Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

[Martynt74]

I like mapometer, have used it a few times.

Do you want to export the map to your phone for directions mid run?



Went our yesterday, about 4miles into the run the heavens opened with sleet, hail and snow. I got home and my thighs and stomach were in agony and bright red. Stung like crap in the shower! Limped home after around 7 miles instead of the planned 10. Getting nervous about my marathon next month as after it going well, February was a write off and has set me back quite a bit.

Went out this morning and felt like i was struggling but when i've just looked at Strava i was actually quite quick (for me) and had to stop 3 times to tie my shoelaces. Maybe thats why i was struggling.

 

[daveski]

I use the route planner on Strava.

I went out yesterday to get my long run in and the forecast said around 6pm would be a break in the weather. I headed out and got to about 5 miles before it started sleeting, thought about calling for rescue but made it home having done 9.7 miles, needed to be more like 15-18 for me.

Although I am not doing a marathon I am doing Ashby 20 in a fortnight and I am not confident.

 

[iMacMart]

I like mapometer, have used it a few times.

Do you want to export the map to your phone for directions mid run?



Went our yesterday, about 4miles into the run the heavens opened with sleet, hail and snow. I got home and my thighs and stomach were in agony and bright red. Stung like crap in the shower! Limped home after around 7 miles instead of the planned 10. Getting nervous about my marathon next month as after it going well, February was a write off and has set me back quite a bit.

Went out this morning and felt like i was struggling but when i've just looked at Strava i was actually quite quick (for me) and had to stop 3 times to tie my shoelaces. Maybe thats why i was struggling.

Great, no I know the area just trying to get the distance down

 

[iMacMart]

I use the route planner on Strava.

I went out yesterday to get my long run in and the forecast said around 6pm would be a break in the weather. I headed out and got to about 5 miles before it started sleeting, thought about calling for rescue but made it home having done 9.7 miles, needed to be more like 15-18 for me.

Although I am not doing a marathon I am doing Ashby 20 in a fortnight and I am not confident.

Getting out is better than nowt! I ran through wind, rain & blistering sunshine Saturday ...

 

[Shoeyuk]

I use this one https://gb.mapometer.com/ however the strava route planner is also pretty good

 

[iMacMart]

Just mapped out a run on Strava Route Builder and saved it and shared it with my brother who runs with me, pretty cool

Thanks Gents!

 

[D.P.]

Strava is quite nice because you can connect paths minimizing altitude or following popular running segments, although the latter can miss some nice quite footpaths. Better still is the ability to view the heatmap, so you can get good ideas about what paths connect where, find shortcuts etc.

 

[Martynt74]

This weather is getting annoying. I've still got remnants of this cold and every morning i wake up i can hear it chucking it down and the rain howling. Don't really fancy venturing out in that and making myself more ill.

I've revised my marathon target to 5hrs given i've not done over 10miles since January! At least it should be easy to beat my time!

 

[Ian_Eb]

I'm with you there!

I can't get my head into gear at the moment. You still have some time to go until the day I think? I am considering just doing one or two easy runs a week until after April 21st (End of holiday) and then working to build it up from there. Maybe it wil be less cold and wet then.

 

[Martynt74]

About 3 weeks to go.

Hoping to get out tonight for around 10 miles and then hopefully the same again on Sunday.

My theory now is that if i just aim to do 2 10-12 milers a week then that should be ok and makes more sense than going longer and needed extra recovery time.

 

[D.P.]

About 3 weeks to go.

Hoping to get out tonight for around 10 miles and then hopefully the same again on Sunday.

My theory now is that if i just aim to do 2 10-12 milers a week then that should be ok and makes more sense than going longer and needed extra recovery time.

Weather was really grim here this morning, 2C and absolutely tipping it down. Not looking forward to tomorrow long run. I am normally OK for about 90 minutes like this morning but after than every is just soaking, shirt is rubbing nipples (after rubbing off the medical tape), running tights start chaffing the groin, feet are soaked. But I don't have time this weekend so will have to just go for it. If it is really bad I will do 2 to 3 loops and get changed between them. Normally works OK but it is hard mentally to back out for another 60-90 minutes in cold rain when you have already ran a decent amount.



For your Marathon, I agree that a few 10-12 miles would be better than pushing too far. However, I strongly advice to turn these into run-walk practices and use a run-walk strategy in the marathon. So you can aim for 10 miles of running but add walking intervals maybe every 10-12 minutes so your total distance might be more like 14 miles. If you do this in the race you have a good chance of completing strong and faster than you expect. You need to walk right from the beginning, don;t wait until you are forced to walk. Just make sure the walks are power hikes with decent pace, but long enough so HR goes right down and you feel recovered.

 

[The Darkness]

Yes its unpleasant at the moment. Top tip for long runs in the wet - waterproof socks. Did a 2.5 hour long run a few weeks back, heavy rain the whole way round. Thought I'd try my cycling waterproof socks - was a bit worried as they are thicker than my normal running socks but they were fine - no blisters, and lovely dry feet for the entire run. Combine with a gore shakedry jacket for the ultimate foul-weather running set up!

 

[The Darkness]

20 miles in very strong wind this morning. Not great, but at least it should feel easier when wind dies down....

 

[semi-pro waster]

Cambridge Half Marathon went well. 1hr 21 min something, a pb by about 5 minutes. Gives me confidence I can go sub 3 in April marathon!

Bit of a delay in saying but that's a great time, that must give you a lot of confidence so just keep trusting your training as it's obviously working.

I also recently got a PB in the Inverness half marathon at 1:24:38 which I was pretty happy with, four minutes better than last year and a new overall PB by about forty seconds despite pretty miserable conditions with wind and rain.

I made the 10k in 67 mins not too disappointed with my time it was very windy and the first time I did cross county.

Given the injury and then getting the flu, I had only got back into doing 5k runs the last couple of weeks I can’t complain too much, looking at the Therford Forrest 10k in July

Well done on your first cross country, times don't matter so much there because the conditions can be so variable but after a few you might start to know the people around you and often you can judge how well you've done by where you are in relation to them.

 

[The Darkness]

I also recently got a PB in the Inverness half marathon at 1:24:38 which I was pretty happy with, four minutes better than last year and a new overall PB by about forty seconds despite pretty miserable conditions with wind and rain.

Congrats, superb time!

 

[quickshot89]

Despite being full of cold from about Thursday evening, managed to get out to yesterdays park run with the other half, decided to do Whitley Bay rather than Rising Sun given the rain. I enjoyed it, and a new course means new PB's, which came in at 26:08. My overall PB is 24:36 so once the cold has shifted and it's a dry day, I think around 24 mins is possible

 

[iMacMart]

Afternoon all

Did 18 miles yesterday and felt OK had a Lucozade isotonic drink, pack of Bloks, so physically felt OK just mentally was hard work, got a 22 miler the weekend after next before the Brighton Full Marathon April 14th

Any tricks to keep positive when your minds telling you to stop Which I don't of course but its tricky!

Well done for the runs above gents!!!!

 

[Ian_Eb]

I think I tried counting things (Steps, People, Breaths, you name it) I just used it to take me away for a short period of time

 

[planty]

I think I tried counting things (Steps, People, Breaths, you name it) I just used it to take me away for a short period of time

I do this too!

When it comes to the actual race day you'll be fine as there will be lots to see as you are going round which should take your mind off things.

 

[The Darkness]

Did 18 miles yesterday and felt OK had a Lucozade isotonic drink, pack of Bloks, so physically felt OK just mentally was hard work, got a 22 miler the weekend after next before the Brighton Full Marathon April 14th

Just started using those Bloks. They are spendy, but have to admit the packaging and ease of chewing on the run make them worth it for me.

Any tricks to keep positive when your minds telling you to stop Which I don't of course but its tricky!

A bit of a cliché, but I try to imagine the feeling of crossing the line achieving my target combined with the small amount of time left to run (relative to the months of training I've put in).