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

[SecretPro]

5 hours ago, 09bballer said:

No, I read that it's often 10 or 15% out but useful anyway.

Does yours change? Mine always says 51, perhaps I need to put more effort in.

Currently on 50, been going up steadily but imagine its going to start levelling off soon

 

2 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

Places offer the chance to do the V02 Max at about £100 a pop if you fancy it. 

Might have a look, just intrigued more than anything! 

[VLC86]

I always get adverts for Loughborough Uni doing VO2 tests.

[Ric Flair]

Trying to beat post marathon blues by rifling a load of bunce on events and running gear.

 

Asics Superblast 2s arrived today, plus a few other bits

 

Booked Brighton marathon 2027 and looking at an overseas Autumn 2027 event too, would try and squeeze one in this autumn but i'm in Portugal with the family in October so will struggle. Annoyingly not the same week as Lisbon marathon 😂😂😂

[VLC86]

18 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Trying to beat post marathon blues by rifling a load of bunce on events and running gear.

 

Asics Superblast 2s arrived today, plus a few other bits

 

Booked Brighton marathon 2027 and looking at an overseas Autumn 2027 event too, would try and squeeze one in this autumn but i'm in Portugal with the family in October so will struggle. Annoyingly not the same week as Lisbon marathon 😂😂😂

I need a new pair of the 2s, up to 700 miles in them and they are still going strong, unbelievable shoes.

 

Really struggled with them at first as they felt big and bulky.

[Ric Flair]

25 minutes ago, VLC86 said:

I need a new pair of the 2s, up to 700 miles in them and they are still going strong, unbelievable shoes.

 

Really struggled with them at first as they felt big and bulky.

First observations are they feel so bouncy, but can't tell if they are a little narrow. Plenty of stability though so shouldn't be a problem in that regard. Will give them a rip at Market Bosworth Half this sunday.

 

Also, get in quick as they have stopped making them I think and just on old stock. The 3s are getting mixed reviews in comparison.

[Trumpet]

Had a go at a 5k PB yesterday, which I beat by 2 seconds (22:18). Annoying because I set my watch for a warm up then 3 miles flat out. I forgot to do the additional .1 miles, so it factored some of my warmup pace for the 5k.
 

Heart rate absolutely rocketed at the end too, which concerned me. Felt fine or as fine as I expected to feel after that kind of effort.

 

[VLC86]

3 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

First observations are they feel so bouncy, but can't tell if they are a little narrow. Plenty of stability though so shouldn't be a problem in that regard. Will give them a rip at Market Bosworth Half this sunday.

 

Also, get in quick as they have stopped making them I think and just on old stock. The 3s are getting mixed reviews in comparison.

I bought a pair of 3s and sent them straight back, they seemed nice I’d just spent too much money at the time.

 

I’ll definitely stock up on the 2s.

[SecretPro]

8 hours ago, VLC86 said:

I need a new pair of the 2s, up to 700 miles in them and they are still going strong, unbelievable shoes.

 

Really struggled with them at first as they felt big and bulky.

Thats cracking mileage. I loved my Novablast 5s but they died, like proper ****ing died at just 400k

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

I was Novablast 5 til I die and still like them, they're a bloody comfy number but the Evo SLs properly won me over after wearing them in over 50km or so. Laces are shite on them but they just seem to work better for me, starting to tire a little after ~700km but no complaints at the price point

 

Also the bloody Novablast 5's just seem ****ing massive, I'm an 11 and I'll put them side by side with the SLs, they're a good half an inch longer than the Adidas.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

14 minutes ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

I was Novablast 5 til I die and still like them, they're a bloody comfy number but the Evo SLs properly won me over after wearing them in over 50km or so. Laces are shite on them but they just seem to work better for me, starting to tire a little after ~700km but no complaints at the price point

 

Also the bloody Novablast 5's just seem ****ing massive, I'm an 11 and I'll put them side by side with the SLs, they're a good half an inch longer than the Adidas.

I have both and I think the 5s edge it for me. The laces and tongue of the Evos are a bit cheaper feel than it should be. 

 

Also the sole of my Evos is peeling off sort of, the material near the heel I mean. The 5s I've done probably double the distance in and look much better condition wise

 

I need to invest in some new shoes soon but no idea what 🤣

[SecretPro]

9 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

I was Novablast 5 til I die and still like them, they're a bloody comfy number but the Evo SLs properly won me over after wearing them in over 50km or so. Laces are shite on them but they just seem to work better for me, starting to tire a little after ~700km but no complaints at the price point

 

Also the bloody Novablast 5's just seem ****ing massive, I'm an 11 and I'll put them side by side with the SLs, they're a good half an inch longer than the Adidas.

I have both and have been loving running in the Evos, genuinely a fair bit quicker with the same perceived effort too. 

 

I liked the bouncyness of the Nova 5s a lot, but the foam has just totally died at 400K, maybe I just got a naff pair. 

 

EDIT: I think the evos are small in comparison to most running shoes tbf - my Saucony Azuras are akin to the Novablasts size wise, both being half an inch longer than the Evos.

Edited 9 May by SecretPro

[stretch1965]

Good luck to all doing the Bosworth Half tomorrow, I'll be marshaling in Sutton Cheney just after the first left turn if you want to shout Rudkin out as you pass! 

[SecretPro]

Steady 22.1km today, perfect weather. 4 weeks out from Leamington half and my only worry is its gunna be a scorcher...

[SecretPro]

How was the Bosworth Half @Ric Flair? 

[Ric Flair]

2 hours ago, SecretPro said:

How was the Bosworth Half @Ric Flair? 

Loved it pal.

 

Kept it very sensible ahead of the big one at the end of May. Was enjoyable, it's a decent course. Went a bit daft last 2-3 mile to see how the legs felt and they hated it 😂

[Messi]

On 05/05/2026 at 17:48, waddadamadda said:

I don’t regret it at all. I was an overweight total non runner who ended up with a London marathon ballot place.

 

Not exaggerating by saying this….it totally changed my life

Literally pretty much exactly the same as me. Got a ballot place and knew it was too goo to turn down so started running at the start of July last year and couldn't run a mile without stopping, kept at it and absolutely hated the first 4-5 weeks then something just clicked and I found myself weirdly starting to enjoy it.

 

Over 900 miles later and 5stone 5lb lost in weight and I really cannot imagine my life without the routine and running now - it has completely transformed my life.

 

Advice for any beginners - just stick at it even when you can't be bothered. It is such a rewarding sport (and very mentally challenging at times). 

 

[SecretPro]

1 hour ago, Messi said:

Literally pretty much exactly the same as me. Got a ballot place and knew it was too goo to turn down so started running at the start of July last year and couldn't run a mile without stopping, kept at it and absolutely hated the first 4-5 weeks then something just clicked and I found myself weirdly starting to enjoy it.

 

Over 900 miles later and 5stone 5lb lost in weight and I really cannot imagine my life without the routine and running now - it has completely transformed my life.

 

Advice for any beginners - just stick at it even when you can't be bothered. It is such a rewarding sport (and very mentally challenging at times). 

 

100% all of this.

 

My life without running in one way or another seems unimaginable now. Sure, there are occasional slumps, but even then once ive got back out there I suddenly remember why I love it so much. 

 

Slow, fast, casual, race. Doesn't matter. Running is a win for everyone able to do it. 

[Ric Flair]

I'm pretty convinced i'm injured, think its the tendons that run all the way down the leg in to the foot as my outter knee and left calf are in a world of bother. Started since London marathon and yesterday's Half (which i kept very steady) has aggravated it ten fold.

 

This 38 miler on 30th May is going to be class 😂

 

Time to book in with the physio.

[SecretPro]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

I'm pretty convinced i'm injured, think its the tendons that run all the way down the leg in to the foot as my outter knee and left calf are in a world of bother. Started since London marathon and yesterday's Half (which i kept very steady) has aggravated it ten fold.

 

This 38 miler on 30th May is going to be class 😂

 

Time to book in with the physio.

In all seriousness though mate, dont overdo it, you'll only regret it in the long run. You've done a lot of mile this year already! 

[Ric Flair]

14 minutes ago, SecretPro said:

In all seriousness though mate, dont overdo it, you'll only regret it in the long run. You've done a lot of mile this year already! 

I'm trying to be careful but the 38 miler is non-negotiable now. I'll just deal with the consequences afterwards as have very few concrete plans between June and Brighton marathon in April 2027.

 

 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Shaved a 4 mins off the half marathon time tonight to 1:32:01. Edging closer to the 1hr30 mark but reckon I'll need some new shoes to hit it.

[SecretPro]

30 minutes ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

Shaved a 4 mins off the half marathon time tonight to 1:32:01. Edging closer to the 1hr30 mark but reckon I'll need some new shoes to hit it.

Spend £500 on pro 4s, you know you want to.

[James_lcfc]

10 hours ago, SecretPro said:

Spend £500 on pro 4s, you know you want to.

Just picked up a pair of Pro 4's for just under £150 ...to try to force myself into racing a bit more! 

 

Love the SL's so I'm expecting big things.

[David Guiza II]

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. 

[Trumpet]

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.