Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

Martynt74 · 10 Apr 2022 at 21:31

@D.P. great to see you in here again. I’d thought you’d forgotten about us!

I agree about marathons. Particularly road ones. Although I still have a desire to hit sub 4hrs and so will be making an effort at some point to enter one. Trail marathons i just treat as paying for a nice route that’s a little different and take it no more competitively than a long weekend run.

I seem to be struggling for time recently. Still doing lots of DIY at weekends and then really busy with work hasn’t helped. Aiming to make more effort to get out early this week to get a run in and out of the way before excuses kick in.

hux · 10 Apr 2022 at 21:56

Buy a new pair of shoes, guilt will force you to go out and run.

Martynt74 · 10 Apr 2022 at 22:02

Haha true.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m still averaging ~ 25 miles a week but that’s generally been 3 longer runs vs 5/6 as I had been doing.

Shadowness · 11 Apr 2022 at 08:08

Anyone else run the Brighton Marathon yesterday?

Managed a 2:50:53. My only goal was to run sub 3, not too bad my my first ever (event) marathon.

Martynt74 · 11 Apr 2022 at 08:23

Cracking time that. Really impressive!

D.P. · 11 Apr 2022 at 10:09

Shadowness said:
Anyone else run the Brighton Marathon yesterday?

Managed a 2:50:53. My only goal was to run sub 3, not too bad my my first ever (event) marathon.

An amazing time, especially for a first marathon. Pacing is so critical , slightest over estimate in performance can lead to catastrophic slow down.

Shadowness · 11 Apr 2022 at 12:12

Cheers. Technically it's my first marathon at an official event. I've run a few in my own training.

The main thing I took away from that is that I need to run that, after cycling 112 miles and swimming 2.4 miles!! No way I'd run at that pace though, hoping for nearer 3:30 finish for that.

Yes pacing was key though! I passed quite a few people in the last 10k who raced off at the beginning.

LOAM · 12 Apr 2022 at 18:51

hux said:
Yeah you have to be pretty stubborn to do an ultra, but as said it's a mindset thing, plus I'll be bringing some modafinil should I get the urge to quit early on.
Well i did the run, not only did I jump 8km ahead of that smug lass, but smashed my previous 6km tempo with a 27.39, I'm quicker on tarmac as this is always a trail run, but it's local so meh what can you do.
So that's 109.3km done tonight, won't be repeating it for a while as I've been on holiday this week.

I don't think my body is best pleased with me.....

@LOAM I'm 48

That's amazing mate. I'm in complete awe of people who can do that. I have a good friend who does hard moors and it's just crazy.

hux · 12 Apr 2022 at 19:48

LOAM said:
That's amazing mate. I'm in complete awe of people who can do that. I have a good friend who does hard moors and it's just crazy.

Takes some doing for sure, I'm lying here with the massage gun on my thigh as two days in it's still not happy with me, I'll be nipping out tomorrow of course.
My main aim is to do the arc of attrition, 100 miles over the Cornish coastline.
Being local I'm very familiar with it.

I'm just dying to get the weight down, as I'm around 85kg, though the mind says go the body says no, I've somewhat stagnated as I seem to be building muscle and losing fat.

Martynt74 · 12 Apr 2022 at 22:01

@hux is that the one next month? I know a guy I work with is doing a relay section of an Ultra down around Cornwall in a few weeks.
Although might be different as I think his race is only 50 miles.

I’d really like to get my weekly to a consistent 50. Last week I did around 3 10 mile runs but then that was it for the week. Had I snuck in 3 shorter runs then that would’ve got me there.

I’m going to try and make the effort to get out 5/6/7 days a week this week. I think with easy running there’s less need for full rest days.

My main downside is that being slow, ramping up weekly distance takes a long time. Although you’d hope as volume increases pace would also come down!

hux · 12 Apr 2022 at 22:44

@Martynt74 Possibly, this one is with purple gecko, 37 miles end of this month but mudcrew might have one on, the Arc is usually late Feb.

Martynt74 · 13 Apr 2022 at 08:31

Ah just look, it's this one that he's doing. Looks like a cracking route.

https://www.endurancelife.com/classic-quarter

SPG · 13 Apr 2022 at 08:54

Your all insane, the downhill would kill my knee

Martynt74 · 13 Apr 2022 at 09:08

Have you looked at the Knees over toes guy?

I've been following him on Youtube for a little while and it all seems pretty interesting and more than just the current fad with a lot of buy-in from Physios/big sports teams etc. Along with a lot of people recovering from knee pain after having been told surgery is the only option.

Most of his stuff is available free too, and whilst i signed up for his program for a month, the only real benefit is being able to submit form videos for feedback. Everything else is available for free.

I have my rescheduled day in the Lake District on Saturday. He's suggested it'll be 6-7 of technique/form running drills on very rocky technical terrain. I imagine i'll be exhausted!

hux · 13 Apr 2022 at 17:58

@Martynt74 Looks like a good event, same route as the Arc only much shorter, I'd love to but I have the great west run the day after, it'll kill me.

Bunko · 14 Apr 2022 at 16:42

Time to get back into it after a few weeks off, got struck with the dreaded covid and although it wasn't that bad I have been suffering with lethargy and recurring headaches (which I never get). Can only feel for people who suffer with migraines! Hope everyone has been enjoying their running

manic111 · 16 Apr 2022 at 19:46

Those of you with Garmin Fenix Pros or similar, how do you use the route navigation while also tracking a run (and therefore using the run data screens etc)? Once I go into "navigation", it automatically starts a navigation activity, rather than letting me choose an activity through which to navigate me (if that makes sense...)

Edit: ignore me, found it on YouTube. Wow Pace Pro is a cool idea

Martynt74 · 16 Apr 2022 at 20:10

Yeah. The navigation is ace. To be honest I’ve not really used Pace Pro much though.

manic111 · 16 Apr 2022 at 22:54

Martynt74 said:
Yeah. The navigation is ace. To be honest I’ve not really used Pace Pro much though.

Yeah, I used the nav yesterday, but couldn't work out how to do so in running mode rather than nav mode. Now I know!

Martynt74 · 19 Apr 2022 at 08:54

To be honest, i've only used navigation on pre-determined routes that i select at the start of a run, i've never tried using it on the fly.

I'm unsure if i'm affected with some infection or something. I went for a short run on Friday and had a weird experience where i was really struggling. I looked at my watch and was just around 9min pace, which for me is "easy fast, if that makes sense", however i felt like i was running really slow. Nothing i seemed to do slowed me down and my HR was in the 160's, i ended up just taking loads of walking breaks and recovering. When i then got home i felt really shaky for about half an hour. I'd eaten before going out so that can't have been the issue. I had had a couple of shorts the night before but not enough to have caused that i didn't think.

Saturday i had my guided day in the Lakes. Absolutely brilliant day. The guy is a good friend of James Gibson if anyone's been following him smashing the wainwrights round and had helped him out on a few of the legs so i was certainly in good hands! He's doing the 3 Peaks race in a few weeks and expecting to complete in 3.5hrs which seems like madness to me!

I've only ran in the Lakes twice before and so was always going to be a bit different, but given i'd said i wanted to work on technique on technical ground the guide had picked a fairly brutal route. Some big steep ascents, some mild scrambling and then a variety of steep descents on a mix of boulders, scree and wet lumpy grass. His initial route was 20 miles with 10,000ft of ascent, although at around the mid point i was struggling a little with my hips from the ascents and so asked if there was any way to shave a little off ascent wise. However, after a few more miles and a sandwich, they loosened up again and so we added another hill in.
Certainly one of the benefits of using a guide was that he knew the area well and so could make these adjustments depending on how i was feeling. Also was nice to not have to worry about where i was going and could just follow.

Ended up at around 17 miles but only 6200ft ascent. Still a lot, and given it was generally all on very difficult terrain i'm not feeling too disheartened. Will definitely try and plan another day out like that and i'd recommend it to anyone.