Any runners on here; advice needed.

Yes it is a beautiful place, I've been to the Christmas markets there a few times and it is a really special place.

I've just seen the half marathon is in reverse next year, starting in Nuremberg and finishing in Furth so I'm about to sign up for it.

 

First time on here for ages. Love how this thread started in 2010 is still here.

 

Brought myself some Asics gel-nimbus 26 shoes yesterday. I needed some with a bit more padding/cushioning than my Nike Pegasus 40 ones, this seems to help with my dodgy knee, and avoids me running with my trail shoes on the road/pavement. Did a quick shakedown 3K today before going for it at parkrun tomorrow and I'm impressed so far. Very comfortable. It will be interesting to see tomorrow when I go flat out, if I get any kind of pace advantage or improvement. I'm not sure as these have been described as good for moderate to casual running, but I will see I suppose. There are so many different choices out there, it was close between these and some Brooks Ghosts, but having tried on both, I preferred the Asics ones. I did have my heart set on some Brooks, but there you go!

 

When you say dodgy knee what is it exactly? I've got tendonitis in my knee which I've had for over a year. Rest, physio etc it's not really changed. I'm starting running again and just gritting teeth through the pain, but do let me know if better trainers could help.

 

While they're brand spanking new you might get a bit of a boost but the Gel Nimbus ones are very much marketed exactly as you said - extra cushioned, comfortable, no carbon plate/rods, easy pace running shoes. Suspect once the shine is off and the foam softens a bit they'll not lend themselves to pushing the pace too much.

Would be interested to know how you find them though as they're on the (long) list of shoes I've got my eye on and have heard good things about.

 

Hard to say, I've been to the physio and osteopath and they seem to think nothing is fundamentally wrong, it might just be runners knee, and a bit of weakness in the supporting muscles. Essentially the treatment for it was rest for a few weeks at first, then do strengthening exercises in my right leg (my weaker leg and dodgy knee), and then very slowly build back to longer distances. I was doing two 5K's a week, one faster and one slower. Now I'm up to a 6K slower and then a faster 5K. I will slowly build back the distance of my midweek run whilst building up my leg strength at the same time (they suggested swimming once a week too). To be honest, when it was bad in April I just had to stop completely for a few weeks, which was frustrating. I'm building back now, and my 5K pace seems to almost be back, but I need to work on slowly getting more distance under my belt as I push back to 10K plus. That being said, I'm not 100% recovered, it just not as bad as before and I'm managing it better.

Tendonitis is a tough one, I had that in my Achilles 10 years ago or so when I played a lot of football and it took ages to sort. It needed rest, physio and even acupuncture in the end. Knees are always more tricky though, rest is likely your best bet sadly. I would say replace running with swimming for a while maybe? More cushioned running shoes definitely do help me though.

 

Reviews of them are pretty good. If it turns out I don't get much change in pace I do have an eye on some Asics Superblast or Metaspeed (expensive though!!) as well, which would mean I totally bin off my Nike shoes I've been using for a few years. At the moment what with injuries and such, I just need the extra cushioning these Nimbus will hopefully bring.

 

I had a knee problem and got it fixed quite simply. Long story how I got the problem so won't go into it.
Anyways treatment wise my physiotherapist got we walking backwards on a slight incline on a running machine. Was increased in time and incline over time and I've never had a problem since. Honestly you look a **** doing it but it worked for me.
Luckily enough I have a perfect incline outside and still do it a couple of times a week out of habit for 5 to 10 minutes.
Cycling helped I believe too .

 

I've heard about the incline backwards walking but I don't have a treadmill.

Went for 6k today but still very slow.

To be fair, I'm not far off the heaviest I've ever been and I'm also hitting PBs in weightlifting, so I can't expect to be also super fast at running. It's just to keep up mobility, joint health and general fitness.

 

You don't need a treadmill per se. If you have inclines around where you live it's fine. Obviously starting on the lower ones. It works a different muscle set around the knee so I've been informed. It worked for me as I said, plus cycling and gentle stretching. You will see good results. Rucking too now, not football related. A weighted backpack on a good hike is surprisingly advantageous. I did jog but not anymore, for me rucking or cycling is the best choices I've made as I've sped into my middle fifties. I take in the views more and it's taken massive stress off my joints.

 

Just walk backwards up some hills? I guess I can try it. Everyone local probably already thinks I'm nuts.

 

You do look a **** doing it I'm afraid.
5-10 minutes on a slight incline, then increase if and when necessary.
Try doing it in a tutu just to confirm to the locals that you have lost the plot.

 

Are you sure you're a qualified personal trainer?

 

Pretty good so far, immediately set a 5K PB of 20:33 at the flat parkrun near me during my first proper outing using them, despite the conditions being awful (so a good test in the wet and they kept my feet pretty dry). Then did the Jersey parkrun last Saturday (we were on holiday there) and was comfortably under 21 mins, without pushing it too much. On training runs they've felt very comfortable and I did some intervals today and no issues. So all great so far, as my knee gets stronger testing them out on longer runs will be interesting. I am extremely tempted to get some carbon shoes as well and use those when I go for it at Parkrun or when entering a race, then keep my Gel Nimbus for training run purposes.

 

It’s been a long way back from my stress fracture.

I injured myself about 5 weeks before my marathon (back in February). At the beginning of March, immediately ceased weight bearing.

Spent a few weeks waiting for scans and results, then total non weight bearing for 6 weeks. Then 4 weeks partial weight bearing, whilst also introducing some light swimming then cycling. Then another month or so of physio and the introduction of double then single leg weights.

At the end of June, I started jogging again, doing 3 sessions mixed running/ walking per week, adding two mins running per session and a minute walk in the middle. No consecutive days, speedwork or hills.

It was great to be back, but it's a shock that I've lost so much fitness, given I was the fittest I’d ever been.

I got to week 23 since I stopped weight bearing (around 25-30min runs), and I started getting shin splint like symptoms. So back to 12mins runs and built up again.

Next week, I’ll be cutting out the min walk in the middle and if the shins and ankles are fine, maybe add some speed work in a few weeks time.

I doubt I’ll get back to where I was until winter earliest, as I’m carrying 10kg more (mixture of muscle and fat) and I’m building up much more slowly. I’ve learnt the hard way that it’s just not worth it to do things too quickly.

 

Sounds incredibly frustrating. And while it's a bit of a trite thing to say, I'm sure you'll come back stronger if you respect the recovery. It certainly sounds like you are.

I'm doing the Great North Run tomorrow. 5 years since I last did it and I'm hoping the local support is as epic as it was that day. I always run faster when there's a good atmosphere!

 

GNR was bloody soaking wet! Ended up just dipping sub-1:30, which is obviously not to be sniffed at but a tad slower than I'd hoped.

Anyway, fast forward to last weekend and set a new HM PB in Peterborough at the Great Eastern. 1:27.39 meant I knocked about a minute off my time set in March. Well pleased with that, especially as I'd put some effort in after the GNR to try and sharpen up my training a bit more. Recommend that race as well if anyone wants a PB course - very flat, only one uphill of any sort and that's only a slip road up over the A47 so you immediately came down the other side of the roundabout, good crowds, plenty of water stations, pretty well organised etc. Competitive field as well - I was about 350th!

Slowly making progress but that's it for road racing this year I think. Going to try some cross country carnage over the winter while starting to think about a long training build for a spring marathon and first tilt at a sub-3 hour effort.

 

Been a while but got in the ballot for New York Marathon in November. Not cheap but certainly one to tick off the to do list. Anyone done it previously?

 

Well done on getting in! I run with someone who’s done Chicago last year and has Boston next month, but not NYC. You probably know this but there’s a lot of people on YouTube who post review videos of races if you want some tips.

 

Optimistic my sub-3 marathon goal is still on track. Been working to my own plan, based on an adaptive running book I picked up, and posted a half marathon PB this morning off the back of a 67mi week. 1:25.32 on quite a hilly course, so a big confidence boost. Flew round a hilly 20mi road race last Sunday at target marathon pace too. Starting to worry I’m peaking too soon - still got 5 weeks to go.

 

Which one you doing? I've got Rotterdam in 5 weeks then Manchester 2 weeks later

 

Newport. Hoping they’ve learned from last year when they had the course 276 metres too long!

Yours sound good. Got a plan for two in a fortnight?

 

Better late than never, but after 400KM in the gel-nimbus 26's I've enjoyed them. The 27's are out now though! However, since my post a few months ago these shoes are now well down my list after purchasing some Asics Metaspeed Sky's, Novablast 5's, Adidas Adios 9's and managing to somehow get my hands on some Adidas Evo SL's, which I must say are a lovely multi purpose shoe. As you may have guessed I've been ramping it up a bit the last few months!

Not sure I'm near your half/marathon pace though UEA, god luck with the sub 3 hour, that would be super impressive.

 

Thank for getting back. Sounds like you’ve got the bug too I’ve got about 5 pairs in rotation at the moment. Seems to be a regular problem that as soon as you decide you like a shoe, the people who make it move onto another one.

Got any races or goals on the horizon?

 

Nothing racing specific, currently (and over winter) have just been focusing on getting my 5K PB down, not long gone under 19:30, so maybe looking for a sub 19 at some point. In the back of my mind though, I am thinking of potentially doing a half in the autumn. Will certainly sign up for a 10K race or two this year, but we're going away for two weeks in April so holding off entering/training for anything specific until after that break I think.

 

That’s a really good 5k time! I’ve only gone sub-19 once, though admittedly it’s not a distance I train specifically for.

 

Try hit Rotterdam for a good time then just run with a friend who's aiming for sub 3.30 in Manchester

 

For several years now I've wanted to run Monsal trail half marathon but the date has never lined up for various reasons. Thankfully this year it works and I am running it in early April. Plan is for three HM's this year.

Two years ago I started weight training with a local bootcamp group and it's excellent, but the only downside is two years on I still haven't quite found the right balance between bootcamps and running. The sessions are short and hard so I've learnt to not do the Saturday bootcamp if I am having a long run on the Sunday.

Injury wise the bootcamps have made a huge difference. Running is arguably harder as I am heavier since starting weights, but I am a hell of a lot stronger than I was.

 

Today's running lesson - you can't defy basic biology Got a 3.07 in Newport marathon. Knew sub-3 wasn't on from about 10 miles in (heart rate too high) and I'd have to pay a lactate debt eventually. Kept my pace on track until it arrived around 18 miles in and introduced me to a whole new world of suffering. Kept going though and I guess it wouldn't be fun if I hit every goal at the first time of asking.

 

Did it the year after 911, amazing marathon, second only to London, did all the tourist bits the day before what was a massive mistake, on my feet all day and and traveled with the girl I was seeing at the time so did not prepare the days before. If it is still the same you have to get a bus to the start line if you are staying in the centre, loads of low gradient climbs but does make a difference over 26 miles even the downwards gradients are not nice, go over a lot of the bridges and finish in the park that seems to take forever, it takes few hours before the New York skyline gets closer, if possible get there several days before to adjust. The crowds are good you go through some very strange areas.

good luck

 

I made a school boy error of 10 Mile bike ride, parkrun & walking about the day before Rotterdam. Was spent at about 19 miles. Hung on for 3hrs 5min so now Manchester is my next race in 10 or so days.
Also paper cups are crap. I get the environment angle but you can't get enough water in you & certainly doesn't help you at all.

 

"Hung on for 3hrs 5min".

I hung on for about 5hrs 5 mins in New York

 

Change of plan for Manchester or still running with your friend? Well done on 3.05 - did you have a goal going into Rotterdam?

 

Happy with 3.05 Think ill just go for it in Manchester nothing to lose

 

Harder to run for 5 hours instead of 3