Any Runners On Here??

[Stephenite]

Good luck with that @DRHysted!

My advice would be to lay off the booze the night before. Other than that I can't offer anything useful. Apart from relax and enjoy it. You know you're going to complete. Just follow your plan as best you can. You can improve on your finish time when you do the next marathon.

 

[smutchin]

Attempting the full distance for the first time on "race day" doesn't make sense to me, unless you're doing it purely for the sense of occasion.

If your aim is to get a good time, surely you want to have practised the full distance (or even over-distance) ahead of the event for conditioning?

I did my first marathon by way of training for another (harder) marathon I'd entered that was a few weeks later. I had intended to do at least one or two full-distance training runs ahead of the first marathon but life got in the way, so that first marathon was my first time I'd run further than 25km, and I suffered for it.

 

[Stephenite]

Here's another thing I don't understand about runners/running training. I have spoken to a few runners at work (I still class myself as a former cyclist who shuffles around for a bit in running shoes) and asked them about longer events they have entered and training, and can't understand why anyone would try to run distances just below the target event as part of a training plan. Maybe it's my past experience of longer distance cycling; I would never consider riding 200km as part of training for a 300km event or riding 500km part of training for a 600km event, rather a series of 50km-100km training rides over a period of time as cumulatively aiding my training.

I'm sure it all makes sense to running peeps and sits well in terms of training schedules by people who know "stuff", but I cannae work it out.

Could it be about building up the milage slowly, so as to avoid injury, and not to have the marathon (eg) be a complete sufferfest? I don't know, I'm not a 'runner' either.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Could it be about building up the milage slowly, so as to avoid injury, and not to have the marathon (eg) be a complete sufferfest? I don't know, I'm not a 'runner' either.

I'm not sure either tbh, just seemed a bit odd as some were speaking of pushing their limits in training for just below event distances which seems to risk injury to me rather than more frequent shorter runs. I can get the bit about doing slightly longer distances but not to the extent of risking injury or resulting in periods of tiredness/long recovery.

 

[Stephenite]

New shoes!



I've been looking for a pair of cushioned trail shoes for a 15km run I'm booked for on Saturday. Better late than never!

 

[smutchin]

I'm not sure either tbh, just seemed a bit odd as some were speaking of pushing their limits in training for just below event distances which seems to risk injury to me rather than more frequent shorter runs.

I think the 'pushing your limits' thing is the key - long training runs should be undertaken at slower than 'race pace', definitely not pushing hard.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

.

If your aim is to get a good time...

That's maybe what it is, I don't run to achieve times or beat others. Yet

 

[pubrunner]

. . . . . . . can't understand why anyone would try to run distances just below the target event as part of a training plan.

It isn't so much the distance that counts, as time on feet; when I prepared for marathons, I'd build up to long distance runs of 3 - 3.5 hours (about 20 miles) - done at a steady pace and with a significant amount of hills and off-road running. If you only train for up to (for example) 7 or 8 miles, you'll be ill- prepared for a marathon, 'cos your legs just won't be used to racing for that amount of time. Cycling makes different demands - but since the bike takes the rider's weight, it saves a lot of wear and tear on the legs and it makes it easier to take a breather.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm not sure either tbh, just seemed a bit odd as some were speaking of pushing their limits in training for just below event distances which seems to risk injury to me rather than more frequent shorter runs. I can get the bit about doing slightly longer distances but not to the extent of risking injury or resulting in periods of tiredness/long recovery.

The theory goes (and works for me in practise)
Run slow over long distances and you'll have very little chance of picking up running injuries which are often caused by going too far AND too fast (too soon.) Going slow you'll be able to run often because the tiredness doesn't really happen like it does if you do, say, a shorter higher intensity run.

You're ignoring the key difference between exertion on two wheels v two legs. Impact. The point of running the long runs, equivalent to race distance, is to get the nerves, muscles, etc., in the lower body adapted and used to dealing with the constant hammering they will get, and the neuro-muscular fatigue this induces, a hammering which can stop you in your tracks even if you have the CV fitness to run the distance.

I never* run further than half these days, and in 'training' I stop short at 16km reasoning that the last 5km is just a parkrun.

*a very long time.

TMN to @pubrunner

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

http://www.ackworthroadrunnersandac.co.uk/autumn-handicap-2016/4579942143

I missed my start
Wasn't paying attention, so was almost 2 minutes late off

I did catch several up though, including someone who was 'capped to finish almost 2:30 ahead of me, & possibly put 30 seconds into him

Not sure of my own time, against my supposed 33:50, as I didn't start my watch

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

It isn't so much the distance that counts, as time on feet; when I prepared for marathons, I'd build up to long distance runs of 3 - 3.5 hours (about 20 miles) - done at a steady pace and with a significant amount of hills and off-road running. If you only train for up to (for example) 7 or 8 miles, you'll be ill- prepared for a marathon, 'cos your legs just won't be used to racing for that amount of time. Cycling makes different demands - but since the bike takes the rider's weight, it saves a lot of wear and tear on the legs and it makes it easier to take a breather.

Just back in after 20km of trails, starting with 2.5km of uphill was a great idea (not!), in 2hr 30 min just to see the effect of going further than my usual distance; I usually go for runs of between 45min - 1hr 15mins.

I discovered that I am tired. Good night.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I missed my start
Wasn't paying attention, so was almost 2 minutes late off

I did catch several up though, including someone who was 'capped to finish almost 2:30 ahead of me, & possibly put 30 seconds into him
Not sure of my own time, against my supposed 33:50, as I didn't start my watch

My actual run time 36:44
That said, I'm not sure, if that factored in my late departure??

The winner was Sarah Bailey who was 'capped at 45:45, she actually ran in 42:17 , going under her time by 3:28

Fastest man took 4th place, with his cap of 38:00, returned at 35:49, under by 2:11


Fastest male run time was 28:30
Fastest female run time was 29:01 (Bekki Winters)

No delineation between Seniors/Vets, etc... (all covered within handicapping)

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Before last Saturdays ParkRun, I did consider driving to Wakefield instead, & having a go at the Thornes Park event
Wakefield Park does really consist of three parks, but the PR only really enters Thornes, hence the name (the other two being; Clarence, & Holmfield)
http://www.parkrun.org.uk/wakefieldthornes/course/
I know most of the terrain inside it, due to having ridden Cyclo-Cross in there many times over the years


Upon arrival, I thought it was cancelled, initially, as up to 08:50, there was only about a dozen of us milling about
Then they came............

I was scanning the crowd to see if I knew anyone, & someone tapped me on the shoulder; it was Sarah, one of our Surgical Assessment Unit nurses
(looking even better than normal, in lycra - sorry folks but it's true)

It seemed to have a good turnout, with maybe 10 newbies & 3 (including me) 'tourists' - one from Cambridge!

The start was odd, a hairpin (between highish grass-bankings) after 10 yards, then a downhill (with speed-bumps!)

Whilst it wasn't a paced event, there were 2 in vests '25' & '30'
I followed the '25' down the hill, but overtook him after about 600 yards

Whether, I pushed a bit because I didn't know the course (not on foot anyway?) I overtook a lot more than passed me

I wasn't exactly sure where we would finish, but was very happy to collect the (I think?) '44' token, with a self-timed 23:21
No officials yet

I'd hazard a guess at 175 runners, just by a rough head count at the start

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I was scanning the crowd to see if I knew anyone, & someone tapped me on the shoulder; it was Sarah, one of our Surgical Assessment Unit nurses
I wasn't exactly sure where we finished, but was very happy to collect the (I think?) '44' token, with a self-timed 23:21
No officials yet

I'd hazard a guess at 175 runners, just by a rough head count at the start

A big wrong, on the numbers!!!

Official result; 42nd/218 @ 23:21 I'm happy with that, for a first attempt

Sarah was; 142nd @ 30:57

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Gawd but I do love parkrun. Had a good natter with a girl friend for two laps before the Garmin started moaning I'd gone above my HR zone. Really enjoyable run. 10 miles minimum tomorrow.