Running

This won't condition the body to the impact of running for 2 or more hours though. Can personally vouch for needing to build up distance very gradually for a half despite having okay cv fitness.

Yeah appreciate the idea - running for that period of time is going to be desperately dull , but definitely need to build up more of a solid base before I experiment with anything else. main restriction on increasing distance at this point is my bowels, think i need to stop rushing out first thing...

I've also found building the distance up useful with training the mind, it's a long time to keep it positive and occupied especially if you are having a bad patch in the race.

I do love it when you zone out into some meditative type state and cruise through a few km without noticing.

Does anyone else get this same problem?

Yes. ALL of my shoes fail here. It's where the shoe tends to crease as it bends and happens to also be where my little toes are. Have yet to find a shoe that doesn't fail here, but I've normally put too many miles into them to expect a refund. How quickly are they failing?

Good luck! Another reason for having a conservative target is that after the euphoria of finishing you're bound to want to have another crack at it, so you've got a marker to beat.

@RoddersJ - Totally agree with the easy miles/higher volume. If plodding gets a little boring, throw in the odd parkun to test your fitness. Knocking chunks off a time-trial/race time is great for motivation. And definitely don't underestimate the importance of bowel movements. I've learnt through trial-and-error that porridge agrees with me way more than more fibrous cereals, and that I can comfortably do a pre-brekky long run as long as I give myself a coffee and an hour from waking before I head out the door.

Just managed 7 miles feeling very comfortable and absolutely no gyp from the foot. That's after 10 & 5 at the weekend, and jog to gym and back yesterday, so recovery is looking good.

completely agree/need to do, far too easy to justify shortening route when halfway through what you planned

@Brum I’m going to deploy Occam’s Razor and suggest you try going up half a size on your established preference. As long as the shoe’s secure around the saddle, what’s to lose?

(Probably ~£100 🤷‍♂️)

One last word on HiFi parkrun. The week after the pacing thing, i.e. March 7th, it’s our International Women’s Day event. The volunteer team will be 100% woman… and there are still gaps to fill. Check the roster page for the current state of play.

If this might apply to you, and you’re keen to help, please email highburyfields@parkrun.com

LFGSS runners Strava group

There's an LFGSS runners Strava group!
Just joined.

Whoever admins/owns this should make it invite only. You'll get all sorts of randoms joining!

Find some training plans - Hal Higdon is recommended but runners world have some good ones too

recommendations?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_Goo

@BringMeMyFix pacing idea is great and I'm starting to think about volunteering at parkrun crystal palace...

It’s probably the best thing about parkrun, particularly once you’ve started racing proper elsewhere.

They are great shoes. I have had four paids of them, two of them are still in use.

Mine aren't the wide ones, but they fit my feet perfectly. I can send some muddy shoe photos if you want. There is a lot of Surrey Hills and Hampstead Heath over them.

They do look a bit like bowling shoes though

I see what you're doing there.

Nothing inferred, nothing gained.

Story of my life:
Not quick enough on the short stuff, not strong enough for the longer stuff.

Might take up hammer throwing at 50.

Have you considered cycle training?

Yep. All my shoes over the years have done so also, but in my case they're always failing well before the "500 mile" refund mark that most shops say you should get out of them.

The Altras I just returned I only for 250 miles out of them

I also thought this, but doing this means there is too much excess material which causes more folds and pinch points.

@SuperSalat It may have to be back to the shoe goo, although it's eventually just cracks also.

@doubleodavey I reckon I'll give them a shot as my next shoe then. Tread looks good for the sloppy hills around mine, not so much for the 4km of pavement to get to the hills though.

Start next week Wednesday? Or potentially Friday- just started a new job so trying to figure out my rota atm.

"500 mile" refund mark

I've been missing a trick. Didn't know this was a thing!

The Altras I just returned I only for 250 miles out of them

Yeah mine normally start to go around this stage but I'll keep wearing them well past the 500 mile mark. My old Altras (Escalante 1.0) failed in the way you describe but didn't affect the running so I just carried on and now I've worn through the harder rubber on the sole through to the soft foam cushioning stuff. Still gonna wear them today after all this shoe rotation chat. They've now done 985 miles acording to Strava, so not done too badly.

My new Altras (Escalante 1.5) only have 140 miles in them so time will tell how they hold up.

There's an LFGSS runners Strava group!

Just joined.

Whoever admins/owns this should make it invite only. You'll get all sorts of randoms joining!

It's been around for a couple of years with no problems

Having just joined, I now feel like i should introduce myself. Hi! Long time lurker, long time victoria park looper.