'Mature' runners.

Finally got back here and read through some of your doings.

Fantastic long runs from Red & Matsmum. I know what you mean, Matsmum, about needing the long runs from a confidence perspective, but I can also vouch for JJ's advice. When I did my best preparation in 2008, I did 1 x 16, 1 x 17, 2 x 18 & 1 x 20 mile long runs, with some interval & hill work too, and got a PB on that occasion. 2 years later, I improved my time again with 2 x 20 (one quite a long time before the marathon) + just one 16 mile in addition, and once again some speed work and hills plus a few hald marthon type distances. I couldn't believe that I would be able to run further and faster than my longest runs, but it DID work. You seem very well prepared indeed.

What a great result for TE too. The hard work is paying off, and it is so nice that you are helping fellow team mates in their endeavours too. My best ever marathon was done with the company and encouragement of a chap from my running club, who really kept me going when I was struggling in the last few miles.

Hope mcs is having a good first day in the new job. Wonder if combining public transport and running is a possibility?

Welcome to John & OO 50, who have appeared in my absence. I am another relatively late starter to running, having begun at 50 (over 8 years ago now). Can't imagine life without it now!

No definite plans for racing, but I signed up to the Jantastic challenge which meant a target number of runs per week in January, target number plus target longest each week in February, and the addition of a target pace for one race or timed run in March. Meanwhile I joined a second challenge of running every day in MArch (though some days have only been a gentle 1.6 miles or so - in effect recovery days.

I'm now wondering about a 10k challenge, having read about Red & JJ's plans. It was Red (and Lady Lucan who used to post here) who paced me to my 10k PB of 56:05 in Brighton back in 2007, and we met JJ afterwards on the pier.

There's a nice 10k in Worthing in early June. Fast and flat - and in the evening (Wednesday). I've done it a few times and the weather has always been kind. (Cue plague of locusts this year!)

Could be PB territory? Big field, nice atmosphere too.

Just a thought to get you through winter's final blast (we hope).

Hi Diana and welcome back. I think it is important to mentor other club members, and it is so rewarding seeing their improvements in pace and race confidence. If you are looking for a 10k, our Exbury 10k on Sunday still has vacancies, and it is a lovely run. The following Sunday is the Eastleigh  10k, but it might be too late to enter.

If anyone is interested, my build up to my marathon pb, with all my long runs being in the New Forest are as follows: 26.25 Potteries Marathon; 12; Portsmouth Corporate Cup 5k (18.19); 17; 17; 20.25; 20; 20; 21.5; rest day; 15; 6; New Forest Marathon 3.12.26

Morning all. Here we have a thin layer of snow underfoot, sunshine streaming down to make it all sparkling and pretty, and a cold wind still blowing but not quite as hard as yesterday. The temperature in my north-facing unheated kitchen is 8 degrees.

Should be going out with the running club this evening, but will wait for their email; they will cancel if they anticipate ice underfoot, and if they do I shall have to decide whether to go out on my own during the daytime hours.

Morning all,

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  We've not had much more snow, although it's trying a bit at the moment, but the ice is very thick and the wind is really strong.  No traffic going along our lane and I shall be doing my intervals on the treddy later.

Hi Diana, welcome back from your travels.  Brighton 10k then?  I really need to see how my body copes with my 'streak' before I commit fully to a pb attempt.

Hi JohnB, Worthing 10k?  I haven't heard of that (probably 'cos I concentrate more on marathons).  Is it a very clubby brace with lots of speedy whippets?

Hi Redhead,

Yes it's quite 'clubby' and a decent standard in terms of times. But being on the south coast (Costa Geriatrica) there's planty of oldies too!

Silly girl Tracey!

JB, it's the old ones who always sprint past me so I would be the one right at the back finishing 20 minutes after everyone else 

No snow today, but bitterly cold. Mobile phone has been u/s for a few days, which is why I hadn't been getting any texts. Also wouldn't connect to server to get e mails. Went into S'ton on the bus to the 02 shop and they fitted a new sim card. They had previously put the one from my old phone into it when I bought it at Christmas. They advised it could take up to 24 hours to connect to the server again, but the text facility is now working. They also said to switch the phone on and off from time to time. Presumably this is the equivalent of rebooting a computer. To add insult to injury, I accidentally deleted all my contacts, so have been spending the afternoon reinstating them. Still a few to go, but they will have to wait until tomorrow.

Thank goodness I've got the club this evening where I can let off some steam

Diana D! Welcome back! Where have you been all this time?

JJ and TE - you really made me laugh. I've been singing "And then he kicked me" all day. When my husband and I (!!) were students we used to sing that song by Don Williams, I believe in You.....

           Gasoline's in short supply,

           The rising cost of getting high...

It was only years later when we had a decent player that we realised it was the rising cost of getting by!  

Anyway, I needed something to make me laugh... I have had a worrying pain in my foot and I haven't run since Saturday.   I don't know if it was pounding the streets in icy sodden trainers that's done it. It was fine on the run but a couple of hours later it was so painful I couldn't put weight on it and practically hopped round Tesco to do the weekend shop. So scared it might be morton's neuroma since the symptoms seemed to fit the bill, but I am steering clear of doctors and taking ibuprofen and leaving running until Saturday.  I am going to dancing since that uses my body, and pilates . Oh dear. Fed up. Only 5 weeks to go. Confidence is sinking.

'lo all. Masses of drifting snow here. No chance of running anywhere but it has been melting a bit this afternoon.

Matsmum
No need to worry just yet about losing fitness. A slight deterioration starts after 2 - 3 weeks of doing nothing. Have you got a bike? If so, a couple of bike rides will help maintain cardio-vascular fitness and it's non load bearing. Where in the foot is the pain? Left or right? How many miles have you run in the trainers?

Diana
Interesting challenge.
I remember the 2007 Brighton 10k very well.
JJ

Welcome back Diana.

Heavy snow here today, we got sent home from work before lunchtime! It's continued to snow up to this evening and the snow plough drivers are working overtime out there, one just went past our house. We abandoned all thoughts of going to swim training tonight and opted for a core workout instead. Be interesting to see what sort of conditions we have in the morning, if it's as bad as the forecast says I shall not be going to work!

Matsmum, is the pain in the top of your foot, or in the sole? A few years ago, I had been returning from a 13 mile run, when I got a lot of pain on the top of my left foot along the long bones.I believe it may have been a metatarus injury. I also steered clear of Doctors and put up with the pain.I was unable to run for several weeks. I don't know whether Morton's Neuroma is the same thing. Don't try to run on it until the pain has subsided. I tried too soon to get back and made things worse.

Thankfully, we haven't had any snow today, and what we had yesterday has now melted.

The bitterly cold wind must have put off many of our club members as numbers were less than usual. We did 4 sets of Kenyan Hills, each set comprising a steady pace up and down to the first lampost and so on to the fifth, with one minute jog recovery between sets. Total mileage was seven.

A neuroma is a nerve thing, not a bone thing. (That is the extent of my knowledge). Hope it clears up quickly, Matsmum, whatever it is.

Oh dear, still got this tiny print. I sent a complaining email but have had no reply.

Running club was on, so I went. Beastly cold, but after 10-15 minutes was not so bad and even took off headband.

Next Saturday is the Rhayader round-the-lakes 20-miler. No, I am not doing it, but there's a 5-miler takes place at the same time and I shall do that.

Foot injuries are a bugger, do take care with that Matsmum. Very hard to shift if they set in.

A nice bright sunny morning for a change and current temperature 3 degrees. Looking forward to a pleasant run later this morning.

Columba, I've still got the small print and "Path p" at the bottom of the post window. RW have been aware of the problem since it came back on line, so why it's taking so long to rectify, I just can't imagine.

Afternoon all,

No running today as I've swapped my rest day from Friday to allow Mary Massage Lady to have a good go at my ITB.  She did all the usual painful poking and it feels much better.  We had a good laugh when I said that it never bothers me until I get to about 18 miles and then it twinges a bit.  She pointed out that actually 18 miles is quite a long way.   Distance runners are a funny breed aren't we?!!!!

Matsmum, rest and ice it.  Do not even consider running on it and I'm not sure that dancing is a good idea but you know your own body best.  We're at the danger point in our training when failing to listen to your body can have devastating consequences so please take care and don't worry about losing fitness.

Snow's more or less gone here now and that horrid wind has quietened down too thank goodness but it's still bitterly cold.

Take care everyone.

Had a really enjoyable 8 mile run this morning, with the sun shining, and back into shorts again.

Our weather has improved quite a lot, that awful wind has died down and no more snow, thank heavens. The weatherman said - wait for it - we may get some sunshine tomorrow! If so, then my poor dirty car is going through the car wash on my way home.

45mns on the bike tonight. I shall pedal while watching "The Chase" - love that show and it's amazing the odd bits of trivia you pick up from it.

BIW "The Chase" is just about to start and I will be watching. It's one of the best quiz shows on TV.