The Running Thread (formerly How fast can you run a 5k?)

[James_lcfc]

12 minutes ago, Trumpet said:

With regards to shoe recommendations, isn’t important to get the right ones based on running style? I’d be worried about buying a shoe with good reviews / recommendations that would end up being no good for my style.

Yeah, good point.

 

It's not something I've ever considered to be honest...been running daily for nearly 15 years and I have no idea what my 'style' is. Never bothered with a gait analysis or anything like that, but it's definitely something I'd consider if I was picking up a lot of injuries.

[CosbehFox]

3 hours ago, David Guiza II said:

I'd definitely recommend the Pro 4s, I've used them for PBs on everything from 5k to the marathon. Word of advice would definitely be keeping them for races/PB efforts, though. Otherwise you'll end up with achilles issues pretty quickly! 

 

As an aside - has anybody ever run the Chester Marathon? I had accepted post London that I didn't want to run another until Spring '27, but the slight disappointment on not going sub-3 hasn't shifted and I'd love to give it a go without the hullabaloo that comes with London. 

 

I also miss the structure that marathon training brings, oddly. After a few years of entering races like they were going out of fashion I'm trying to do no more than 6 or 7 across the year and actually stick to decent blocks for each race/enjoy running for what it is without race pressure. 

I know someone what did the Chester marathon and said it was hilly as hell. Combined with a freakish warm day in October, he said it was worst experience but nothing wrong with the organisation etc 

[CosbehFox]

28 minutes ago, Trumpet said:

With regards to shoe recommendations, isn’t important to get the right ones based on running style? I’d be worried about buying a shoe with good reviews / recommendations that would end up being no good for my style.

In my experiences yes. Go to the runners store, get a gait analysis and have a chat about it. I used to love a tumble occasionally and had a heel strike. I got some Karhu’s with a pivot on them and it’s been all good since 

[Trumpet]

21 minutes ago, James_lcfc said:

Yeah, good point.

 

It's not something I've ever considered to be honest...been running daily for nearly 15 years and I have no idea what my 'style' is. Never bothered with a gait analysis or anything like that, but it's definitely something I'd consider if I was picking up a lot of injuries.

If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it - absolutely!

[SecretPro]

2 hours ago, Trumpet said:

With regards to shoe recommendations, isn’t important to get the right ones based on running style? I’d be worried about buying a shoe with good reviews / recommendations that would end up being no good for my style.

I've never bought into Gait analysis, that's for sure. Modern science and thinking says its a load of shit for starters, especially done by shoe shops rather than professionals (though I would trust the team at Leicester Running Shop). A better thing would be running style analysis, but doesn't exist in the truest sense of the word. 

 

Correcting 'style' and form is also proving to be mainly a bad idea. You run how you run, changing it often leads to issues elsewhere. 

 

Running shoes basically try them, make sure they are comfortable, see if they are right for you in terms of whether you run with a heel strike, mid-foot strike or forefoot-strike. 

 

Just my opinion though. 

Edited 12 May by SecretPro

[waddadamadda]

I’m a huge advocate for ‘fit and feel’. If they fit your feet well and feel ok when you run then they are the shoe for you. 

[Trumpet]

1 hour ago, SecretPro said:

I've never bought into Gait analysis, that's for sure. Modern science and thinking says its a load of shit for starters, especially done by shoe shops rather than professionals (though I would trust the team at Leicester Running Shop). A better thing would be running style analysis, but doesn't exist in the truest sense of the word. 

 

Correcting 'style' and form is also proving to be mainly a bad idea. You run how you run, changing it often leads to issues elsewhere. 

 

Running shoes basically try them, make sure they are comfortable, see if they are right for you in terms of whether you run with a heel strike, mid-foot strike or forefoot-strike. 

 

Just my opinion though. 

I don’t think I had gait analysis myself. A lad at a sports shop in Warwick did a few checks and figured out I have over pronation and got me to try a few pairs on. 
 

Is gait analysis paid for and quite extensive?

 

I agree with the try them and feel. The shop I went to encouraged trying them on a treadmill for the first few runs as if they’re not suitable they’re happy to replace them for another pair. I feel as though I’ve found my shoe though and I’m now too scared to change 

[SecretPro]

1 hour ago, Trumpet said:

I don’t think I had gait analysis myself. A lad at a sports shop in Warwick did a few checks and figured out I have over pronation and got me to try a few pairs on. 
 

Is gait analysis paid for and quite extensive?

 

I agree with the try them and feel. The shop I went to encouraged trying them on a treadmill for the first few runs as if they’re not suitable they’re happy to replace them for another pair. I feel as though I’ve found my shoe though and I’m now too scared to change 

More runners than you could think possible over pronate, its ridiculously common. I do too very slightly. Easily treated with just a neutral shoe IMO. Shops will generally diagnose over pronation and then try and make you buy more expensive stability shoes.

 

As for gait analysis, the big chains do it in house to A. Look like they know what they're talking about and B. To use it as an excuse to tell you you need X shoe (more expensive). 

 

A proper gait analysis done scientifically or by professionals is probably more useful, but the science behind it is out of date and gait analysis is more commonly than ever being dismissed by coaches, athletes and scientists who are now leaning more towards supporting a runners own unique physical traits and flaws rather than trying to correct it to something seen as being 'correct'. 

 

In any event, changing a running style is nigh on impossible in real world situations - sure if you're a professional athlete working on it with a coach for 6 hours a day its probably doable, but for the average runner, nah. 

 

Also nothing wrong with finding your shoe and sticking with it - if it works, it works, regardless of how mean and shiny a new or different pair may look in the ship window. 

[James_lcfc]

14 hours ago, SecretPro said:

More runners than you could think possible over pronate, its ridiculously common. I do too very slightly. Easily treated with just a neutral shoe IMO. Shops will generally diagnose over pronation and then try and make you buy more expensive stability shoes.

 

As for gait analysis, the big chains do it in house to A. Look like they know what they're talking about and B. To use it as an excuse to tell you you need X shoe (more expensive). 

 

A proper gait analysis done scientifically or by professionals is probably more useful, but the science behind it is out of date and gait analysis is more commonly than ever being dismissed by coaches, athletes and scientists who are now leaning more towards supporting a runners own unique physical traits and flaws rather than trying to correct it to something seen as being 'correct'. 

 

In any event, changing a running style is nigh on impossible in real world situations - sure if you're a professional athlete working on it with a coach for 6 hours a day its probably doable, but for the average runner, nah. 

 

Also nothing wrong with finding your shoe and sticking with it - if it works, it works, regardless of how mean and shiny a new or different pair may look in the ship window. 

Agree with all this.

 

I've never paid attention to the classification either - No idea what a 'Neutral' shoe is compared to others 

 

I just make sure they are pretty light and have decent energy return based on the reviews here - https://runrepeat.com/

 

If they wear quickly or cause blisters I never buy them again. For example, I've always been surprised people love the Novablasts so much - The pair I had felt pretty good underfoot, but had a hole in the upper after about 3 weeks...which is pretty rubbish! SL's are in a completely different league IMO, but everyone is different.

 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

I hit my 2026 goal time for the 10k this morning. Maybe my goal wasn't ambitious enough! Nice to be back making progress again after flatlining for a couple of months. 

[waddadamadda]

Anyone here doing this years GNR? I’ve never done it before however I was offered a place through Bodie Hodges today! Any feedback? 

[09bballer]

1 hour ago, waddadamadda said:

Anyone here doing this years GNR? I’ve never done it before however I was offered a place through Bodie Hodges today! Any feedback? 

I'm doing it but also a first timer, feedback would be good. I heard it's great views and support, especially early on and can be chaos at the finish because of the number of people.

[Ric Flair]

On 12/05/2026 at 11:29, David Guiza II said:

I'd definitely recommend the Pro 4s, I've used them for PBs on everything from 5k to the marathon. Word of advice would definitely be keeping them for races/PB efforts, though. Otherwise you'll end up with achilles issues pretty quickly! 

 

As an aside - has anybody ever run the Chester Marathon? I had accepted post London that I didn't want to run another until Spring '27, but the slight disappointment on not going sub-3 hasn't shifted and I'd love to give it a go without the hullabaloo that comes with London. 

 

I also miss the structure that marathon training brings, oddly. After a few years of entering races like they were going out of fashion I'm trying to do no more than 6 or 7 across the year and actually stick to decent blocks for each race/enjoy running for what it is without race pressure. 

I also looked at Chester as in a similar boat where I didn't want to wait until 2027 to do another. @CosbehFox put me off with the hills review 😂😂😂

 

I like rhe idea of this Lanzarote one in December.

 

Brighton 2027 booked in, if I get in London again that will be a spicy 3 weeks.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Been nipping out before work rather than after work the past couple of days and I can safely say I feel like absolute Matt Goss (dross) at my desk r n

 

Look like Pete Doherty at the height of his smack addiction

[David Guiza II]

16 hours ago, waddadamadda said:

Anyone here doing this years GNR? I’ve never done it before however I was offered a place through Bodie Hodges today! Any feedback? 

Yup! I'd definitely recommend parking at the finish and then getting the arranged bus to the start, as the queues for the Metro back to Newcastle afterwards are a nightmare. 

 

The final mile down the hill and along the seafront is incredible too, so definitely soak that up. 

3 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

I also looked at Chester as in a similar boat where I didn't want to wait until 2027 to do another. @CosbehFox put me off with the hills review 😂😂😂

 

I like rhe idea of this Lanzarote one in December.

 

Brighton 2027 booked in, if I get in London again that will be a spicy 3 weeks.

Yep, that definitely put a crimp in the plan . I did look at the Isle of Wight one too before looking at the elevation and terrain (non-closed roads too!). 

 

I've signed up for Manchester next year, and the London ballot. A chap who was on the train to the start line with me for London this year had done Manchester the week before and was treating therefore just treating London as a (very long) victory lap.

[JonnyBoy]

On 12/05/2026 at 14:46, James_lcfc said:

Yeah, good point.

 

It's not something I've ever considered to be honest...been running daily for nearly 15 years and I have no idea what my 'style' is. Never bothered with a gait analysis or anything like that, but it's definitely something I'd consider if I was picking up a lot of injuries.

 

we did gait analysis and had more issues from the ones they reccomended than nuetral trainers, my partner overpronates and has neven been injured wearing nuetral trainers. Take the gait analysis with a pinch if salt, quite often they try to over-correct your natural running style which cam actually lead to injuries. 

Edited 14 May by JonnyBoy

[VLC86]

On 13/05/2026 at 18:41, waddadamadda said:

Anyone here doing this years GNR? I’ve never done it before however I was offered a place through Bodie Hodges today! Any feedback? 

I did it last year and I’m doing it again this.

 

Absolutely loved it, the atmosphere is incredible.

 

A couple of mistakes I made… I got in the pen an hour before was it’s crazy busy, I’d taken on board loads of liquids and genuinely considered pissing myself on the start line. Luckily, I found a toilet a KM in but then I sprinted for that KM and my heart rate was as high as it’s ever been… don’t do that.

 

It has got a couple of hills and the roads are quite open so fingers crossed it’s not as windy as last year.

 

And that last stretch (mile) is genuinely like you are competing for an Olympic gold, so don’t do what I did and treat the whole thing like a 100m race and cross the line feeling like you might die.

 

Parking wise, you can park at the end I guess but it is easy to catch the bus back to the centre, I’ll do that again I think.

[VLC86]

10 miler down the canal this morning. First time I’ve worn my Megablasts in a while and I’ve ran that pretty quickly. Ridiculous pair of shoes.

[Trumpet]

14 miles for myself today. Felt the last couple of miles, but glad to get the miles in.

[VLC86]

Chanced Amazon for a pair of Super Blast 2s as they were a fair bit cheaper than anywhere else. They’ve turned up, every part of them compares almost exactly to the pair I bought before other than they are made in a different country, which the internet tells me means they are fake. Crazy how good the fakes are.

[CL Fox]

On 13/05/2026 at 09:03, James_lcfc said:

Agree with all this.

 

I've never paid attention to the classification either - No idea what a 'Neutral' shoe is compared to others 

 

I just make sure they are pretty light and have decent energy return based on the reviews here - https://runrepeat.com/

 

If they wear quickly or cause blisters I never buy them again. For example, I've always been surprised people love the Novablasts so much - The pair I had felt pretty good underfoot, but had a hole in the upper after about 3 weeks...which is pretty rubbish! SL's are in a completely different league IMO, but everyone is different.

 

Film yourself fron 4 angles on a treadmill for about 30 seconds each and put it into chat gpt. Works just as well as going into a shop.

[09bballer]

Chester HM for me tomorrow morning with my daughter, looking forward to it.

[CL Fox]

Did the Harborough HM today. Haven't done anywhere near this distance since the Cologne marathon 3 years ago. Got round in 1hr 51mins which i was pretty happy with. Some warned on here it was quite hilly - strava said a 233m climb. Absolute beast of a hill at mile 11.

 

Kingy did it in 1hr 33 😶

 

Thinking about doing london next year. Will try and get a couple more half's in the next year, but will make sure i give myself a decent chunk of time to recover before planning that.

[stretch1965]

21 hours ago, 09bballer said:

Chester HM for me tomorrow morning with my daughter, looking forward to it.

Did you enjoy  it? Also did the Chester  today with the wife and daughter. Ran separate for this as we all went for a PB. We are running together for the Chester metric marathon in Oct.

Managed 1.42 chip time but strata says 1.40. I'd take both anyway. Horrible hill on the last mile

[09bballer]

I agree about the horrible hill but generally I thought the route, organisation and weather were all good today.

We ran together today. She wanted under 2:30 and managed 2:18, she was very happy.

Well done to you.