Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

Official Running Thread



Mr Blobby

New member
Jul 14, 2003
2,632
In a cave
Afternoon all. Had a great run on the SDW again on Sunday. I ran from Devils Dyke to Lewes (just a little over 13 miles).Liz dropped me and picked me up so great not to have to return into the very strong headwind! Lots of runners out at 7.30am, so glad I went out early. Next time I might do it from Truleigh Hill or slightly further away to make this into 15/16 miles and then possibly push it to 20 miles. I love the hills and views , think that helps remove the uphill struggles! Tempted to look at the SDW 100 mile run, but when I look at the website says you have to have done a 50 mile race in 15 hours, which I haven't (The RTTS was 100k but in 20 hours so guess that doesn't count?) Does anyone know how strict they are on the criteria. I am not doing it on the revised date of November this year, so looking to possibly do this next summer (if allowed!)
LEWES SDW 280620.jpg
 




Bob!

Coffee Buyer
Jul 5, 2003
11,627
Afternoon all. Had a great run on the SDW again on Sunday. I ran from Devils Dyke to Lewes (just a little over 13 miles).Liz dropped me and picked me up so great not to have to return into the very strong headwind! Lots of runners out at 7.30am, so glad I went out early. Next time I might do it from Truleigh Hill or slightly further away to make this into 15/16 miles and then possibly push it to 20 miles. I love the hills and views , think that helps remove the uphill struggles! Tempted to look at the SDW 100 mile run, but when I look at the website says you have to have done a 50 mile race in 15 hours, which I haven't (The RTTS was 100k but in 20 hours so guess that doesn't count?) Does anyone know how strict they are on the criteria. I am not doing it on the revised date of November this year, so looking to possibly do this next summer (if allowed!)
View attachment 125492

You could enter the SDW 50 and 100, that way so long as you complete the 50 (their time limit is 13 hrs?) then you have qualified for the 100.
 


dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
55,504
Burgess Hill
Afternoon all. Had a great run on the SDW again on Sunday. I ran from Devils Dyke to Lewes (just a little over 13 miles).Liz dropped me and picked me up so great not to have to return into the very strong headwind! Lots of runners out at 7.30am, so glad I went out early. Next time I might do it from Truleigh Hill or slightly further away to make this into 15/16 miles and then possibly push it to 20 miles. I love the hills and views , think that helps remove the uphill struggles! Tempted to look at the SDW 100 mile run, but when I look at the website says you have to have done a 50 mile race in 15 hours, which I haven't (The RTTS was 100k but in 20 hours so guess that doesn't count?) Does anyone know how strict they are on the criteria. I am not doing it on the revised date of November this year, so looking to possibly do this next summer (if allowed!)
View attachment 125492

Nice run.....I did about 15m on the Downs yesterday, coming from BlackCap back West was horrendous into the wind !

Re the SDW100, the entry criteria is strictly enforced (you have to submit the evidence when you enter - I don't think RTTS in 20hrs would count - it's mostly a safety issue obviously) - all the details are on their website https://centurionrunning.com/section/resources/qualifying-for-2020-events. As [MENTION=88]Bob![/MENTION] says, I'd definitely do one of the 50s first - as well as getting you qualified it will get you in tune with the Centurion events. FWIW I've done the SDW100 (failed the first time, finished it the following year), and SDW50, NDW50 and CW50 races - any would be a great warm-up for the SDW100 - I've also volunteered at several Centurion events and know the RD pretty well so if you need any further info let me know.

There are plenty of loops you can do off the SDW and back on to it to increase distance - as an example, here's mine from yesterday

https://www.strava.com/activities/3683206306
 


big nuts

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
4,877
Hove
As we reach the halfway mark of the year tomorrow how is everyone feeling about 2020 so far from a running perspective? Yes, it’s been a shit year but have people taken the opportunity to run further or quicker then ever before? Or for the old gits improve their age grading?

With races stopping in March I have missed Park Runs and other events, especially the Marathon as my training was going very well.

I’m resigned to it not happening in September so it looks like 2021 before I get a chance to run another one.

Highlight of the year undoubtedly my pb at Half Marathon in the most appalling conditions with 40 mph winds.

Only one Park Run but set a course pb at Preston Park 18:36 in January.

After March I’ve gone from an average of 26 miles to 43, hitting 976 year to date and I feel in decent form.

1 mile, 3k & 5k pb all secured at the Velodrome.

Would now like to have a crack at 10k, 10 miles and perhaps half marathon but the longer the distance the harder to run quickly outside of a race environment I’m finding.

As for the rest of the year I’d settle for one Park Run and a chance to run the Mince Pie 10. It’s quite conceivable there may not be any events at all for the rest of the year but I really hope not.
 
Last edited:


Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,276
Back in Sussex
As we reach the halfway mark of the year tomorrow how is everyone feeling about 2020 so far from a running perspective? Yes, it’s been a shit year but have people taken the opportunity to run further or quicker then ever before? Or for the old gits improve their age grading?

As widely documented, I don't do races nor ParkRuns, so recent events have made no difference to me. With that in mind...

- 151 days of running every day (and still going).
- Approaching 900 miles for the year, which I imagine is way more than I've ever done before in an entire year. Taking January out of the equation, where I'd stuffed my achilles, I'm averaging a shade over 40 miles per week.
- 5k PB 21:57 -> 20:14
- 10k PB 46:10 -> 43:24
- HM PB 1:46:31 -> 1:41:37

More importantly than any numbers though, I'm just really enjoying my running - mixing up road and trail, the latter often with the dog. Last night was a prime example - I'd intended to go out for an easy-paced 3-4 miles on the road, as my legs were tired, but didn't get a chance to head out until later in the day. So I took the dog with me and headed for my favourite hill Cissbury Ring, and just caught the sunset. It was fab!

IMG_4532.jpg
 






Mr Blobby

New member
Jul 14, 2003
2,632
In a cave
As we reach the halfway mark of the year tomorrow how is everyone feeling about 2020 so far from a running perspective? Yes, it’s been a shit year but have people taken the opportunity to run further or quicker then ever before? Or for the old gits improve their age grading?

2020 has been a tough year as in the last 3 months lost my Father-In-Law , and more recently my Aunt (Neither COVID related), so added to that my Boss leaving work so my workload through the roof plus Lizs recovery from her knee replacement op has been a long, slow painful process, but she is starting to see light at the end of the tunnel! The final extra stress has been my Mum having regular bouts of minor eye operations and yesterday my brother-in-law had a 6 hour op to remove a tumour in his jaw, so all in all 2020 has been a *****ing lump of ****. I cant wait to get back to some form of normality. I've not know a time like this, its been so tough and plenty of ups and downs. It has been running that has kept me sane.

One big plus of working from home is using the previous driving to and from work time to run, especially the early morning runs. Now we can meet others my running club usually has somebody out and about at 6/6.15am for a 7/8 mile run.

I am up to 875 miles for the year, so on track to exceed my target of 1,500 miles for the year. Regularly doing 40+ miles in a week which I hardly ever managed before. Feeling really good on the long runs, itching to get out and do a marathon event as really do feel I can go sub 4 hours. Only think I haven't done much of is core work, done a few sessions but as its something I don't particularly enjoy find it much easier to get out for a run instead!

Anyway we will get through these dark times, and it will be great to get us all back together again for a run along the seafront or the Downs one weekend.
 


ForestRowSeagull

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2011
976
Now Brixton
As we reach the halfway mark of the year tomorrow how is everyone feeling about 2020 so far from a running perspective? Yes, it’s been a shit year but have people taken the opportunity to run further or quicker then ever before? Or for the old gits improve their age grading?

With races stopping in March I have missed Park Runs and other events, especially the Marathon as my training was going very well.

I’m resigned to it not happening in September so it looks like 2021 before I get a chance to run another one.

Highlight of the year undoubtedly my pb at Half Marathon in the most appalling conditions with 40 mph winds.

Only one Park Run but set a course pb at Preston Park 18:36 in January.

After March I’ve gone from an average of 26 miles to 43, hitting 976 year to date and I feel in decent form.

1 mile, 3k & 5k pb all secured at the Velodrome.

Would now like to have a crack at 10k, 10 miles and perhaps half marathon but the longer the distance the harder to run quickly outside of a race environment I’m finding.

As for the rest of the year I’d settle for one Park Run and a chance to run the Mince Pie 10. It’s quite conceivable there may not be any events at all for the rest of the year but I really hope not.

Overall pretty happy with 2020 running wise, albeit cautious I cant really rubber stamp any PB's until running in a race. 5k time down to 18:36 and 10k to 38:51 which is pleasing. I still am yet to run sub 90mins for the 1/2 which is something I really want to do - tempted to give it a go at the weekend however might need to get some help drinks wise from someone along the route. Have moved back to London now and forgot how annoying stopping at traffic lights and dodging people are - got too used to running along the Forest/Worth way and having the freedom of the whole track. I'd also like to try a 1mile effort, there's a few tracks near me so maybe i'll see if they have an open session.
 




knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
13,106
As we reach the halfway mark of the year tomorrow how is everyone feeling about 2020 so far from a running perspective? Yes, it’s been a shit year but have people taken the opportunity to run further or quicker then ever before? Or for the old gits improve their age grading?


Highlight of the year undoubtedly my pb at Half Marathon in the most appalling conditions with 40 mph winds.

Only one Park Run but set a course pb at Preston Park 18:36 in January.

After March I’ve gone from an average of 26 miles to 43, hitting 976 year to date and I feel in decent form.

1 mile, 3k & 5k pb all secured at the Velodrome.

Good energy going on there. I've come to the conclusion I don't really like putting in the miles for running. 423 miles for the year puts me on par for a normal Knocky year with benefits of winter endurance training now running out. Only 30 miles in last 5 weeks. Have pipped my 5k AG with a virtual 77.23%. Ran a nice mile last month at 77.74%. Now lack of training so 85% of potential at moment and dropping fast.

No running target but happily doing other stuff.

Worst run of the year happened at 9am this morning. Running along Church Road, in civvies to the recycling opposite Mulhollands Off Licence, My non grip shoes skidded. I fell on my knee, rolled head over heels and the three empty wine bottles in my rucksack all smashed. Ego bruised but luckily no physical damage.
 


Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
16,021
As we reach the halfway mark of the year tomorrow how is everyone feeling about 2020 so far from a running perspective? Yes, it’s been a shit year but have people taken the opportunity to run further or quicker then ever before? Or for the old gits improve their age grading?

With races stopping in March I have missed Park Runs and other events, especially the Marathon as my training was going very well.

I’m resigned to it not happening in September so it looks like 2021 before I get a chance to run another one.

Highlight of the year undoubtedly my pb at Half Marathon in the most appalling conditions with 40 mph winds.

Only one Park Run but set a course pb at Preston Park 18:36 in January.

After March I’ve gone from an average of 26 miles to 43, hitting 976 year to date and I feel in decent form.

1 mile, 3k & 5k pb all secured at the Velodrome.

Would now like to have a crack at 10k, 10 miles and perhaps half marathon but the longer the distance the harder to run quickly outside of a race environment I’m finding.

As for the rest of the year I’d settle for one Park Run and a chance to run the Mince Pie 10. It’s quite conceivable there may not be any events at all for the rest of the year but I really hope not.

It's been a strange old year, running-wise, for me. In January and February I failed to hit 15 miles, but then something clicked back into place and I upped it in March, ran my garden marathon in April and have recorded highest ever monthly totals in May and June (178.7 and 187.2 respectively). All of that leaves me with 589 for the year and a decent shot and bringing up my average by the end of the year to north of 100 miles a month. This morning's run was a corker – I didn't realise it at the time, but checking Strava when I got home there were PBs all over the place, including up Beeding Hill, part of which I walked! I've covered it 43 times apparently, today was the fastest since the first time I recorded in on Strava in March 2016!

Missing parkrun massively and hope to be back whenever it restarts. Really wanted to do Weakest Link again, too.

Didn't have any races booked and have – so far – resisted any virtual events. Although Chestnut Tree House 10k is coming up.

The weight I've lost since Easter has made a difference to my fitness and I'm looking forward to going longer distances (exploring more of the SDW now I know where I'm going) and then hoping to bring my 5k times down again.
 


Artie Fufkin

like to run
Mar 30, 2008
683
out running
Good energy going on there. I've come to the conclusion I don't really like putting in the miles for running. 423 miles for the year puts me on par for a normal Knocky year with benefits of winter endurance training now running out. Only 30 miles in last 5 weeks. Have pipped my 5k AG with a virtual 77.23%. Ran a nice mile last month at 77.74%. Now lack of training so 85% of potential at moment and dropping fast.

No running target but happily doing other stuff.

Worst run of the year happened at 9am this morning. Running along Church Road, in civvies to the recycling opposite Mulhollands Off Licence, My non grip shoes skidded. I fell on my knee, rolled head over heels and the three empty wine bottles in my rucksack all smashed. Ego bruised but luckily no physical damage.

Ouch! Sorry to hear that Gaffer. Sounds really nasty, particularly as you were carrying glass. Glad you came through the fall with no major damage.
 




Artie Fufkin

like to run
Mar 30, 2008
683
out running
Brilliant to read everyone getting in some fantastic running during lockdown. :thumbsup:

I've tried to make the most of a bad situation in the wider world by getting my head down and really focusing on building my aerobic base during lockdown with consistent frequency, an increase in volume and higher weekly mileage. After running every day in April (304 miles) and May (341 miles) I've closed out June with a run every day and 343 miles in the month, feeling great consistently running 80 miles a week for the last 5 weeks and hitting 1,692 miles for the year so far. I think the gradual increase in consistent weekly volume is bringing about a jump in improvements.

Although London in Oct. is very much in doubt I've started my marathon training programme and will start to incorporate some specific workouts (tempos, intervals, long runs) and see what the decision is at the end of July.

I think my two highlights this year so far have been running a half marathon PB of 1:15:58 at the London Big Half back in early March and thankfully staying injury free since last summer (stupid parent's school football tournament :censored:)

I'm missing parkruns and lunchtime running with the guys and girls at work but doing all I can to be ready to race when we can.
 


Clive Walker

Stand Or Fall
Jul 5, 2011
3,588
Brighton
Lockdown Update

88 RUNS

846 KM.

Ave 5.09 pkm

Still relatively injury free and still enjoying it. Treating myself to a nice new pair of trainers was a nice boost halfway through June.
 


Garry Nelson's teacher

Well-known member
May 11, 2015
5,257
Bloody Worthing!
Been a bit of a naff 2020 for running. Went into it with some optimism having reached a new age category. Then knocked sideways for a few weeks with a bug. Got in a few parkruns before lockdown and peaked at 22.15 (75.47%). This lifted me into the unknown territory of the top 200 for my age group; a pleasant surprise. After which it was a matter of doing what I could whilst minding my knee until......the NSC challenges came along with 3 half decent efforts, including the wind assisted 5k.Trying to fit in 2 runs a week but my times are dropping like the proverbial stone (23.30).
Mustn't grumble. Rowing has helped the knee injury, although the Achilles is a bit sore. Well done to all who are flourishing in lockdown.
 




Garry Nelson's teacher

Well-known member
May 11, 2015
5,257
Bloody Worthing!
Good energy going on there. I've come to the conclusion I don't really like putting in the miles for running. 423 miles for the year puts me on par for a normal Knocky year with benefits of winter endurance training now running out. Only 30 miles in last 5 weeks. Have pipped my 5k AG with a virtual 77.23%. Ran a nice mile last month at 77.74%. Now lack of training so 85% of potential at moment and dropping fast.

No running target but happily doing other stuff.

Worst run of the year happened at 9am this morning. Running along Church Road, in civvies to the recycling opposite Mulhollands Off Licence, My non grip shoes skidded. I fell on my knee, rolled head over heels and the three empty wine bottles in my rucksack all smashed. Ego bruised but luckily no physical damage.

Bloody hell, mate. There's a moral in this somewhere, but I can't quite discern what it might be. Seriously, it sounds bloody horrible.
 




Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Jul 23, 2003
37,334
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Evening all

A short update from me. Basically still coughing and not running at all.

I thought I had a new weapon in my fight but it seems to be 50/50 now. Seeing the gaffer had posted last on here reminded me as I think it is also one of his techniques.

I am mixing 2TBS of apple cider vinegar with 1TBS of the Topless Tory's honey into a large tumbler of water and drinking twice a day, as I googled it thins the mucus and acts as a natural cough remedy. For two days solid of this treatment I stopped coughing almost altogether and thought that it was a miracle cure that would have me pounding the streets by the weekend. Today - and sorry for this - I am having a large clearout. Is this expected mucus thinning behaviour? Should the apple cider vinegar be carried on ad infenitum or does it have a time limit? [MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION]
 


dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
55,504
Burgess Hill
Evening all

A short update from me. Basically still coughing and not running at all.

I thought I had a new weapon in my fight but it seems to be 50/50 now. Seeing the gaffer had posted last on here reminded me as I think it is also one of his techniques.

I am mixing 2TBS of apple cider vinegar with 1TBS of the Topless Tory's honey into a large tumbler of water and drinking twice a day, as I googled it thins the mucus and acts as a natural cough remedy. For two days solid of this treatment I stopped coughing almost altogether and thought that it was a miracle cure that would have me pounding the streets by the weekend. Today - and sorry for this - I am having a large clearout. Is this expected mucus thinning behaviour? Should the apple cider vinegar be carried on ad infenitum or does it have a time limit? [MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION]

I thought ACV was the cure for everything. I take it in capsule form (which probably isn't overly helpful for a cough)
 




knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
13,106
Evening all

A short update from me. Basically still coughing and not running at all.

I thought I had a new weapon in my fight but it seems to be 50/50 now. Seeing the gaffer had posted last on here reminded me as I think it is also one of his techniques.

I am mixing 2TBS of apple cider vinegar with 1TBS of the Topless Tory's honey into a large tumbler of water and drinking twice a day, as I googled it thins the mucus and acts as a natural cough remedy. For two days solid of this treatment I stopped coughing almost altogether and thought that it was a miracle cure that would have me pounding the streets by the weekend. Today - and sorry for this - I am having a large clearout. Is this expected mucus thinning behaviour? Should the apple cider vinegar be carried on ad infenitum or does it have a time limit? [MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION]

The topless Tory. ��
Hope it works. ACV does seem to have many benefits. I make my own from allotment apples for salad dressings for taste, drink it for health, rub it on my bald head to treat solar keratosis and I am probably the biggest sick note on here.......

I thought ACV was the cure for everything. I take it in capsule form (which probably isn't overly helpful for a cough)

Capsule wimp.
I used it on my farmer Gile back in February and it completely excruciatingly got rid of an excruciating extrusion within 10 days.
 


big nuts

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
4,877
Hove
Any experiences out there with a tight or painful Achilles? I’ve been reading up on it so I’ve been icing, massaging and stretching my calf’s. Is there anything else I can do?

No sooner have I seemingly got over tight glutes another area of my body starts to break down!
 


Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here