Realistic targets for a 40 something

Jake, whats you're weekly mileage.

Went to a podiatrist last week, the girl was really helpful, sent me home with some felt like 2nd skin self adhesive fabric. Also ordered me some special insoles to reduce sweating on my feet.

Ran a 10 mile race yesterday with the 2nd skin and taped up toes. No new blisters Hopefully this is my answer to the blister problem, was starting to think this was the end of my short running career! Felt so uplifted yesterday not getting any new blisters, totally liberated Back in love with running again

Sounds like a proper war wound, Also-ran, hope they don't affect your running?

Paul, before my blisters became really bad forcing me to stop running for a short while, I was doing around 30 miles per week. Desperately need to up my mileage in full marathon training mode for Valencia.

Two times from recent runs: Leeds 10k 53:39 (thought I would get nearer 50 mins but hadn't run for nearly two weeks). Eccup 10 90:40, toughest course I have ever run, 1200ft of ascent/ descent in 10 miles. A friend did 61 minutes and his daughter won the juniors race, lovely morning all round.

1:56:29 :- Hull half marathon today. 

Well done on that time Jake. I used to get a lot of blisters as well... then I took my socks off and run with no socks... no blisters since.  I add a bit of vaseline if I feel any tender spots. Anyway... just a thought.

6 weeks with no running has removed my Achilles problems. Plus running on flat roads while away in NZ has helped no end. Hopefully no major set backs before the Robin Hood.

Jake - are you going to run any more Halfs vefore your full marathon?

Upsized in shoes to widest toe box in the shop (4E) size 11, will see if this makes a difference to the blister situation. If I could get all the blisters healed at the same time will give the no socks a try. The Hilly twin skin a friend recommended made my feet into some kind of boil in the bag creation, horrible socks!

Sounds promising with your achilles, what sort of temps/ climate was NZ for running? You can smash the 2 hours with no setbacks Best of luck for the race.

No more halfs planned, am really enjoying the marathon training, but have a 10k this weekend, trying to break the 50mins hoodoo having got within touching distance at York, 50:49.

We move to Ibiza early Sept, I note the temp there is already 25oC @ 07:00am, just hoping my training is not blown out of the water due to temperature!

gl all

Hay Jake, my latest shoes are very wide as well. No blisters at all. In NZ the temp was between 15 and 20 degrees mostly as middle of winter. Now back in Yorkshire the temps are pretty similar... which helps. Ran 8 miles last night with no problems and just mild aching today as is usual after a longer run... 3 weeks to go to the Robin Hood. Hoping to just finish it. I think breaking 2 hours is unrealistic this time as not had enough training since my injury...

Hi, how is everyone. Its nearly one year since i started running, and here's where i'm at. Looking back, the first 5 months was mental. Every run i tried to beat the previous time......lunacy, but i didn't know better. Then i bought a heart rate monitor and started reading about how to train with one. It was all about running within certain zones, and trying to achieve a decent speed at a lower rate. I also bought an exercise bike so i could mix it up a bit. I've also given up the idea of racing. If i ever get below the magical 40 minute 10k, well done, if not, not bothered. I run/cycle to stay fairly healthy, nothing more.

As a result i only do 3 x 1hour workouts a week. Two on the bike, one running. However, tonight i did my best ever 10k run. I equalled my best time (44:45) but more important, felt really good. Averaged 148 bpm and no injuries, legs felt really fresh at the end, i could easily have done it again.

It seems the less i do, the better i run.

Amazing Paul that you can run so fast only running once a week. But it seems to work for you, so carry on! I seem to do best when I run twice a week... any more and I get injuries...

Not posted for ages, moving house from Leeds to Ibiza was a touch more stressful than I imagined, but nicely settled in now and temps are much more conducive to enjoyable training. Was hellish in early September in the high 20's, had to buy a 2 litre backpack for long runs! Training has taken a hit in the build up and aftermath of the move but back into a steady routine now

Have to agree with LeedsNick, blinding 10k time, would love to have it on my running CV!

How was your race, LeedsNick?

Hope everyone is keeping in shape and more importantly injury free?

Completed my first marathon yesterday in Valencia, not overly fast but a wonderful experience; 4:30. Ranks up there in the top five things I have ever done, it's an amazing feeling crossing the line.

Well done Jake on completing your 1st Marathon. Its a great feeling, particularly after all the training that goes into one race.

I've just about recovered from an injury I picked up mid September. Recovery seems to be so slow - is it just age. Having said that, since mid September I did manage another couple of marathons injured in October as I was determined to get some payback from all the training. I managed 3:06 at Leicester which disapppointed me as I had trained really hard for a sub 3 time. The next weekend I managed it with a 2:59 at Abingdon. Those two races were the only runs over 10 miles since mid Sept. Thankfully, things seem to be turning around, and today managed 14 miles painfree.

I'm starting to plan my training for Spring as I have VLM next. Will run a couple of halves on the way. Hope you are enjoying life in Ibiza. What is next for you.

Thanks, A-r.

You need a change of forum name imho. There can't be too many blokes blasting out sub 3:00 marathons at will  Amazing (to me at least) you can run marathons like that without doing all the long runs etc.

Missed out on VLM, looking at Madrid instead, looks intersting with the up and down course. Barcelona half is a deffo near end of Feb, really desperate to go sub 1:50 (current pb 1:56). Will religiously follow a training plan for the race, something I haven't done for a race so far.

What would be your weekly mileage when not training for a specific race? Or is there never a period when you are not training?

ps. loving Ibiza, lovely time of year when it's nice and quiet.

At the moment I'm doing about 30m, mostly at an easy pace. I am still not 100% fit, but will start training for VLM towards the end of December.  Barcelona half sounds like a good distance away to train for it at 1:50. So far my best Half Marathon came in the middle of a 16week marathon training programme, so depending on when Madrid is, it could be a good opportunity to get thay 1:50

Barcelona HM 17-Feb, wanted to go sub 1:50 but failed by a minute and a touch to do 1:51:06, easy enough course, very very busy, lovely city for a race, recommended.

After watching a few films, took the decision to go minimal and practice a forefoot stride. First time today this am and tonight with my boy, wore a pair of flimsy sneakers and it felt great. Calves are going to take some conditioning. I know there is the saying if it aint broke etc but it really does feel so different and springy.

Hope everyone is staying injury free?

Good to hear all is well Jake. A big city marathon has extra challenges with the crowded streets, so don't beat yourself up about a minute.

What have you been watching to give the forefoot running a go. I read Born to Run, but it wasn't enough to send me to the dark side

I had a couple of decent races recently in prepararion for London. Managed to shave a few seconds off the HM time and did a 20m race in 2:08:30 which I was really pleased with.  Now having started my second year  running, improvements are going to be a lot harder to come by.

Take care of the calves!

I listened to Born to Run on audible, loved that one It wasn't until seeing the legendary, god like form of Anton Kuprika ("Unbreakable - Western States 100") that I was sold on forefoot running. Have  you seen any videos of him moving? He glides across the ground like a heavenly being (yup, he's my new sporting idol, joining James Cracknel, and the "Running The Sahara" boys in my sporting hall of god like beings...).

Good to hear you are still zipping around, six and a half minute miles over 20 miles, that's flipping impressive

I hope this feeling of absolute love and desire for anything to do with running never goes away?

Just catching up with this again. Well done Jake on those times... the warmer climes are obviously doing you good!

I'v gone back to basics... lost 10kg and started from a low mileage base again... we will see how his new year pans out. The snow in Leeds hasn't helped though! Never seen it so bad...

Hi, nice to see everyone still active. I'm still running, but not very disciplined. A couple of times a week on average. 5K and 10k's. Regarding injuries, no problem apart from every now and then i can feel my knees a bit. Does anyone do any exercises to strengthen the legs/ joints, ie injury prevention.

still possible to get fast

.Martyn rees broke the over 60 , 10 mile race time today with a time of 56:50

now thats a time many men half his age would be pleased with.......

keep running