thoughts of broken collar bones were not far away).........although I did managed to cycle home before seizing up completely.
Hope to be back running before then end of the week - and thankfully the planned parkrun on Saturday is on flat-as-a-pancake asphalt.
DBIW, sorry that you didn't get a prize, but it was good that you completed the event without any apparent problems.
Will, good that you are enjoying longer runs. I also feel that 10k's are more of a sprint.
Aquarius, sorry to hear of your unfortunate situation and your embarrassment at being applauded as final finisher. Runners do react differently, and some are really appreciative of the encouragement.
JB, sorry to hear about your nasty fall, it seems that the older we get, the harder we fall. I used to get up straight away, the same as you, but it is a different story these days. That's one reason why I prefer running off road, because if I fall, it doesn't hurt so much. Don't start running again too soon, until you are sure that you are ok.
Now for details of my Sunday 10k race at Netley. First the bad news, I didn't come first in the MV70 category but finished in 4th. The first was way ahead in 44.19, and the three of us that finished behind him were within 21 seconds of each other. My nemeses Mike was second in 48.03, third placer in 48.14 and me in 48.24. If the race had been a bit further, I think I would have caught the two of them, as I always finish the last mile strongly. I was quite disappointed that my WAVA was only 76.73%, as I thought that it would have been higher. It proves what a high standard our category is up against. The good news was that I had no problems with my calf and was over a minute quicker than last year.
I ran 10 miles this morning in the forest with Sarah and Jane at recovery pace. I felt very tired when I got home, which is hardly surprising, coming off the back of a tough 10k race. I'm going to treat myself now to a beer, and watch the rest of Stargate Atlantis.
I'm able to get about okay - but after so long with no running I'm now getting cabin fever! I was supposed to be running the Westonbirt 10K on Wednesday but I'm giving that a miss as all I'll be doing is dragging myself around. I plan to go for an exploratory jog over the next few days and I'll see how my ankle is. Fingers crossed there won't be any swelling like there was last time I tested out my ankle. If I do have any recurring issues with my ankle I'm going to book an appointment with a physio to investigate what the problem is and get to the root of the problem.
I've booked a walking holiday in Brecon in five weeks time so I want to be fit for that - so if there any problems with my ankle after this week I'll probably give running a miss until after I get back from Brecon and start running again (again!) in July.
Sorry to hear about injuries and that nasty fall, JB. Well done for getting back up and on your bike!
I was a bit wary of starting to run events as, although I enjoy a bit of competition, I didn't fancy being on the wrong end of a 'bad' result. I suppose I'm just enjoying competing with myself and leading a much healthier lifestyle than I had a couple of years back. I reckon any result is a good result as long as you're running!
JB, I was a secondary teacher for 10 years, but recently moved to primary and teach 9-11 year olds. Am enjoying primary after the slog of the exam factory, but you certainly need patience and stamina in abundance. Someone's got to do it, though!
Will - you are doing a great job. MrsJB was a primary head-teacher and one of my sons works in the same age group. I was never a 'proper' teacher. Trained as a secondary school teacher but didn't enjoy the teaching practice and so fled into FE where I hid for 30 years until getting into university teaching, where I still hang on a (very) part-time basis until they get round to offloading me.
HS - that's a very high standard indeed for your category. There's many 10ks where you'd come away with a category win on that time. Remind me to stay away from Hampshire events! (I was actually tempted to do the Porchester 10K on the same day but entries filled up pretty quickly.)
WtnMel - as I'm temporarily (I hope) sharing a place with you in the injured runners ward I eel your frustration. As for the Brecons, don't the SAS do all their training there? So a nice easy stroll then...................
Aquarius - thanks for the kind words/advice. I want to 'get back on the horse' as soon as possible. The pain seems to be in my ribs which shouldn't stop me running I hope. But I might well copy HS and look for some nice grass to run on. When is your next event? This will help erase memories of Sunday.
Woke this morning to the horrific news from Manchester. It certainly puts any petty personal disappointments into perspective. My heart goes out to all affected by this outrage.
Running Fox, so nice to hear from you again. I love your blog, there’s always so much interesting, and amusing, information in it. Congratulations on your 85th birthday, you sound as if you had a lovely holiday and managed to fit in some running too.
WtnMel - oh dear, that clicky ankle doesn't sound too good. A trip to the physio certainly wouldn't do any harm and may enhance the healing process. Have you managed that exploratory jog yet?
WsS25, belated congratulations on your speedy parkrun as a tail runner. Well done for joining a running club too, have you attended any training sessions yet? I’m sure the camaraderie and support of a club will help your future running career.
DBI - good luck to you and Charlie for Thursday, and well done on your triathlon result - first of the season, when is your next one?
HS - I know you were hoping to finish higher up your age group on Sunday, but any disappointment should be countered by the fact you were a year older but over a minute faster than last year - and the ankle behaved itself! They really were good times for your age group, so no shame there and anyway, there’s always next year……….. Your fitness levels are amazing, to run a 10k one day then do 10 miles the following morning is something I can only dream about.
JB - hope you’re not too sore this morning and if you are planning to “get back on the horse” soon take it easy, you don’t want to do more harm than good. My next run should be this Sunday, a 10k on a mixture of country park paths, beach and part of a parkrun course - so a bit of a mixed bag. I remember from last year the beach part (about a mile if I remember correctly) was a bit tiring, although it was mainly firm sand there was quite a breeze in our faces coming off the North Sea. I will go for a short run either today or tomorrow to see how I feel. I really don’t want to perform as badly as I did on Sunday. I imagine there will be a lot more runners in this 10k than there was last Sunday and I probably won’t run the risk of being last again, but it is demoralising to find you are a lot less fit than you thought you were, so I haven’t made up my mind yet whether to give it a go or a miss.
Hi to Columba, Seren nos glo2 and Will (and anyone else I’ve missed out) hope your running is going well.
As DBI is a an experienced triathlete (and to lighten the mood if that's possible) I'll share my own little story of a duathlon I did last year which was my personal acquaintance with humiliation. These events are run-bike-run and this one was on the motor racing circuit at Goodwood (a very posh and 'OK yah' sort of place). I realised that there were some very serious competitors when I looked at the range of bikes many of which looked like they were designed by NASA. Anyway I ran the first leg and was well placed. (I knew that the cycling leg would be my weak link as I'm not really a cyclist and my bike is very, very cheap!)
So I went steaming in to transition, got bike, put on helmet and went out back on the circuit like a bat from hell. By this time the top guys were already whizzing around at about 30+mph. Then I realised there was a problem with my bike, the main problem being that it wasn't mine!
Somehow I'd managed to put on the wrong helmet and take the wrong bike and cycle it for about 400 metres. And it was a woman's bike, parked nowhere near where I'd racked up mine which should have given the game away. I think I was 'in the zone' as they say.
I wheeled the bike back whereupon I was confronted with a rather angry bike owner (can't blame her). The marshalls let me continue and off I went on my own bike, although if truth be told I rather preferred hers. (The fact that I then passed the poor lady whose bike I pinched just somehow made it all worse.)
I actually ended up with a half decent time but put so much effort in that I couldn't sit down for 4 days afterwards.
I don't think that this ever happens to the Brownlee brothers. I've not done a duathlon since.
Might try a run today - on grass.
WtnMel, our posts crossed. Hope your ankle is making good progress, so that you will soon be able to get back into a regular running regime.
Will, good to hear that you are enjoying your running, and hope that you keep it up!
Rf, good to hear that you are still enjoying your running, and I will have another look at your blog. It's very impressive and I'm quite envious that you are able to make it so professional.
JB, I looked up the first placer in my category at the Netley 10k and discovered that until recently, he was another Southern Counties Veterans Athletics Club Member. It seems that this is the standard of runner that I am up against, especially in the shorter races. It's good in one way, as it gives me the incentive to continue training hard to remain competitive. My next race is "The Race for Men" which is a race for men only and is in aid of Prostate Cancer. I ran it last year, and am hoping to knock 5 minutes off my time. It's a 10k multi terrain race, with the first 5k on road and the second all off road. It's hilly, which I like, so I'm hoping to get 1st MV70 again. It's in 2 weeks time.
Aquarius, thanks, the calf was fine, so I have no excuses, I was beaten by better runners on the day. Best of luck with your 10k on Sunday, I'm sure that you will do better than you expect.
DBIW, hope that John is now recovering from his unfortunate encounter with the elderly cyclist. Thanks for updating us on Susie, she's really having a tough time with her eyes and Mike's stomach problems. When you contact her again, please pass on my best wishes to them both. Hope your training goes well for your August triathlon.
I ran a steady 6miles in the forest yesterday evening with Guiliana and Steve, and running a hopefully not too fast 10 miles this evening with Alice.
Hello and welcome, Will. Well done on losing 2 stone, that's a massive amount to get rid of! I am possibly the oldest woman on this thread, at 73; didn't take up running until mu late 50s, but like you rapidly became "slightly obsessive" about it. Or in other words, hooked. Do you live in Norfolk? Difficult finding hills to run up? I am in mid-Wales where there are plenty. I too taught for many years, mostly in the "special needs" category, and eventually qualified as an educational psychologist. Rretired from local authority work at 65, carried on some part-time but have just decided to retire fully.
Aquarius - it will have been the "funky" dance moves that did for my knee at my son's wedding, especially as they were alcohol-fuelled, which my running never is. That was a very insensitive tail-runner. I was last in a local-ish 10 mile (hilly) race a few years ago, and the tail vehicle, which was also collecting up the signs, was kind enough to keep well back from me. The drivers even said afterwards I'd been "a pleasure to follow" (this seemed to be because I ran it all, no walk breaks). I've been last in lots of local races.
Did the "stitch tip" work?
WtnMel - what route is your walking holiday in Brecon following? Brecon's only about 20 miles from me.
Wanted to congratulate TE (Hillstrider) on a 76+% WAVA. Also John B on a 74% age grading at parkrun. Is East Sussex where you live, John B? My brother lives in St. Leonards and occasionally I visit him though more often he comes to me. Agreed about a grand-daughter being more fun than a kettlebell. When did you last hear a kettlebell laugh as you swung it up into the air?
Been baking cakes for the running club as the 2nd of their 3 5k races is tonight, and they provide refreshments afterwards. I shan't be running, though; I went out with them last night for a bit of cross-country, and my knee needs a rest.
Wanted to swim tonight in the lake but it looks stormy so not going to risk it. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Bright and sunny and it's going to be a scorcher.
Columba, thanks for your congrats. Hope your club's 5k race went off ok, and that they enjoyed the cakes that you baked.
DBIW, hope Charlie's exam goes well today, and that you are able to have your swim in the lake.
I ran a very tough 10 miles in the forest last night with Alice. She is so much faster than me now, so that what is a steady run for her, is an almost flat out one for me. I think it does us both good though, as it slows her down slightly, and makes me run faster. It was 70 degrees Fahrenheit according to my Garmin, so not ideal running conditions. I'm doing a fartlek run with Karen this evening, but it will be a shorter distance.
HS - I've done a couple of short sharp runs on grass (but no shade) yesterday and today and it was indeed hot. I definitely feel more comfortable on grass after my tumble (ribs are still a bit of a problem).
DBI - I think that we too are going to cop for a few storms over (of course) the Bank Holiday weekend............................
My son is home from NZ for a couple of weeks now, so i will undoubtedly be busy, but i will try and keep up to date with things on ere.
ok so i need info now if possible, so June 4th is my 10 mile run and my half marathon is July 9th, now my long weekend run is usually 12/13 miles which i do on a Saturday morning, so i am not sure whether i should taper for the 10 mile? i want to improve my time hopefully get as close to a 10 minute mile as possible, as i thought it would be a good marker for the half, or should i just keep to my normal training routine? is anyone on here doing the Richmond park run on this day?
Take care everyone and have an enjoyable runs in this gorgeous weather.
It's going to be another scorcher today, so I'm glad it's a rest day.
glo2, sounds a really nasty fall you had last year. No fall is nice, but some are worse than others. Will your son run with you whilst he is home? It's difficult to advise on tapering, it really depends on what your usual weekly mileage is, and the length of the race. For 10 miles and half marathons, I don't think you need to reduce the mileage very much, but include one faster run during the week, and take a rest day on the Friday and Saturday before the race. Some runners rest on the Friday and do a very easy short run on the Saturday. It's really a matter of trial and error, what works for one, doesn't necessarily work for others. It's different with marathon training, where tapering should start about 3 weeks before race day. Hope this is helpful?
DBIW, well done for Charlie. Thanks for passing best wishes to Redhead. Hope your club's triathlon goes well. It will be a long day for you and John.
Did a 6 mile fartlek session with Karen last night. It was 72 degrees Fahrenheit, so hard going.
Very dull and raining steadily, what a contrast with yesterday. I had intended to do a parkrun this morning, but with my sensible hat on, decided that I had done more than enough speed work this week. I will, therefore, just go for an easy pace run.
Well done to Charlie (and you of course DBI) for his good result on Thursday. Hope the weather was ok for your club's triathlon today and everything went off smoothly.
Glo2 how nice to have your son visiting from NZ. Make the most of your time with him.
HS I hope you didn't get too wet on your easy pace run today, sensible to substitute that for a parkrun in view of all your recent exertions.
JB - how are your ribs? Did you manage a parkrun today?
Columba, I'm undecided whether the stitch tip worked or not. Yes, it did ease off, but it kept coming back. Not sure whether the easing off was down to my enforced walk breaks or my fist clenching/unclenching.
John B - the Hastings half-mara was the first half I ever ran! And Redhead, who used to post on this thread and hopefully will again some time, paced me round (it was a mere training run for her). Someone said "Fancy choosing Hastings as your first Half" (because of the long, long uphill) but my reason for choosing it was influenced by my having free accommodation at my brother's.
He's not a regular runner, but he does a lot of walking (fast) and once or twice, while visiting me, he has come out with the running club. He could easily take it up if he had the time, but he has a demanding job and a demanding family.
The cakes went down well (I find cakes usually do).
Half-hour's hilly run this morning. Weather much cooler, grey, windy, intermittently rainy.
Columba - after your debut at Hastings I guess subsequent HMs felt relatively easy!
Aquarius - very pragmatic decision to withdraw. You need a bit of recovery time I think and then build back up. As with races so with relationships - there's plenty more fish in the sea!
Very strange weather here. Early morning very heavy rain/thunder etc. Then cleared up and virtually perfect at the beginning of the parkrun. Indeed I said to a fellow competitor, 'nice to get a windless day at last'. Whereupon a wind brewed up almost at that moment! Then dull and overcast - and then a lovely evening. Anyway, I managed a 21:02 which was a fair performance, although I went out too fast and was overtaken rather more than usual on the back half. I managed a category win BUT (a big but, please note) was blown away by a VM7-74 who in tough conditions beat me by 40 seconds and notched up an AG of 90%+ in the process. What a man! And in case our own 70-74 star, HS, is reading this, fear not: he's from Gloucestershire, and can stay there as far as I'm concerned!
HS hopefully my son will get a time where he can run with me, however he has flown to Ireland this weekend for a wedding, he is in Wales next week with one of my other sons, they have committed to do some underground thing in Snowdonia, so his time will be limited, trouble is when he comes to visit everyone wants to see him, which means its always a hectic schedule for him, that said he will be supporting me at the Richmond park run next Sunday then perhaps the following week we can do a few runs together. thanks also for your advice, i think then i will put a few shorter quicker ones in Wed, Thur, and do my planned 9 miles tomorrow, 6 miles Tuesday and rest Friday and Saturday and hopefully that should work!
Aquarius - it is always good to see my son from NZ, and i cherish every moment we can spend together, i am so happy that he has the lovely experience of living in NZ, but i really miss him but i think that perhaps when he has a family he may return to GB, if not i shall have to get myself a few holidays over there and experience the lovely landscape of windy Wellington.
JB as HS says no fall is nice, and you are not a wimp I'm sure, i guess i was just unlucky, funny enough the route i ran yesterday i notice they have just repaired the offending mounds in the path! still trying to decide whether to pursue a claim, the council have denied any wrong doing but i could take it further if i wish just not sure if i can be bothered to be honest, however it haas knocked my confidence a bit and i am more aware of the paths and i am more vigilant.
We had a quick short sharp shower yesterday but was great for the rest of the day.
Well i wish you all a lovely day, great runs and a good start to this coming week.