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I am concerned about no posts from Redhead - anybody know how Mike is doing? or Red herself?
Snow started here last night and has been coming down most of today,so I have had to clear the footpaths outside our house several times. If only we didn't live in a corner house! local laws here say you have to keep the paths clear from 7am until it stops snowing, which today was at 3:30pm! The dogs enjoyed it though during the several times I took them out into the forest.
Morning all,
Bright and sunny and today is a much needed rest day
WtnMel, hope Margaret soon gets rid of her cough, but not by passing it on to you. I've never got into the fetch games, but do like the award of badges for certain achievements. Fetch is now asking for voluntary contributions by Standing Orders to help the continuation of the Site.
Rf, good to hear from you again and that you are still running, albeit slower than in your speedy days. I'm 71 now, but last year was my best for 1st places in my age category and I managed it in my first race this year which was multi terrain.
The 5k time trial this evening on roads went well and I was involved with 3 others in a very competitive way. We were alternating positons throughout and I was just outsprinted by Jane to the finish. I was pleased with my 23.33, considering I was still recovering from Sundays run. Alice didn't run as she was recovering on holiday.
Karen ran very well finishing way ahead of me in 22.24.
Anyone else have Windows XP? Did you get a warning message from Microsoft that XP will no longer be supported? It has many pages of instructions and then a statement that if your PC won't update to Windows 10 you need to buy a new PC! There's notes about moving current content to a new PC. I am a technology numpty so have no clue what I should do other than going to the local IT shop to ask for help.
HS - that 15 miler did sound quite gruelling. I would think that it was still in your legs when you did your 5K? Inspiring to hear that 2016 was your best year for 1st places; it was for me too. My 1st race of 2017 was also multi-terrain and also continued the trend............However, I can't expect anything like as good a year in 2018. For one thing it's started badly with a hamstring strain but a bigger factor is that locally some very good 55-59s are coming through into their 60s. Oh well, fair enough. I might still nick the occasional win and will still strive for that elusive 80% WAVA........
RF - interesting reflections. I take your point but at 5K level, the guy holds all the local records and has run for the UK. And if his results are not astonishing I think it's the results in the context of a 20 mile training week that are - that was my point. (Mind you, he could always do more - and maybe then get truly astonishing times!) I think your point about quality v. quantity could be applied in a slightly different way. I'm nothing special but the times I was doing in the 80s would these days secure me a higher placing in most local races. So my impression is that the base of the running pyramid has expanded (hooray) considerably but standards on or near the top might not have improved and might well have slipped.
I'd be interested to hear the reflections & experiences of others (of course!)
JB, that 15 miler certainly had something to do with yesterday's 5k. My legs were ok, but I didn't quite have my usual zip. Sounds like you had a very good 2016, but sorry to hear that you have a hamstring strain. They can take quite a while to recover, but resting really does speed up the process. There will be newcomers to the 70+ category too, so I will have quality opposition. It's many years now since I was in the 80's. I also ran times in the eighties when I was in my 40's, which would, in some races nowadays, put me in the top 20 overall. That was achieved with a high mileage, which I maintain to this day. Today's standards are, in my opinion, lower these days at the sharp end of races, as weekly mileage has dropped. I agree that quality work is essential, but not at the expense of mileage.
JB6, I've only been running for 9 or 10 years now, so cannot really comment on standards of today compared with 20 or 30 years ago, but I do agree that anyone (of any age) to only average 20 miles a week in training but achieve what your local runner does is pretty amazing. Sorry to hear about your hamstring, this cold weather won't be helping either. I hope it clears up soon.
HS, what a scary start to your 15 mile run. I would be terrified if I sank up to my knees in mud (particularly as I'm only 5ft tall, so your knees would probably be the equivalent of my waist!). Always impressed however at your consistent high mileage week in week out, I wish I could manage a fraction of what you do.
RF - so nice to hear from you again. I'm still using The Stick, which you recommended when I first joined the forum. It's turned out to be a really useful bit of equipment so thanks again for pointing me in the right direction! Happy New Year to you too.
Columba - What a shame your knee flared up like that so unexpectedly, particularly as it had been ok the previous day. Were you running on the same surface as the day before, or maybe you were holding yourself a bit tensely perhaps due to the cold? It's so frustrating when you're fine one day then injured the next without being able to work out why. I must say you sound very stoical about it though, I would be pretty fed up I have to admit.
Exhausted - sorry to hear you still have your cold. I think (fingers crossed) that mine has finally gone, but it did seem to take ages. I always rush back into training far too soon after illness or injury and then pay for it by the illness/injury returning, so you are wise to wait until you are fully recovered.
WtnMel - That Fetchpoint thing sounds intriguing, do you have to follow a course on your phone while running? I hope you don't catch Margaret's cough, there's quite enough germs circulating on this forum as it is.
I'm still slowly building up my running again (it's amazing how quickly you lose fitness after a short layoff) and managed to get around our parkrun (albeit rather slowly) on Saturday with just an odd sniffle or two, but no cough. So I decided to have a go in our club Grand Prix series (5k again) last night, although I was a bit slower than usual. Still, it's a step in the right direction (no pun intended) and I've no ill effects today but I've decided not to run today due to the gale force winds. Hopefully tomorrow will be milder.
Morning all,
Haven't experienced the horrendous conditions mentioned by Aquarius and Rf yet, but snow is forecast later today. We have hilly circuits, so keeping my fingers crossed.
Aquarius, I must admit that I was really scared when sinking into the mud, especially as it happened twice. Alice is much shorter than me, so lucky that she didn't sink in. Good to hear that you are building up your running again and your cold is getting better.
Hi everyone
RF - happy new year to you too. I had the idea Red was going to stop doing so many marathons when she hit her target (probably misunderstood somewhere along the way) and I'll never be quick enough to be chasing age-group PB's. Anyway, happy bumbling!
HS - Margaret is still 'barking' but her cough is slowly improving (and I'm keeping my fingers crossed I don't get it). I have phases when I play the Fetch games and at the moment am enjoying running along new roads in the town and seeking out the various tokens/bugs. Yes, Fetch has now gone it alone and has asked for contributions so he can work part-time and look after the website on the other days. I've promised £1 a month - a small price to pay for all the functions of the site that I use. Well done re your 5K time trial.
JB - I don't really feel able to comment on the quality/quantity debate as I'm basically a bit of a plodder and seem to be in the back half of any races I take part in. The only races I was ever in the top half were my club's handicap races last year. And I have to say, the 80% WAVA figures are a distant dream for me.
Aquarius - there's no phone involved with Fetchpoint. It's just various things sprinkled on a map on the Fetch website. When you upload your run details from your Garmin the website uses the gps info to work out where you ran and which tokens/bugs you 'collected' on the way. As I've said before, it's a bit of fun but it IS getting me to run in places around town that I don't usually venture to (so it stops my running getting into a rut).
RF & Aquarius - no gale-force winds around here yesterday (in Wiltshire/Gloucestershire).
I had planned to play golf with my mate today but we saw the forecast and (wisely) abandoned the idea. So I went out earlier collecting some aforementioned Fetchpoint tokens/bugs. It was hard work and I felt more out breath than usual (did wonder if I am catching that lurgy Margaret has). Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised when I got back to see I'd managed 5.7mls at 10:30mm pace.
It was raining when I was out running - light rain to start with and heavier towards the end. The wind has just increased in strength as I've been typing - but no snow to speak of as yet.
It looks as if we have now defaulted to our British custom of weather-related talk! As runners though I think we are very well qualified to do so. So on that very same topic I have been hiding indoors; I am a fair-weather runner (AKA a wimp!). It also gives another running-free day for injuries to mend.
Aquarius: totally agree with your point about how quickly we lose fitness.
Morning all,
We braved the elements last night and had an excellent club turn out. The rain stopped soon after 17.00 and the wind also dropped. We did 3 x 1 mile hilly circuits with 90 second walk recoveries between each. It was very cold, but we were so lucky not to experience the horrendous conditions elsewhere. Total mileage including run out and run back was 8.29, so I'm glad I did the session, as I was so tempted to stay home in the warm. It's bright and sunny this morning and a rest day.
Aquarius, well done to you running yesterday morning on frosty pavements and in freezing winds. I wouldn't have run last night if the ground had been icy.
WtnMel, I'm also contributing a £1 per month to fetch as it has results of all my races from the early days and also my daily training stats. etc.
JB, you are right that the additional rest day will aid your recovery.
Stay safe everyone!
Trying to get back to it now..VMLM training is already a bit behind. Going to try and check in here a bit more, you are such a lovely lot
Hello MWW, welcome back, its been a long time since we heard from you! Sorry to hear that illness has been hampering your running, but hope you are over it now. Let us know how your training goes, as we are all interested in each others training runs/races etc.
Welcome back MWW, I've also been off the forum for a while due to recurring colds/coughs. It's a real pain isn't it, did you manage to get out for your run today? Like you I'm just getting back into running again and this morning did my slowest ever parkrun, or rather parkwalk/slide. About 50-60% of the course was thick ice so we had to walk quite a bit of it until we'd built up our courage enough to penguin waddle (thanks JB6) then slowly jog. Not sure whether I enjoyed it or not, it was certainly very cold and slow going this morning. Still, I survived it and clocked up number 98.
Forgot to ask - anyone know why why name has become greyed out (as has JB6's) and why I no longer get email prompts about postings on this forum?
Welcome back MWW! I too have been under the weather, am still coughing. Looking out of the window the snow has started up again - John has just come back in with the dogs and said it's beautiful up in the forest, sun and snow. I shall go out in a bit.
Hello all
Aquarius- well done on getting back out there
Our local parkrun was cancelled due to the icy conditions! I was determined to attempt my longest run for several months, actually covered 10 miles, lots of walking. I am going to look at the Gallway run/walk method to see if it might be more feasible for my old legs! Does anyone here use a structured run/walk?
Hope you have all have a good day
Aquarius - well done for doing the penguin impersonation today. 98 parkruns is pretty damn good - here's looking forward to number 100, and in better conditions.
MWW - I'm not surprised that your parkrun was cancelled given that even down here on the sunny (err) Sussex coast the prom had one or two slippery patches (very unusual). I hope you get some good advice on the run/walk tactic - 'Ceal' on the Over 60s thread (herself a former world record holder - but not using this method I suspect!) is a very good source of advice and is now doing this.
My parkrun had a very good turnout (300) today. I was a bit cautious as last week I had to pull out at the half way turn - 300 runners turned and one (me) just kept running; like Forest Gump!
So this week I decided to show a rare bit of common-sense and followed a fellow 60-64 who I know runs a little slower than me usually and at a very steady pace. I thought that if I had anything left at the end I could probably ease in front of him and this is exactly as it worked out (I did apologise to I'm at the end!).
So a 22.04 for me today and more importantly no further damage done to hamstrings.
Welcome back, MWW. Yes, I have Galloway's book, and did quite a bit of run/walking a few years ago, being interested to discover that on a long(ish) run run/walk was as fast as running all the time. I suppose this is because the walk part rested the muscles so when the run part started up again I could go faster.
Aquarius, - yes, the thought of losing fitness (while I rest the knee) is far from appealing. I am going to a "spinning" class once a week, which doesn't bother the knee and certainly speeds up the heart rate.
I'm going to oblige Mr. Fetch with a voluntary contribution, too (just haven't set it up yet).
Laughed at WtnMel's "waiting for darkness to descend" before going out for your earliest runs, as that is exactly what I did myself.
Exhausted, I have been using one of those tubular bandages which holds the knee tight, and was using it when the knee "went". I was going downhill, rather than up; downhill definitely bothers the knees more.
JB6 - bad luck with the hamstring strain. Anything to be done about it apart from resting it?
Aquarius - this website does funny things from time to time. Like greying out names, and not giving email prompts even though you've ticked the box to say you want them. For a long time it demanded that I log in every time, even though I hadn't logged out so shouldn't have neded to log in. And then all of a sudden it put itself right again. I think there's nothing to be done about it except wait. Pretend you're a patient in A & E.
Columba: Agree that going downhill is much worse than uphill. You feel all your 'bits' going out of control.
Lots of laudable running going on here in adverse conditions.Well done, everyone.
I've just about shaken off my cold now.
Snowdrops in the garden, some lambs in the surrounding fields and my bulbs all coming up that I planted in tubs. Spring is round the corner.
Morning all,
Aquarius, my name is still greyed out, and I haven't had any email prompts for years. I'm hoping the new RW web which is promised will be a big improvement on the present one, which is very iffy these days.
MWW, well done on the 10 miler. I never use the run walk method, but I know that it works for many runners.
JB, another excellent parkrun time, especially whilst you are nursing a hamstring.
Columba, spinning classes are quite popular with some of our club runners, who use the facility when injured, or if they don't fancy a run. I've never tried it, but I'm sure its great for working the VO2max.
Exhausted, glad to hear that you seem to have shaken off your cold.
I braved the elements yesterday and ran 15 miles in the forest. Lots of squelchy mud and damp sand making the going heavy. There were dozens of horse riders in the forest that I presume they were on a hunt, as the male riders were wearing red jackets. There were lots of young riders among them. They were very polite to me as they gave way to me on some of the trails, and when I repaid the compliment, they all thanked me as they passed. It felt as if I was marshalling a race. Total mileage for the week Sunday to Saturday was 50.8, my highest for many years. Today will be a short road run. Alice is running in the Stubbington 10k.
I'm worried now about Red and DBIW, who haven't posted for a while. I know Red's husband hasn't been well, so hope he isn't any worse. DBIW has been having problems getting onto the RW web, but I hope she hasn't left us.
HS - clocking over 50 miles in a week is very impressive - and they are not being done in 'easy' conditions either. I'm not sure I've ever done a 50 mile week.
No problems with the hamstring i.e. no reaction to yesterday's brisk parkrun. Indeed I would have gone out this morning but for the incessant rain. Might go later, after a visit from granddaughter..............although this is often rather more tiring than a training run!
Columba - thanks for the good wishes. You really 'deserve' to be back running again; let's hope you are soon.
Thanks JB, good to hear that your hamstring didn't cause any problems.
Ran 5 miles on road this morning, struggling with the first 4, but a bit quicker for the 5th. Alice ran sub 44 minutes in the Stubbington 10k this morning, which she thought was slow, but was really good, considering the dreadful racing conditions and the problems she's been having with her calf.
TE, no inded I haven't left, I posted on here on the 10th, 11th and again yesterday. I am extremely worried about Redhead and Mike having not heard from her either on here or on Facebook.Fingers crossed there's nothing serious.
Concerning the heralded new RW forum I really hope they have cured all the variety of problems randomly appearing all over the site. For over a month John and my posted workouts have been mysteriously vanishing from the triathlon thread, it's annoying having to follow up to find out how many points I need to re-enter. John and I both ran in the forest today so I shall now attempt to put in our respective points - what's the betting that the ones I entered yesterday have been wiped out again. I will report back in a bit
As I suspected, our points had again been erased. Have re-entered them and will check tomorrow to see if they are still there. I don't expect so.
Another disappointingly slow 4 and half mile dawdle this morning. Every time I go out I think this time I'll have more energy and run better, but no sign of that yet. I suppose I'll just have to be patient (I have a horrible suspicion that the virus is still hanging around, just waiting for the opportunity to come back with renewed vigour).
50+ miles in one week is something to be proud of HS, particularly as the weather is so challenging at the moment. You deserve a round of applause from all on the forum
I've only managed 16 miles in the last 7 days (pathetic I know, but an improvement on 10 miles the previous week!)
How old is your granddaughter JB6? Mine is two and a half and babysitting sessions with her are indeed very tiring (plus if you sit too long on the floor playing games it takes an awfully long time to straighten up to a standing position).
I too am worried about Red's continued absence from this forum. I do hope Mike is no worse. Hopefully DBI's absence is just down to the problems she has been experiencing when trying to access the website, however if that is the case it seems to be taking a long time to resolve the issue.