Running Thread

[Flinty]

Join a club and run the x country league races. Very good socially and very high standard thru the fields - intended double meaning.
There is a Saturday and a Sunday league.
I am sure you, DSLC know this but others may not.

I’m doing both the Saturday and Sunday XC league…1st Sunday fixture just gone at Hadleigh which is always fun the Saturday league is a much higher standard as it covers the whole of Essex but still enjoyable.

I have a XC race every weekend now upto Xmas …Essex Vets Championship at writtle this weekend

 

[TheSouthendUnitedRunner]

What races have people got lined up for 2024?

Any people new to, or returning to running as part of a New Year’s resolution?

Be good to have a shrimpers parkrun meet up this year.

 

[johnlattimerssponge]

I am running the Chelmsford half in March and the Colchester Zoo Stampede 10k in May and all being well may try to fit in another half in September or October.

Agree we should arrange a shrimpers parkrun meet up perhaps in April or May.

 

[united we stand]

Have just booked Chelmsford half and Brentwood half

 

[united we stand]

Did the Chelmsford Anglian Ruskin university half marathon today

Well organised
Lots of people out clapping
Street parking 5 min walk away
Toilets in the building with no queues
No wind/ no rain
Very flat

Really enjoyed it and was quicker than I was expecting and felt great

All in all great morning

 

[Jassyfa2]

Brentwood half tomorrow, remember to take the last mile 1 lamp post at a time.

 

[TheSouthendUnitedRunner]

Running royalty at parkrun this morning, Mr Paul Sinton-Hewitt, the founder of parkrun.

 

[united we stand]

Brentwood half tomorrow, remember to take the last mile 1 lamp post at a time.

I did this as well. Very well organised and loff to s of support on route , but the downhill first two miles means lots of uphill to come which wasn’t fun. And multiple people offering support of ‘200 yards’ to go when it was a LOT more

 

[united we stand]

One week to London Marathon . Getting nervous now. I know I can finish ( if nothing goes wrong) but I want t mo beat 4 hours which would be a huge achievement at my level.

I ran 3.57 and 4.03 22 and 23 years ago with a LOT more training and I’m now 56! Would love to run the same sort of time to prove I’m not getting old to myself.

I always fade in the sec half. Have read conflicting advise on basically running 47/53, so 47% of time in first half, 53% second half (1.53/2.07) .this is how I would naturally run.
I know I need to focus on not going out to quick
Which is what I always do as 20 seconds a km faster at start= 40 seconds a km slower at end , or worse
Other articles say you should keep the same pace as more efficient. I know this makes sense and I could join a pacer but I just can’t see how I can maintain that pace on the last 6 miles. I need some buffer surely?
I am assuming the pacers so run at a constant pace?

Thoughts from any marathon runners?

 

[londonblue]

One week to London Marathon . Getting nervous now. I know I can finish ( if nothing goes wrong) but I want t mo beat 4 hours which would be a huge achievement at my level.

I ran 3.57 and 4.03 22 and 23 years ago with a LOT more training and I’m now 56! Would love to run the same sort of time to prove I’m not getting old to myself.

I always fade in the sec half. Have read conflicting advise on basically running 47/53, so 47% of time in first half, 53% second half (1.53/2.07) .this is how I would naturally run.
I know I need to focus on not going out to quick
Which is what I always do as 20 seconds a km faster at start= 40 seconds a km slower at end , or worse
Other articles say you should keep the same pace as more efficient. I know this makes sense and I could join a pacer but I just can’t see how I can maintain that pace on the last 6 miles. I need some buffer surely?
I am assuming the pacers so run at a constant pace?

Thoughts from any marathon runners?

Good luck!

I've been told that there are lots of pacemakers from various magazines etc all scheduled to run at a different pace, so what woild stop you latching on to one of them to ensure you don't go off too fast?

 

[united we stand]

Good luck!

I've been told that there are lots of pacemakers from various magazines etc all scheduled to run at a different pace, so what woild stop you latching on to one of them to ensure you don't go off too fast?

That’s correct, see my last line, but I’m not 100% sure that they run a constant pace- I ‘think’ they do but I’m not sure.
I am thinking of running with one of the four hour guys for the first 4 miles, and then doing ‘my own thing’. As I said I am worried about running with one for 20 miles and then slowing with no time credit having been built

 

[londonblue]

That’s correct, see my last line, but I’m not 100% sure that they run a constant pace- I ‘think’ they do but I’m not sure.
I am thinking of running with one of the four hour guys for the first 4 miles, and then doing ‘my own thing’. As I said I am worried about running with one for 20 miles and then slowing with no time credit having been built

However you play it, good luck.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

One week to London Marathon . Getting nervous now. I know I can finish ( if nothing goes wrong) but I want t mo beat 4 hours which would be a huge achievement at my level.

I ran 3.57 and 4.03 22 and 23 years ago with a LOT more training and I’m now 56! Would love to run the same sort of time to prove I’m not getting old to myself.

I always fade in the sec half. Have read conflicting advise on basically running 47/53, so 47% of time in first half, 53% second half (1.53/2.07) .this is how I would naturally run.
I know I need to focus on not going out to quick
Which is what I always do as 20 seconds a km faster at start= 40 seconds a km slower at end , or worse
Other articles say you should keep the same pace as more efficient. I know this makes sense and I could join a pacer but I just can’t see how I can maintain that pace on the last 6 miles. I need some buffer surely?
I am assuming the pacers so run at a constant pace?

Thoughts from any marathon runners?

Good luck for tomorrow, i ran the London Marathon 3 times ( 87-89 ), best time 3hrs 19 mins, & ran another 10 at other locations in the 80's.
From my experiences at London, it's difficult to start too fast for the 1st few miles due to the sheer number of runners. I've yet to meet anyone who ran the 2nd 13 miles faster than the 1st one!. In my day the only pacers were for the elite runners there.
I hope you're able to beat 4 hrs, but it's surprising how much the years take put of you as we reach 'mature years'!.
E.G my best 1/2 marathon time when 29 in 1986 was 1hr 20 mins. I ran the Southend one in 2001 ( aged 44 ) & doing less miles training than in my peak, finished in 1hr 57mins.
Ran my last one ( Southend again! ) in 2014 a month before my 57th birthday, with little training & struggled to finish in 2hrs 40 mins !!.
Irrelevant of what time you complete it, it's a fantastic achievement at your age & just try to enjoy the day.
FWIW i always found the atmosphere etc at London off putting & hard to concentrate, & ran my best times at rural locations back in the mid 80's, Harlow 3hrs 7 mins twice for example.
Bonus for you is it's not meant to rain tomorrow, & the temp will be around 12*, so i'd wear a t-shirt under a vest, as there's nothing worse than feeling cold with a few miles to go.
Good luck.