Any Runners On Here??

[Regular.Cyclist]

I’m due to start my next training block for Chicago marathon soon and am hoping that the same GFA time that got me into Chicago will also be good enough for Boston.

Plan B is Sparkasse marathon that takes in three countries. Starting in Germany, you run through Austria into Switzerland before returning to Austria where is finishes. Anyone done that one that can give an insight into the logistics of starting and ending in different countries and where is best to stay?

 

[Legs]

Slowest parkrun of the year: 18:46. Legs felt a bit lethargic still from the Uttoxeter Half. Went out a bit too fast and died halfway. 😬

 

[Legs]

Beautiful sunny evening last night, and my wife and kids are away, so I drove up to Ashbourne after work to run on the Tissington Trail, with a vague notion of doing 15-20 miles. I've not run more than a HM since last summer, and only ran 13.1mi once in preparation for the Uttoxeter Half, so this would be a Big Run. I had a banana and a gulp of water before I started, and set off with another nana and a small screwtop bottle of water in my hands - not really as much as I'd have wanted.

Started quite steady. The trail is mostly very gentle uphill north of Ashbourne. I was just inside 8:00/mi and ticking along comfortably. 7, 8, 9, 10 miles came and went. By the time I got to Hartington, I was pretty much committed to running a marathon. I turned at 13.15 miles (for the Strava tax), just under 1:44, and was still feeling pretty good - even, better - as the track headed back downhill. My only proper marathon was 3:23 (also on the Tissington Trail, but turning at Parsley Hay and finishing in Cromford), and, although I wasn't going to beat that, I realised I could still beat 3:30. I was clocking 7:45-7:50 miles pretty much to the end. It got a bit grippy around 24 miles, as I tackled the stop/start of winding through gates, and I was starting to feel a recurrence of the blister I'd suffered at the Uttoxeter Half.

There's a short stretch of 1-in-8 on Mapleton Road, just leading back into town. Nearly killed me. Ticked over 26.2 within sight of my car, just inside 3:27.

Legs had seized up a bit by the time I got home, so I had to psych myself up a bit to get out of the car. Quick raid of the fridge and a couple of paracetamol. Getting upstairs, and in and out of the shower, was a bit of a trial. Then sleep!

https://www.strava.com/activities/14624419184

EDIT: I went for a DOMS rehabilitation spin last night for just over an hour. Near the end, I got tempted to smash one of the little hills. Despite the sore legs, I managed 644W for the 1:04 Strava segment (a PB of 667W for a minute).

 

[TLW1]

Nice work legs

Tired legs as at the end of a training block, next weekend is the Pembrokeshire 100 miler - so need to chill a little

 

[Hicky]

Slowest parkrun of the year: 18:46. Legs felt a bit lethargic still from the Uttoxeter Half. Went out a bit too fast and died halfway. 😬

Oh to be that slow
That's still some effort!

 

[Legs]

As part of Jo's training program, she runs a flat-out mile on the fourth week of each cycle. Her times thus far are
2/9/24 7:12
15/10/24 6:48
2/12/24 6:39
27/1/25 6:30
12/3/25 6:20

She's entered the 10k at the Uttoxeter Festival of Running in early May, which I think she's going to absolutely smash 😍

Jo's chip time in the 10k was 48:17, but most agreed that the course was a bit on the long side - more like 10.15km. She was 3rd woman and got a little trophy!

Her flat-out mile on Monday morning was 6:11. She didn't do one in week 4 of the last cycle (in late April) because of a business trip to India. Soon she'll be busting into the 5:xxs!

 

[Legs]

Did the Washlands Relays in Burton-upon-Trent with my club last night. It's a fun event, on a 2.08-mile course, mostly on narrow and quite twisting paths around the Washlands. There's a little amphitheatre outside the library where the start/finish line in, so there's a great atmosphere. I had run it in 2014, 2015 and, because of a last-minute shortage of runners in my club, ran two legs (slowly) in 2018. My best time, from 2015, had been 11:59, so I was quite chuffed to manage 11:46 (5:39/mi) last night, especially since I've done next to no speed work in the last month. Uttoxeter Road Runners' A team came 4th overall in a strong field.

 

[Hicky]

So as I'm now seemingly injury free enough after last years off/crash, I'm getting back out running, my head is ready for it so I can banish some chub.....I'm not sure my right foot is(possible PF).
I've binned the old shoes after a couple of runs as it's clear they've had it and got some Hokas, flip they're light, bouncy and narrow.....first run tonight hopefully in them.
My Ms is still smashing Newtons, does anyone else use them? I tried them in the past and they gave me no end of issues and foot/lower limb injuries having spent 15 years injury free in the forces....or age is causing an issue

 

[Legs]

So as I'm now seemingly injury free enough after last years off/crash, I'm getting back out running, my head is ready for it so I can banish some chub.....I'm not sure my right foot is(possible PF).
I've binned the old shoes after a couple of runs as it's clear they've had it and got some Hokas, flip they're light, bouncy and narrow.....first run tonight hopefully in them.
My Ms is still smashing Newtons, does anyone else use them? I tried them in the past and they gave me no end of issues and foot/lower limb injuries having spent 15 years injury free in the forces....or age is causing an issue

I've always worn Brooks (apart from my Asics trail shoes) - first Vapors, then, when I ran out of those, Ravenna (didn't like them much), and now Adrenaline (and Hyperion race shoes). I'm a slight overpronator.

 

[Legs]

Jo's chip time in the 10k was 48:17, but most agreed that the course was a bit on the long side - more like 10.15km. She was 3rd woman and got a little trophy!

Her flat-out mile on Monday morning was 6:11. She didn't do one in week 4 of the last cycle (in late April) because of a business trip to India. Soon she'll be busting into the 5:xxs!

This morning’s PB for Jo. Next stop is a 20:xx!

 

[Jameshow]

Did 20:46 on a hilly course Keighley but same time as three weeks previously on a flat course so happy with that!

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Too hot for me today so I volunteered at the local parkrun.

 

[Pross]

Any ultra runners on here? I've got my first official one in August (I've done Snowdon Trail Marathon a few years ago which is 27.5 miles so technically an ultra!), a 50 miler with 9000 feet of elevation. I paced a friend on a section of his 100 miler over the weekend with the same organisers so got a good feel for what to expect. I'm a fairly experienced runner having run regularly for the last 10 years. I racked up 1500 miles over each of the last 2 years and have 10 marathons under my belt and have also done some fairly long trail / fell races but this will be a big step up for me so any tips are welcome especially on the less fitness related stuff such as foot care, chafe protection and nutrition (I've just bought Fixing Your Feet).

 

[Animo]

Any ultra runners on here? I've got my first official one in August (I've done Snowdon Trail Marathon a few years ago which is 27.5 miles so technically an ultra!), a 50 miler with 9000 feet of elevation. I paced a friend on a section of his 100 miler over the weekend with the same organisers so got a good feel for what to expect. I'm a fairly experienced runner having run regularly for the last 10 years. I racked up 1500 miles over each of the last 2 years and have 10 marathons under my belt and have also done some fairly long trail / fell races but this will be a big step up for me so any tips are welcome especially on the less fitness related stuff such as foot care, chafe protection and nutrition (I've just bought Fixing Your Feet).

There's no great secret to it - just keep going! Don't be scared to walk when necessary. Start slower than you think you need to.

In my experience when you start doing big miles your feet get so hardened to it that blisters etc aren't too much of an issue.

Find food that works for you. What works after 5 hours may not work after 12 hours. Find energy drinks you like - a bottle with 40g carbs an hour gets you half of what you need. I find after a while I can't get bread down. Little boiled new potatoes with oil, salt and pepper are good. Try loads of different gels to find ones you like.

Ibuprofen can work wonders when your legs start to seize up, but can upset your stomach so be careful.

 

[Pross]

There's no great secret to it - just keep going! Don't be scared to walk when necessary. Start slower than you think you need to.

In my experience when you start doing big miles your feet get so hardened to it that blisters etc aren't too much of an issue.

Find food that works for you. What works after 5 hours may not work after 12 hours. Find energy drinks you like - a bottle with 40g carbs an hour gets you half of what you need. I find after a while I can't get bread down. Little boiled new potatoes with oil, salt and pepper are good. Try loads of different gels to find ones you like.

Ibuprofen can work wonders when your legs start to seize up, but can upset your stomach so be careful.

Thanks. I get fed up with sweet foods after a while despite generally having a sweet tooth. On my only 12 hour TT the tuna sandwich I had after finishing having eaten nothing but sweet stuff all day was like the finest food ever created (although the rice pudding in ice cream cones someone was handing out went down a treat). I never take on enough food or drink in a road marathon which is probably why I can never get much beyond 20 miles before having to walk / run. One of the appeals of doing an ultra is that I know I'll be walking a lot so can eat real food. I've been thinking of doing potatoes roasted in honey with plenty of salt on them and cutting them up and marmite sandwiches cut up small were good on one marathon I did. I've also found I prefer Voom bars to gels if I need a quick sugar burst.