Official Running Thread

[Curious Orange]

Kinel that was hard. Caught out slightly by the brutality of the course - Box Hill (at 25 miles), Reigate Hill and then a monster at 42 miles I wasn't expecting near Oxted. Overall though, decent run out and a lovely day on the North Downs. 51 miles clocked.

https://www.strava.com/activities/984840191/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1494709283

Ha! Box Hill makes St Marthas Hill in Guildford look like a short gentle slope! I grew up in the shadow of the former, and frequently run up the later.

Good effort though, and I hope you enjoyed the views on the way - Newlands Corner is always a favourite of mine.

 

[dazzer6666]

Ha! Box Hill makes St Marthas Hill in Guildford look like a short gentle slope! I grew up in the shadow of the former, and frequently run up the later.

Good effort though, and I hope you enjoyed the views on the way - Newlands Corner is always a favourite of mine.

Indeed - so much so I didn't even mention that St Martha's was part of the route as well !

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Indeed - so much so I didn't even mention that St Martha's was part of the route as well !

A 10+ hour slogathon. Respect! Have a rest day.....................Immense achievement.

 

[knocky1]

Indeed - so much so I didn't even mention that St Martha's was part of the route as well !

With 50 in 10 hours, you must now be considering another attack on a sub 24 hour Centurion! I'm knackered from doubling my distance from 2 miles to 4 miles yesterday.........

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Am 60 years old and just about to start couch to 5k. Although I haven't run for a long long time I was a decent runner in my youth and really used to enjoy it so figured it was worth giving it a bash. Any advice of any description from the experts on here would be most welcome regarding anything from how best to develop, what kit will I need etc. I guess the days of putting on a pair of pumps and footy shorts are long gone!

Also what kind of times can I expect for 5k at my age or is there a wide range depending on general fitness ability etc?

 

[Simgull]

Am 60 years old and just about to start couch to 5k. Although I haven't run for a long long time I was a decent runner in my youth and really used to enjoy it so figured it was worth giving it a bash. Any advice of any description from the experts on here would be most welcome regarding anything from how best to develop, what kit will I need etc. I guess the days of putting on a pair of pumps and footy shorts are long gone!

Also what kind of times can I expect for 5k at my age or is there a wide range depending on general fitness ability etc?

Well done! This thread is a great place to start, you'll get loads of advice and encouragement and several posters here are similar in age so no concerns there.
Shoes are probably the most important piece of kit - go to a proper shop and they will give you lots of advice. I like 'Run' on Blatchington Road (also in Worthing) . I would nt worry too much about anything else for now as you'll be running shorter times and distances.
Are you joining a Couch to 5k group or doing it yourself? Lots of supportive groups around including I think AITC. Do look at Parkrun - loads of support (including most posters here), and you don't have to run 5k - just do one lap of Hove Park for example and build yourself up. Hove Prom Parkrun actively support walk/jog participation.
Finally take it easy , sounds like you have experience, but if you haven't been doing much then the last thing you want to do is set yourself back with an injury early on.

PS I would nt worry about times at this stage, enjoy the running and then take satisfaction in your times improving. There's a whole way of measuring time dependent on age (AGV), so you'll be able to compare your times with those of your youthful self! The are others on here more expert than me on this subject.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Well done! This thread is a great place to start, you'll get loads of advice and encouragement and several posters here are similar in age so no concerns there.
Shoes are probably the most important piece of kit - go to a proper shop and they will give you lots of advice. I like 'Run' on Blatchington Road (also in Worthing) . I would nt worry too much about anything else for now as you'll be running shorter times and distances.
Are you joining a Couch to 5k group or doing it yourself? Lots of supportive groups around including I think AITC. Do look at Parkrun - loads of support (including most posters here), and you don't have to run 5k - just do one lap of Hove Park for example and build yourself up. Hove Prom Parkrun actively support walk/jog participation.
Finally take it easy , sounds like you have experience, but if you haven't been doing much then the last thing you want to do is set yourself back with an injury early on.

PS I would nt worry about times at this stage, enjoy the running and then take satisfaction in your times improving. There's a whole way of measuring time dependent on age (AGV), so you'll be able to compare your times with those of your youthful self! The are others on here more expert than me on this subject.

Thanks for all the advice and in my village there is a running group so may look to join them if it works out for me. I like the park run idea but will need to find something more local to me here as I'm 2 hours away from Hove Park!

Am going to use the NHS app starting next week and will look online for people that are maybe doing same although I ditched Facebook a couple of months back but still use Twitter a lot

Currently I use a treadmill at home twice a week but am limited to a max of about 7km per hour as the ceilings downstairs shake if I go above that! I do a 30min stint so 3.5k twice a week at a fast walking pace. Hopefully that will hold me in good stead when I take to the roads next week and will be sure not to overdo it to avoid injury

 

[knocky1]

Thanks for all the advice and in my village there is a running group so may look to join them if it works out for me. I like the park run idea but will need to find something more local to me here as I'm 2 hours away from Hove Park!

Am going to use the NHS app starting next week and will look online for people that are maybe doing same although I ditched Facebook a couple of months back but still use Twitter a lot

Currently I use a treadmill at home twice a week but am limited to a max of about 7km per hour as the ceilings downstairs shake if I go above that! I do a 30min stint so 3.5k twice a week at a fast walking pace. Hopefully that will hold me in good stead when I take to the roads next week and will be sure not to overdo it to avoid injury

Agree with [MENTION=26634]Simgull[/MENTION]. Blandford Forum has a Parkrun but still some distance from you. Worth visiting for when you are ready for the 5K challenge. Having runners around gives you a little push. I've just had an 8 month break with an arthritis flare up. Coming back into running I walked a Parkrun. Your times look like you'd do around 45" walking which is what I did. You can then throw in some jogs and running week by week until you're ready for running the full 5K.

Time is not important at present the 5K distance is important. Enjoy you're running!

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Thanks for all the advice and in my village there is a running group so may look to join them if it works out for me. I like the park run idea but will need to find something more local to me here as I'm 2 hours away from Hove Park!

Am going to use the NHS app starting next week and will look online for people that are maybe doing same although I ditched Facebook a couple of months back but still use Twitter a lot

Currently I use a treadmill at home twice a week but am limited to a max of about 7km per hour as the ceilings downstairs shake if I go above that! I do a 30min stint so 3.5k twice a week at a fast walking pace. Hopefully that will hold me in good stead when I take to the roads next week and will be sure not to overdo it to avoid injury

Hi Dorset. Asma fellow old git here (62), I totally endorse all the advice and encouragement you are getting from other posters. Indeed one piece of advice from me is that you keep posting because you'll always get a friendly and constructive reception. I can't pass on any additional words of wisdom other than this: if you do get into Parkruns (as many of us have)then 60 is a great age to do so as you will be one of the younger guys in your category and as you improve you can begin taking the scalps of the balding old *******s around you!

 

[Simgull]

Thanks for all the advice and in my village there is a running group so may look to join them if it works out for me. I like the park run idea but will need to find something more local to me here as I'm 2 hours away from Hove Park!

Am going to use the NHS app starting next week and will look online for people that are maybe doing same although I ditched Facebook a couple of months back but still use Twitter a lot

Currently I use a treadmill at home twice a week but am limited to a max of about 7km per hour as the ceilings downstairs shake if I go above that! I do a 30min stint so 3.5k twice a week at a fast walking pace. Hopefully that will hold me in good stead when I take to the roads next week and will be sure not to overdo it to avoid injury

Ah yes - didn't see your location - plenty of beautiful countryside for you to run in although I'd think twice before taking on that hill!

Most running groups are very friendly and welcoming - and joining a club itself adds an incentive to get it there.

Good luck and keep us posted on here,

 

[Simgull]

Nearly 1000 pages of NSC running!

Who's going to take the baton over the line?

 

[timbha]

congratulations on 1,000!

 

[knocky1]

Nearly 1000 pages of NSC running!

Who's going to take the baton over the line?

As the millennium baton carrying egotistical winner you will be sent a free tenner by [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION]. Once you have sent him a tenner.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Agree with [MENTION=26634]Simgull[/MENTION]. Blandford Forum has a Parkrun but still some distance from you. Worth visiting for when you are ready for the 5K challenge. Having runners around gives you a little push. I've just had an 8 month break with an arthritis flare up. Coming back into running I walked a Parkrun. Your times look like you'd do around 45" walking which is what I did. You can then throw in some jogs and running week by week until you're ready for running the full 5K.

Time is not important at present the 5K distance is important. Enjoy you're running!

Blandford will be fine as only about 15 mins away so will have to aim to give that a go

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Ah yes - didn't see your location - plenty of beautiful countryside for you to run in although I'd think twice before taking on that hill!

Most running groups are very friendly and welcoming - and joining a club itself adds an incentive to get it there.

Good luck and keep us posted on here,

That hill is even tougher after a few pints in Ye Old Two Brewers at the bottom

 

[dazzer6666]

Am 60 years old and just about to start couch to 5k. Although I haven't run for a long long time I was a decent runner in my youth and really used to enjoy it so figured it was worth giving it a bash. Any advice of any description from the experts on here would be most welcome regarding anything from how best to develop, what kit will I need etc. I guess the days of putting on a pair of pumps and footy shorts are long gone!

Also what kind of times can I expect for 5k at my age or is there a wide range depending on general fitness ability etc?

Tons of great advice already......not much I can add other than great news and welcome back ! The NHS C25K programme is a brilliant thing to use to get started - should mean you get into safely and gently, and it'll take you very nicely into parkrun 5k territory in no time, which you'll find to be the most inclusive, non-elitist, friendly way of 'racing' out there - everything from 15 minute racing whippets to people in their 80s taking up to an hour, toddlers, people with pushchairs etc. It's a fantastic thing, and free ! If you're into it by then you'll start to move up in distance I expect.....just enjoy it for now, don't worry about times and take it steady.

This thread is one of the best on NSC - tons on here will be able to help with any issues, and it's kn*b-head free unlike a lot of the other stuff on the board

 

[Dorset Seagull]

First run complete so everything to play for now. Thanks for the support guys

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I've been on the NHS couch to 5k programme for the last 8 weeks. I'm tackling my first 5k tomorrow at preston park, any tips for preparation? What would be an ok time for over 40 yr old?

How did it go, Seaford?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

After a few low mileage weeks and a forgotten barcode on Saturday, I got out for a decent run this morning. To Hove Lawns and the aftermath of yesterday and back to SBS – 11 miles at a decent-ish pace. Really going to make an effort to mix it up more, with one eye on putting in a decent showing at the Weakest Link. I've realised that it's a few days after the South Downs marathon that I'm hoping to get to – four days will be enough recovery time, right?

Now for someone to take on the 10,000th post...

 

[BenElton'sBrother]

Excellent. You're in with the non egos then. Possibly running first leg for team B as weakest runner or last leg for team C as strongest runner.

Just one more runner for 3 full teams or 5 more runners for 4 teams.

Nice one! Not tried anything like this before so not sure whether I'm best suited to non egos team B or C?

Is that Joshua Malina in your avatar?!

Just a really old picture of Ben Elton!