The Loneliness of a Long-Distance Runner

[craigbetts]

In for May 6th, I had a quick look on the site and there is no where to buy in. Hopefully it's a freebee but I very much doubt this. I also secured my place for the Brecon beacons ultra, even though this was the scene of my ankle injury. Still not 100% but we'll see.

As for my favourite run, I used to run along the 'corridor road' which followed the buffer zone in Cyprus, I would be metres from the northern side and every 800m or so you would run by a Turkish armed sangar. Quite surreal knowing I would be in the sights of armed guards although I would often have a wave or some friendly shouts from the guards.

[kinboshi]

Open for entries soon (says February, so maybe in the next week or so). Will give you a shout when I know.

Craig, are your usual training runs on or off road?

[craigbetts]

Craig, are your usual training runs on or off road?

Usually a mixture as it depends on the distance or the session, I prefer to run on fields/tracks and the likes although my longer runs contain a fair amount of country lanes. One sad sight on Sunday's run was somebody had fly tipped a mattress and about 3 or 4 televisions on the side of a country road, made me quite cross as certain people have no respect.

I know that I should be using roads/tarmac as I am still feeling twinges in my ankle and I did a x fit circuit today and even side stepping in the warm up felt tender. May do a boring treadmill session.

[kinboshi]

Went out for a run this morning.  A 12K route is becoming my standard morning run now, and although it has a massive hill at the start and one towards the end (before a massive descent), it's a good route through the National Forest trails and paths near me.

Felt tough and slow this morning, and was surprised to see that I did in a faster time than I have managed this year so far.  Still only running it at 5-min/k pace, which is way off where I want to be come July and the Thunder Run.  First thing is to get round the 12K route in under an hour.  I'm still a minute off that at the moment.

New running shoes are still excellent.

[millidonk]

New thread title 'A Betts and Boshi love affair'?

[kinboshi]

New thread title 'A Betts and Boshi love affair'?

He's mine, you can't have him!

[technolog]

I ran for 8 minutes last night and it will be a 20 minute stint on Friday. Am I a long distance runner yet cos it f***ing feels like it?

[kinboshi]

I ran for 8 minutes last night and it will be a 20 minute stint on Friday. Am I a long distance runner yet cos it f***ing feels like it?

Absolutely. 

[craigbetts]

Hey Dan, do we have a contingency for injuries as in possible replacements?

I ran the Caythorpe Dash this morning, not quite in the mould of the Leeds Abbey dash, a race I have never ran but I understand it to be a quick, flat and at times downhill 10k. Today's effort was 13.4 miles according to my 610, mainly on country roads, tracks, around the edges of farmers fields and my favourite across ploughed fields (think moon boots with mud). My ankle stood up well early in the race and although I know it is not right there was no real concern, miles 9-11 were uphill and the terrain underfoot was mud which I struggled to power up as I could not power through my ankle. These miles were fairly slow but no one overtook me, even the last mile was not that fast and I got round in 1:43.

Post race the ankle is giving me grief, same problem I had towards the end of last year and stopped me running for 2 months. I went the docs and physio and they were not overly concerned. May be having another look in the morning. Hopefully it is nothing to bad but it may be getting in the way of training. Pffft.

[kinboshi]

No contingency in place, so make sure you're fit and well for July

[kinboshi]

1.43 is a good time for an off-road half.

[craigbetts]

Okidokes, I will have to keep the more adventurous runs down to a minimum.

It was an alright time, went through 10k in a little over 44 mins and was feeling good. The miles where I felt my ankle were tough, I overheard a couple of folks chatting at the end saying it was tougher than the 'Tough Mudder'. Not that I have ever run that event, as I imagine it to be mass marketed and not that tough!!! But the overall general feeling was the last few miles were hard work, at one point I was on all fours as I had no traction scrambling up some muddy track. All good fun, apart from the ankle was not laughing.

I have also uploaded my data on to Garmin Connect. Which is fun.

Also one funny, I was number 118 today, had this number at another race a few years back and it makes me smile.

[kinboshi]

Good run this morning, slowing knocking minutes off my 12K morning run http://connect.garmin.com/activity/273135815

Still a long way to go (and a lot of improvement to be made) before the tr24 in July.

[kinboshi]

Anyone fancy this:  http://www.provelosupport.co.uk/events/events/thunder-run-10k/

It's a 10K run on the same course as the tr24 is run on.

Craig, would be a good idea to do this so you've run the course before the Thunder Run.

[craigbetts]

Anyone fancy this:  http://www.provelosupport.co.uk/events/events/thunder-run-10k/

It's a 10K run on the same course as the tr24 is run on.

Craig, would be a good idea to do this so you've run the course before the Thunder Run.

Will buy in over the weekend, yet to have a run post my 'dash' last weekend. Although I did get buy myself two pairs of new wheels this afternoon. Some new balance trail shoes and a pair of innov8 315s for more demanding terrain. May give the NB a run out on the road 2 moro, haha.