2021 Fretboard Running Club

Bidley

jonnygreentrees said:

I'm 34, overweight and have never done any consistent exercise in my life! Started couch to 5k in October last year and I'm now running 5k three times a week!

It's the longest I've kept any exercise up and it's been really rewarding to see my fitness and speed improve. I'm also finding it really good for my mental health and I've managed to lose about a stone.

I've still got a long way to go but managed to do 5.25k the other day and probably could have gone a bit further and have got my average pace over a 5k down to about 6:10 a km.

Snap! I just finished C25K, felt amazng. I'm now doing Garmin coach to try and get under 25min 5k. Never ever in my life did I think I would enjoy running.

BahHumbug

Well done jonnygreentrees and Bidley.  Glad to hear that you’re feeling the benefit.

I’ve been on target for 100k this month.  However, I scored a PB over 10 miles on Saturday, but this turned out to be to the detriment of my left Achilles, which is now complaining.  The 100k is looking unlikely now., but hey, goals - arbitrary or what 

monquixote

jonnygreentrees said:

I'm 34, overweight and have never done any consistent exercise in my life! Started couch to 5k in October last year and I'm now running 5k three times a week!

It's the longest I've kept any exercise up and it's been really rewarding to see my fitness and speed improve. I'm also finding it really good for my mental health and I've managed to lose about a stone.

I've still got a long way to go but managed to do 5.25k the other day and probably could have gone a bit further and have got my average pace over a 5k down to about 6:10 a km.

Well done chap.

This was me about 5 years ago.

It's been one of the most important things I've done in my life in terms of physical and mental health.

joneve

5 hard miles tonight. Banging headache and tired from lack of sleep. But managed it to get over 20 miles for the week for the first time this year. 

jonnygreentrees

Thanks for kind words everyone! Went out yesterday and got my pace down to 6.03 min a km!

Any tips on mixing runs up if I'm running three times a week?

A few people have suggested doing one 5k, one slightly longer run and a short one where I focus on speed?

chrisj1602

jonnygreentrees said:

Thanks for kind words everyone! Went out yesterday and got my pace down to 6.03 min a km!

Any tips on mixing runs up if I'm running three times a week?

A few people have suggested doing one 5k, one slightly longer run and a short one where I focus on speed?

Interval runs are good fun, a nice break from running the same pace for half an hour or more, and great for fitness. I use the free Nike Run Club app for them.

Iamnobody

jonnygreentrees said:

Thanks for kind words everyone! Went out yesterday and got my pace down to 6.03 min a km!

Any tips on mixing runs up if I'm running three times a week?

A few people have suggested doing one 5k, one slightly longer run and a short one where I focus on speed?

That sounds sensible. The key thing is just enjoy it, don’t get too bogged down in the stats, you will make consistent improvements in the early days but will plateau eventually. 

Chasing PBs every time you leave the house is a road to injury from my experience. So a longer and slower run once a week holds you back naturally. 

Get into the running for pleasure mindset and the times become irrelevant. I’m getting quite consistent with my pace now and although I use a running watch to play music, track overall mileage for some challenges I’m doing etc. I don’t really refer to it when I’m out. 

joneve

Iamnobody said:

jonnygreentrees said:

Thanks for kind words everyone! Went out yesterday and got my pace down to 6.03 min a km!

Any tips on mixing runs up if I'm running three times a week?

A few people have suggested doing one 5k, one slightly longer run and a short one where I focus on speed?

That sounds sensible. The key thing is just enjoy it, don’t get too bogged down in the stats, you will make consistent improvements in the early days but will plateau eventually. 

Chasing PBs every time you leave the house is a road to injury from my experience. So a longer and slower run once a week holds you back naturally. 

Get into the running for pleasure mindset and the times become irrelevant. I’m getting quite consistent with my pace now and although I use a running watch to play music, track overall mileage for some challenges I’m doing etc. I don’t really refer to it when I’m out. 

I can attest to this. I used to be hung up on making sure I try and stick to 8minute miles or certainly less than 8:30mm. I then got injured (I also didn't do a lot of stretching, which didn't help). Since January, I've just gone with the flow more and really only focused on trying to tick over the miles. Some runs are quicker and some are ploddy, but I don't really care at this moment. I'm not shooting for PBs and I know that my speed will increase with time, the more I run and the stronger I get. 

I should start to do some intervals too, but at the minute I'm just chewing up the winter miles as much as I can. 

markv

I've been letting my running go for a few weeks - initially because I was very busy doing some redecorating and felt like I was being active enough anyway, and then because I was being lazy. Anyway, back out this morning for a short run to re-acclimatise myself.

My real problem is that I don't actually like running very much. I mean, I can tolerate it, and I like having done it - I can feel the difference it makes to my fitness levels, leg strength and general well being. If I could afford my own pool I'd be swimming instead but given that that's never going to happen, running is by far the most convenient.

Anyway, my personal motivational issues aside, I have a question: what do people do to warm up and down? I do some core strength exercises from the excellent book "Running Well", and then do a 3-5 min brisk walk before starting the actual run. Then afterwards I keep (slow) walking until I get my breath back, then stretch.

jonnygreentrees

markv said:

I've been letting my running go for a few weeks - initially because I was very busy doing some redecorating and felt like I was being active enough anyway, and then because I was being lazy. Anyway, back out this morning for a short run to re-acclimatise myself.

My real problem is that I don't actually like running very much. I mean, I can tolerate it, and I like having done it - I can feel the difference it makes to my fitness levels, leg strength and general well being. If I could afford my own pool I'd be swimming instead but given that that's never going to happen, running is by far the most convenient.

Anyway, my personal motivational issues aside, I have a question: what do people do to warm up and down? I do some core strength exercises from the excellent book "Running Well", and then do a 3-5 min brisk walk before starting the actual run. Then afterwards I keep (slow) walking until I get my breath back, then stretch.

this is exactly what I do too. I do feel like I need to stretch for longer afterwards though

jonnygreentrees

Iamnobody said:

jonnygreentrees said:

Thanks for kind words everyone! Went out yesterday and got my pace down to 6.03 min a km!

Any tips on mixing runs up if I'm running three times a week?

A few people have suggested doing one 5k, one slightly longer run and a short one where I focus on speed?

That sounds sensible. The key thing is just enjoy it, don’t get too bogged down in the stats, you will make consistent improvements in the early days but will plateau eventually. 

Chasing PBs every time you leave the house is a road to injury from my experience. So a longer and slower run once a week holds you back naturally. 

Get into the running for pleasure mindset and the times become irrelevant. I’m getting quite consistent with my pace now and although I use a running watch to play music, track overall mileage for some challenges I’m doing etc. I don’t really refer to it when I’m out. 

Good advice - I've definitely got a bit obsessive about trying to constantly get quicker. I'll bear this in mind

PolarityMan

March summary

Total distance: 60.2k

Total runs: 10

Highlight: nothing special this month

Knees are starting to give me a bit of gyp this month, tbh its amazing its not happened sooner given Ive now been running over a year. 

djspecialist

March summary

Total distance: 147.7km
Total runs: 15
Highlights: nothing much to report, just plugging away ...

BahHumbug

March Summary

Total distance 78km (in the first 3 weeks of March)
Total runs 9

Highlights:  A PB over 10 miles
Lowlights:  Painful achilles, so no running since March 21st

joneve

March summary 

65.4 miles
12 runs

 4.6 short of my monthly target as I just couldn’t drag myself out last night at 10pm to get it done. FFS. Now 20ish miles behind pace for the year.

made up for it today by doing 10km to start April off well. Original target this month was 80 miles but I’m going to see if I can do 100 to get me back on track. 

monquixote

March total 128k.

chrisj1602

45km for me. Had a calf injury and I just seem to lack energy. I did 120km in November and haven’t got near that since. A bit pissed off...

Iamnobody

March totals:

64 miles running (12 runs)
96 miles walking 

Bidley

March:

65km, managed my first sub-5 minute km which is my long-term target.

roundthebend

March summary:

Runs: 11
Total: 43 miles ish

Highlights: sub 40:00 5 miles, 5k PB (22:10), beginning to enjoy running

Overall very pleased. Regular plods turning into more comfortable pace. I pushed myself too hard on a couple of occasions, need to be patient with improvement. April I'll go for similar figures, but I'll be adding cycling to my regime which might affect it.