The FastDay Forum

I've been running on and off for many years. Never in a million years will I ever be good or fast, but i do enjoy both the challenge and the being out in the world. I did half marathons back in the days when I was much younger and fitter (last one was in 2001, best time was 2:16 in 2000) but took a good few years out from healthy living after having twins in 2004.

I started running again a couple of years ago, and found park run. In fact, you can see me on the home page for whitstable park run as I was there at the very first one (in a blue top) Medical issues and an op stopped me exercising last year but I've literally started back this week with a couch to 5 k app. I'm using 'get running' and its all good so far. My little girls who are now 8.5 have done a run/walk park run with their dad (who used to run and would like to get back into it) and also the race for life (walking) with me. They are signed up to do RFL this year with me again and are eager to run, and we all want to do parkrun regularly again. One of them came out with me last night to do my walk/run... Yes, I am being very careful not to push them! They are fit and active children already.

I'm really keen to get back to parkrun but have sworn I won't until I've done the whole get running thing, as my knee is niggling and I don't want to be laid up because I pushed myself.

Good luck all for tomorrow!

I'll be doing a Park Run but at a different venue, at a charity event being organised by my local Chartered Accountants Institute. That'll be a warm-up for the Titanic Quarter 10k I'm doing on Sunday! I did it last year in 1 hour 15, so I know what to beat

My big worry is that the weather has suddenly improved - so far I know what to wear for very cold and windy weather, will need to rethink my gear if its sunny.

Runners tend to go for carbs because carbohydrate requires less oxygen per kilocalorie of energy produced than fats or proteins. This can increase your aerobic capacity.

Hadn't thought of that before, 21 vs 19.5 Joules/litre so not massive but significant. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/47/4/608.long

Mind if I run I'm probably running on pure carbohydrate anyway, being anaemic I'm up at >90% HRmax, so it's just a matter of time for the liver and leg muscle glycogen to run out.

Presumably ultramarathon runners try to maximise fat burn, Tim Noakes said how noticeable the time improvements in some low carb dieters were - at least in part because of their weight loss.

Melanie, good luck with the parkrun and with the 10k. I'm doing my usual parkrun tomorrow and a 12k cross country at Collingbourn Ducis in Wiltshire on Sunday. Quite looking forward to it, it's called the Bluebell Run because usually it's when the bluebells are in flower.

I've carb loaded for the weekend by way of a bit of an experiment to see if it helps either with a pb tomorrow or helps me achieve a good time in the 12k.

I'm going to do my first parkrun tomorrow!
I've run twice this week to make sure I can do the distance - and I can but SLOW (40 mins), but hey someone has to finish last
Winsome is the Maidstone PR any good for you?
Good luck to all

I've got my barcode and I'm all set for tomorrow! Only done 2 runs since giving birth 11 months ago but luckily my aerobic fitness is reasonable thanks to my exercise bike. My 2 runs have been 2 miles each (which surprised me that I was able to run the whole of both times), lets hope I can add the extra mile on without too much difficulty. Takes me around 22 mins for 2 miles so hopefully will manage under 35 mins for the 5k...

24:03 for me today, 26 seconds slower than last week. Perfect conditions, set off like a scalded cat and paid the price at 2 miles - everybody just jogged past me for the last mile. Still, you never know if you are going to blow up or have an exceptional performance - until you blow up! Mustn't complain, not run or biked all week (just walked daily) so will get more training done before next weekend. I know there is a good run in there somewhere! How did it go for the rest of you - especially the first timers?

Don't have my exact time yet, but by my watch it was about 42 mins.
Nightmare getting there, SatNav took me to a place 7 miles from where I needed to be, eventually arrived with 1 minute to spare. I spent the first 5 mins getting my ipod to work as I ran.
I wasn't the slowest or the oldest or the heaviest, so all good

No PB for me today. I decided to wear my trail running shoes as a practice for tomorrow's 12k off road run. During this morning's run I thought it would be a good idea to go round the only puddle left after the bit of dry weather we have been having. I ran into the muddy werge thinking I would be ok because the studded sole would stop me from slipping in the mud and promptly lost one of the shoes. Trying to get it back the other one got stuck in the mud so I'm left dancing around in just my socks trying to retrieve my running shoes. This took some time to get the shoes and then get to a firm, dry bit of ground and put them back on. I gave up on trying for the PB after that.

Oh dear, that made me giggle!
Haven't got my official time, but I reckon it's a smidgen faster than last week.
My husband amused himself by joining mapmyrun, so he could check my progress, and then post on Facebook " I've had the time of my wife...."

I'm glad you giggled too Melanie, makes me glad I only have the one pair of shoes to choose from.
I suppose as its my first time you could say that today's time is a PB for me.
Am I the only one sitting here refreshing the results page?

31.15 - identical time to last week!

Well done ladies! Mark - you are a silly sod, always run through the puddles! Good luck tomorrow with these shoes...

Well done Melanie! at the moment I can't imagine a time like that

Well done all you Park Runners. I'm looking forward to joining. I've got 5 more weeks of a music class and then I can start! Itadakimasu, you weren't tempted by this barefoot running thing, then?