Official Running Thread

[Pembury]

No ! All part of the Beachy experience. I usually spend at least 15 mins at Littlington

Haha races are just buffets doted around the countryside! Yeah i found out unfortunately after the sdw50 last year that eating too much during pit stops causes all sorts of problems later on.. so im testing all kinds of different food, mainly fruit, dates, etc during/the latter stages of a race.. Be interesting to hear other people's fuelling tips..

 

[dazzer6666]

Haha races are just buffets doted around the countryside! Yeah i found out unfortunately after the sdw50 last year that eating too much during pit stops causes all sorts of problems later on.. so im testing all kinds of different food, mainly fruit, dates, etc during/the latter stages of a race.. Be interesting to hear other people's fuelling tips..

Interesting - I love long slow runs but have buggered up nutrition many times. I am currently experimenting with all sorts. My current favourite is stage 2 toddler food - Ella's Kitchen. Handy foil sachets, resealable, easily digested, organic and highly nutritious. Actually tastes OK too. I have a 'proper' ultra coach and he usually recommends taking in 100-150 calories every 45 mins or so, with a good mix of protein, fat and carbs. I haven't used a gel for about 3 years. I think little and often, starting early, is the secret. I'm doing the SDW 50 & 100 this year hopefully.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Interesting - I love long slow runs but have buggered up nutrition many times. I am currently experimenting with all sorts. My current favourite is stage 2 toddler food - Ella's Kitchen. Handy foil sachets, resealable, easily digested, organic and highly nutritious. Actually tastes OK too. I have a 'proper' ultra coach and he usually recommends taking in 100-150 calories every 45 mins or so, with a good mix of protein, fat and carbs. I haven't used a gel for about 3 years. I think little and often, starting early, is the secret. I'm doing the SDW 50 & 100 this year hopefully.

Do you mean the ella's fruit? The main meals are not very calorie dense (90 calories per sachets) with quite a lot of veg etc to bulk out that I think I'd find more difficult to digest.

When I was cycling for 5-6 hours I certainly found little and often, starting early was definitely best. Anything over 4 hours was difficult to do on just energy drinks and gels - something more substantial helped even out the carb supply.

 

[dazzer6666]

Do you mean the ella's fruit? The main meals are not very calorie dense (90 calories per sachets) with quite a lot of veg etc to bulk out that I think I'd find more difficult to digest.

When I was cycling for 5-6 hours I certainly found little and often, starting early was definitely best. Anything over 4 hours was difficult to do on just energy drinks and gels - something more substantial helped even out the carb supply.

No - been trying allsorts, some taste better than others but I find them all really easily digestible. I like the stuff served up at ultras but some of it takes some getting down (things like mini eggs, sandwiches etc are typical). A lot of the Ellas packets are 120-140kcal with a good carb/protein mix which is about right - most of the gels are way less than that, and they are all high GI so I think you just get a quick sugar rush and then a crash. Longer distance stuff (assume cycling is the same) is lower intensity so more fat-burning than carb burning so for me it's just a question of topping up (got plenty of fat reserves !!). I also eat cheese (babybels are great), salted nuts (helps with electrolyte balance), wraps with peanut butter etc and will happily grab things like crisps and pretzels at the stations. Think it's all about experimenting really - did London to Brighton last year and had pasta and meatballs at half way and dry-heaved for the next 5 hours :-( Live and learn......Definitely agree on starting early too

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

No - been trying allsorts, some taste better than others but I find them all really easily digestible. I like the stuff served up at ultras but some of it takes some getting down (things like mini eggs, sandwiches etc are typical). A lot of the Ellas packets are 120-140kcal with a good carb/protein mix which is about right - most of the gels are way less than that, and they are all high GI so I think you just get a quick sugar rush and then a crash. Longer distance stuff (assume cycling is the same) is lower intensity so more fat-burning than carb burning so for me it's just a question of topping up (got plenty of fat reserves !!). I also eat cheese (babybels are great), salted nuts (helps with electrolyte balance), wraps with peanut butter etc and will happily grab things like crisps and pretzels at the stations. Think it's all about experimenting really - did London to Brighton last year and had pasta and meatballs at half way and dry-heaved for the next 5 hours :-( Live and learn......Definitely agree on starting early too

Fair enough. I think it's about taking in whatever you can keep down!

Although you actually don't need fat for energy as, no matter how thin you are, you will never run out of reserves.

 

[dazzer6666]

Fair enough. I think it's about taking in whatever you can keep down!

Although you actually don't need fat for energy as, no matter how thin you are, you will never run out of reserves.

Indeed - I could run for years with mine

 

[Mr Banana]

Did 7 x 800m runs on Thursday (some with The History Man). Did them all in about 2:50, with two-minute recoveries in between. So 5.6k in about 19:50. I feel like this might be the way to improve a 5k time (probably the wrong focus with the marathon coming up, but I can't be bothered running for hours on end yet). Gonna try and replicate it on the treadmill by running at 16kph for three minutes at a time.

I really am dull.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Did 7 x 800m runs on Thursday (some with The History Man). Did them all in about 2:50, with two-minute recoveries in between. So 5.6k in about 19:50. I feel like this might be the way to improve a 5k time (probably the wrong focus with the marathon coming up, but I can't be bothered running for hours on end yet). Gonna try and replicate it on the treadmill by running at 16kph for three minutes at a time.

I really am dull.

Not at all dull, that is a good training routine and a good time to be doing the runs in. I wasn't able to get out and my kilometer reps this week, I generally do 5 reps and aim to get them all under 3:50, but am yet to succeed! They're all under 4 minutes, but usually just north of 3:50.

I ran my debut Preston Park Parkrun for 2015 this morning and hit a disappointing 20:45 - in context it's not bad, I had to start from the back because I showed up at 9am on the nose, and my right foot has been acting up all week after my 13.5mile run last sunday. I've only run once since that long slog, a quick 20 minute recovery yesterday lunchtime, so I can't be too disappointed I suppose, but wanted a top 20 finish at the very least! I came in 29th, which is my worst performance for some time.

 

[dazzer6666]

Not at all dull, that is a good training routine and a good time to be doing the runs in. I wasn't able to get out and my kilometer reps this week, I generally do 5 reps and aim to get them all under 3:50, but am yet to succeed! They're all under 4 minutes, but usually just north of 3:50.

I ran my debut Preston Park Parkrun for 2015 this morning and hit a disappointing 20:45 - in context it's not bad, I had to start from the back because I showed up at 9am on the nose, and my right foot has been acting up all week after my 13.5mile run last sunday. I've only run once since that long slog, a quick 20 minute recovery yesterday lunchtime, so I can't be too disappointed I suppose, but wanted a top 20 finish at the very least! I came in 29th, which is my worst performance for some time.

Some of us would be over the moon with that sort of time.........

Agree it's not dull. My coach has got me doing long intervals (anything from a few hundred metres up to 2 miles, with 1 mile recoveries), fartlek (3 min hard, 2 min easy for an hour for example), hill repeats (sometimes hammering down and recovering up - good for conditioning apparently), progression runs (hate these - basically each mile quicker than the previous one with no recovery at all, through to last mile being 'all out' anaerobic) and very slow long runs. First time I have ever trained where every session has a specific purpose.

 

[ForestRowSeagull]

16 miles in 2:01:30 just now. Last 2 went over 8min/mil which was a little frustrating but i think I chilled a bit when I saw the 2 hour target go by. Nice to rack up the miles though. Went up to 16 as I'm doing Blackpool next weekend and it's end of exams so will probably have a weekend off. Hope everyone else's running weekends were good

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Some of us would be over the moon with that sort of time.........

Agree it's not dull. My coach has got me doing long intervals (anything from a few hundred metres up to 2 miles, with 1 mile recoveries), fartlek (3 min hard, 2 min easy for an hour for example), hill repeats (sometimes hammering down and recovering up - good for conditioning apparently), progression runs (hate these - basically each mile quicker than the previous one with no recovery at all, through to last mile being 'all out' anaerobic) and very slow long runs. First time I have ever trained where every session has a specific purpose.

I'm further down my road than others, this time last year I would just about back myself to finish a 5km run in 30 minutes!

That sounds very intense, how many sessions are you doing a week?

 

[Mr Banana]

fartlek (3 min hard, 2 min easy for an hour for example)

Interesting, that's basically what I did on Thursday. Just did it again on a treadmill, 16kph for the hard sessions. Only did it for 35 minutes (7 runs) and felt pretty cacked, fair play for doing it for an hour!

And Ninja, 20:45 is not a bad time at all starting from the back with an injury.

 

[big nuts]

16 miles in 2:01:30 just now. Last 2 went over 8min/mil which was a little frustrating but i think I chilled a bit when I saw the 2 hour target go by. Nice to rack up the miles though. Went up to 16 as I'm doing Blackpool next weekend and it's end of exams so will probably have a weekend off. Hope everyone else's running weekends were good

Impressive I've set myself the target of 16 miles sub 2 hours. I've averaged 7:30 minute miles for 8 & 12 will attempt 14 tomorrow and 16 within the next two weeks.

What kind of pacing did you start with?

 

[dazzer6666]

Interesting, that's basically what I did on Thursday. Just did it again on a treadmill, 16kph for the hard sessions. Only did it for 35 minutes (7 runs) and felt pretty cacked, fair play for doing it for an hour!

And Ninja, 20:45 is not a bad time at all starting from the back with an injury.

Pretty impressive anyway - always a factor of pace vs time though isn't it - using say 15kph and 10kph would have allowed you to carry on longer obviously

I am slower than that but have 5 training zones I am supposed to work within, something like
1 - 50/100 mile pace > 10 min miles
2 - easy/recovery run 8.30-10 min miles
3 - tempo - 7.45-8.30 min miles
4 - threshold 7.00-7.45 min miles (up to 3 miles)
5 - all out/anaerobic (up to 1 mile)

If I train well these should improve over time, but I am fighting age and a red wine habit typical fartlek would use 2 & 4

 

[ForestRowSeagull]

Looking back at the splits it was around the 7:20 mark until 11 miles then dropped to 7:40 ish then last two were quite a bit slower. Had never run further than 13 and also my water bottle which I'd stashed on a bench @8 miles was missing! Would have benefited from a couple of swigs on the way round, was really dry at the end. Sub 2 hours would be a real feat!

 

[ForestRowSeagull]

Impressive I've set myself the target of 16 miles sub 2 hours. I've averaged 7:30 minute miles for 8 & 12 will attempt 14 tomorrow and 16 within the next two weeks.

What kind of pacing did you start with?

Sorry was meant to quote you In my last post.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Just to slow things down a bit, I've just been for a 14.6-mile plod to Brighton and back in 2.12.

Started slightly later than my usual time for a Sunday run and was amazed to see how many more runners are out along by Hove Lawns and Lagoon at that time.

Only meant to go out for 10

 

[big nuts]

Just got back from running a prep half marathon 4 weeks prior to the Brighton Half. Smashed my pb by over 5 minutes and clocked 1 hour 38 minutes 20 seconds so possible sub 1 hour 35 on the day.

Like Mr Bobkin taken aback by the sheer number of runners out today.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Just got back from running a prep half marathon 4 weeks prior to the Brighton Half. Smashed my pb by over 5 minutes and clocked 1 hour 38 minutes 20 seconds so possible sub 1 hour 35 on the day.

Like Mr Bobkin taken aback by the sheer number of runners out today.

I did an 8 miler over the Xmas period along the seafront and was pleasantly shocked at the numbers of runners. First time I've been out running in Brighton for 2 years and there was a very clear increase. All good.

And I reckon you will do sub 1:35 on the big day. Go for it!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Just getting back into the swing of running again and just got back from a nice 8 miler in 0 degrees listening to London Calling in my toasty running suit. Very enjoyable.