The FastDay Forum

@Egduf! How did your half- marathon go yesterday?

Ok thanks, did 2.17.00, a slightly hilly course (St Albans). Feeling not too bad today, so hopefully that I can build up the distances in the New Year - I've been looking at a few training plans so have an idea of what I'll need to do. I have two more halves later on this year, but will keep to parkruns apart from that. I'm keen to do some swimming, cycling and cross-trainer as part of my build up as well, but will see how this impacts.

Did Parkrun number 26 yesterday after 2 weeks off, feeling a bit despondent, my achilles problems just aren't going away.
oh well maybe cycling is my future.

Sorry to hear about the Achilles problem, MrsPete is in the same situation and getting very grumpy. This must be the third time in four years of parkrun, each time has been a couple of months or so to get back to running carefully. Are you doing the lowering exercise on the stairs?
I revisited Kesgrave parkrun yesterday, we did the inaugural one nine months ago in a downpour with big splashy puddles in the wooded area. On my second visit, with good conditions, I was even slower - mainly because of the hip pain and consequent inactivity. Yesterday managed to set a PB a minute and a half quicker - not used to running on the flat so probably a bit more to come.
Anyway, keep your chin up, things will likely get better quite quickly with rest, ice and appropriate exercise...

[carieoates]

Gait analysis done, physio with exercises given done. I'm ok for GNR so here I go. Today I'm doing race for life 5km muddy obstacle race, then in a fortnight I'm back to park running and have the summer to get up to 10 km. easier seeing as I will be on school hols. Working in a school has some advantages! As much prefer morning running,

Good luck with the GNR training and with the GNR, @carieoates! I hope you sort your achilles problem, @brian1.

I'm still sticking with the treadmill for the moment. The thing that has helped my PF problem the most is getting sandals with proper arch support. They're expensive, but worth it. I also got some insoles to put in regular shoes. And then I have the custom ones my insurance in Japan covered, but they only really work in my running shoes. The pain I was feeling almost constantly is nearly gone now. I just get it a bit after sitting for a long time.

Hopefully I'll be back on the road sometime in the future! I really need the exercise!

I would hate someone to just log onto this thread and read about our aches, pains, muscle pulls and race disasters and think that running is a negative thing. It is glorious, uplifting and rewarding to run, but I accept that it can also be cruel and irritating.

I have a creaky knee and a dodgy ankle (opposite sides) which makes my initial running gait somewhat challenging. I have been frequently described (lovingly) as moving like an arthritic giraffe for the first mile of every run but, once I am through that, I like to think I become more gazelle like – light footed and spring heeled. Maybe that is a bit of a stretch, but I know how long I need to go before I can run without aches and pains and it is that knowledge that keeps me going at the start.

Running is my space – my solitude – where I get to focus on me, in this incredibly busy world that I seem to be functioning in. It helps me to cope with mental and physical stress, improves my health (particularly my BP) and allows me to function at the levels that I need to be at.

It has also helped me to realise that most of the limits that you have are the ones that you have in your head. I am not naïve enough to say that you can do anything you want, but I can say that if you plan for things, be realistic about your performance and rate of improvement, have the determination to overcome the mental and physical hurdles that will present themselves, then you can definitely do far more than you think you are capable of.

The sheer joy of running amidst nature is so rewarding; birds tweeting, sun shining on your face, but most significant of all to me is hearing my heart beat – slow and steady – in perfect synchronisation with my breathing. It is like the energy that is generated by the motion is being fed back into me to help me cope with the world.

Do I limp in the morning? You bet. Would I change that? Not for a second.

Thank you running and 5:2. You have unquestionably dramatically improved my life.

Completely identify with all your points Simon, having patience & getting through that 1st wobbly shake down mile is rewarded by all the joys you so eloquently describe !

My continued efforts this spring in reconditioning my IT band and related muscle groups is starting to pay off with more pain-free running balanced with activities at the local gym. Feeling blessed...

Hello runners, can any of you give me advice about GPS watches?

Never had one, but as I do not have and am not intending to get a smartphone, I fancy the idea of getting something that

a) tells me how far I have run or walked (so no good if it thinks I have stopped when I am puffing up Skiddaw because I am going so slow and stops monitoring me. Also I would need a pause button for when I stop on a walk and dither over a map for a few minutes.)

b) tells me how many feet or metres I have ascended on my route - this need not be on the watch itself, but on the website after I upload.

c) lets me upload my run/walk via a PC and cable

Would a Garmin forerunner or a similar level TomTom watch do this?

Hi @barbarita, yes a Garmin or TomTom will do the things you want. At the cheaper end of the range Garmin watches use GPS to estimate height gain/loss but this method is not terribly accurate. If you are following roads then the computer software (Garmin Connect) can be told to use the mapping data for altitude and this is pretty accurate. Not sure how good it is in the hills, though. I have a 910xt as my latest watch, this is designed for triathletes and swimmers and has more features than I will use but it does have a barometric altimeter for accuracy and a 20-hour battery life. And fully waterproof, of course. Garmins can auto-pause at a chosen pace or you can just press the start/stop button to pause manually. I sometimes forget to un-pause, especially on my bike computer, so tend to use auto on that set to 3mph.
Cable to charge and a wireless data transfer on this watch, my old Forerunner 305 uses cable for power and data. No benefit from the wireless data in my book.
Setup allows imperial or metric units and measurements start in feet and switch to fractions of miles after a few hundred. Auto-lap can be set to record mile or kilometre splits, my new watch will do this for any chosen lap length. Displays can be configured to show dozens of different stats like average pace, climb rate, heart rate if you buy the appropriate model - all sorts of stuff. There is a brilliant website by DC Rainmaker who gets all the various running/triathlon gadgets from Garmin to test and review - well worth spending time doing research on there to see what meets your needs at minimum cost. Good Luck!

I have the Tom-Tom runner. It works fairly well. The only complaint I have is that sometimes it takes a few mins for it to make the connection to the GPS servers and I'm ready to run. As Creaky Pete said it reports lots of good info in both text and graphic mode.
Distance, Duration, Pace(average or current), climb(+/-) and calculated caloric expenditure. I sometimes wish it had heart rate but I think that's the next model up, Tom-Tom Sports. Perhaps someone on here has one of those ?

I have a Garmin 220, which does everything I need, but the cardio is a separate chest band which I never use. The new Garmin 225 forerunner is 299€ and does the cardio via the watch which is better. (I don't train by cardio so it isn't a problem for me). I think the new 220 also does ascent. Definitely read some reviews. The Garmin picks up satellite pretty quickly and the PC connection is easy. If you are going to be doing long trails beware of watches with too many gadgets as they drain the battery. have fun finding the right one!

[carieoates]

I've switched to Apple watch but using strava, for GPS and run tracking. Anyone else on strava , fancy buddying up.
I'm slowly increasing my running time. Not necessarily distance at this moment in time, so now my weekly distance is defiantly on the up. I've registered to do 10k early August, and have joined a running group on FB. RMR it's called. You seasoned runners may be able to help me here. I'm of the impression that I shouldn't attempt to run my longest distance much more than 10 days to a fortnight before my race . Which has changed my plans drastically to be honest and I'm now planning to work to ward 8k in a fortnight from 5.5 k

I feel really out of touch: I have a Nike+. It's not that good but it does what I need. I read up quite a lot on heart rate monitors. The wrist ones aren't really good yet. Chest straps are inconvenient but much more accurate evidently.

[carieoates]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33423846

This is a good read.

On my news, I've run almost 15 k this week, and have had sports massage/treatment on my naughty knee.
Am now running three times a week and it is increasing my fitness. When I run 5k now I'm not thinking "I can't do this" "why am I doing it" I'm just thinking get in the shade, watch that bumpy bit. Sunday I intend doing 6k I nave a plan. Everyone is different and I have taken advice form many runners, my physyio included.
Am now playing with different supplements, gels, energy tablets etc. it's a minefield .

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33423846
...
Am now playing with different supplements, gels, energy tablets etc. it's a minefield .

Glad the knee is better.

Since the body holds around 2,000 calories of readily accessible energy, supplements (beyond water on a really hot day) aren't necessary for any event lasting an hour or less. It's also nice to not carry the added weight.