My Last Run

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  • Was away for the weekend..

    Annoying regarding the last minute parkrun cancellation Cal but I guess they have to have an eye on safety.  At least you managed to get to an alternative so it wasn't entirely a wasted journey.

    Well done on the pacing guarddog.  Had to giggle at the tights - I've had similar issues doing a downhill bit on a hill race with a pair of shorts - I only now use them for flat or up only races.. Well done on the long run, you should get someone else to do the dishwasher...  

    Another good long run Cal. 

    You have a well behaved dog JD.  Tough run on Sunday. 

    Rare Monday 4 mile recovery yesterday - hadn't run for three days but legs were tired from 2 days of skiing and a long hike on snow shoes.  Almost headed out wearing odd trainers but just noticed in time.  2 models but same brand - might have felt a bit wierd though.
  • Guarddog - I started using the original Zoom Flys early 2018, then the flyknits last year and the flyknit 4% late last year. I guess I'm used to the action now but they did feel a bit strange to begin with, and it felt like they improved my gait although that's purely subjective. I don't think you'd have much to lose from trying a pair - you can probably still get the flyknits at a reduced price.

    Good doggo, JD. Yes, since I stopped doing yoga, I really need to be more vigilant about stretching.

    Hazelnut, I've nearly done that myself - easily done when you're tired and just reach for shoes.

    I waited until nearly 10 to go out to let the frost melt. Got a decent 8 miler in - legs felt heavy but pace was OK (average 10:18, so standard easy rather than uber slow, as I tend to do when it's dark). The sun came out, which made it quite pleasant, although it was still very cold (had to break out the woolly hat and warm buff!) This will be an easier week as I have Farnham on Sunday.
  • Cold here too at the moment.  But agree, if the sun is out its ok.  Much easier to deal with than summer heat.

    Is Farnham a half?

    9 miles yesterday evening (well 8.99 actually - oops).  Did a couple of solo then met up with 2 guys from my group (one from farther afield, who I haven't seen for a couple of months which was nice).  They took a short cut on our standard route whereas I ran the whole loop so finished the run solo as well. 
  • Yes. I've not done it before but I needed an early one due to Tokyo being so early. Well done on the 9.

    Early 12 miles today. Not as cold out - a bit misty which was more like a very fine drizzle, but the main thing, no frost. Early miles were slow but I sped up the minute it started to get light. It didn't feel faster, it just was.
    I mostly ran on streets and avoided the one path on the common that is always full of little trip dogs, but then nearly tripped over a fox that darted out of a driveway while chasing another fox. I think I startled him as much as he startled me.
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    Nice 9 miles Hazelnut.When's your next race?

    Cal,I've never seen foxes chasing each other,most probably strayed into another ones territory.

    Very mild today so back in shorts and tshirt.Just 5.1 miles,left glute very sore and the pain went into my lower back,I'm still limping now.My eldest daughter had a small operation yesterday and I was picking her up to put to her bed or take her to the loo,that I've tweaked something,hopefully better tomorrow.

  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    edited January 2020
    Haven't seen a fox here for a while - there were loads out in the fields in the summer. 

    Hope your daughter is ok JD.  Ditto to the back.  Wish I could wear shorts and t-shirt here at the moment - fed up with the piles of washing.

    5.3 miles yesterday afternoon.  Was supposed to be at a comfy pace but turned into an adrenalin fuelled dash as I was nearly run over on a pedestrian crossing in my village.  Stupid bitch was driving far too fast out of a bend and hardly braked at all until I yelled and waved violently.  Question is why there is a crossing there at all anyway.  I will ignore it and set a great example by crossing the road in a safer place.

    Edit: LTT and enrvuk are quiet - hope all is ok..
  • JD, the one I nearly tripped over was bigger than the other, so either it was an old male chasing off a younger one, or in pursuit of a vixen.
    I do see them chasing around in the garden sometimes but this is usually young ones playing.
    Hope you and your daughter both recover quickly!

    Hazelnut, I've had that happen once or twice. Of course, I am in London - cars are pretty much unavoidable.

    Yes, where is everyone?

    6 miles with some strides in the last mile. No foxes today.
  • Might have seen a fox yesterday evening. Then again it might have been a cat.

    8.7 miles yesterday afternoon with 6 x hill sprints (or what passes as such when I do them) and 8 x normal strides.  8 miles was the proposed distance on my plan so I simply amble jogged the last bit home as it was too cold to walk.  Brought down the average pace on my run but that doesn't matter.

  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    Good luck with Farnham Cal.

    Nice hill sprints Hazelnut.I keep away from main roads and cars when running, not a nice mix.

    Just 5.15 miles this afternoon.Left glute very sore again when I started running but loosened up after a couple of miles, thankfully, managed to pick the pace up for a couple of miles which I felt better for.

  • Farnborough, JD (error was mine, though - easy to get mixed up!) Hope your glute is OK.
    Well done on the sprints, Hazelnut. I often jog a little extra to get closer to my house - better than getting cold walking.


    I had thought I'd have another crack at Gunpowder parkrun today, but then someone mentioned Luton Wardown was having a Burnes-themed parkrun with lots of tartan and me, being the owner of some tasteful tartan strides, couldn't resist. It was a good decision as it wasn't too hard to get to (tube then train, then a 10 minute walk) and the park was nice, the people friendly. Lots of tartan and a funny run briefing from the Scottish RD who used lots of scots slang while someone held up translations on cards.
    The course was three and a half laps, mostly tarmac with one short incline on dirt (I think it was grass at one point, but not any more...) that fortunately wasn't muddy. My legs felt OK and I managed an OK, if not spectacular time of 25:40. I tend to think of anything under 25 as great and anything under 26 as decent (above that, there better be hills or mud or I'd be disappointed with it). I was in the top 25% and first in my age cat, after a fraught battle with a young girl who kept sprinting past me. I got her on the final climb up the hill, when, like a lot of kids, her erratic pacing ended with her running out of puff.
  • Good luck today Cal. Hope you have decent conditions. Yesterday's parkrun sounds like it was fun.

    5 recovery yesterday afternoon on slightly unwilling legs. Thick fog and quite cold was surprised to see another lady out.
  • We didn't have any fog, but there was a little wind - not enough to be troubling, though.

    So, Farnborough. Despite my arsehole neighbours downstairs doing their best to keep me awake, I managed to get up early enough to make the 2.5 mile walk to Earlsfield to get my lift. It was a one-way lift, as my clubmate's husband and 4 year old were heading to Guildford after for junior parkrun, after which she was going to head over there and join them, but no problem - the issue was getting there on time, and we got there with 40 minutes to spare.
    After the number pick-up, loo queue and bag check I changed into my 4% (because why not) and did some strides. It was pretty nippy so I was happy I'd opted for long tights and a long-sleeved shirt under my club vest, unlike my other clubmate, Seb, who always races in ludicrously short shorts. Decided to keep my gloves on. As it was, I got pretty warm during the race and shed the gloves after 6 miles - I'd have been OK in my vest and arm sleeves, but never mind.
    I had it in my head that the course was two laps, but it wasn't, actually - it starts in the airfield then goes out into the country lanes, wiggles around a bit (including one long out and back) before returning to the air field again. It was quite a bit more undulating than expected, though I wouldn't call it hilly - just not as flat as advertised.
    First mile went down in 8:30, which was bang on what I'd hoped would be my pace. The next two were a bit quicker, though not the suicidal pace I'd gone out at when I ran Kingston. However, at this point I found myself slipping back to 8:40ish pace, but I told myself that was OK, I wasn't really expecting a PB, just a good fitness test ahead of Tokyo.
    If I've started too fast it usually starts to bite me in the arse around mile 8, but at that point I felt pretty good, still, so I kept plugging away. I still felt pretty strong at 10 (despite nearly stacking it over a cone on the out and back) and before I knew it we were back at the airfield. I figured the PB wasn't on at this point, but I had enough in me to finish strong and I managed to pull out an 8:17 on the final mile before gunning it to the finish.
    My Garmin told me I'd just got in under 1:53 so I figured I was actually very close to my PB, so I was happy, as I'd actually had a much better race than Kingston as I felt a hell of a lot better at the end of it.
    Collected medal and goody bag, then my bag, and found my clubmates. As luck would have it, another runner was heading back to Wimbledon and offered to drive me and Seb, which meant avoiding a long wait at Farnborough train station and then just a few stops on the tube home.
    Got back, checked the results and I got the exact same time as Kingston. D So technically not a PB, but I equalled it, and I felt I ran a lot better and on a more undulating course. I can't complain about that.
  • Excellent - well done Cal.  Bodes well for Tokyo if you could equal your PB and felt fresher afterwards.  I would have been worrying with only around 40 mins before the start. Better to have to take the gloves off than suffer with freezing cold hands - been there, done that.

    Not the best long run for me today.  16.2 miles with the intention of running the last 8 at around my potential MP.  Started out sensibly at a pace slightly slower than my long run slow pace for 5k, then GA pace for the next 5 and up to just short of my old MP for 3k.  Into the MP section and I felt tired from the outset, another 3 k were on target but when I turned for home my pace dropped immediately and I struggled from then on in.  The next 5k were @ my old MP and after that despite a good talking to and a slap in the face I eventually slowed down to GA pace although I put in all i had.  My legs were / are knackered.  I am pretty sure it was due to long stretches of running on globs of sticky mud which stuck to my soles and attracted all sorts of grit and small stones and badly weighing down my shoes.  Tried to scuff it off but sometimes twice in 100m was really annoying.  

    I did this run two weeks ago with no problems so I am not particularly worried.  Hope I recover from it fairly quick though.  Shuffle jogged back up the hill home for another 1.8 miles @ 11:30 / mile rather than walking it.
  • I'm sure it will be fine, Hazelnut. As you know I've had some very, very slow training runs of late, which might have worried me normally but I've had a 10K PB and an equal HM PB half this month, so clearly there isn't a problem.
  • Well done on the PB equaling Cal. Always satisfying to finish a HM feeling good and fresh and sets you up well for Tokyo.

    Don't think of it as a bad run Hazelnut, you still got out and did it. It will still have a benefit to your training.

    Hopefully the glute is feeling better JD. I am in complete empathy with you on it.

    The weekend was the first time I'd managed to get out. I went to see an osteopath last Monday after the dishwasher episode. His view was the major muscles in my back had gone into defensive mode, possibly as I'd introduced leg strengthening exercises to reduce (ironically) the risk of injury. After the session I didn't feel too bad, but the next morning I could barely walk and the following days the thought of a two hour train commute each way didn't fill me with joy, so worked from home.

    By Friday I was in so much discomfort I had to resort to the ibruprofen, but I was determined to at least show up for the next club Parkrun grand prix event. Even if I ended up walking it. In the end I did run it, although the first mile was done in a very gingerly fashion. Eventually finished in 24:35, so not too disappointed although it was a minute and a half outside the time I did on the course last year. Back felt fine immediately after, but standing around talking to club mates didn't help and by the time I'd sat and had a coffee it had started to seize up again.  Obviously the trick was to try and keep it mobile.

    With that I decided to do the 90 min training run on the Sunday. It was going to be flat with 30 mins at HMP. The back didn't feel bad at all when I got up and turning up I felt fine. Then we did a warm-up and some of the exercises were definite spasm inducing ones. It didn't appreciate those at all and I started off the run in a certain amount of discomfort, hoping that it would ease the more I moved as it had the day before. Wrong!! I don't think I've ever spent a more uncomfortable run. At no point was I free of pain and in reality should have given up after 10 mins. I managed the pace and I kept with the group, although I was dropping off the back in the last 20 mins, but was determined to keep going. So it's back to the osteopath today with 4 weeks until the Brighton HM.
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭
    Well done Cal,fantastic racing again.Sets you up nicely for Tokyo.You've done a lot of miles recently so to equal your pb is good going.

    You'll be fine,Hazelnut,you don't often have training runs which don't go to plan.

    10k trail race of sorts yesterday morning.Chirk castle ,which is owned by the National Trust,hold a non timed race on the last Sunday of every month.So about 150 turned up in the driving rain,it's a fantastic course,muddy,leg sapping and a few hills chucked in as well.Had my doubts when I turned up in shorts and t-shirt but I soon warmed up. Finished with a watch time of 47:10,top ten finish.Happy with that on a fairly demanding course,definitely do it again.



  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭
    Blimey Guarddog,that doesn't sound good at all,I think I would have called it a day and went home .Fingers crossed your appointment with the osteopath goes well.
  • Sorry to hear your back is no better, Guarddog. I hope your osteo can give you some relief. If it's any consolation, I managed a HM PB a couple of years ago days after hurting my back in yoga. It was so painful when I was marshalling at parkrun the day before I wasn't sure I could even run, but I strapped a TENS to it, took painkillers and managed OK. I don't think I'd like to repeat that, though.

    Excellent running, JD - doesn't sound like my kind of race but a top 10 finish is brilliant.

    Icy wind here today. I woke early but didn't go out immediately as I heard rain (which weather forecast said was actually hail, yikes) but once that stopped I got out for around 5:45am. I was going to do 10 miles but got to 9.5 and realised I'd be too far away (the wind was bitter, and I didn't fancy walking further than I needed to) so I added a mile, and then that mile became three more until I'd done a half marathon. However, it was all at recovery pace - averaged just under 11s. Crazy to think I ran the same distance on Sunday over half an hour quicker.
    I do have a couple of niggles, neither new - one just inside my right achilles and the other being my left foot, which has been temperamental since I slipped on the stairs last summer. 13 miles was probably not a sensible option, really, but there you go. I'll keep an eye on them.
  • Thanks JD. Osteopath was surprised at how bad it was and in retrospect the run on Sunday wasn't a good idea (as does my partner who thinks I'm something of an idiot. Well more of an idiot than she originally thought).

    He seems to think the issue is associated with my glute and that the back has been overcompensating for a while. I've now had to up the sessions to twice a week and knock the running on the head in the hope that I can still make the Brighton half in just under 4 weeks time.
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭
    Guarddog,very wise cutting the running back so you can make Brighton,hopefully you won't lose too much fitness .As soon as I stopped running after the race on Sunday my glute just seized up and I was limping for an hour or so.I'll have to keep an eye on it.

    Nice run Cal,sounded like one of those runs to get out of the way.

    8.26 miles this morning with Polly .Very cold,snow on the top of the hills,so wore all of my warm kit.Managed to do 5 miles a touch faster than MP.Couple of cock pheasants really startled Polly,which put a smile on my face .
  • Well done, JD. I felt sluggish today so 8 miles at an easy pace. Still a bit niggly. Might need to rest tomorrow.
  • Ouch GD. Fingers and toes crossed that you are back out there soon.

    Well done on the 10k JD. Good time for such a course. Certainly sounds worth a repeat. Can imaine Polly was a bit surprised by the pheasants - maniac birds those.

    Rest day sounds like a sensible option if you are niggly Cal.

    I was wiped out by a stomach bug on Monday evening and into Tuesday so an enforced extra rest day.  Recovery 5 miler this evening on little energy as I'm only now starting to eat properly again.
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    Hope you're feeling better Hazelnut,nothing like a stomach bug to wipe you out.

    Hope you're niggles are ok Cal,enjoy your rest day.

    Just a 4.32 hilly miles yesterday evening,becacause it was a short run,kept it fairly fast.Felt good,no niggles.

    Just entered the Snowdonia HM in May,some monster hills,unsurprisingly.

  • Hope you feel better soon, Hazelnut.
    Thanks JD - good luck with that one.
    I was planning a MLR for yesterday but felt rough so decided to rest. Still not great today (I'm not properly sick, but have that run-down, not quite right feeling I sometimes get) but I did 6 miles recovery run instead. Hoping I'm better for tomorrow as I'm doing Queen Elizabeth parkrun, which is a bit of a beast, and hoping to get my last 20 miler in on Sunday. But I guess my body will let me know.
  • Snowdonia HM looks great fun JD, just skimmed through the route and the blurb.. Plenty of hills in training on the agenda for you I guess.

    Good luck for the parkrun tomorrow Cal.  Will be a relief to get that last 20 done.  Good call to skip the MLR if you were tired.

    Tried a run yesterday evening - set out at my general aerobic pace of around 8:28 / mile.  First km felt ok then my legs started wobbling and my pace plummeted to below recovery.  I was sensible and canned it after 4k.  Guess the energy tanks were still too empty.  Day off today other than a walk and have more or less written off the week now.  No point in fussing about it.
  • Good decision, Hazelnut - let your system recover.

    Queen Elizabeth today was pretty tough - definitely the hilliest I've done (one of the miles had over 70m of climb) but the worst bit was the slippery muddy downhill on the first lap (the first lap is smaller than the second lap) and I had to walk some of that. I got a pretty slow time - over 32 minutes again - third time this year! But I'm not worried - I know I can run fast when I need to, going by my 10K PB and equal HM PB this year.
    However, it is a nice parkrun - scenic, with a great cafe and not over busy. A good chunk of the runners were parkrun tourists going for their "Q".
  • I’m missing my midweek running and only running at weekends guys.....I am generally a 3times a week runner with varying distances of 5k to 10miles.  <div>
    </div><div>Trouble is now I’m feeling lethargic and my motivation to run is just not there....I know once I bounce back I’ll be okay...it’s just the bouncing back! </div><div>
    </div><div>Any advice appreciated </div>
  • Hope you're still niggle free JD and good luck with training for Snowdonia. I understand it's a great event. 

    Hopefully the you're feeling better Hazelnut. Take it steady.

    Good PR Cal. As you say you know you can run fast when you need to. 

    It's sometimes the case, Simon, that you need a goal to get the motivation going again. Have you got an event to aim for? 

    Well it seems the issue with my back is an irritated disc. Saw the osteopath again on Friday and that was his diagnosis. Running is out of the question at the moment and the back is very sore and stiff around my trunk. 

    That being said I did Bevendean PR yesterday as part of the club's grand prix series. It was a  naked run (I was quite excited by that when I first heard it, but it's where you nominate a finish time then run without a watch.  I had planned to walk/jog so put down 41:30. However I ended up walking virtually the whole  run  (2 laps of a rather hilly field) with another injured club mate as we just chatted. Apart from one brief jog for about 400m, which wasn't a good idea. So the finish time was 46mins and I was 85th out of 87 runners. The back wasn't really thanking me by the end, but the bacon sarnie made up for it. 
  • Thanks Guarddog, Nothing planned (yet). Will set about looking at some events. <div>Good news is I dragged myself out for an 8 miler this morning.</div>
  • Hi Simon - good words from GD. 

    Another good parkrun Cal. 

    Is there at least a plan of action to try to help you with your back GD?  Bet that sarnie did taste good.

    Looks like I will be off to the docs myself in the next couple of days as I'm not recovering.  I'm not feeling sick in anyway, eating fine and doing the other, not tired - in contrast I have too much energy I need to get rid of.  But my legs have shut down.  Nothing hurts at all but the muscles are dead and won't coordinate and it's getting worse rather than better.  Tried a couple of slow (anything up to recovery + 2 mins) and short runs but had to give up.   
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