The Fitness Thread

[Langers]

28 minutes for 5K this morning knocking 90 seconds off my best and 8.5 miles on Sunday which is the distance I am training for in June (peaked too soon!)

Good work, sir! I don't think I could manage an 8.5 mile run just yet. My friend says I should do a run to Caunsell with him from Stourbridge, which is I think 4 miles each way. That'd be a lovely run on a sunny day. Might try and build up to that for the summer time.

I've found that I was just running too often which was messing up my ankle. I'm seeing a physio in a few weeks but rather than 4 runs a week, I'm taking it much easier and try and do 2. As a result, I have absolutely no pain or swelling in my ankle so I'll carry on like this - I'll see what the physio says when I see him with regards to stepping up training.

My times are getting pretty good - just over 26 minutes for 3.2 miles which I think is just over 5k on a good evening. Losing a lot of beer belly in the process.

 

[The Saturday Boy]

Good work, sir! I don't think I could manage an 8.5 mile run just yet. My friend says I should do a run to Caunsell with him from Stourbridge, which is I think 4 miles each way. That'd be a lovely run on a sunny day. Might try and build up to that for the summer time.

I've found that I was just running too often which was messing up my ankle. I'm seeing a physio in a few weeks but rather than 4 runs a week, I'm taking it much easier and try and do 2. As a result, I have absolutely no pain or swelling in my ankle so I'll carry on like this - I'll see what the physio says when I see him with regards to stepping up training.

My times are getting pretty good - just over 26 minutes for 3.2 miles which I think is just over 5k on a good evening. Losing a lot of beer belly in the process.

Bugger. It was your 28 1/2 minutes that was my target to beat. I am not going to be trying for 26 minutes any time soon - that's too much of a sprint for me.

8.5 miles was a lot easier than I thought it would be - I have spent a few weeks trying to slow my running speed down (5k in 34 minutes) and then I took that pace for my long run. 50 minutes on the canals from Wollaston to the Vine at Kinver is all flat and then back over Dunsley Road (one decent hill). Took me another 40 minutes to get home and do a couple of laps around the block to get the 8.5 miles. After about 30 minutes at a steady pace the legs just keep moving. If you can run 5k at 26 minutes, drop the pace and you'll find it is a very easy run which gives you the confidence to go further.

My next goal is to run the canal to Kidderminster - about 11 miles but all flat.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Getting back into the running and increasing the mileage week on week; currently solidly under 8 minutes per mile which is good although pacing oneself is hard because I don't have a running partner and I don't particularly like listening to music on the run so I just set off at a comfortable pace and keep on at it. Also cycling a lot too and monstered 17 miles on my mountain bike (with slicks) in an hour and ten minutes.

Only problem is that my posture is, apparently, buggered due to working at a desk and talking to you beggars: my left side is twisted in on itself so I have to do a fair bit of rehab work in the coming weeks and months which may take the late May triathlon out of consideration.

 

[Langers]

Bugger. It was your 28 1/2 minutes that was my target to beat. I am not going to be trying for 26 minutes any time soon - that's too much of a sprint for me.

8.5 miles was a lot easier than I thought it would be - I have spent a few weeks trying to slow my running speed down (5k in 34 minutes) and then I took that pace for my long run. 50 minutes on the canals from Wollaston to the Vine at Kinver is all flat and then back over Dunsley Road (one decent hill). Took me another 40 minutes to get home and do a couple of laps around the block to get the 8.5 miles. After about 30 minutes at a steady pace the legs just keep moving. If you can run 5k at 26 minutes, drop the pace and you'll find it is a very easy run which gives you the confidence to go further.

My next goal is to run the canal to Kidderminster - about 11 miles but all flat.

I'll have a look at that route - cheers. I know where you mean I think - is it straight along the canal until you cross the A449 then over Dunsley Road to Kinver? I don't really know the canals all that well but people keep telling me they're great for running.

Is it cheating if you stop for a Bathams in Kinver?

 

[The Saturday Boy]

I'll have a look at that route - cheers. I know where you mean I think - is it straight along the canal until you cross the A449 then over Dunsley Road to Kinver? I don't really know the canals all that well but people keep telling me they're great for running.

Is it cheating if you stop for a Bathams in Kinver?

Pretty much. Get on the canal anywhere in Stourbridge, turn left at the Stewpony Lock and then next stop The Vine. The problem with a pint is the run home that follows...

 

[Langers]

Just obliterated my PB. 3.2 miles in 25:10. Under 8 minutes per mile. Feel great for it.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Same here. I'm building up by give-or-take 10% per week and did 2.4 miles at 7:48 average today. A whisker off 15mph on the mountain bike on the roads and, potentially, sub-7 minutes for a 400m swim.

 

[Stan Hullis]

Training begins tomorrow for my half marathon in September. It's going to be a long painful process but all I need to do it get through those 13.1 miles !

 

[lemonjelly]

Obtained a free bike in the summer. My brother apparently had one "spare".
Bought a bike lock & helmet yesterday.
I've started cycling to work. I get too little exercise. I used to walk for almost 2 hours a day, but that fell by the wayside. Too much car driving going on, so I'm hoping the cycling helps.

Couple of bloody big hills though!

 

[Alan]

I used to try the same thing at school but I can't abide turning up to class all sweaty. That and the first stretch away from my apartment is about a 45 degree uphill incline!

 

[thehistorymakers]

Good work, sir! I don't think I could manage an 8.5 mile run just yet. My friend says I should do a run to Caunsell with him from Stourbridge,

Did you mean Caunsall .If you did , I used to live in Cookley which is the next village .
I went to school for 2 years in Wolverly .Students used to tell me that Robert Plant used to live in a house next to my school .I don't know if it was true.

A beautiful part of the world .Used to go with my parents to kinver edge to take the dog for a walk .That was a long time ago.

 

[So Long Architect]

I completed my first canoe marathon race last week. Came 7th out of 24 in my division and narrowly missed out on promotion to the next division. I'm doing another one this Sunday.

However, before you get too impressed and want to erect a statue in my honour, a canoe "marathon" at my level is around 4 miles, with the top guys doing around 12 miles. The world famous race (sort of) is Devizes to Westminster which is about 125 miles of canal and takes two days of non-stop paddling (i.e. through the night).

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Obtained a free bike in the summer. My brother apparently had one "spare".
Bought a bike lock & helmet yesterday.
I've started cycling to work. I get too little exercise. I used to walk for almost 2 hours a day, but that fell by the wayside. Too much car driving going on, so I'm hoping the cycling helps.

Couple of bloody big hills though!

I go out with my daughter most days for a ride either to the shops or the playground, we make it about an hour round trip.
When you drive it in the car, it's a flat, relatively straight road parallel to the beach alongside the golf course.
When you're on the bike... fucking hell...! You sure start to realise where the 'hills' are!
Fairly gentle gradients really but it sure aint flat!

 

[PPB]

Obtained a free bike in the summer. My brother apparently had one "spare".
Bought a bike lock & helmet yesterday.
I've started cycling to work. I get too little exercise. I used to walk for almost 2 hours a day, but that fell by the wayside. Too much car driving going on, so I'm hoping the cycling helps.

Couple of bloody big hills though!

Love getting out on me bike Mr Jelly, and my pair of padded shorts have helped tremendously on longer rides

 

[Leigh Griffiths' Hairline]

Think I am going to start up again on this next Monday...

 

[Stan Hullis]

Three weeks until my half marathon. Not trained as much as I could/should have it's going to be painful!

 

[PPB]

Three weeks until my half marathon. Not trained as much as I could/should have it's going to be painful!

Good luck

 

[lemonjelly]

Small inroads, however when I first got on the bike it shocked me. I'm sure as a kid I could cycle for hours/miles. Now, 400 yards & me legs ached & I'm outta breath!
However, have persevered. I'm not helped by not having a great bike, but I'm enrolling on some bike maintenance workshops to improve the condition of the bike (eg atm I only can use 1 gear, else the chain falls off!)
So, some of the big hills I'm getting further up before I have to get off & push.
& I believe that I'm 3-4 minutes quicker than day 1.

 

[machin05]

Invest in a decent bike mate, it's well worth it. Went from a £99 Decathlon mountain bike to a £650 hybrid from the bike shop in town and the difference is black and white.
Oh and keep the tyres pumped up, makes a huuuuuge difference.

 

[PPB]

Invest in a decent bike mate, it's well worth it. Went from a £99 Decathlon mountain bike to a £650 hybrid from the bike shop in town and the difference is black and white.
Oh and keep the tyres pumped up, makes a huuuuuge difference.

Agree with all of this. Went from a ladies bike that you would pop to the shops on, to a ladies Motobecane bike, the difference is unbelievable .