Official Running Thread

[Greg Bobkin]

Morning all. Granted this probably won't be of interest to many of you, but a) I went over 100 on the Strava 'Fitness' tracker thing this morning (I thought it only went up to 100 and still don't REALLY know what it's meant to show, but it's gone up 381% over the past 12 months and b) the latest update of what was Nike+ now makes it easier to look at annual figures, so I now have totals going back to 2013!

I'll be poring over the figures later, but I need to crack on with some work and stop procrastinating!

Running-wise, I was all over Shoreham Beach for 9.5 miles this morning, only planned to do about 6.5! Went out when it was pitch black, came back when it was fully light (and into rush hour traffic across Norfolk Bridge...

 

[Artie Fufkin]

Loving these videos from a big national XC meet in Eldoret, Kenya (Eliud Kipchoge's town, not too far from Iten) at the weekend! This is at around 7,000 feet / 2,000 metres above sea level.

Crazy to think everyone you see racing in the videos can comfortably knock out a sub 15 minute 5km or parkrun. Just amazing raw athletic talent.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKuD8NNH6J1/?igshid=5x9xewin5h2m

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Season's best (I know the season isn't very old) 5k of 22.04 today. Didn't do the prom where the wind would have been too much of a factor. I know the age grade war hasn't really started yet, but a 76.72% was a good return.

 

[knocky1]

Season's best (I know the season isn't very old) 5k of 22.04 today. Didn't do the prom where the wind would have been too much of a factor. I know the age grade war hasn't really started yet, but a 76.72% was a good return.

That’s some going.
21:05 now pencilled in for a target for when I’m fitter.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

That’s some going.
21:05 now pencilled in for a target for when I’m fitter.

If I could join you then that would be my 80% AG. We can but dream........................

 

[Normal Rob]

being somewhat new to all this, can someone explain what on earth AG, relative effort etc all are, and how you calculate them. It means zip all to me

 

[knocky1]

being somewhat new to all this, can someone explain what on earth AG, relative effort etc all are, and how you calculate them. It means zip all to me

http://www.howardgrubb.co.uk/athletics/wmalookup06.html

Run a set distance. Put it in the calculator with age and time. Your Age Grade percentage will be calculated.

 

[Normal Rob]

http://www.howardgrubb.co.uk/athletics/wmalookup06.html

Run a set distance. Put it in the calculator with age and time. Your Age Grade percentage will be calculated.

Thank you. Either the numbers i returned were goobledygook or I'm so bad it didn't register. Not to worry, I tend to find these things somewhat off-putting. The only person i'm challenging is myself.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Thank you. Either the numbers i returned were goobledygook or I'm so bad it didn't register. Not to worry, I tend to find these things somewhat off-putting. The only person i'm challenging is myself.

If you post your best/most recent run and state the time it took you and the distance (in whole miles or kms), then a kindly old git will tell you. The idea is that every run can be measured against the world record for that age (i.e. how old you are).. If you equal the world record it will be AG 100% and so on. We've had, to my knowledge, just one NSC runner cross the 80% threshold (which is a very, very high standard) - the legend that is Artie F.

It's a way of equalising performances across ages and great for those of us who see our times fading with age. It's also a useful training tool - if your AG for 10K is 65% but for 5K is 55% then you know you are a relatively good 10k runner (or to put it another way, a weak 5k runner). We tend to use 5K as the benchmark distance because of Parkrun which is over 5k and easily accessible. (Of course most world records come from track events, in optimal conditions, so it's a bit unrealistic to expect 100% whilst flogging up Bevendean Parkrun in a howling gale and 6 inches of mud.)

5K also happens to be the favourite distance of the 2 AG obsessed old gits on this thread. But that's entirely coincidental.

 

[Normal Rob]

If you post your best/most recent run and state the time it took you and the distance (in whole miles or kms), then a kindly old git will tell you. The idea is that every run can be measured against the world record for that age (i.e. how old you are).. If you equal the world record it will be AG 100% and so on. We've had, to my knowledge, just one NSC runner cross the 80% threshold (which is a very, very high standard) - the legend that is Artie F.

It's a way of equalising performances across ages and great for those of us who see our times fading with age. It's also a useful training tool - if your AG for 10K is 65% but for 5K is 55% then you know you are a relatively good 10k runner (or to put it another way, a weak 5k runner). We tend to use 5K as the benchmark distance because of Parkrun which is over 5k and easily accessible. (Of course most world records come from track events, in optimal conditions, so it's a bit unrealistic to expect 100% whilst flogging up Bevendean Parkrun in a howling gale and 6 inches of mud.)

5K also happens to be the favourite distance of the 2 AG obsessed old gits on this thread. But that's entirely coincidental.

That's very kind, however I don't think I'm interested in measuring myself against anyone, let alone the worlds best. Rather than find that motivational, I find it to be quite the opposite. The only person i measure myself against is my occasional running partner, a self confessed terribly slow runner. He leaves me trailing in his wake. The good news about being as crap as me is that I get to spend longer out in the countryside!

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

That's very kind, however I don't think I'm interested in measuring myself against anyone, let alone the worlds best. Rather than find that motivational, I find it to be quite the opposite. The only person i measure myself against is my occasional running partner, a self confessed terribly slow runner. He leaves me trailing in his wake. The good news about being as crap as me is that I get to spend longer out in the countryside!

Brilliant. We are a broad church, not a cult. Happy running!

 

[knocky1]

Season's best (I know the season isn't very old) 5k of 22.04 today. Didn't do the prom where the wind would have been too much of a factor. I know the age grade war hasn't really started yet, but a 76.72% was a good return.

Used your time as motivation for my 3x1mile intervals yesterday. Result was good news, bad news, bad news and good news.

Good news was 7:09, 7:16 and 6:42. Well ahead of expectation after only a month of running. Bit heavy on style as rhythm not there yet.
Bad news that the 6:42 on the third interval is only 69.74% AG.
Bad news after 3 m jog home,feeling great, a hot bath led to my anterior tibial tendon seizing up with a sharp pain radiating down to ankle. Plenty of ice during the match but went to bed fearing a month's rest with tendonitis.
Good news it slowly freed up this morning and the roller, spiky ball and stretch band have worked wonders.

Rest day today and then hope to be ready to continue.

 

[Artie Fufkin]

Used your time as motivation for my 3x1mile intervals yesterday. Result was good news, bad news, bad news and good news.

Good news was 7:09, 7:16 and 6:42. Well ahead of expectation after only a month of running. Bit heavy on style as rhythm not there yet.
Bad news that the 6:42 on the third interval is only 69.74% AG.
Bad news after 3 m jog home,feeling great, a hot bath led to my anterior tibial tendon seizing up with a sharp pain radiating down to ankle. Plenty of ice during the match but went to bed fearing a month's rest with tendonitis.
Good news it slowly freed up this morning and the roller, spiky ball and stretch band have worked wonders.

Rest day today and then hope to be ready to continue.

Nice work Gaffer!

Woke up this morning still on a high from another superb performance and Graham Potter masterclass last night (IMHO we're lucky to have him, but I'll leave that to the other 1,254 related threads) I decided to change it up with some 1km on/off reps at close to threshold effort. Felt good to get a slice of fast work in. I think km reps are great as it allows you time to fully recover before hitting it again. Back to bopping along tomorrow.

 

[knocky1]

Nice work Gaffer!

Woke up this morning still on a high from another superb performance and Graham Potter masterclass last night (IMHO we're lucky to have him, but I'll leave that to the other 1,254 related threads) I decided to change it up with some 1km on/off reps at close to threshold effort. Felt good to get a slice of fast work in. I think km reps are great as it allows you time to fully recover before hitting it again. Back to bopping along tomorrow.

I’d think users on this thread would always have been behind the true gaffer, GP, and not just after our recent results.! We know about months of hard work to achieve our gains (or not).

KM reps very good but I’m going longer for the winter training with 1-2 miles. By May will be dropping down to 800m and 400m reps and then 200m.

Let’s hope Solly recovers from injury as quickly as I have.

 

[Artie Fufkin]

I’d think users on this thread would always have been behind the true gaffer, GP, and not just after our recent results.! We know about months of hard work to achieve our gains (or not).

KM reps very good but I’m going longer for the winter training with 1-2 miles. By May will be dropping down to 800m and 400m reps and then 200m.

Let’s hope Solly recovers from injury as quickly as I have.

Glad to hear things have settled down post yesterday's session Gaffer. Rest well.

1-2 Mile reps are great and a big workout! Particularly with anything under 5 mins recovery per rep. Another relatively simple but good long one I like is 3 x 15mins (or 5km if I'm feeling good) with 5 mins recovery. I really start feeling it on the 3rd rep but always feel good after completing it as it's a big session for me.

My bread and butter reps are usually 6 to 8 x 4 mins (90 secs).

I don't really do any short short reps. As you know I'm uber cautious going into the red so I do lack the top end stuff, but I see those work outs as very much the sprinkles on top of the icing on top of the cake.

Hope Solly recovers soon. One thing that is really noticeable is that we're on a different level in terms of fitness, despite the quick turnaround from game to game. Mightily impressive!

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Used your time as motivation for my 3x1mile intervals yesterday. Result was good news, bad news, bad news and good news.

Good news was 7:09, 7:16 and 6:42. Well ahead of expectation after only a month of running. Bit heavy on style as rhythm not there yet.
Bad news that the 6:42 on the third interval is only 69.74% AG.
Bad news after 3 m jog home,feeling great, a hot bath led to my anterior tibial tendon seizing up with a sharp pain radiating down to ankle. Plenty of ice during the match but went to bed fearing a month's rest with tendonitis.
Good news it slowly freed up this morning and the roller, spiky ball and stretch band have worked wonders.

Rest day today and then hope to be ready to continue.

Pleased to hear you are quickly on the mend. Early days yet for the speedy stuff.

I don't think I can lose on our little challenge: either I'm going to beat you or if you beat me I can claim that I motivated you to do so. TBH I'd prefer the former to the latter! To be even more honest it works the same way for me too.

I managed a 22.26 5k today, No strong wind so a bit disappointed. But a 75.46%. I still look at my times as I would have 4 or 5 years ago. When I get back and feed them into the calculator I cheer up considerably.

 

[knocky1]

Great morning today hearing Emily Proto heavy breathing in my ear’oles.��

I was having a pre dawn stroll during lunch in the Test and she ran up behind me, dressed as Wonder Woman plus head torch doing mile intervals after a run over from Worthing.

Bit different to seeing [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION] on a Saturday morning after a bottle of red.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Great morning today hearing Emily Proto heavy breathing in my ear’oles.��

I was having a pre dawn stroll during lunch in the Test and she ran up behind me, dressed as Wonder Woman plus head torch doing mile intervals after a run over from Worthing.

Bit different to seeing [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION] on a Saturday morning after a bottle of red.

Sounds like you're hallucinating (check those meds)!

22.28 5k for me today.

 

[smeariestbat]

How do you shut up that little voice in your head that says ‘i’m tired’? I’ve started running to try and lose weight, but i cant get more than 2km before my brain tells me i’m tired and need to stop. Now, i know this is bollocks because i’m a rugby ref and will happily run 10-15km in a game with sprints etc and keep up with lads half my age, so fitness isn’t the issue here.

 

[Simgull]

How do you shut up that little voice in your head that says ‘i’m tired’? I’ve started running to try and lose weight, but i cant get more than 2km before my brain tells me i’m tired and need to stop. Now, i know this is bollocks because i’m a rugby ref and will happily run 10-15km in a game with sprints etc and keep up with lads half my age, so fitness isn’t the issue here.

Try thinking about what is your motivation for running and then pitch everything in those terms. In your case if it is about losing weight then you go for a run to lose weight - not for the run itself. It’s a subtle change of thinking - maybe more obvious when training for a marathon day where you might focus on the charitable cause you are raising money for rather than running 26 miles - all helps get out for those long training runs.

A simpler way might be just go running with a friend - amazing how the miles go by when you talk rubbish to someone!