Official Running Thread

[Pembury]

I'm definitely more about quality than quantity these days, although I still aim for 70-80 miles a month. Four sessions: Long run; hills; shorter tempo run and parkrun/speed work. Normally about 25-30 miles a week. It's my own loose training plan, but I'm hoping that it works.

Having said that I did more than I expected this morning on the 'hills' run. Went away from my normal haunts, up the hill from OSR past PACA, and then whatever that ******* road is that runs next to King George VIth towards the bypass in Hangleton. By the time I got to Corals I was up to eight miles, and I was only planning 10! So I made it up to a half, just for the hell of it.

Great run - really enjoyable going somewhere different, and a few decent hills along the way: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1020229336

Bloody cold though.

Nice one.. I see that you ran up to the bypass then down woodland drive..theyre great roads to do some small hill reps on

 

[dazzer6666]

Wow, fantastic. Thank you.

I agree, for boredom alone I need to mix it up as I'm really struggling with that aspect.........as well as the whole fitness issue!
If my "longer" run tomorrow doesn't go well than the panic will well and truly set in!

This kind of thing might be useful.........

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/racing/intermediate-half-marathon-training-schedule/9828-2.html

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Nice one.. I see that you ran up to the bypass then down woodland drive..theyre great roads to do some small hill reps on

Thanks. I'd forgotten how long Woodland Drive is - it just went on, and on, and on. Our bus to the Amex goes up it, but I've not run along it since the BHF Midnight Half Marathon many moons ago. I must be a glutton for punishment, because instead of taking the easy option of running through Hove Park (past knocky1's marshalling point), I opted to head back UP to Waitrose/Coral's. But to be fair, I found that quite a nice hill - not as bad as some of the others, that's for sure.
[MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION] - it's King George VI AVENUE that runs next to the Drive. Path most of the way up, then turns into track near the top.

I signed up for Worthing half last night, and gave a time of 1:45, so hopefully I can find those five/six mins somewhere. Meanwhile, 20th March has become free in the diary, and I'm seriously tempted by Hastings Half but, like [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION], Sunday mornings are normally for kids footy, and it's slightly taking the mickey to keep going off to run...

Anyone else running Worthing? 14th February.

 

[Pembury]

Meanwhile, 20th March has become free in the diary, and I'm seriously tempted by Hastings Half but, like [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION], Sunday mornings are normally for kids footy, and it's slightly taking the mickey to keep going off to run...

Anyone else running Worthing? 14th February.

Did Hastings last year a great little course... First half is all up, second all down and you can just belt it...really enjoyed it.. Got a 1:33 but feel i could of done better as for the first 6 or so miles my foot really hurtdue to no warm up despite being a bitterly could day and no running in tbe prev days..

But yes it does get hard leaving the children with the wife while gallivanting.. Maybe say your popping out for milk...!.

Looks like theres a few nsc runners doing worthing now.. Still tempted.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Did Hastings last year a great little course... First half is all up, second all down and you can just belt it...really enjoyed it.. Got a 1:33 but feel i could of done better as for the first 6 or so miles my foot really hurtdue to no warm up despite being a bitterly could day and no running in tbe prev days..

But yes it does get hard leaving the children with the wife while gallivanting.. Maybe say your popping out for milk...!.

Looks like theres a few nsc runners doing worthing now.. Still tempted.

I've done it three times, and I ABSOLUTELY love it - I've said before on here it's my favourite race. I managed a 1:45 last year – somehow – which was my best HM time for ages, and it's one of the toughest. The crowds are amazing, the course is great, and it's really well run (nice medals too).

Long way to go for milk - I'm not sure I could blag that

 

[Sheebo]

I'm back for advice!
The half marathon training is still not enjoyable and the cold is really causing my breathing a problem.

Quick question, I'm trying 3 "smaller" runs a week and one "bigger" one. On the smaller ones I'm running quite hilly routes which are really tiring me out and almost making me stop. My mentality is that if I train on hills, the relatively flat "longer runs" (brighton seafront) and the half marathon itself should feel "easier compared to the horrendous hills.

Is that completely idiotic or should I be only training on the flat route I will expect on the day and try go further?

Thanks in advance!

If you're doing 4 runs a week you will honestly be well ready. I have only ever done one occasionally two a week. I think my last half I did 2 or 3 10k runs training and did a PB in horrible conditions. I am stupidly slow & really just run for the achievement & a medal btw

Just about to start my training for Brighton half tonight - not ran since start of Nov so tonight's 5k will be hard I'm sure but it's only short

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Wow, fantastic. Thank you.

I agree, for boredom alone I need to mix it up as I'm really struggling with that aspect.........as well as the whole fitness issue!
If my "longer" run tomorrow doesn't go well than the panic will well and truly set in!

Don't panic, whatever you do! It sounds like you've got the right idea with training, but are just going for a run - been there, done that.

Nowadays, my mileage is down, but the quality is up. As I think I put a few posts ago, I have a long run, hills, speedwork/parkrun, and recovery sessions every week. Some sessions are less than 20 mins/just over two miles, but they are intense.

My 'hill' run was longer than normal today - typically it would be between five and eight miles.

Time on your feet is a major factor, hence why the long, show runs are essential - even though a bit boring.

Good luck!

 

[Simgull]

Thanks. I'd forgotten how long Woodland Drive is - it just went on, and on, and on. Our bus to the Amex goes up it, but I've not run along it since the BHF Midnight Half Marathon many moons ago. I must be a glutton for punishment, because instead of taking the easy option of running through Hove Park (past knocky1's marshalling point), I opted to head back UP to Waitrose/Coral's. But to be fair, I found that quite a nice hill - not as bad as some of the others, that's for sure.
[MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION] - it's King George VI AVENUE that runs next to the Drive. Path most of the way up, then turns into track near the top.

I signed up for Worthing half last night, and gave a time of 1:45, so hopefully I can find those five/six mins somewhere. Meanwhile, 20th March has become free in the diary, and I'm seriously tempted by Hastings Half but, like [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION], Sunday mornings are normally for kids footy, and it's slightly taking the mickey to keep going off to run...

Anyone else running Worthing? 14th February.

I'm away for half term so will miss Worthing - am looking for something the week before (7th Feb) HM or equivalent - any suggestions out there?

I've entered Hastings for the first time - heard nothing but good things about this one. Might do Tunbridge Wells- did it last year quite nice except for last mile or two through town next to the traffic.

 

[St Leonards Seagull]

20 miles in 3 hours when aiming for sub 4 is way too quick.........would (rule of thumb) normally aim to be a minute per mile or so down on planned race pace on longest training runs unless specifically targeting speed endurance (and even then only part of the run would be at or faster than marathon pace)

This has got me worried, I know very little about running and training plans etc.
I'm doing Brighton Marathon in April (my first marathon) and my aim is sub 4 hours (my half PB is 1:38 set at Tonbridge last year).
I have put this into a training plan calculator and my long run pace is stated that it should be 8:43 per mile at the moment over 12 miles this week and 16 miles in a couple of weeks, this goes down to 8:22 a mile over 20 miles 4 week prior to the marathon and then tapering.
Is this too quick to train at? I feel comfortable when running at this pace but the farthest I have run so far during this plan is 12 miles.
Should I adjust the times or just see how I feel when some of the longer distances come along?
I hope this makes sense any advice would be appreciated.

 

[big nuts]

20 miles in 3 hours when aiming for sub 4 is way too quick.........would (rule of thumb) normally aim to be a minute per mile or so down on planned race pace on longest training runs unless specifically targeting speed endurance (and even then only part of the run would be at or faster than marathon pace)

My marathon training has always been to run faster than marathon pace so when it comes to the day it feels easy and I can leave something in the tank for the final 10k.

e.g. last year I ran all of my long runs except for the final one in Mexico at c.7:30 pace but on the day I slowed down to 7:45's (this was tough and a few miles were nearer 7:30) but this gave me a cushion for the last 10k to go above 8 minute miles but come out sub 3:30 at an average pace of 7:59.

This year I'm repeating the same trick but this time training pace 7:00 miles meaning I plan to run 7:10-7:15 on marathon day again giving me a cushion to average sub 7:30 (hopefully)

 

[big nuts]

Thanks. I'd forgotten how long Woodland Drive is - it just went on, and on, and on. Our bus to the Amex goes up it, but I've not run along it since the BHF Midnight Half Marathon many moons ago. I must be a glutton for punishment, because instead of taking the easy option of running through Hove Park (past knocky1's marshalling point), I opted to head back UP to Waitrose/Coral's. But to be fair, I found that quite a nice hill - not as bad as some of the others, that's for sure.
[MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION] - it's King George VI AVENUE that runs next to the Drive. Path most of the way up, then turns into track near the top.

I signed up for Worthing half last night, and gave a time of 1:45, so hopefully I can find those five/six mins somewhere. Meanwhile, 20th March has become free in the diary, and I'm seriously tempted by Hastings Half but, like [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION], Sunday mornings are normally for kids footy, and it's slightly taking the mickey to keep going off to run...

Anyone else running Worthing? 14th February.

Yes I'm in now signed up last week. Looks a nice flat course with decent pb opportunities.

 

[big nuts]

This has got me worried, I know very little about running and training plans etc.
I'm doing Brighton Marathon in April (my first marathon) and my aim is sub 4 hours (my half PB is 1:38 set at Tonbridge last year).
I have put this into a training plan calculator and my long run pace is stated that it should be 8:43 per mile at the moment over 12 miles this week and 16 miles in a couple of weeks, this goes down to 8:22 a mile over 20 miles 4 week prior to the marathon and then tapering.
Is this too quick to train at? I feel comfortable when running at this pace but the farthest I have run so far during this plan is 12 miles.
Should I adjust the times or just see how I feel when some of the longer distances come along?
I hope this makes sense any advice would be appreciated.

Didn't see your post as my one below should hopefully give you some confidence. I've never followed a plan but running so far below race pace for long runs seems wrong to me (I'm no expert) I'd rather run these hard to get my body used to the level of exertion required on race day.

 

[dazzer6666]

This has got me worried, I know very little about running and training plans etc.
I'm doing Brighton Marathon in April (my first marathon) and my aim is sub 4 hours (my half PB is 1:38 set at Tonbridge last year).
I have put this into a training plan calculator and my long run pace is stated that it should be 8:43 per mile at the moment over 12 miles this week and 16 miles in a couple of weeks, this goes down to 8:22 a mile over 20 miles 4 week prior to the marathon and then tapering.
Is this too quick to train at? I feel comfortable when running at this pace but the farthest I have run so far during this plan is 12 miles.
Should I adjust the times or just see how I feel when some of the longer distances come along?
I hope this makes sense any advice would be appreciated.

That doesn't sound right to me ? Why would you train over 20 miles at almost 40 seconds faster than your target marathon pace ? Usual logic is 30-60s slower (at that kind of pace - less if you are faster like [MENTION=18183]big nuts[/MENTION]) with some faster shorter runs and segments of longer runs at marathon pace or faster. Don't worry anyway, with a half time of 1.38, sub 4 is comfortably in your grasp.

I'd do some speed endurance work on some of your long runs as they increase.......try doing, say, a 15 miler with the first 5 easy (9 mm max) then speeding up to 8.30s for the last 10 for example.

 

[knocky1]

Thanks. I'd forgotten how long Woodland Drive is - it just went on, and on, and on. Our bus to the Amex goes up it, but I've not run along it since the BHF Midnight Half Marathon many moons ago. I must be a glutton for punishment, because instead of taking the easy option of running through Hove Park (past knocky1's marshalling point), I opted to head back UP to Waitrose/Coral's. But to be fair, I found that quite a nice hill - not as bad as some of the others, that's for sure.
[MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION] - it's King George VI AVENUE that runs next to the Drive. Path most of the way up, then turns into track near the top.

I signed up for Worthing half last night, and gave a time of 1:45, so hopefully I can find those five/six mins somewhere. Meanwhile, 20th March has become free in the diary, and I'm seriously tempted by Hastings Half but, like [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION], Sunday mornings are normally for kids footy, and it's slightly taking the mickey to keep going off to run...

Anyone else running Worthing? 14th February.

OK. Woodland Drive is the one you ran down but up the side of Snakey. What is impressive is that you run it for fun and [MENTION=30744]Pembury[/MENTION] enjoys it for small hill repeats.
I met [MENTION=26634]Simgull[/MENTION]s physio out yesterday. Told her about cracking my rib. She said I haven't. Being a cantankerous, Knocky, bar steward, I started arguing thinking that she wasn't even there when I did it. What would she know. Then I remembered she was a physio and slowly began to listen. Apparently the lower two ribs 'float'. There is no connection to the sternum or rib cage. To crack them would take severe force. Mine were just painfully bruised. Will take losing another argument for the better prognosis. Feels better already now the man pain has been clinically dismissed.

 

[dazzer6666]

This has got me worried, I know very little about running and training plans etc.
I'm doing Brighton Marathon in April (my first marathon) and my aim is sub 4 hours (my half PB is 1:38 set at Tonbridge last year).
I have put this into a training plan calculator and my long run pace is stated that it should be 8:43 per mile at the moment over 12 miles this week and 16 miles in a couple of weeks, this goes down to 8:22 a mile over 20 miles 4 week prior to the marathon and then tapering.
Is this too quick to train at? I feel comfortable when running at this pace but the farthest I have run so far during this plan is 12 miles.
Should I adjust the times or just see how I feel when some of the longer distances come along?
I hope this makes sense any advice would be appreciated.

Here's a typical explanation....

http://www.runnersworld.com/for-beginners-only/why-should-long-runs-be-slower

 

[Greg Bobkin]

OK. Woodland Drive is the one you ran down but up the side of Snakey. What is impressive is that you run it for fun and [MENTION=30744]Pembury[/MENTION] enjoys it for small hill repeats.
I met [MENTION=26634]Simgull[/MENTION]s physio out yesterday. Told her about cracking my rib. She said I haven't. Being a cantankerous, Knocky, bar steward, I started arguing thinking that she wasn't even there when I did it. What would she know. Then I remembered she was a physio and slowly began to listen. Apparently the lower two ribs 'float'. There is no connection to the sternum or rib cage. To crack them would take severe force. Mine were just painfully bruised. Will take losing another argument for the better prognosis. Feels better already now the man pain has been clinically dismissed.

Sorry [MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION], I didn't realise that you'd already clarified the King George names in your answer - didn't mean to be over-pedantic.

Yes, I enjoy it - part of it was going off in a direction at the start, makes you think about the route, and appreciate the challenges a bit more.

Glad to hear the rib is OK - and I laughed at you arguing with the physio about what was wrong! Did we decide on a date for the February parkrun challenge? I feel I might have mucked it up by entering Worthing, as the 13th Feb (the day before) rings a bell.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

So, who wants to sponsor me*








*it was worth a try

Anyway, thanks again for all the advice. I'm definitely going to mix up my "smaller" runs with differing intensity and distances.

The "long run" is tonight which I'm slightly apprehensive about as I have to run away from my car and then hope to get back.....and it'll be freezing on brighton seafront!

 

[Pembury]

The "long run" is tonight which I'm slightly apprehensive about as I have to run away from my car and then hope to get back.....and it'll be freezing on brighton seafront!

Man up and get it done ! Good luck by the way.

 

[Curious Orange]

It is a bit nippy out, so I just warmed myself up with my first hill repeats of the year... followed by a hot bath!

 

[CHAPPERS]

Lovea bit of Woodland Drive me, also Valley Drive is an excellent hill. Nice warm up out of town along London Road, up Valley Drive and back down Dyke Road. Good run that.