Keep Fit Club - ALL exercise types!

[Mr M0by]

I would ease back into running using the NHS' Couch to 5K Programme.

My partner has just started that. She's only done the first few weeks and has found it manageable but the point isn't to jump ahead but rather stick to the schedule and build up your bodies tolerance to running gradually. She's found it okay but says she's still waiting for 'feel good factor' to kick in that I promised her! I think the hardest part for her so far is the first session of each weeks new schedule which she's been doing on her own, then I've tended to be off for the second and our eldest (7) has gone out with her for the third at the weekend. Admittedly it's probably more a buzz for me than her when we've gone out together as I think it's great that we've got this new shared passion of sorts. I've even rota'd my days off over the next couple of weeks around her training. I don't doubt she'll get through the programme, she's responded well to the motivation and encouragement so far but I'm not as convinced that she'll want to keep it up regularly once she reaches the 5k. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Taka, we've discussed in the past about whether either of us thought we'd enjoy a running club environment but now that I have taken the plunge, I can only recommend it. Especially for you, given how much running you do as it is. At some recent Parkruns I was asked about attending a couple of Colchester Harriers sessions to see if I'd like it and I really had reservations (mainly because I assumed I don't run enough & don't want to commit to running more than I was) but, inspired by Charles's seemingly clockwork wake up and set new PB efforts he's been achieving, I thought I'd give it a go. That and I really wanted the chance to train on their 400m track. I've been going for 4 wks now and I've really enjoyed it. Previously my training was 3-4 runs a week totalling between 15-30 miles all at a pretty fast pace but one I'd be relatively comfortable with. Now on Tuesdays I've generally been doing a slow 2-3m warm up run out somewhere, 3-5 mile of fast speed work in changing splits and then the 2-3m warm down run back again. On Thursdays it's at the track. Last wk it was 400m, 90 sec rest, 400m, 60 sec rest, 400m, 30 sec rest and then a final 400m. Rest two and a half minutes and then repeat 3 more times. The previous week it was 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 800, 600, 400, 200 with 90 secs in between. It's tough but exhilarating when accomplished. On Thursday my 16th and final 400m was my fastest on 66 seconds, a good 5 seconds or so quicker than anyone else in the group had ran all evening. As the time was called out, *then* I new I finally really was bitten with the running bug!! Seriously though, coaching and training with a like-minded and similar paced group of runners makes such a difference. I set a new parkrun PB of 18:08 this morning (down from 18:40 post joining) and felt reasonably comfortable when I crossed the line too. My goal when I was training on my own was to get under 18 by the end of the summer, now it's entirely possible I'll achieve that before it starts!

:edit: Just noticed you've only got 8 more Saturdays to go before reaching your Parkrun 100!!

[Taka]

My other half is also on the Couch to 5k programme for the second time. She completed it last year in preparation for a local Race for Life she was participating in and I was thrilled to see her as one of the very few to run the entire thing out of thousands there on the day. She then stopped rather than carrying on which was a real shame considering all the hardwork. From memory, she seems to recall the feel good factor kicking in around week 4 or 5. She's started training again for a 10k in September, all arising from a challenge I set her where if she can run 10k in 55:59 or better, I'll get her some sort of posh handbag (Mulberry or some such has been mentioned). Her 5k PB last year was 32ish minutes and I think a 55 minute 10k is equivalent to a 27 minute 5k. Realistically, I don't think she'll do it because she's very stop-start with the training right now compared to last year, but I'm hoping she'll see beyond the handbag and keep at it. She actually comes to spectate and chat with the other running WAGs at Parkrun each week anyway, so participating isn't a giant leap anyway since she's there.

I've been giving the running club thing some more thought actually and I'm glad to see you've taken the plunge and are sticking with it! The club I think I'm most likely to investigate is the Birmingham Running and Triathlon Club, or BRAT for short. A very strong local club but my bestman hates them with a passion so could raise a few eyebrows if he finds out I'm curious about trying a few sessions of theirs.

Indeed, I should get to 100 by the end of June if I run consistently until then. There's a running joke (no pun intended) between a friend and I where we both started Parkrunning at the same time and I'll actually get to 100 before she gets to 50 (far too much of a party animal on Friday nights so rarely makes it to Parkrun).

[charlesr]

Still finding this barefoot stuff tough. A slow 2.5km and I'm still getting blisters, albeit in different places Have an MTB race coming up, so also trying to get some saddle miles in, including some 5min sprints to to get my legs used to hammering it for that long on the timed stages

[charlesr]

Just back from a 34k. Nice!

[charlesr]

[huxley]

Seen bits of that before, the stuff about whole milk is so stupid.

My workout for yesterday was a 20 mile road ride and an hour windsurfing in a force 7 gale. I`m a broken man!

[Mr M0by]

Just a few weeks ago the target was for a new Park Run 5K PB (beating 18:38) & a sub 40 min 10k both by the end of the summer but now a sub 18m 5k & a 38:30 10k seem doable.

So I started today's Colchester 10k race, with my Garmin pace set to 6:10/mile. The aim was for a low 38 mins & given that I'd previously only ran sub 40 three times with a PB of 39:14 that seemed reasonable. If everything went perfectly, maybe a mid 37 would be possible.

The official results aren't in yet but I think I crossed the line in 10th with 36:11!!

That wouldn't have been possible had I not joined a running club 5 wks ago. So if you need any more endorsement Taka, there you go.

[charlesr]

Seen bits of that before, the stuff about whole milk is so stupid.

That is incredible - you can't feed them whole or semi-skimmed milk, but you can give them Tru-Moo chocolate milk which has 28g of sugar in it. Because it's zero fat.

[charlesr]

36:11.............. omg. Well done.

[Taka]

So I started today's Colchester 10k race, with my Garmin pace set to 6:10/mile. The aim was for a low 38 mins & given that I'd previously only ran sub 40 three times with a PB of 39:14 that seemed reasonable. If everything went perfectly, maybe a mid 37 would be possible.

The official results aren't in yet but I think I crossed the line in 10th with 36:11!!

That wouldn't have been possible had I not joined a running club 5 wks ago. So if you need any more endorsement Taka, there you go.

Superb result! Dead chuffed for you, Moby! I've got a 10k next weekend but I'm simply aiming for 41:XX to start me back on the road to gaining some raw speed again.

Just back in from a 9 mile run along the canals. Got attacked by ferocious head winds, ferocious geese and saw police bagging up a dead body...

[charlesr]

http://fittish.deadspin.com/10-year-old-girl-sets-a-world-record-1576257746

Is that for real? omg

[Taka]

I wish I could run like a girl. That girl, specifically.

[Mr M0by]

Well this evening on the track I smashed my 1 mile PB (was 5:30, the opening mile of my last Parkrun) with a 5:10 for the 1610m. Was feeling pretty good with myself too, til I saw her times, so er... thanks for that! Obviously she's on drugs.

In the comments there's a link to age records but it's surprising how many names are absent from Google searches, suggesting they didn't progress in to professional careers.

[Taka]

Good job on the mile PB, Moby. I've never actually run a mile as hard as possible before but I might do this summer as part of Marathon Talk's Magic Mile. Thinking I might blitz the first mile at a Parkrun and then slow jog the remainder to warm-down...

[Mr Ono]

**** guys. I haven't even got out of the brisk walking stage yet. Was hoping to get anohter half stone lopped off before doing so.

Well done Ged. 360 mins is like ...... mega bloody fast!