Running thread

My fellow blue runners, I am in a conundrum.

Since October 2019 (after deciding to give up the booze and get my life in order) running has become a major staple of my life, it’s got me down to around 10.2stone, 13% body fat & enabled me to run multiple half-marathons & the 2022 Manchester Marathon, this was one of my greatest achievements as I underwent a kidney transplant in September 2004.

To the point then, my best time for a HM was 1 hour 41 mins, & for most of the last 2 years I have ticked over with a 10km on a Monday morning, followed by a 5 miler on a Friday. This was supplemented by 1/2 gym sessions and a long walk (6+ miles) as my plan for the week. Unfortunately since August, I have found it harder & harder to maintain my speed, energy and enthusiasm when running, to the point where it’s proper depressing me that I can’t seemingly do what I used to.

The reason I mentioned having a kidney transplant is because at that time, I piled a load of weight on (having been razor-thin due to illness my whole life) due to the immunosuppressant drugs I take, & was as a result, teased mercilessly after returning to school which if honest, has given me a life long complex about my weight/body image.

Anyway, running has been the only thing to enable me to maintain it, & I am terrified that mixing up my training/easing on the running will lead me to losing all I’ve built, I know weight/body fat % is dictated by diet by up to 90% but I’m in a real rut on what to do. I’d appreciate any advice as I constantly feel my runs are an uphill task, that I am going backwards with me unsure on how to proceed.

Apologies for the long message/life story but just a bit fed up.
 
Citizen Green said:
My fellow blue runners, I am in a conundrum.

Since October 2019 (after deciding to give up the booze and get my life in order) running has become a major staple of my life, it’s got me down to around 10.2stone, 13% body fat & enabled me to run multiple half-marathons & the 2022 Manchester Marathon, this was one of my greatest achievements as I underwent a kidney transplant in September 2004.

To the point then, my best time for a HM was 1 hour 41 mins, & for most of the last 2 years I have ticked over with a 10km on a Monday morning, followed by a 5 miler on a Friday. This was supplemented by 1/2 gym sessions and a long walk (6+ miles) as my plan for the week. Unfortunately since August, I have found it harder & harder to maintain my speed, energy and enthusiasm when running, to the point where it’s proper depressing me that I can’t seemingly do what I used to.

The reason I mentioned having a kidney transplant is because at that time, I piled a load of weight on (having been razor-thin due to illness my whole life) due to the immunosuppressant drugs I take, & was as a result, teased mercilessly after returning to school which if honest, has given me a life long complex about my weight/body image.

Anyway, running has been the only thing to enable me to maintain it, & I am terrified that mixing up my training/easing on the running will lead me to losing all I’ve built, I know weight/body fat % is dictated by diet by up to 90% but I’m in a real rut on what to do. I’d appreciate any advice as I constantly feel my runs are an uphill task, that I am going backwards with me unsure on how to proceed.

Apologies for the long message/life story but just a bit fed up.
Click to expand...

Hi Mate,

Obviously were all on a personal journey and were all different but I think for many people, having a goal to aim for is a great motivator and for me personally to enjoy running I need variation in my distance/ascent/location and also the social enjoyment of running with others via a running club.

I probably have about 6/7 running routes I alternate and I try to get out to a new place (local beauty spot) as often as possible. For me it stops me considering going out for a run and thinking of it as training, but actually as a bit of an adventure with the actual running just a part of it.

Having a goal is great also. Its pretty sad but I finished fifth in a half-marathon at weekend at a local running event and although no one else cares, and Im still an average runner Im still buzzing from the result, cannot stop talking about it and loved the enjoyment of running in a different place and facing a new challenge.

To running clubs. I love the competition of running with/against others and being with like minded people. It really helps motivate me during the other days to keep training and, at 47, I still get a few healthy ‘butterflies’ not knowing what the schedule will be each week.

Being a running nut I also spend a lot of time watching and reading documentaries on running. Anything with Damon Hall, Killian Jornet, UTMB, Western state, the spine race, dragons back etc I find really inspiring. Just highlights what people are capable of and that Im only touching a fraction of my
capabilities.

Hopefully something above might resonate with you as It would be awful to fall out of love with running without exploring all avenues to get your mojo back.
 
Citizen Green said:
My fellow blue runners, I am in a conundrum.

Since October 2019 (after deciding to give up the booze and get my life in order) running has become a major staple of my life, it’s got me down to around 10.2stone, 13% body fat & enabled me to run multiple half-marathons & the 2022 Manchester Marathon, this was one of my greatest achievements as I underwent a kidney transplant in September 2004.

To the point then, my best time for a HM was 1 hour 41 mins, & for most of the last 2 years I have ticked over with a 10km on a Monday morning, followed by a 5 miler on a Friday. This was supplemented by 1/2 gym sessions and a long walk (6+ miles) as my plan for the week. Unfortunately since August, I have found it harder & harder to maintain my speed, energy and enthusiasm when running, to the point where it’s proper depressing me that I can’t seemingly do what I used to.

The reason I mentioned having a kidney transplant is because at that time, I piled a load of weight on (having been razor-thin due to illness my whole life) due to the immunosuppressant drugs I take, & was as a result, teased mercilessly after returning to school which if honest, has given me a life long complex about my weight/body image.

Anyway, running has been the only thing to enable me to maintain it, & I am terrified that mixing up my training/easing on the running will lead me to losing all I’ve built, I know weight/body fat % is dictated by diet by up to 90% but I’m in a real rut on what to do. I’d appreciate any advice as I constantly feel my runs are an uphill task, that I am going backwards with me unsure on how to proceed.

Apologies for the long message/life story but just a bit fed up.
Click to expand...

Alternate my friend, different routes (use onthegomap) to create a free route to follow.

Soon as I have these pins out of my foot and I can wear footwear il be doing a lot of up hill sprints.

I found them to be good
 
Citizen Green said:
My fellow blue runners, I am in a conundrum.

Since October 2019 (after deciding to give up the booze and get my life in order) running has become a major staple of my life, it’s got me down to around 10.2stone, 13% body fat & enabled me to run multiple half-marathons & the 2022 Manchester Marathon, this was one of my greatest achievements as I underwent a kidney transplant in September 2004.

To the point then, my best time for a HM was 1 hour 41 mins, & for most of the last 2 years I have ticked over with a 10km on a Monday morning, followed by a 5 miler on a Friday. This was supplemented by 1/2 gym sessions and a long walk (6+ miles) as my plan for the week. Unfortunately since August, I have found it harder & harder to maintain my speed, energy and enthusiasm when running, to the point where it’s proper depressing me that I can’t seemingly do what I used to.

The reason I mentioned having a kidney transplant is because at that time, I piled a load of weight on (having been razor-thin due to illness my whole life) due to the immunosuppressant drugs I take, & was as a result, teased mercilessly after returning to school which if honest, has given me a life long complex about my weight/body image.

Anyway, running has been the only thing to enable me to maintain it, & I am terrified that mixing up my training/easing on the running will lead me to losing all I’ve built, I know weight/body fat % is dictated by diet by up to 90% but I’m in a real rut on what to do. I’d appreciate any advice as I constantly feel my runs are an uphill task, that I am going backwards with me unsure on how to proceed.

Apologies for the long message/life story but just a bit fed up.
Click to expand...
A list of ideas :-

Trail running.
Fell walking.
Fell running.
Orienteering.
Mountain biking.
Road Cycling...commuting, audax, randonneur, time trialling, racing.
Triathlon.

Any inspiration?

Personally, after 30+ years of running / cycling, I'm slowing down a bit but no less enthusiastic.
After being a crap footballer in my 20s I took up cycling commuting then joined a club for racing and time trials. That's when I really got fit. Later started running and progressed to marathons.

These days it's just for fitness and fun. Winter....weights, road running bad weather, trail running good weather.
Summer, cycle commuting.

I'm looking forward to the Spring and back on the bike :)
 
Citizen Green said:
My fellow blue runners, I am in a conundrum.

Since October 2019 (after deciding to give up the booze and get my life in order) running has become a major staple of my life, it’s got me down to around 10.2stone, 13% body fat & enabled me to run multiple half-marathons & the 2022 Manchester Marathon, this was one of my greatest achievements as I underwent a kidney transplant in September 2004.

To the point then, my best time for a HM was 1 hour 41 mins, & for most of the last 2 years I have ticked over with a 10km on a Monday morning, followed by a 5 miler on a Friday. This was supplemented by 1/2 gym sessions and a long walk (6+ miles) as my plan for the week. Unfortunately since August, I have found it harder & harder to maintain my speed, energy and enthusiasm when running, to the point where it’s proper depressing me that I can’t seemingly do what I used to.

The reason I mentioned having a kidney transplant is because at that time, I piled a load of weight on (having been razor-thin due to illness my whole life) due to the immunosuppressant drugs I take, & was as a result, teased mercilessly after returning to school which if honest, has given me a life long complex about my weight/body image.

Anyway, running has been the only thing to enable me to maintain it, & I am terrified that mixing up my training/easing on the running will lead me to losing all I’ve built, I know weight/body fat % is dictated by diet by up to 90% but I’m in a real rut on what to do. I’d appreciate any advice as I constantly feel my runs are an uphill task, that I am going backwards with me unsure on how to proceed.

Apologies for the long message/life story but just a bit fed up.
Click to expand...
Are you a member of a running club or attend Parkrun regularly? If not I highly recommend both more for the Social side and running clubs tend to have a variety of sessions.

I also find re-setting PB’S whenever I move up an age category helps me stop comparing my current times to when I was younger.
 
Citizen Green said:
My fellow blue runners, I am in a conundrum.

Since October 2019 (after deciding to give up the booze and get my life in order) running has become a major staple of my life, it’s got me down to around 10.2stone, 13% body fat & enabled me to run multiple half-marathons & the 2022 Manchester Marathon, this was one of my greatest achievements as I underwent a kidney transplant in September 2004.

To the point then, my best time for a HM was 1 hour 41 mins, & for most of the last 2 years I have ticked over with a 10km on a Monday morning, followed by a 5 miler on a Friday. This was supplemented by 1/2 gym sessions and a long walk (6+ miles) as my plan for the week. Unfortunately since August, I have found it harder & harder to maintain my speed, energy and enthusiasm when running, to the point where it’s proper depressing me that I can’t seemingly do what I

Anyway, running has been the only thing to enable me to maintain it, & I am terrified that mixing up my training/easing on the running will lead me to losing all I’ve built, I know weight/body fat % is dictated by diet by up to 90% but I’m in a real rut on what to do. I’d appreciate any advice as I constantly feel my runs are an uphill task, that I am going backwards with me unsure on how to proceed.

Apologies for the long message/life story but just a bit fed up.
Click to expand...

Some great tips from the lads already, you say that you are doing 2 runs a week, to be honest i don't think that's enough to be expecting results, I'm not saying you have to get blasting out a run a day( although some weirdos do!!) but if you want to be improving maybe up that to four/five a week, just nice easy slow short ones and maybe one quick one if you fancy it.
The slow runs are the vital ingredient, go as slow as you can, it might seem like a waste of time, but it's adding more than you realise, even if you only do a couple of miles it's a couple of miles more than none and it all adds to overall fitness, if your just going out twice a week and trying/expecting to be faster, then it's not really sustainable.
Motivation wise, maybe sign up for a race to give you a target to aim for? Or even just a weekly parkrun? Parkruns are great for motivation, and are more of a social thing than an actual race.
Also maybe get into some running books, there's millions of them about, they pretty much all start with a sob story for the first few chapters then go on to tell of great achievements in running, great for motivation.
 
I've started going out with a social running club near me. Off the bat, I'm in the 'fast pace' group (around 27:30 5k - which is a lovely conversational pace for me).

It's official. I am an elite athlete now. I'll remember you all when I'm famous.
 
Manchester33 said:
I've started going out with a social running club near me. Off the bat, I'm in the 'fast pace' group (around 27:30 5k - which is a lovely conversational pace for me).

It's official. I am an elite athlete now. I'll remember you all when I'm famous.
Click to expand...
Sheesh that's amazing mate, will you be in the Olympics this year?
 
5k this morning (not park run) stayed local as got to take cat to vets then out on lash in London ending up watching game with London City Supporters club members in Leicester Square
 
Under 23 minutes this morning at Heaton park parkrun. Happy with that as it’s 6 weeks when it was 26 minutes. Just need to keep chipping away at it and get back under 22.

Thanks to the selfish bitch pushing the buggy who knocked my stepson over and didn’t even stop to check if he was ok. Thankfully he’s fine and will be back at it next week.
 
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