The Alternative Everyone's Welcome GNR 2011 Thread

Hi all - just an alternative thread for GNR newbies. Everyone's welcome here and come and go as you please. No cliqueyness allowed. So start by introducing yourself and your 2011 goal!

I am hoping to do my 10th GNR in 2011 and less than 2 hours will be a good result - long way to go.

Hi - good idea.

I am a running newbie based in the north east and looking to do GNR next year. If I don't get through on the ballot I will try to get a charidee place. I was supposed to do it this year but I ended up having to be abroad with work so gave my number to a friend (which I know isn't offically allowed). Wasn't really prepared for it anyway. I am up to 5 mile runs - 3 times a week. Loads of training plans on the net so I am going to grab one of those.

Any tips on maintaining the motivation over the winter? I try to run before work but am wondering how to get my sorry arse out the door on a cold, rainy morning.

Hi SourSusan - know her well having read plenty of Horrid Henry books in the last few years! How long have you been running?

I have spent the last few years struggling with running motivation so I may not be the best one to answer but when I did used to go out early mornings I used to put my running stuff all out and hang running shirt on the radiator and then set heating to come on 15 mins before wake up so that when alarm clock blasted there was at least a tiny incentive to get in the clothes. I am intending to try the same for cycling to work over the winter this year - I read somewhere you should cycle over the winter and then that is worst it can be so the other three seasons are then a relative breeze but we will see.

Morning BBS

Busy busy at the mo but will pop in later.  My avatar has disappeared too.

Morning RTG ...of course, forgot about spinning (how could I forget)? I am determined to get out on the bike plenty though over the autumn/winter - only problem will be snow and ice I guess. Still no avatar for me. It seems to have happened when I changed my nickname.

Are you doing GNR 2011?

BBSloth - LOL, yes Horrid Henry rules in our house at the moment.

I have been running on and off for about 18 months but find because I am overweight that it is really hard work and so I end up getting dispirited and not running for weeks. You and raring to go have given me an idea though - cycling might be worth a go.

I am going to try 30 minutes running this afternoon and will let you know how I get on. Off to a christening now.

That was late for a christening SS. No what you mean about running being difficult when one is carring some extra weight . That is my issue nowadays but hopefully the cycling is going to help. I cycled to work and back today 22 miles or so there and back, so that's 66 miles this week.

Cycling is great- not the same effort on the joints and not as boring - only down side is takes a lot more time to get the same benefits in terms of calorie burn and weight loss. Give it a go.

Hi folks,

Good to see you back on RW  BBSloth

Hi RtG - sorry I missed meeting up with you at GNR. Were you under the bridge earlier?

Hi SourSusan - Winter is difficult re motivation.  I did do some 'yomping' in the snow this year.  That was fun, and quite tough in heavy boots!  I try to do as many 10K races as I can but even those are few and far between in winter.  I know gyms can be boring but are you a member of one? Mine has tv screens on all the equipment so i may have to use them this winter.

Hi RLTW   I was under the bridge, but must have gone before you arrived.  Think I was panicking about the fact that I would have to be in my pen half an hour before the race start, and how many loo visits I would be able to fit in! And I did have to stop en route as well, grrrr!

SourSusan - remember last year when we had all that snow and ice?  I did quite a bit of running on the treadmill.  I put music and podcasts on my i-Pod, which made it a bit more bearable, but yes it isn't as nice as running outdoors.  Better than falling over and breaking a leg though, which could have happened if I was running outside!  Other forms of crosstraining are good to throw in too, e.g. swimming, elliptical trainer.  Does depend though on whether you feel that you could justify the membership cost of a gym, unless you have a gym that does 'pay as you go'

Impressed with the cycling BBS .  How long till the Coast to Coast?

I haven't done any running since the GNR, though have done some crosstraining.  Better not leave it too long or my 'fitness' (such as it is) will disappear .

I haven't been for a run since GNR either.  I waqs going to do a 10Kon Sunday but I forgot to register and there were no entries on the day . I did a boot camp at lunchtime at work today though.  That felt like it hit the spot nicely.  So hard to fit in runs with work atthe moment. 

Next target, Royal Parks Half in 3 weeks. Got a PB there last year

Just correcting a few typos!

Raring to go wrote (see)

Impressed with the cycling BBS .  How long till the Coast to Coast?

Gulp - next weekend RTG. Dreading it. It isn't actually coast to coast but Carlisle to Tynemouth via Kielder - 124 miles I think? We only have two days to do it in. The only consolation is that there are at least 3 or 4 people less fit than me doing it.

RunLikeTheWind wrote (see)

I did a boot camp at lunchtime at work today though. 

Hi RLTW - what are these boot camps like? We have one on our local beach 6.30 a.m. on a Tues and Thurs, I think and have thought about going along.

God, day from hell today...

Expensive BBSloth.  The proper Boot camp is 6.30 am & 7.30pm on Mon & Thurs. For the first 6 weeks it works out at £15 per week.  I couldn't do the mornings cos I need to get the kids off to school.  I can't do Thurs because of choir.  That leaves one session and the price remains the same.  I did a trial one and it was really good.  They have a way of setting tasks that can be adjusted according to your ability.   Like running up a steep grassy bank for 10 seconds. Then running down again.  It doesn't matter how far up you ran cos everyone will be coming back down after 10 seconds. You can do press ups from the knees and squats with or without a jump when you come up.  Just can't justify £15 for one session.  The same chap comes to work at lunchtime but that is more of a keep fit really.  Doesn't raise a drop of sweat.  Still quite good though and much better value.  If he adds another evening session then I would probably go back to the proper boot camp.

RLTW - my fellow night-owl - how are you?

Yep £15 is well steep.

EEEK didn't realise it was that soon BBS!  I'm sure you'll do fine though.  And having some people less fit than you is reassuring I reckon .

The boot camp thing sounds good RLTW - I find I will never do things like hill reps or squats on my own! Do they have British Military Fitness training sessions in your area?  That sounds like a similar thing, and a lot cheaper. Depends as you say if it fits in with work and family though. I think they do evening sessions.

No VLM place for me (third time rejection) but not bothered as I'm re-thinking the idea about big crowded city races.  Prob going to go for Chester Marathon, though that isn't until the October and I don't think I'm up to doing two marathons in a year, lol.  Well, more to the point I don't want to be tied into marathon training schedules for six or seven months in a year.  I will probably do two or three sprint triathlons in the spring and summer, plus the usual club runs - then build up to the marathon over the late summer to autumn.  Sounds like a plan .

Is SourSusan out there? Hope you're okay

Raring to go wrote (see)

Is SourSusan out there? Hope you're okay

Yes I'm here ...thanks for all the support RTG. I am just taking it easy - takes all of my effort just to get off the sofa and go out at all at the moment. Still, GNR 2011 is a long way off. I am trying various ways of getting fitter at the moment - even tried zumba last week - nearly killed me.

How are you all? Are any of you RTW, RTG or BBS GNR first-timers?