Started 8 wk beginner's schedule today

Morning all, hope you're all fit and healthy and the running is going well.

Secret Agent, it sounds like your running is going really well, and you haven't mentioned any knee issues so is your knee now sorted? I remember you mentioned that it was swelling up a bit, does that still happen? Hope all goes well leading up to the Breckland 10k.

Cheetah, good job you'll be getting free trainers, with all that mileage you must have nearly worn your others out!!! How's Road Mog? I had a traumatic car incident last week - we had an after work trip to Thorpe printing press but my car broke down at traffic lights in the rush hour in the rain and I had to call out the RAC the nice mobile tuning man is coming to have words with it in a couple of hours...

Minty, so glad your running is going well again! <whispers> good luck and enjoy it

So I christened my lovely new Vibrams FiveFingers yesterday morning I love them!!! The whole individual toe pockets took a little bit of getting used to but they're great to run in. It was my last day at work yesterday so I was up til midnight baking cakes on Wednesday night, so I wore them in the kitchen to get used to them. Although to be honest I think I would have worn them if I'd just been sitting on the sofa watching TV all night I was so excited!

I did 5k in them and when I checked my Garmin at one point my pace was 5:45k/m - the fastest I think I've ever run! The only downside is that the seams just above the arch of the foot have given me blisters, although they are interesting shapes - never had blisters shaped like donuts before... And if I hadn't already changed my running form to midfoot striking I'd be literally starting again - it's still hard work on the calves. And it's still very different from running barefoot, which I intend to keep up. Whether it will sort my knee problems I guess only time will tell. Planning to stick with regular 5k runs then gradually build back up to 10k and beyond, with the goal of running the Norwich Half Marathon again in November. In my lovely new shoes! And beating last year's time!

Secret Agent, it sounds like your running is going really well, and you haven't mentioned any knee issues so is your knee now sorted? I remember you mentioned that it was swelling up a bit, does that still happen? Hope all goes well leading up to the Breckland 10k.

Norfolklass,  unfortunately not. The knee issue reared its ugly head again on Thursdays club effort session. We went off to a cinder track about a 10 minute run from the sportspark, followed by a pyramid efforts of run 200m, 400m, 600m, 800m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m with 1 minute recovery between each, and 3 minutes between the 800s. It doesn't sound alot, but it adds up to 4km of efforts plus the run to and from the track.
I was struggling again by the 2nd half so ended up taking a short breather during one of the 800s and dropped the 2nd 600 to 400 but upped the last 200 to 400 to make it up.

Legs felt very tired by the time we got back to the sportspark, a few minutes cooling off and stretching before we went inside, which is when I felt a slight discomfort on the outside of my left knee. One flight of stairs and a short walk to the changing room and i'm developing a slight limp. By the time i'm showered and leaving the sportspark, my knee was fairly sore with a definate limp.
Ice and pain killers at home soon stopped the discomfort, though I was a bit concerned about work the next day as I knew i was going to be on my feet for most of it.
Friday morning and no pain at all, just tired stiff legs.
No real issues at work, but I knew i'd run the day before as my leg muscles still felt tired.

Skipped parkrun this morning and not planning to run again 'till the club run monday evening.

I think its a case of my legs got overworked, that the muscles were not supporting me as well as they should, putting more strain on the IT band/ligaments in the knee.
I'll just have to be a bit careful at future efforts sessions.

The swelling was actually in the right knee, which hasn't recurred since it first happened back in December/January.

If the next few months goes well, fingers crossed, touch wood, kick a black cat under a ladder while spinning round three times as i wish upon a star, i'll make the decision to train for the half marathon in November. I'm quite comfortable with 5.5 miles now, so see no reason why I cant continue to build on that with the club runs each week. Give it a month or two and i'll try the Tuesday sessions which are longer runs of 6-7 miles or 7-10 miles depending on which group you chooses to go with each week.

I had my second physio session the other day and made sure to ask him what was going on with my knee.  He said that basically the muscles in the leg are tight (they're tight in the other leg as well, but not as bad) and the control from my hips isn't what it could be, so I've been given some more advanced exercises to replace the ones he started me with.  Now I'm doing one legged squats against the wall, unsupported squats and lunges as well as the quad stretch I was going before.  I saw this same physio before when my neck/shoulder area was giving me a lot of trouble and that was down to tight muscles as well, so I'm confident he'll sort out my knee eventually.

Now I'm permitted to run for ten minutes on the street, so I don't have to traipse all the way to the common anymore just for a six minute jog.  Next appointment in three weeks - with any luck I'll be able to report no further problems and he'll increase my running distance again.

Those tweaks while going upstairs are primarily down to the hip issue, so strengthening the leg muscles and the hips will sort that out and will probably improve my running overall as well.

Hope everyone else's niggles are sorting themselves out.

Hello again all- back on the training

Slow restart - with walking 30min 3 x this week

Will keep you updated with my progress and check how you are all doing

Yaaay I'm finally back online!

My computer was fixed briefly - then finally  spluttered and died, so I've had to get a new one (luckily Mr Cheetah knows how to build them so he told me what bits to get that make up a computer, so it didn't cost me too much!)

I HAVE ENTERED THE ROBIN HOOD HALF MARATHON IN SEPTEMBER!!!!!! I went along to the launch event tonight which was great fun - Robin Hood was there, and we did a 4k race which I finished in 20:12 (which was also apparently the original prize-winning time but they changed it as it was too easy to work out - I had no idea, but I only just missed out on loads of prizes!)

I DID however get a £25 Sweatshop shoe voucher, so  I treated myself to some more new trainers (Nike Zoom ones - when I got my free ones last week it was between those and some Asics 1170's - I went for the Asics but it was really close, so now I have both so I can alternate!)

I've been driving Road Mog quite a bit - I have another mock test on Thursday, and if I do Ok in it I can book the real one! 

Right - that's it from me tonight, I shall reply to everyone later in the week. Hope everyone is running well! xx

Hi Cheetah, good luck with the driving test, sure you'll be fine.

Roadrunner, glad to hear the physio is helping with your aches and pains.

Ma'amy, keep going and just add in some 1 minute jogs when you feel ready.

Club run for me last night, 4.3 mile route round Norwich, about 15 18 people in the group.

After the first few minutes we start to spread out a bit as normal, with me following along behind the 2 lead runners. All going well, getting more spread out as we go, till around 33 minutes in and I get a pain in my left knee again. A few strides later and its clearly not going to go away, so I end up walking the last 3/4 mile back to the sportspark. Its rather annoying to have to watch the entire group run past me!

The two lead runners had waited outside the sportspark, as they had realised near the end of the route that my distinctive yellow top was no longer following along behind them (we were about 150 metres apart by that point, so often out of sight round bends in the road etc). They were a bit miffed that I'd ended up walking back alone, and felt that one of the other members in the group should have stopped and stayed with me, rather than leave an injured runner to walk back solo.
Several of the group had stopped to check if I was alright before carrying on, but the lead runners still felt someone should have stayed.

So, a week to go till Breckland and its unlikely i'll be fit for that run. That'll be 2 i've had to pull out of in a month!
I'll keep icing the knee, plenty of stretching/roller and Ibuprofen betwen now and then, and make a decision at the last minute.

@Cheetah - that's really useful to have someone around who knows how to build PCs.  Building them yourself, or at least having someone build them for you saves a load of money on buying them off the shelf.

Cheetah - good to have a know it all with pc's - I don't have a clue

Secret Agent - look after youself - take it easy and work back slowly

Keep up the good work all

I have been out for a 3k walk tonight - pleased as route good gentle gradual uphill for at least 1km of the distance - 38min inc warm up/cool down - working to improve stamina and include some jog/run periods in the next week - will keep you updated

Ma'amy - I don't have a clue about PCs either, I wouldn't have known that what I got off ebay WAS a PC if Mr Cheetah hadn't told me what I needed hehe! Well done on the walking and good luck when you start adding the runs!

Secret Agent - sorry to hear your knee is misbehaving again. At the club I go to we have a volunteer as a back marker who will run with whoever is last or walk with any injured people to make sure everyone gets back more or less in one piece.

Roadrunner - glad the physio sessions seem to be helpful and it's great you're allowed to add more running into your sessions.

Norfolklass - great to hear the weird toe-shoes are working out well - sorry that the car ISN'T very well! Road Mog is fine, despite a bird's best efforts to poo all over the bonnet yesterday (now all cleared up, how very dare it spoil the shinyness of my car!!!!)

My running has been going really well the last couple of weeks! Last week's club run was on the rainiest day out of loads of rainy days so the route was changed from the soggy one along the river to the dreaded hill repeat one - but I managed 5 hill repeats this time and still managed under 10m/m! (I was also last - but then again some people didn't even do any hill repeats and plenty did less than me!)

The new Asics have been for an 8 mile run on Friday, the 4k race on Monday and the rescheduled club run along the river (6 miles, averaging 09:21m/m which I was very happy with!) - and the Nikes have been for two early morning 2 mile runs. They get their first longer run tomorrow, my normal 5.5mile route I think.

As for the driving - my mock test went really well (despite me actually failing it - I was on the wrong side of the road cos I hadn't noticed that a one way street turned into a two way street - at least I won't make that mistake again now!!) My instructor said my driving has been loads better since I got a car, and he just wants to see how my driving is in the daytime - or during driving test time when the amount of traffic on the roads is different - so I have another mock test next Thursday lunch time then I can hopefully book the real one!

I am now trying to talk Mr Cheetah into a road trip to the seaside at the weekend!

Hope everyone else is doing well, time for bed now xx

Hey guys, I have been away, for, well a long time. I was still running, however school exams and work just seemed to get in the way of real progress, as well as 10 days out doing a gliding scholarship. Pretty bad excuses, I know!

So, I have been asked to race the 1500m for a local youth club, and I got a little worried, considering so far I have not got past the 2 min/1 min. So after freaking out for a bit, I decided to go on google maps, plot the flattest 1500m route I could make and run it. Without stopping. x.x

I somehow, managed it, in around 8 minutes and had the biggest grin on my face. I think decent times for 1500m are around 5 minutes, but I couldn't care less, I ran 8 minutes without stopping!

I then decided to try again this morning, and I got around in 9 minutes, after stopping twice because my right calf decided to hurt. I stretched and then was off again very quickly during that run, thankfully. 

I got back in, ate some toast and then I wondered where I would be on the 8 week plan by now. I thought 5 minutes/1 minute would be too tough so I tried the 4min/1min. I did it! I'm beyond happy right now, and I feel like I might actually be able to do this plan. 

Plus, I wasn't out of breath at all (what?!), which used to be the main reason why I couldn't run for more than 2 minutes at a time. I'm going back to the doctors hopefully next week for my second session with the asthma nurse, as I am working my way off my medication. I havn't used the blue one for exercise in a very, very long time and I'm on the lowest dose possible for my preventative, so if all goes well I may be taken off my medication completely and be declared asthma free after another 6 months of lung function tests...

I do owe the exercise which I have been doing for this, as my max VO2 has increased, along with my peak flow and general happiness. I really can't wait to get back out there on Wednesday and see if this has all been a fluke or not!

Sorry for the long wall of text, but I though I would update you on the general situation. I will have a read through the thread after lunch. happy running guys ^-^

Wow, I have no idea where I just got my energy from, but I just did 5.4 miles averaging 9:35m/m - with the hills and everything! (And I saw 8 cats )

Last night it was a nice flat 6.8 miles along the canal with the running club - I did 9.15m/m with Mr Cheetah - no cats but plenty of ducks and a squirrel!

Hi Sparklestar - sounds like you've picked it up again really well despite the break!

We didn't go to the seaside in the end at the weekend - I DID drive to Birmingham though as it was cheaper and we like the pubs there - I've always wanted to do 70mph down a nice open road with AC/DC on the stereo, and now I've fulfilled that ambition!

Hope everyone is enjoying running! Off for a shower and a snack before bed (And maybe a rum and ginger.......) xxx

 

 

Hi all

Ran the first 2 of 3 laps at Parkrun on saturday to give my knee a test.
My pace was good, no pain in my knees, but felt my muscles a bit as it was the first run for 12 days.
Club run tonight, which I was not 100% sure I was going to attempt, but did anyway.
A few paces short of 5 miles in approx 43 minutes (forgot to stop my watch at the end, idiot!), but feeling OK.
I had been wearing a strap on the left leg to help with the IT band that I hurt 2 weeks ago, which was OK, although my right knee is a bit stiff and aching, but mostly from doing a 5 miler after a near 2 week lay off. A couple of ibuprofen, and i'm sure it'll all be fine in the morning.

Planning a treadmill run on thursday at work, and possibly parkrun saturday morning if I can squeeze it in before I head off to the airport for a week in Spain.

AC/DC, good choice there Cheetah. Went to see them at Wembley arena few years ago (actually, it was 24 years ago, and now I feel f***ing OLD!)
I've been thinking about the last time I went to a live gig, and that was 20 years, Guns'n'roses at Wembley stadium.
When did i turn into an old fart? It just aint right!

Ooh, I saw Guns'n'roses at Wembley too! Surely that can't really be 20 years ago???

Will update on the running properly at the weekend, the vibrams are fab and so far so good re the knee... hope I haven't just jinxed it by typing that!

Hope everyone is happy, heathy and injury-free x

Hi, hope you dont mind me hopping onto the thread.

Another newbie living in Norwich. I only started running again in January. First run was Park run at Eaton Park in just under 30mins My best time to date is 25.58.

I do suffer from shin pain which currently restricts me to 2 runs a week

Did Trowse 10k a month or so ago in 58 minutes which i was pleased with. Pleased i didnt have to walk

Tuesdays i run round the lake & woods at Whitlingham Country park.

I'm hoping to do the Norwich Half Marathon later on this year.

Hi! Been running for exactly 2 weeks- have done a run every other day and am doing 2 miles in 17 mins. I have NO idea whether this is good, bad or indifferent BUT I have to say that, having hated running all my 47 years, I am now really enjoying it, and have a goal to do my first 5K in July for Race for Life..at the moment I can imagine really getting into it, but I don't really know what I'm doing, except running, huffing and puffing! Any advice????

Enjoy 'Race for Life'.  I'm a bit bemused as to why it's a women's only event - after all, cancer kills men as well as women; I lost my dad to cancer in 1996.  Still, have fun.  My best advice would be to follow a plan like C25K (Couch 2 5K) if you're not already doing so.

Next physio session this week; I hope the doctor says I can progress from ten minutes now.

Thanks, RoadRunner! I agree re the Race for Life, although I am running for my mum who has beaten cancer thrree times (she now has a titanium femur!!)...I will indeed follow your advice.

Thanks!

Norfolklass, sorry but it really was 20 years ago!
They were promoting the Use Your Illusion 1+2 albums in 91-92, but I think the tour arrived in UK in 92.

The AC/DC gigs were to promote Blow Up Your Video in 87 or 88.
Saw them twice on that tour, first was brill, about 20 rows from the front at the arena.
The 2nd was naff, someone else had got the tickets and we were the very back row, again at the arena. The only way I could have been further away was to sit on the back of the seat!

Welcome all our newcomers, you may notice we occasionally drift off into other topics! We do actually talk about our running sometimes.

Speaking of which, following on from my last run on Monday, i'm pleased to report that apart from a bit of a stiff right knee the following day, all is well.

Do any of you have a smartphone, with any of the running apps on them, in particular the ones which use the GPS in the phone to log your run routes/stats?
I'm planning on replacing my phone at the end of June, and want to know how you find the apps. I've been using mapmyrun on the PC, and have had a look at endomondo which one of the other club members uses, both of which have a free app for the phones to link everything together.

AC/DC is never off topic i went to see them at Wembley Stadium a few years ago. Brilliant.

Guns & Roses useless fact. Swimotard @ Rackheath used to make Axl Rose's lycra shorts.

Back on topic. I used mapmyrun/ride on Iphone as well. Switched to Garmin Forerunner now but still use the mapmyrun website for keeping track of my various exercises. If i hadnt bought the Garmin i'd have stuck with the mapmyrun app.

I've only ever seen George Michael at Wembley because someone dropped out, so another ticked became available, that was a lot of fun but I'd love to see a proper Rock concert.  Rock's my favourite genre of music to sing as well.

-Missdianelouise:  Wow, your mum's beaten it three times?  Well done to her! 

Physio said I can start adding five minutes a week now, so I'll be back at my 5k standard in no time.  Then hopefully I can start to build towards breaking 10k this year again.

Edit:  Correction - I meant breaking 10 miles - I broke 10k late last year.