Official Running Thread

[knocky1]

Huge congratulations [MENTION=26634]Simgull[/MENTION] for 250. Many years of hard work to earn the shirt. And also to the Beachy Head Heroes - how were the conditions?!

Next saturday is the showdown between [MENTION=18183]big nuts[/MENTION] and I at Peacehaven, and I'll be adding in Hove Park December 14th for an NSC Christmas parkrun! Christmas jumpers all round.

Bit of a disaster (in context) for me at Preston Park this morning, 5:40 in the first mile was unsustainable and I felt like I was dying toward the end. I've had a horrible cold all week, I've really struggled to keep going and binned off work yesterday for the first time in a few years. On the plus side, it'll be out of my system before next saturday's big showdown and I can spend this week getting pumped and ready to do battle.Sub-18 is going to be needed for sure. I clocked 18:30 for the second time there, matching my record. Frustrating collapse in the final mile, and I got passed quite late on so I was off the podium, my first ever 4th place finish.

Not sure [MENTION=18183]big nuts[/MENTION] will leave the sofa on Saturday morning.....

 

[knocky1]

What a brilliant day. Conditions weren't anywhere near as bad as they could have been - a bit slippery and muddy in places, and I did see one person lose it completely and another with blood streaming from his head after a fall. It was pretty windy on the tops, but the sun shone a lot too and the flooding at the cuckmere meanders look absolutely stunning in the light. The biblical deluge later in the afternoon showed how awful it could have been, and I felt for the walkers still out there.

As for me, I was doing sub ten minute miles up to the halfway point, which was somewhat better than I was expecting (having supporters waiting for me in Alfriston definitely helped), then the wind, the steps and my faithfully dodgy knee slowed me down a bit towards Exceat, but I managed to pick it up a bit again on the cliffs - an odd experience, having spent months holding myself back to avoid further injury, to suddenly find that I had to actively ignore what my legs and feet were telling me and plough on through!

I don't think I came across any of the NSC lot, but I was pipped on the final descent by someone wearing a pair of black Donatello's shorts.

Very satisfied with my finish time of 4.34, I guess being my first that also counts as a PB?!

Excellent again but I have been thinking that you [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION] [MENTION=474]Mr Blobby[/MENTION] should run the same route every time we play. Lucky underpants for me and Beachy Head marathon for you lot....

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

Excellent again but I have been thinking that you [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION] [MENTION=474]Mr Blobby[/MENTION] should run the same route every time we play. Lucky underpants for me and Beachy Head marathon for you lot....

And there was me thinking the result was going to put a downer on the day. Brilliant.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Not sure [MENTION=18183]big nuts[/MENTION] will leave the sofa on Saturday morning.....

Maybe it'll be a case of wanting to avoid all mention of the score and get straight back off after the run!
[MENTION=1115]Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms[/MENTION] - that's a better time than I managed in my first Beachy Head, I was just north of 5 hours. It wasn't my favourite event on that day and wasn't a favourite the following year when I ran just north of 4 hours. Lovely views and everything, but that sort of pure endurance event isn't for me at the moment I don't think. Huge respect to you, and our other Beachy Head heroes.

I've been very bored today so I've been mapping out when I could reach 250 parkruns if I don't miss a single week, Christmas Day or New Years Day double bills. I can get to the magical number on 5th March 2022. Annoyingly, Christmas Day 2021 is a Saturday, so we miss out on the special, not to mention the bonus Double Bill the following week! There 54 to play for in 2021, New Years Day is a Friday so on the 2nd of the month, we could all have 3 parkruns under our belts. There are 55 to play for in 2020 and again in 2022. I need to run 7 of the remaining 10 in order to hit 40 for the year, beating 2017's record of 39.

Arguably, I should find a better use of my time.

 

[Guinness Boy]

What a brilliant day. Conditions weren't anywhere near as bad as they could have been - a bit slippery and muddy in places, and I did see one person lose it completely and another with blood streaming from his head after a fall. It was pretty windy on the tops, but the sun shone a lot too and the flooding at the cuckmere meanders look absolutely stunning in the light. The biblical deluge later in the afternoon showed how awful it could have been, and I felt for the walkers still out there.

As for me, I was doing sub ten minute miles up to the halfway point, which was somewhat better than I was expecting (having supporters waiting for me in Alfriston definitely helped), then the wind, the steps and my faithfully dodgy knee slowed me down a bit towards Exceat, but I managed to pick it up a bit again on the cliffs - an odd experience, having spent months holding myself back to avoid further injury, to suddenly find that I had to actively ignore what my legs and feet were telling me and plough on through!

I don't think I came across any of the NSC lot, but I was pipped on the final descent by someone wearing a pair of black Donatello's shorts.

Very satisfied with my finish time of 4.34, I guess being my first that also counts as a PB?!

Brilliant running, well done, you were well ahead of me!

I have to say, though, that Dazzer was spot on about how easy it is to get hooked on trail marathons. I think that's the toughest run I've ever done but also the most I've enjoyed any of my longer races. Finished in 5:10 and found it muddier than the quoted post probably due to being further back and having the decent runners churn it up.

Horrible bits? The steps. God damn the steps. And pretty much all of the Seven Sisters in what, by then was a very fresh breeze indeed (but luckily behind us). Good bits? Everything else. Getting muddy, doing a "proper" marathon, eating chocolate, eating sausage rolls and talking to and helping out loads of other runners. And the views. The views are amazing. Let's just say I won't be binning the trail shoes just now and may well sign back up for next year at early bird rates.

One more thing. I got a lift with my mate who did Brighton Marathon and Phoenix with me (for those who remember) and we left a bit earlier than was necessary to get a decent parking spot. Waiting in the car for first light my mate showed me videos other runners had posted on Youtube of the race and course.

He had found an edited version of the below, which I can't find, and we watched it on his phone. All of a sudden, someone very familiar appeared. Fast forward the below to exactly 11 minutes to see the runners tackling the initial hill. All of them are walking. All except for this absolute LUNATIC who charges the camera and starts jogging.......

 

[Guinness Boy]

Oh - postscript - I beat a Palace fan.

Coming down the hill in to Jevington i saw the "Crystal Palace FC Fun Runners" shirt in front of me and I knew I had to make him my bunny. I charged past him pointing at my shorts but as we went back up the hill, out of the village he ran past me as I walked. This clearly finished him off however as I retook the lead on the flat and didn't set eyes on him again until he emerged in to the school gym looking knackered as I left, fully changed, chomping another Mars Bar.

 

[big nuts]

Huge congratulations [MENTION=26634]Simgull[/MENTION] for 250. Many years of hard work to earn the shirt. And also to the Beachy Head Heroes - how were the conditions?!

Next saturday is the showdown between [MENTION=18183]big nuts[/MENTION] and I at Peacehaven, and I'll be adding in Hove Park December 14th for an NSC Christmas parkrun! Christmas jumpers all round.

Bit of a disaster (in context) for me at Preston Park this morning, 5:40 in the first mile was unsustainable and I felt like I was dying toward the end. I've had a horrible cold all week, I've really struggled to keep going and binned off work yesterday for the first time in a few years. On the plus side, it'll be out of my system before next saturday's big showdown and I can spend this week getting pumped and ready to do battle.Sub-18 is going to be needed for sure. I clocked 18:30 for the second time there, matching my record. Frustrating collapse in the final mile, and I got passed quite late on so I was off the podium, my first ever 4th place finish.

I’m afraid I’ll be running to the Craft Beer pub again Saturday to watch the rugby and drink 6.6% IPA’s at 08:30 in the morning. I thought the final initially was a Sunday so my next park run could be Cape Town the week after.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

What a brilliant day. Conditions weren't anywhere near as bad as they could have been - a bit slippery and muddy in places, and I did see one person lose it completely and another with blood streaming from his head after a fall. It was pretty windy on the tops, but the sun shone a lot too and the flooding at the cuckmere meanders look absolutely stunning in the light. The biblical deluge later in the afternoon showed how awful it could have been, and I felt for the walkers still out there.

As for me, I was doing sub ten minute miles up to the halfway point, which was somewhat better than I was expecting (having supporters waiting for me in Alfriston definitely helped), then the wind, the steps and my faithfully dodgy knee slowed me down a bit towards Exceat, but I managed to pick it up a bit again on the cliffs - an odd experience, having spent months holding myself back to avoid further injury, to suddenly find that I had to actively ignore what my legs and feet were telling me and plough on through!

I don't think I came across any of the NSC lot, but I was pipped on the final descent by someone wearing a pair of black Donatello's shorts.

Very satisfied with my finish time of 4.34, I guess being my first that also counts as a PB?!

That's fantastic - well done. Glad you had such a good day. Beachy is a very special race.

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[Greg Bobkin]

Maybe it'll be a case of wanting to avoid all mention of the score and get straight back off after the run!
[MENTION=1115]Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms[/MENTION] - that's a better time than I managed in my first Beachy Head, I was just north of 5 hours. It wasn't my favourite event on that day and wasn't a favourite the following year when I ran just north of 4 hours. Lovely views and everything, but that sort of pure endurance event isn't for me at the moment I don't think. Huge respect to you, and our other Beachy Head heroes.

I've been very bored today so I've been mapping out when I could reach 250 parkruns if I don't miss a single week, Christmas Day or New Years Day double bills. I can get to the magical number on 5th March 2022. Annoyingly, Christmas Day 2021 is a Saturday, so we miss out on the special, not to mention the bonus Double Bill the following week! There 54 to play for in 2021, New Years Day is a Friday so on the 2nd of the month, we could all have 3 parkruns under our belts. There are 55 to play for in 2020 and again in 2022. I need to run 7 of the remaining 10 in order to hit 40 for the year, beating 2017's record of 39.

Arguably, I should find a better use of my time.

That's planning far too far ahead IMO. A parkrun every single week is a massive ask - and you put yourself under pressure to hit the target. Injuries, cancellations life getting in the way - too many variables.

I was lucky that the date I picked (my 40th was on a Saturday) meant I had about 30-odd weeks spare between the date I decided and the actual date.



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[Ninja Elephant]

I’m afraid I’ll be running to the Craft Beer pub again Saturday to watch the rugby and drink 6.6% IPA’s at 08:30 in the morning. I thought the final initially was a Sunday so my next park run could be Cape Town the week after.

Bugger. Even so, I'll be racing it and going for a sub-18. I felt pretty strong this morning on my 2 hour steady run, so I shall resume targetting the PB set by [MENTION=15605]knocky1[/MENTION] many, many moons ago.

That's planning far too far ahead IMO. A parkrun every single week is a massive ask - and you put yourself under pressure to hit the target. Injuries, cancellations life getting in the way - too many variables.

I was lucky that the date I picked (my 40th was on a Saturday) meant I had about 30-odd weeks spare between the date I decided and the actual date.

I was curious to know when it would be without missing any, but I definitely will miss a load. End of 2022 would be nice, but it's literally years away. I hope you spotted yourself in [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION] post about Beachy Head!

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Brilliant running, well done, you were well ahead of me!

I have to say, though, that Dazzer was spot on about how easy it is to get hooked on trail marathons. I think that's the toughest run I've ever done but also the most I've enjoyed any of my longer races. Finished in 5:10 and found it muddier than the quoted post probably due to being further back and having the decent runners churn it up.

Horrible bits? The steps. God damn the steps. And pretty much all of the Seven Sisters in what, by then was a very fresh breeze indeed (but luckily behind us). Good bits? Everything else. Getting muddy, doing a "proper" marathon, eating chocolate, eating sausage rolls and talking to and helping out loads of other runners. And the views. The views are amazing. Let's just say I won't be binning the trail shoes just now and may well sign back up for next year at early bird rates.

One more thing. I got a lift with my mate who did Brighton Marathon and Phoenix with me (for those who remember) and we left a bit earlier than was necessary to get a decent parking spot. Waiting in the car for first light my mate showed me videos other runners had posted on Youtube of the race and course.

He had found an edited version of the below, which I can't find, and we watched it on his phone. All of a sudden, someone very familiar appeared. Fast forward the below to exactly 11 minutes to see the runners tackling the initial hill. All of them are walking. All except for this absolute LUNATIC who charges the camera and starts jogging.......

A big LUMP of a lunatic, too! I remember wanting to just crack on, so just went for it. I was way down the field too [emoji23][emoji23]

I hate to say we told you so, but... [emoji6] Trail running is awesome and even though I've been doing a load of road stuff recently, it'll always be my favourite marathon surface.

So glad you enjoyed it. Now you'll see why half way is actually when you get to those seven bitches. They'll chew you up and then spit you out down the final hill. It's a hell of a day, an experience to savour.

So anyway, Moyleman 2021 - Team NSC? Fancy it, GB?

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[Guinness Boy]

A big LUMP of a lunatic, too! I remember wanting to just crack on, so just went for it. I was way down the field too [emoji23][emoji23]

I hate to say we told you so, but... [emoji6] Trail running is awesome and even though I've been doing a load of road stuff recently, it'll always be my favourite marathon surface.

So glad you enjoyed it. Now you'll see why half way is actually when you get to those seven bitches. They'll chew you up and then spit you out down the final hill. It's a hell of a day, an experience to savour.

So anyway, Moyleman 2021 - Team NSC? Fancy it, GB?

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I might just do Moyleman in 2021, yes. Certainly going to enter Beachy Head 2020. It was a great day and my legs aren't TOO bad today!

 

[dazzer6666]

Brilliant running, well done, you were well ahead of me!

I have to say, though, that Dazzer was spot on about how easy it is to get hooked on trail marathons. I think that's the toughest run I've ever done but also the most I've enjoyed any of my longer races. Finished in 5:10 and found it muddier than the quoted post probably due to being further back and having the decent runners churn it up.

Horrible bits? The steps. God damn the steps. And pretty much all of the Seven Sisters in what, by then was a very fresh breeze indeed (but luckily behind us). Good bits? Everything else. Getting muddy, doing a "proper" marathon, eating chocolate, eating sausage rolls and talking to and helping out loads of other runners. And the views. The views are amazing. Let's just say I won't be binning the trail shoes just now and may well sign back up for next year at early bird rates.

One more thing. I got a lift with my mate who did Brighton Marathon and Phoenix with me (for those who remember) and we left a bit earlier than was necessary to get a decent parking spot. Waiting in the car for first light my mate showed me videos other runners had posted on Youtube of the race and course.

He had found an edited version of the below, which I can't find, and we watched it on his phone. All of a sudden, someone very familiar appeared. Fast forward the below to exactly 11 minutes to see the runners tackling the initial hill. All of them are walking. All except for this absolute LUNATIC who charges the camera and starts jogging.......

Great stuff......well done. Bloody good job the weather we had at the end of the football didn't come in a few hours earlier though. It was horrible walking back up Falmer Road to Woodingdean after the game.

I did warn you about trail running - its LOADS more fun than road marathons. I bet you'll recover a whole lot quicker too - nowhere near as hard on the joints.

 

[Bozza]

I've had a sore right hip since my pre-rugby run last Saturday, which was my fastest 10 mile ever.

It seemed to have recovered today so I went out a short while ago to give it a seven mile test. Everything felt good and in just running along I set what is apparently my fastest 10km time to date at 48:01. I'm not entirely sure which 6.2 miles within the seven were the fastest though!

Given I had to cross the A27, the A259, get across a zillion other junctions and then weave in and out of what seemed like the whole world out for a Sunday afternoon stroll on Worthing seafront and I wasn't trying to go fast (for me), I'm quite pleased with that.

I guess one advantage of being a fat middle-aged man who is quite late to running, is that improvement is pretty easy to come by!

 

[Bozza]

A post-script to the above - I wasn't sure what my previous fast time was and I couldn't see on Strava anywhere that would list previous records per distance.

A quick bit of Googling revealed this site: https://www.benwebb.net/

You give it Strava permissions, and it then downloads all your runs and you can sort them on any given distance, eg this is me sorting my runs by 10km time fastest -> slowest, so I can now see I took over a minute off my fastest time from 3rd August 2015.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I might just do Moyleman in 2021, yes. Certainly going to enter Beachy Head 2020. It was a great day and my legs aren't TOO bad today!

Good man. I'm definitely doing the same – I missed BH more than I thought this year and I'll probably be the same with Moyleman.

No, you're legs won't be too bad. I seem to remember after that race in the video that I ran a 4/5-miler on the Sunday morning with no problems at all. It was the strangest post-marathon feeling I've ever had because I felt no pain or aching at all.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Great stuff......well done. Bloody good job the weather we had at the end of the football didn't come in a few hours earlier though. It was horrible walking back up Falmer Road to Woodingdean after the game.

I did warn you about trail running - its LOADS more fun than road marathons. I bet you'll recover a whole lot quicker too - nowhere near as hard on the joints.

Good man. I'm definitely doing the same – I missed BH more than I thought this year and I'll probably be the same with Moyleman.

No, you're legs won't be too bad. I seem to remember after that race in the video that I ran a 4/5-miler on the Sunday morning with no problems at all. It was the strangest post-marathon feeling I've ever had because I felt no pain or aching at all.

Thanks chaps. I got up yesterday and did all the jobs round the house the wife had been moaning wouldn't get done because I'd be "too tired". A long bath with Epsom Salts also really helped. I was up and down the stairs a lot - something I couldn't manage at all after my first Brighton Marathon. This morning I do have a touch of DOMS but mainly in my calves. They are really tight because, of course, I didn't stretch them. Everything else is a bit achy but nothing major. I took the day off today and the kids are on half term so I will take them for a swim and walk some widths.

The other thing I will do is properly google the Moyleman!

One last thing - I think I really enjoyed it because there was no time pressure. Except, of course, Strava can also track your "moving time". This was a few seconds over 5 hours. The extra 10 mins on my time was pinch points, roads and aid stations. I was at the 16 mile one for quite a while checking on my mate who had knee problems and properly enjoying my sausage roll. I wouldn't want to change either of those things but there is a little devil on my shoulder whispering "you can go under 5 hours next year". We'll see.

 

[knocky1]

Well done [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION] The problem with the Moyleman is 2020 sold out in 24 hours and we need to keep an eye on how/when to enter 2021.

 

[dazzer6666]

Thanks chaps. I got up yesterday and did all the jobs round the house the wife had been moaning wouldn't get done because I'd be "too tired". A long bath with Epsom Salts also really helped. I was up and down the stairs a lot - something I couldn't manage at all after my first Brighton Marathon. This morning I do have a touch of DOMS but mainly in my calves. They are really tight because, of course, I didn't stretch them. Everything else is a bit achy but nothing major. I took the day off today and the kids are on half term so I will take them for a swim and walk some widths.

The other thing I will do is properly google the Moyleman!

One last thing - I think I really enjoyed it because there was no time pressure. Except, of course, Strava can also track your "moving time". This was a few seconds over 5 hours. The extra 10 mins on my time was pinch points, roads and aid stations. I was at the 16 mile one for quite a while checking on my mate who had knee problems and properly enjoying my sausage roll. I wouldn't want to change either of those things but there is a little devil on my shoulder whispering "you can go under 5 hours next year". We'll see.

It’s a known glitch with strava - change it from a ‘run’ to a ‘race’ and it’ll show the full elapsed time [emoji16][emoji16]

Plenty of other good local trail marathons to consider.......the Sussex Trail Events set, Steyning Stinger (March), Three Forts (May), Farnham Pilgrim (September) etc.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Thanks chaps. I got up yesterday and did all the jobs round the house the wife had been moaning wouldn't get done because I'd be "too tired". A long bath with Epsom Salts also really helped. I was up and down the stairs a lot - something I couldn't manage at all after my first Brighton Marathon. This morning I do have a touch of DOMS but mainly in my calves. They are really tight because, of course, I didn't stretch them. Everything else is a bit achy but nothing major. I took the day off today and the kids are on half term so I will take them for a swim and walk some widths.

The other thing I will do is properly google the Moyleman!

One last thing - I think I really enjoyed it because there was no time pressure. Except, of course, Strava can also track your "moving time". This was a few seconds over 5 hours. The extra 10 mins on my time was pinch points, roads and aid stations. I was at the 16 mile one for quite a while checking on my mate who had knee problems and properly enjoying my sausage roll. I wouldn't want to change either of those things but there is a little devil on my shoulder whispering "you can go under 5 hours next year". We'll see.

Sounds good.

Time goes completely out of the window for me in trail runs. In fact it's probably because I've done them that I'm far less bothered about times on the tarmac too.

Running is meant to be fun. Put time pressures and targets on your head and risk potentially missing them and it does you no good at all.

Welcome to the darker, muddier and friendlier side [emoji23] [emoji106]

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