Any postman out there ?

Hi Guys

I am thinking about taking my redundancy from BT and getting a real job

I have applied for a postmans role - I wanted to ask any of you that maybe doing that job (postladies as well of course) at present, how does it affect your running ? what with the early starts and all that walking

There was a postman on my local news earlier this year that ran the FLM.

He said that he did all of his training on the job.  He started by running from the first house to the second house and then walking the rest of his round, and gradually built up the distance until he was running his whole round.

However, he was only aiming to get round, whereas from your forum name I guess you are hoping to do a little better than that.

Royal Mail Letters (who are nearly all Postmen / Women) are by far the best corporate team in the UK including Chris Davies (Telford), Ian Boneham (Notts), Billy Farquharson (Notts). Use athleticsdata.com to check their credetials! Both Chris and Billy are sub 30 10k men and full internationals.

This has been copied from one of my old threads but still might help-

I have been a Postman for 20 years and have been running for 12 years.When I started running 12 years ago I joined a running club and listened to peoples advice.Trouble is you might be getting advice from a peer who works Monday to Friday and sits down all day.

I work six days a week plus overtime and probadly walk 7 miles aday.I have learnt with experience you have to compromise with your training.I am now 40 years old.I am 1.34 half  ,3 hrs 30 marathon Posty.

I try and look at the glass as half full than half empty.Your stamina is probadly better than most simply due to your job.You can probadly get away with less milage than you would if you were sitting at a desk all day.Your burning more calories in a working day.I have found 25 miles a week for a posty is = to 35 miles a week in a sedatary job.

If I have had a tough day my 10 miler sometimes is cut to 6.To manage this is good when you feel like going straight home to bed.

NOW this is the important thing.You can get away with out the calorie burning junk miles you just don't need them.But you need to focus on speed is you still want good times.For example 3 to six miles at near race pace.Speedwork once a week.

I normally run 20-25 miles aweek.When I ran London a couple of years ago I peaked at 40 miles aweek for 7 weeks although this nearly killed me.I just try and plan my training carefully , not running a 10 mile training run at race pace striaght after a hard day and 3 hours sleep.Which yes you have guessed I have done that

You just learn with experience. Think of job as part of your training not as a foe but a friend .

I began working part-time as a Post lady in Nove last year. I was reasonably fit having ran Amsterdam Mara in the October and was training for Hastings mara in December. The active nature of the Postie job really knocked me for six! it didn't help that this was the most busiest time for post obviously!! I noticed after about 6 wks that I had adapted to the extra activity somewhat and now don't struggle so much with energy lows as when I first started and tried to continue doing the same amount of training.

I now have cut back (slightly) and will take an extra rest day when I feel I need it due to a heavy post day or when the rolling day off leads to working 5 days in a row.

I am running FLM this year (not for a time in particular) and have coincided my long long runs with long weekends etc

 Hope this can be of help

Now isn't the best time to join up but think that's not saying very much given the state everyone's in right now with the whole economy. It's hard work but not rocket science and the pay for what is essentially unskilled labour is quite good.

Job form

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/60a4f004-f437-11dd-8e76-0000779fd2ac.html

Sorry, but doubt they're recruiting.

Always recruiting work in the HR department hence why I had that link handy. It's just a case of where they have jobs at the moment and even if they are closing mail centres in one part of the country they might still be short staffed elsewhere.

In short don't believe everything you read in the mirror and that's all I can say without breaking the data protection act.