Running thread

[chesterbells]

Was out for my 9am Park Run this morning. Well, Pavement Run. Feel all the better for it now.

 

[somapop]

Getting out today. Naughty little 5k at a nice gentle pace.

Black coffee on the boil.

Exactly how I'm doing my best to navigate these dark, choppy waters.
Compartmentalising my day really seems to work for me. A scheduled run (when I'd usually be at the gym). A nice coffee (amongst all the teas and instant coffees). Learning new skills. A decent box set at the end of the day.
I seem to glide through these runs at the moment. I did a couple of years ago when I was hit with a breakdown. Any physical discomfort from running was a drop in the ocean compared to how my mind felt so it was a bit of a wrestle between pushing my physical limits (I did a half marathon at ones stage one dark, winter night) and eventually having the mind settle.

Does many on here use Strava? Be good to follow/follow back and I'm finding this helps have that running camaraderie.

 

[oldhamblue]

I pulled something in my lower back doing dumbbell swings yesterday. Hope I can run again in a few days. Really enjoyed running with barely any traffic or people about.

 

[TonyM]

Got fed up of my big belly Sunday night. Did a 3km walk / run Monday morning. Couldnt run for longer than a minute, then walk a minute and repeat. I'm a big guy ( no idea of weight) so my legs are not happy about lifting such a big weight at all. Tuesday was much the same. I must have been a fearsome sight to anyone unlucky enough to see me. Wednesday I was running for longer times. Thursday I stopped to walk for about 200m twice. Friday stopped to walk once for about 300m. Today no stop. Proud of my "couch to 3k" in 6 days.

I'll try to get better over the next few weeks to the point that I'm not overtaken by old men walking their dogs.

 

[Stuuuuuu]

Got fed up of my big belly Sunday night. Did a 3km walk / run Monday morning. Couldnt run for longer than a minute, then walk a minute and repeat. I'm a big guy ( no idea of weight) so my legs are not happy about lifting such a big weight at all. Tuesday was much the same. I must have been a fearsome sight to anyone unlucky enough to see me. Wednesday I was running for longer times. Thursday I stopped to walk for about 200m twice. Friday stopped to walk once for about 300m. Today no stop. Proud of my "couch to 3k" in 6 days.

I'll try to get better over the next few weeks to the point that I'm not overtaken by old men walking their dogs.

That's great to read! Remember to give yourself some recovery days so that you don't burn out.

 

[Stuuuuuu]

Exactly how I'm doing my best to navigate these dark, choppy waters.
Compartmentalising my day really seems to work for me. A scheduled run (when I'd usually be at the gym). A nice coffee (amongst all the teas and instant coffees). Learning new skills. A decent box set at the end of the day.
I seem to glide through these runs at the moment. I did a couple of years ago when I was hit with a breakdown. Any physical discomfort from running was a drop in the ocean compared to how my mind felt so it was a bit of a wrestle between pushing my physical limits (I did a half marathon at ones stage one dark, winter night) and eventually having the mind settle.

Does many on here use Strava? Be good to follow/follow back and I'm finding this helps have that running camaraderie.

Feel free to add me and I will do the same. https://www.strava.com/athletes/28379135

 

[Stuuuuuu]

I'll thank you now. I took this advice from you about a year ago and it transformed my attitude towards, and enjoyment of running.

I remember at a Parkrun, another member of my village running club came to me and started talking. I was going for my tenth successive PB, which I achieved, but I was putting in so much effort that I couldn't talk whilst I was running. Then I read this advice from you, and started running slower, and talked to myself occasionally to test I was going at conversational pace.

Ever since then, my endurance has been much better. I soon switched from 5k training runs to 10k training runs, and before long found them quite easy. A year later and my best distance is 20k, and my average run is 11k. It is more enjoyable, so I am motivated to run more often.

So thanks again @Stuuuuuu, and I would recommend anyone to follow this advice if they are to maintain focus and enjoyment of running.

Nice! This post has make my day - thanks for sharing.

I would just add to your final point that, as well as improving focus and enjoyment, this approach actually improves performance.

 

[TonyM]

That's great to read! Remember to give yourself some recovery days so that you don't burn out.

Sort of hooked now so hate the idea of stopping in case ucant restart. But I know you are right.

 

[Paladin]

Nice! This post has make my day - thanks for sharing.

I would just add to your final point that, as well as improving focus and enjoyment, this approach actually improves performance.

At aged 58, it's purely fitness for me. Parkruns and the occasional organised 10ks are nice added extras.

I do feel good in myself though - the fittest I've been since in my 20s, when I played footy a lot.

A poster advised to do legups and pressups to develop chest and abdomen muscles. I now do 40 of each every day, with the desired affects. If that advice came from you, thanks for that also.

 

[franksinatra]

Went for an 8k with support from the Guardian politics podcast. Legs felt much better today, which were helped by warming up a bit more.

Hardly a car on the road, sun was shining, air perfectly still, seemed sort of wrong knowing what was going on in the world.