P&b Running Club

[Stu]

Cheers for the advice. There's a couple of places in Dumfries that deal with sports injury so will see who folk recommend.

[morrison]

Cheers min, only going to manage four LSR's due to a week on holiday, probably going to work out at 17 - 20 - 18 - 22. Also managing an injury just now so sticking to 3 sets of dreadmills a week but getting into bother anywhere north of 10k. Toying with the idea of joining Metro at the end of the month too...

I know a few of the folk from Metro, they're a good bunch. Go for it, I say.

[Cardinal Richelieu]

Well, I managed to do my planned 30km along the canal. It went okay, apart from sparking my energy gel thing at 10km, spilling it all over myself and being chased by wasps. I also didn’t have any water for the run. It started raining heavily, and I was so thirsty that I took to running with my tongue out to catch some raindrops, which must have made me look a bit special to the people I passed.  

A question though. I’d never run further than 21km, but I managed the 30km – although I was seriously struggling the last 2km with tired legs. Given that I’ve only got 12 days till the main event, do you think I should try another long run (perhaps going 35km this time) – next weekend, or should I take things relatively easy?

[Socks]

Definitely don't do another long one next week - it won't do you any good that close to the race and will just tire your muscles, especially so when they're not really used to running for that long. I'd suggest something like 8-10 miles at an easy pace next weekend with 2-3 shorter efforts this midweek.

If you've only managed that one long run then the marathon might be a struggle, so take it a bit slower than feels natural at the start. Might not be pretty, but you'll make it - good luck with the race.

[Cardinal Richelieu]

Cheers Socks ... noted. Aye, only having one long run wasn't the best preparation, but forces and laziness conspired against me!

[Stu]

Decided in my infinite wisdom to try running club tonight on the basis I could chuck it if I felt bad after the warm-up. The pain in my arse felt at it's worst after the warm-up - seemed to get better as the run went on. The morning will probably give a better idea of how sore it is but I don't think I'm back to square one.

[true_rover]

Training for Dublin still going well for me. Weekend running consisted of Edinburgh parkrun on Saturday, running hard to go through in 19:24 and then out for 16 miles on Sunday, my longest ever run! Really hard on the way back straight into the wind which took a bit out of me so lost a little bit of pace at the end but still felt ok.  

Track intervals and an 18 mile run planned for this week...

[BishyTON]

Been a while since my last update. My last post was after Falkirk parkrun on 09/07!

The following Saturday (16/07) I went to Drumchapel parkrun for the first time. This one is horrendous - very hilly, tight and twisty. It is quite dangerous at some points as well - the downhills are extremely sharp and have tight turns and if you get it wrong and fall then a bad injury is a certainty. I got around in 19'37", which is better than most as it was 2 mins outside pb and the average is closer to 2'30". That should give you an idea as to how tough it is.

The Saturday after (23/07) I went to Tollcross parkrun and won in a time of 18'39". 24 secs outside course pb, but it was pretty much a solo run and conditions were pretty hot and humid.

Then it was 3k on the Green on Friday 29/07. Had a good race in pretty hot conditions and finished 1 sec outside pb in 10'02". Thought I was going to go sub 10 mins, but my legs tied up in the last 200m.

The next day I went to Pollok Parkrun and finished in 5th place in 18'07". A good run on heavy legs.

Finally, I went to Linwood parkrun for the first time on Saturday. Loved the course and the atmosphere here and, as my local parkrun, I will be a semi regular here.

The course is super fast and flat, with just a few twisty sections that slow you down a bit. I ran a great race and finished in second place in a new 5k pb of 17'36" (2 secs inside my old one at Greenock in early June). Delighted with that, especially as it was pretty hot and my first run on the course. Quite confident that this is the place that I will go sub 17'30" at in the not too distant future.

[paul-r-cfc]

What's Tollcross like compared to the other Glasgow runs? Only one I've never tried

[Redhead81]

Just now, paul-r-cfc said:

What's Tollcross like compared to the other Glasgow runs? Only one I've never tried

Tollcross is a good course, I've ran it a few times. Quite hilly though, I found it tougher than both Pollok and Springburn (I haven't been to Victoria Park yet). You start at the bottom of a fairly steep hill at Tollcross and there are a couple of other hills in the route. It's quieter than Pollok and Victoria, with usually 80-100 people going. Lovely crowd though, I really enjoy going. You should definitely try it

[paul-r-cfc]

Victoria Park is almost entirely flag so would imagine is the "easiest" run. Liked Springburn recently purely because of the low numbers. Was about 65 last time I went

[Cardinal Richelieu]

I like Springburn too.. and I've run it faster than any of the "flatter" ones. I think the downhills at the start and the end help, and the fact that you finish a bit lower than where you start. 

[morrison]

Springburn's the only one of the four I've not done yet - hoping to get there next month. Tollcross is my favourite of the three others; a good test.

I've had a couple of minor injuries in July that've knocked any momentum I had. Between them & the successive marathons I've felt sluggish over the shorter distances. My 20:22 parkrun was my quickest since May, and over a minute down on my PB from last year. Nearly two from my outright best 5k. Meh.

Slight return to form last night at Knockhill. Three laps of the track - 6k in all - in under 24 mins is decent going for me. I regret the decision to cycle there from Dunfermline though, it's uphill just about the whole way! The race was great, and a whole load of home baking after. A toy car for a medal was a nice touch too! It's put of by Carnegie Harriers and can heartily recommend it.

[paul-r-cfc]

Pollok is still the one I've done in the fastest time but probably because it's the only one I've actually regularly attended for more than a week or two in a row so I was able to get used to it and build up some fitness

[VladimirMooc]

After doing my first half back in May, I've signed up to do the Glasgow half in October. Really wanting to get under 1.45 (I got 1.53 in May) and so have been going to Parkun over the past 6 or so weeks in order to improve my speed. Have got my 5k down from 22.40 to 21.06, so the speed is improving (mainly through willpower, I think) but I'm wanting to go a good chunk faster. Anyone got any recommendations as to how to go about doing this? There's lots of tips online but the expertise in this thread seems pretty top-notch so hoping to tap into it!

[diamonds2002]

2 hours ago, VladimirMooc said:

After doing my first half back in May, I've signed up to do the Glasgow half in October. Really wanting to get under 1.45 (I got 1.53 in May) and so have been going to Parkun over the past 6 or so weeks in order to improve my speed. Have got my 5k down from 22.40 to 21.06, so the speed is improving (mainly through willpower, I think) but I'm wanting to go a good chunk faster. Anyone got any recommendations as to how to go about doing this? There's lots of tips online but the expertise in this thread seems pretty top-notch so hoping to tap into it!

Interval training is the best way to get quicker.

I would also recommend hal higdons training programmes - I managed to get down to an 88minute half marathon and 38 minute 10k about 4 years ago

http://www.halhigdon.com/

Plenty of options depending on your current fitness level 

[morrison]

Interval training is the best way to get quicker.

Got to agree with this. Find yourself somewhere you can get in repetitions of 400m to 1-2miles, maybe with around 8-12 reps at shorter distances to 2-3 at the other extreme; and mind to give yourself recovery time in between! The pace should be hard but not flat out - ideally you'd be able to finish on your fastest rep.

Aside from that, when you're running 8-12 miles in training, keep the pace slower than your target pace, and try upping it to target for 2-3 miles during the later part. Gives a taste for what it might feel like on heavier legs.

The parkruns'll stand you in good stead, so keep that up. Your goal sounds achievable based on your 5k time; gradually increase the mileage over the next few weeks, easing off in the last fortnight before the race to let the legs recover, and tell us all about how you smashed it after!

[morrison]

Oops, I went on a bit. Sorry.

Haddington half marathon for me earlier in 1:31:00, exactly 3 minutes slower than I was five months ago!

Reflects where I've been since June, so not too disappointed. Any chances of a marathon PB at Chester are down the toilet though, which is a bit of a bugger. Oh well.

On the upside, there was more cake. I also saw a bunch of bus enthusiasts discussing all things Lothian/First Buses while frantically snapping away as they oggled their objects of desire. Was...different.

[true_rover]

Well East Lothian is a little strange!

My track intervals turned into round a rugby pitch instead but similar workout done. Portobello parkrun yesterday was 19:22 in fairly warm conditions but felt good.

Sore legs this afternoon though after a new longest run this morning - 18 miles taking me down to South Queensferry and back - it's hillier than I thought!

Next weekend will be a new experience, racing at Meadowbank where the challenge is to hit the furthest distance in 33 mins, should be good.

[Scorge]

Chickened out of the big LSR today after 8.5 miles yesterday, took the bike out in the shire for 35.5 miles in around three hours, loads of hills so legs feel like they've had a good pounding at least. Off on holiday next week then going to hit big for the following three, I think.