h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Wondering if this is any use to you:

http://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/marathon-centre/enter-virgin-london-marathon/

You'll have to be quick though... Go on, you know you want to.

Deke

I know I personally don't think I could ever manage a marathon

Todays run was pretty good to say the least: http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/327996006


This is a route I used to do when I was first taking up running, and here's one from then for comparison: http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/61271958

Today's first kilometre though, first half flat, then second half all uphill. But, came in at 5:03 which is pretty good for uphill.

The second half was flat for a bit, then long downhill bit and came in at 4:57, so still quite fast.

Then the third kilometre, uphill to start with, then downhill a bit, then a long flat bit, and came in at 5:02. Again, fast.

Overall, 3.47km in 17:31 with an average speed of 5:03min/km
Compared to 3.22km in 19:45 with an average speed of 6:08min/km last year. So in two yeas training (mostly this year) I've managed to improve by around a minute a kilometre, which I'm thinking is pretty good

After the successes of last week, not so good since.

The day after my last 5k my knees packed up. I spent almost the entire day with braces on them to give them a bit extra support. And today was the first day I felt I could actually go out for a run.

It started out okay, but not long after the 2k mark I started getting spasms in the muscles of my back, so I stopped and stretched for a bit before running again, and not long after the pain came back.
So, I walked for a while, gently stretching my back until it felt much better, and then ran the last kilometre back home.
The times were pretty good, even for the last kilometre, and my knees were okay, but I'm not sure what happened with my back

Were a couple of you doing 10ks over the Easter weekend? How did they go?

48:40 for my first official 10k over an "undulating" course. Really pleased with that, though I have gone faster in training (albeit self timed and on a different course). Because of my ankle problems I didn't run for over a week beforehand, but had enough to get round.

I took a bit of a break after that run to let my ankle settle and I managed another 10k last night, albeit at a slower pace. But that felt quite good, and I felt I had a few more Ks left in the tank if I really wanted to.

I've got another 10k in a couple of months, and weekly 5ks if I want them, which I think I do some weeks. There's a half marathon at the end of September which is starting to look tempting....

That's a brilliant time! Well done!

Thanks! I've got another 10k later in the summer, and I find myself seriously considering a half marathon at the end of September. Yikes.

I have actually started considering a half marathon, because the 10ks I've been doing recently in training haven't been too bad.

But the run yesterday's kinda put me off anything for a while. Still no idea what's put my back out

I did my first every 4k run on Sunday and am planning on trying Eastleigh's Park Run this Saturday - I'll see how I get on.

The Great South Run is 10 miles, which is a step towards a Half Marathon?

<BB<

Okay, did my first official 5k Park Run on Saturday - 28:21, 75th out of 158 runners, so top half of the table.

<BB<

(Don't laugh - it's my first real attempt at running since school cross country days...)

<BB<

That's pretty good!


I went running yesterday, second to last proper training run before the 10k on the 18th: http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/334589179

Totally different route, and to start with it was along roads, but then out into the country lanes and a woodland park. Much more pleasant running, except for the pollen which I seem to suffer from this year. Got the start of a stitch around the 2k mark, but overall not bad.

Times of 5:40, 5:12, 5:27, 5:04 and 5:08, giving me 5k in 26:31, which I consider quick

I'm doing a fun run on Friday, and then that's me done until the main one

Congrats, BB, that's a great time, especially for a first official run.

I've got a physio appointment tonight to try to get to the bottom of an ankle stability issue. Best case, different strengthening exercises, worst case, possible MRI scan and maybe surgery. On a more positive note, I got a new 5k PB at Parkrun on Saturday - 22:04. And that half marathon is starting to sound more and more tempting, ankle permitting....

2nd Park Run - 27:00, 68th out of 153.

I had a cunning running plan. Instead of what I did last week, which was start at the back and run forward, I started near the front and let the people who are faster overtake me. I might go back to wearing hiking boots next time, though, as I was slipping on the wet grass and mud like anything in my trainers (there's only about a dozen yards of gravel, the rest of the course is all grass and mud).

Which Parkrun was that, Otto?

<BB<

New PB, congratulations BB!

There are three Parkruns in Nottingham, and the only one in sensible walking distance has to be the most 'undulating'! But I'm going to try one of the flatter runs to see if it improves my time any.

Good news from the physio.... no need for scan, some new strengthening exercises, and no reason why I can't continue running if I'm careful. And I've entered the Robin Hood half marathon at the end of September. I've got at least one more 10k before then, so I think I'll get that out of the way then start to build distance...

Good news Otto!

I've *started* considering a half marathon, but only considering it at the moment


I've a couple of runs to catch up on, the first was last Friday, a 5k Charity Fun Run http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/336961552 that was actually only 4.65km, but my time of 24:49 was quite pleasing.
I started out way too fast, the first kilometre was 4:44. The error of keeping up with those around you, glad I got a forceful reminder of this then, and not at the Manchester 10k this Sunday. There was quite a steep uphill slope on the way back on this route through Salford Uni, which I did have to walk a little for. But other than that, it was good times and not too exhausting. Although the freshly cut grass did get to my breathing a bit.

To try and make me feel more like I was actually prepared for the 10k, I went out again yesterday on my normal 5k route http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/338446020 and got to the 5k mark in 27:16, and was able to keep going for a bit longer. I could even have carried on some more too, but wanted to make sure I didn't wear anything out before Sunday.

All told though, I'm reasonably hopeful that I can break the hour barrier!

I've just done my last training run before Sunday's 10k: http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/340149095

I wasn't going to go for one today, but I've got a bit of a bug and wanted to make sure I actually *could* run like this.

So, taking the shorter route, with hills, it wasn't too bad at all. I managed to keep going at a nice gentle pace, which turned out to be quite quick for the first kilometre. I slowed down/relaxed ever so slightly after that and kept a good average speed.

Overall, 3.94km in 21:28

I didn't get in under the hour, it was close but yet so far at 1:00:24

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/341662165

It was very hot! I was in a running vest rather than a t-shirt for the first time in years, and covered in sun cream. Because of the heat, there were a lot more people walking longer stretches than there has been in previous years, and even though I was really trying to keep my pace gentle, there was a lot of weaving in and out of people and having your stride put off. I *really* wish that people would remember to walk at the edges of the field, not in the middle, and that walking three abreast is *not* on.

The first kilometre wasn't too bad, but there were a lot of people which did in part help me keep to my five and a half minute target pace, getting it in in 5:24.
The second kilometre saw us leaving the city centre and getting onto the wider dual carriage way, so the field could spread out a bit, but people had started walking by now, and there was a lot of weaving by now, which meant speeding up to pass people, so this kilometre came in at 5:08 and I was starting to have to concentrate on my breathing.
The third kilometre was long and straight, and a bit uphill but I was back on pace and marked it up at 5:26.
The fourth kilometre got us out to near Old Trafford, which is where I usually start to flag in previous years, but was feeling pretty good and my breathing was back under control and I was pacing myself nicely and came in at 5:30.
The fifth kilometre was going past the front of Old Trafford, and then off into the industrial estates with the water station. *Everybody* was going for water this year in the heat and it was a mess. So darting in and around people here, got to the water tables near the back and picked up a bottle for later. But the darting put my pace off and I came in at 5:16.
With a lot of people walking the start of the sixth kilometre so they could drink their water, and remembering to stay at the sides, the field was quite well spread out again so I was able to get back on pace and marked it up at 5:28.
The seventh kilometre of the course is probably the most dreary and desolate one, with the fewest supporters. It's long and straight and they'd moved the run through shower further along this year, making it feel even longer than before. The kilometre also ends on an uphill wiggly bit, which I elected to walk up and take on the water, so this came in at 6:16.
The eighth kilometre had most of that uphill bit in, and I was starting to flag now, so came in at 7:01
The ninth kilometre was back on the dual carriageway heading back to the city centre and I was having to fight off a stitch and exhaustion due to the heat, so there were several shorts walking periods here, giving me a time of 6:51.
The tenth kilometre got us back into narrower streets that undulated a bit, but by now I was utterly exhausted but cheered on by the crowd so I managed to get in at 6:35.
Unfortunately, my tracking of the route and the official tracking differed, so there was still the finish sprint to go, 300 metres. I'd tracked the 10k in at 58:55, so had just over a minute to get to the finish line to come in under an hour, so I put everything I had left into it, working out the maths in my head while doing so and knowing I wouldn't be able to. But I came close, and nearly had to rest against the railings as soon as I got over the line. Like a *lot* of other people were doing.

It was definitely too hot yesterday, several people had to be treated for heat exhaustion. And while I didn't come in under the hour, my time improved by eight and a half minutes from last year even with the heat, but more telling perhaps was my positioning, last year I came in at 20154, this year I placed at 12030. So have moved from mid-field to near the top quarter, which I'm very happy with!

Congratulations! I'm definitely impressed. I tend to collapse after 5k, so I admire the ability to keep the pace up for twice the distance on a hot day.

I did do Park Run on Saturday and had a time of 25:06, coming 45th out of 159. Not sure whether I'm getting better at running, or whether I had a faster time just because it wasn't so muddy everywhere.

<BB<

It's easier to run on non-muddy surfaces That's a good time though!