Official Running Thread

[big nuts]

Final long run this morning with mixed results. The hard facts are 16.5 miles completed in 2hrs 3 minutes.

Stupidly I tried a route I haven't done for 2 years which is my BHAFC challenge. Seafront up to Sackville to the Goldstone then on to Withdean before moving up Carden Ave then through Coldean and up to the Amex. Up the never ending Falmer Road before looping round North Woodingdean then onto Rottingdean under cliff then home.

Forgot how hilly this route is, very little flat ground throughout until you hit the undercliff. I had to stop at the Ovett statue and walk home as I was a broken man. Took water out with me for the first time in years and whist this probably helped the hills had taken their toll.

For all you hill fans have a look at this route it's evil.

 

[knocky1]

Best ever finish at Parkrun today. Second place and silver medal. I recommend Margate
for medalling.

 

[Simgull]

Best ever finish at Parkrun today. Second place and silver medal. I recommend Margate
for medalling.

Well done. I came first in the inaugral Antigua parkrun this morning. For some reason I was the only one there maybe because it was my idea only. Dull course running round the hotel six times and mid 20s temperature means I can't see it catching on, still a PB and back in time for kick off T 07:30.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Best ever finish at Parkrun today. Second place and silver medal. I recommend Margate
for medalling.

Well done. Any chance of a weekly NSC bus to Margate??

I'm tackling my 2nd duathlon tomorrow. Goodwood motor racing circuit - 4k/24k/4k. Weather should be good.

 

[downham seagull]

Thorney 10k
First Fenlader home & a PB by over 20 seconds which was set at Gear last year and is a slightly faster course. Ran hard from the start and settled in pace wise after 2 miles. Hit some strong headwind in Miile 3,but benifited in Mile 4 where I picked off 3 runners who started to flag. Side wind in miles 5 & 6 , over took a good club runner from Peterbourgh in the last mile and had Rod from Hunts AC in my sights but could not get close enough to challange him in the final 400m but pleased to finish just 10 odd seconds behind Him in 18th place out of 280 mainly club runners, official time 38.12
I love this race as its so well organised and I find a good barometer for the season ahead

 

[downham seagull]

Best ever finish at Parkrun today. Second place and silver medal. I recommend Margate
for medalling.

Well done! Just one more to chase down

 

[knocky1]

Well done! Just one more to chase down

2 minutes and nine seconds would be hard to chase down! When I saw him warming up and he did heel to buttocks I thought he would get Gold. With your times you must be a heel getting up to your Arse runner. I did a very slow Parkkrun last week and watching the front runners lap me made me realise that fast runners get that heel right back. I can't get there at all.

 

[downham seagull]

2 minutes and nine seconds would be hard to chase down! When I saw him warming up and he did heel to buttocks I thought he would get Gold. With your times you must be a heel getting up to your Arse runner. I did a very slow Parkkrun last week and watching the front runners lap me made me realise that fast runners get that heel right back. I can't get there at all.

My wife tells me I'm a hoverer, my feet barely come off the ground but size 15 feet take some lifting lol

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Did my 2nd ever duathlon. Mixed results to say the least. 1st run was 4k in 15.45 which would - rather improbably - put me on course for a sub-20 5k. However, I suspect the course was a little short - but still very happy with this.
Then things took a turn for the worst. What sort of idiot goes into the transition area and not only emerges with the wrong bike (and helmet) but actually cycles off on it for 200 metres before realising? Bloody hell what a dick-head. (It was me by the way - not someone pinching my bike.)
I then had to return said bike (and helmet) to its rather stressed-out owner (who was nice woman and didn't knee me in the groin), locate my own bike and try to scrape up a bit of dignity.
I should have been disqualified but they let me continue.
Then 6 (x 4k) laps of a very windy Goodwood motor racing circuit being overtaken and lapped by guys on space-age bikes (managed 17.6mph average) and then a second 4k run which was slow and very painful.
Crept into top half of the field, some 4 minutes behind my target time.
Running is so much simpler; I should have quit after the 4k run.

 

[El Presidente]

Wilmslow half marathon. Great local race and was able to run past my front door in a field of 4,000.

More undulating than hilly, but my weakness on slopes is something I need to address. 1 52:05 which was disappointing as 24 seconds slower than Brighton even though I felt better.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Good to see the Hove Park parkrunners put in decent performances away from home. I had the weekend off, but got out this morning, and ran a confidence-boosting 10k with decent negative splits.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1111910726

 

[knocky1]

Good to see the Hove Park parkrunners put in decent performances away from home. I had the weekend off, but got out this morning, and ran a confidence-boosting 10k with decent negative splits.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1111910726

Reading Pete Pfitzinger's marathon race strategies I noticed he is in favour of running in a pack and encouraging each other to keep at race pace. He then says "it's not your problem if they drop out at 20 miles". Group encouragement and competition rolled into one. I like that.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Reading Pete Pfitzinger's marathon race strategies I noticed he is in favour of running in a pack and encouraging each other to keep at race pace. He then says "it's not your problem if they drop out at 20 miles". Group encouragement and competition rolled into one. I like that.

That's the plan. We had a great little group at Worthing Half – led by a brilliant pacer – and despite us getting nicely spread out towards the end, I think we all achieved (or overachieved) our goals for the day.

The KEY is not to go off too quickly – I'm CONVINCED – and I think a group mentality (and everyone keeping an eye on pace) will ensure this happens*. Out of four marathons completed, the most recent one was the one where I nailed this approach - only to face a big ******* hill at 24 and a bit miles. If it wasn't for that, I would have run the entire distance at a nicely controlled pace.

Contrast that with Brighton 2013 where I went off like a rocket, blew up just after the power station and limped home in just under four hours.


*Having said that, I apologise if I attempt to drop you all with a trademark sprint finish from the Pier...

 

[Bozza]

Wilmslow half marathon. Great local race and was able to run past my front door in a field of 4,000.

More undulating than hilly, but my weakness on slopes is something I need to address. 1 52:05 which was disappointing as 24 seconds slower than Brighton even though I felt better.

Looking on Strava, you did seem to run a fair few miles last week before the half - maybe taking it a bit easier would have left you with more in your legs? Still a decent time though!

Mixed week for me. I managed to complete a run with an average time below 9 minute miles for the first time since I got back on it, which pleased me.

My planned longer run on Sunday didn't happen because we woke up to a broken boiler on Saturday morning and BG couldn't fix it on Sunday as a new part was needed. I wasn't going to run without a shower waiting for me at the end of it. They've already fixed it this morning so today will be by delayed Sunday longer run. Going out yesterday would have pushed me over 20 miles in a week for the first time in yonks. I'll have to make sure I make it this week now.

 

[El Presidente]

My planned longer run on Sunday didn't happen because we woke up to a broken boiler on Saturday morning and BG couldn't fix it on Sunday as a new part was needed.

At least we know what Ben's Granddad does when he's not posting on NSC.

You're probably right that I could have tapered more prior to the half. I've joined a running club and my miles are fairly low compared to theirs, although they are all entered for the Manchetster Marathon this Sunday (I'm only running half of it).

 

[St Leonards Seagull]

At least we know what Ben's Granddad does when he's not posting on NSC.

You're probably right that I could have tapered more prior to the half. I've joined a running club and my miles are fairly low compared to theirs, although they are all entered for the Manchetster Marathon this Sunday (I'm only running half of it).

Beat me to it, that was my first impression that Bens grandad was fixing Bozza's boiler lol.

 

[St Leonards Seagull]

Looking on Strava, you did seem to run a fair few miles last week before the half - maybe taking it a bit easier would have left you with more in your legs? Still a decent time though!

Mixed week for me. I managed to complete a run with an average time below 9 minute miles for the first time since I got back on it, which pleased me.

My planned longer run on Sunday didn't happen because we woke up to a broken boiler on Saturday morning and BG couldn't fix it on Sunday as a new part was needed. I wasn't going to run without a shower waiting for me at the end of it. They've already fixed it this morning so today will be by delayed Sunday longer run. Going out yesterday would have pushed me over 20 miles in a week for the first time in yonks. I'll have to make sure I make it this week now.

Great stuff! Your times are steadily falling. Hope you're starting to enjoy your runs again.

 

[Bozza]

Great stuff! Your times are steadily falling. Hope you're starting to enjoy your runs again.

Very much so, yes. I think I posted a few pages back that I knew I had the bug back when, around an hour after a run, I had the urge to go out again and cover a few more miles. I didn't, because my legs just haven't got any real stamina yet, but I like having that buzz back. It's a lot easier to do when you enjoy it and look forward to it!

 

[Guinness Boy]

That's the plan. We had a great little group at Worthing Half – led by a brilliant pacer – and despite us getting nicely spread out towards the end, I think we all achieved (or overachieved) our goals for the day.

The KEY is not to go off too quickly – I'm CONVINCED – and I think a group mentality (and everyone keeping an eye on pace) will ensure this happens*. Out of four marathons completed, the most recent one was the one where I nailed this approach - only to face a big ******* hill at 24 and a bit miles. If it wasn't for that, I would have run the entire distance at a nicely controlled pace.

Contrast that with Brighton 2013 where I went off like a rocket, blew up just after the power station and limped home in just under four hours.


*Having said that, I apologise if I attempt to drop you all with a trademark sprint finish from the Pier...

3.45 is about 8"30 - 8"35s right? If so that's bang on the pace coach has given me. Happy to go round at that for as long as we can and then every man for himself

10 miler this morning past all the road closure signs. Tailing off after today big time.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

3.45 is about 8"30 - 8"35s right? If so that's bang on the pace coach has given me. Happy to go round at that for as long as we can and then every man for himself

10 miler this morning past all the road closure signs. Tailing off after today big time.

A quick Google says it's bang on 8:35s. Fine with me, too...