Official Running Thread

[knocky1]

Surely it is natural for pace to drop going uphill [MENTION=67]Curious Orange[/MENTION].

If you have a heart rate monitor, you could try and keep your heart rate constant during this run. To keep heart rate the same uphill you would have to go slower and for downhill you would have to go faster.

 

[nwgull]

So, has anyone got any tips on maintaining pace up hills? My usual 8.6 mile route has about 300 foot of uphill, now while I can happily maintain sub 7 minute miles without much effort on the level or downhill every time I encounter an incline my pace drops away rapidly, and I find it hard to keep even at 7:30 pace.

I tried using my watch to keep an even pace today, keeping the effort on the hills and off the flat and descents, and came in on 1:03:50 averaging 7:21 minute miles.

Section/Mile	Time Taken	Speed (Miles per Hour)
1	0:07:20	8.20
2	0:07:28	8.09
3	0:07:32	7.97
4	0:06:42	8.93
5	0:07:17	8.26
6	0:07:29	8.04
7	0:07:42	7.81
8	0:07:31	7.99
9	0:04:48	8.55

Just keep training on hills to strengthen the glutes. You're always going to be slower uphill though; gravity doesn't give a shit how good you are at running.

 

[Bozza]

So, has anyone got any tips on maintaining pace up hills? My usual 8.6 mile route has about 300 foot of uphill, now while I can happily maintain sub 7 minute miles without much effort on the level or downhill every time I encounter an incline my pace drops away rapidly, and I find it hard to keep even at 7:30 pace.

I tried using my watch to keep an even pace today, keeping the effort on the hills and off the flat and descents, and came in on 1:03:50 averaging 7:21 minute miles.

It's never going to happen unless you're running well below your natural pace when not going uphill such that you can give extra effort uphill to retain that pace.

Strava gives both 'Pace' and 'GAP' (Gradient Adjusted Pace) so my aim is to try and keep my GAP pace relatively consistent as an indication that I'd applied equal effort. In the below 10k, my 6th mile was the slowest in absolute terms, but the GAP time illustrates that, given it was uphill, it was pretty much where it needed to be.

 

[knocky1]

It's never going to happen unless you're running well below your natural pace when not going uphill such that you can give extra effort uphill to retain that pace.

Strava gives both 'Pace' and 'GAP' (Gradient Adjusted Pace) so my aim is to try and keep my GAP pace relatively consistent as an indication that I'd applied equal effort. In the below 10k, my 6th mile was the slowest in absolute terms, but the GAP time illustrates that, given it was uphill, it was pretty much where it needed to be.

View attachment 67109

I have always wondered what GAP was.

Hope you're back running or is it an old run? [MENTION=474]Mr Blobby[/MENTION] thought you might have turned up for the Phoenix 10k last week.

 

[Curious Orange]

Thanks for the input chaps. I should explain that I do expect to be slower up hills, it's just that I think I lose too much pace - for instance I quite frequently get overtaken going up hill on Parkrun by people that I can comfortably go past on the level/descent.

I'm just looking for some advice on how to improve going up... and yes, hill repeats for me later in the week.

 

[Bozza]

Hope you're back running or is it an old run? [MENTION=474]Mr Blobby[/MENTION] thought you might have turned up for the Phoenix 10k last week.

That's an old run.

I did a very gentle 2-miler on Saturday and then a 3-and-a-bit miler today. Today was supposed to be very easy 9:00 miles but I ended up doing 8:20s - faster than I wanted, but it just seemed to be the natural pace my legs wanted to go at.

I can still feel it at the back of my right foot so it's going to be a case of just taking it very slowly and seeing how it goes.

I've been doing quite a mountain bike rides taking on the hills over the Downs instead and enjoying those a lot, so I'll keep using them to break up runs.

No, I wasn't at Phoenix. I'll not be entering any events until I get to a weight I'm happy with and Wednesday nights will always be difficult for me anyway.

 

[knocky1]

Hill repeats it is then.

To run a hill your aim has to be to run hard over the top of it and keep going from there. So mentally you are looking at beating the f*****. Unless it's the love of my life in Hove Park, of course.

 

[big nuts]

Thanks for the input chaps. I should explain that I do expect to be slower up hills, it's just that I think I lose too much pace - for instance I quite frequently get overtaken going up hill on Parkrun by people that I can comfortably go past on the level/descent.

I'm just looking for some advice on how to improve going up... and yes, hill repeats for me later in the week.

I read a book that advises, quick feet keep your cadence high. Running up a hill should be like cycling you change into a lower gear i.e short strides quickly. I tend to overtake up hills and quite enjoy running them. In prep for the mince pie 10 last year I ran a lot of hills and it really helped me bring all types of times down.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I'll be back on the hills on Thursday or "the route where that dog got bitten by an adder" as [MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION] helped me rename it

Up first thing tomorrow for a straight forward 6k recovery run as my thighs are still a little tight from Sunday's jog.

Anyone got any good core strengthening tips? The last of my spare tyre needs deflating and my back can ache after long runs. I've been planking but are sit ups any good?

 

[big nuts]

I'll be back on the hills on Thursday or "the route where that dog got bitten by an adder" as [MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION] helped me rename it

Up first thing tomorrow for a straight forward 6k recovery run as my thighs are still a little tight from Sunday's jog.

Anyone got any good core strengthening tips? The last of my spare tyre needs deflating and my back can ache after long runs. I've been planking but are sit ups any good?

The trio of sit ups, push up' sand plank's are a good base. Also just lifting both legs a few inches of the ground and holding gives a tight squeeze around the gut muscles.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I've downloaded an app called "10 daily exercises", I want to improve my core strength as it will definitely help with the running. The 10 exercises the app has me doing are; leg up crunches, jumping jacks, plank with leg lifts, squats, lunges, cyclies, crunches, push ups, tricep dips, high knees.

I lob in a 90 second plank as well, but there's another app just for core work - I should aternate really.

With regards to hills, every run I do I'll lob in a few climbs, it really helps and you feel it a lot when you're running on the flat - it's just a lot easier.

 

[Mr Blobby]

I have always wondered what GAP was.

Hope you're back running or is it an old run? [MENTION=474]Mr Blobby[/MENTION] thought you might have turned up for the Phoenix 10k last week.

ermmm I did! I was with Guinness Boy! Did it in 55.10!

 

[Mr Blobby]

Did some of the Forest Way with the West Hoathly running club this evening. Lovely route and a nice cool drizzle for the last 3 miles
Distance 6.9mi
Moving Time 1:06:55
Pace 9:37/mi
Elevation 182ft Calories1,231
https://www.strava.com/activities/350324988

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Ninja's 90 second 'plank' is pathetic: I've been one for the best part of 60 years!

 

[poidy]

Had one of those special runs last night.

You know, where everything just clicks into place. Effortless mileage, legs feeling like they could have carried on forever, calm controlled breathing throughout.

Why can't they all be like this, or at least a little bit more often?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Had one of those special runs last night.

You know, where everything just clicks into place. Effortless mileage, legs feeling like they could have carried on forever, calm controlled breathing throughout.

Why can't they all be like this, or at least a little bit more often?

I had one of those on Sunday. Then promptly spent the rest of the day boarding a loft and shifting stuff around in the garden, so I was aching yesterday. Eased back into it just now with five miles at 9'00 pace. Lovely.

 

[Guinness Boy]

6k recovery run done though I started out way too slowly and hit on the idea of attempting negative splits when a k and a bit in. Not quite achieved but a pleasing consistency in the end splits considering my legs have been fairly achy since the Phoenix.

 

[knocky1]

ermmm I did! I was with Guinness Boy! Did it in 55.10!

Ha Ha. I know you did. I meant [MENTION=474]Mr Blobby[/MENTION] thought Bozza might have entered.

 

[Stat Brother]

Top cyclists can do it in just over 4 minutes, not quite sure what a good runner could do it in. I'm pretty shit at both, but on this one just doing it is a little achievement.

Steyning Bostal is Strava measured at 0.9 miles long, with an elevation of 407ft.
Of the 10 geeks that have ridden it:-

The quickest is 6:11
The slowest is 8:06
(I couldn't be much more in the middle if I tried)

 

[big nuts]

After six days rest from the Phoenix I went out at 8am this morning. Without a doubt the hottest morning I've run so went for a loop around Hove to Shoreham and back. 7.25 miles at an average pace of 7.14.

Looking to do a park run this Saturday, will weigh up the weather before deciding which one.