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

[Ric Flair]

Mind bendingly hard this was, first 30km was straight forward. Then my left calf/knee which I was worried about flared up and it was a war of attrition there after. A few rest breaks made it even harder to get going again each time but I just had to get it done.

 

The route itself was sensational, will live long in the memory which is fitting for the cause of me doing it. 💙

[James_lcfc]

10 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Mind bendingly hard this was, first 30km was straight forward. Then my left calf/knee which I was worried about flared up and it was a war of attrition there after. A few rest breaks made it even harder to get going again each time but I just had to get it done.

 

The route itself was sensational, will live long in the memory which is fitting for the cause of me doing it. 💙

Just saw this on the FT Strava - Phenomenal effort 

[VLC86]

12 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Mind bendingly hard this was, first 30km was straight forward. Then my left calf/knee which I was worried about flared up and it was a war of attrition there after. A few rest breaks made it even harder to get going again each time but I just had to get it done.

 

The route itself was sensational, will live long in the memory which is fitting for the cause of me doing it. 💙

Congrats mate, incredible effort.

 

Im not sure how people can stop at rest stops and then carry on for things like this, best way is just to get the suffering over and done with as quickly as possible 😂

[Stuntman_Mike]

Just seen on insta the guy who'd completed his 1,000th Parkrun this weekend.

 

Crazy seeing as it's only once a week and you factor in lockdown etc.

[Ric Flair]

4 hours ago, James_lcfc said:

Just saw this on the FT Strava - Phenomenal effort 

Thank you mate and having just seen what you are capable of from your Strava activities I really think you should be putting some more of those accomplishments in here. Absolute top class! You are an exceptional runner, like borderline elite surely?

[James_lcfc]

3 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Thank you mate and having just seen what you are capable of from your Strava activities I really think you should be putting some more of those accomplishments in here. Absolute top class! You are an exceptional runner, like borderline elite surely?

Cheers. I don't really have any accomplishments to speak of as other than the odd parkrun I don't race anymore! I have been training pretty hard recently so I might do the odd race this year.

 

I'm quite a way off even being considered sub-elite though...absolutely miles off 'elite'!

 

You must have some pretty special DOMS by today? I have so many little niggles that that sort of distance would absolutely ruin me...it's an impressive achievement. 

[Bob Weasel Fox]

20 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Mind bendingly hard this was, first 30km was straight forward. Then my left calf/knee which I was worried about flared up and it was a war of attrition there after. A few rest breaks made it even harder to get going again each time but I just had to get it done.

 

The route itself was sensational, will live long in the memory which is fitting for the cause of me doing it. 💙

Phenomenal effort Ric 👏👏👏

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Toughest "run" I've ever done was the George Fisher Tea Round in Cumbria - completed it in June 2023 

 

31-32 miles roughly with 11-12000ft of incline around 10 plus mountains in Cumbria 

had support with me also (genuinely owe everything to Nosey, Jamie and Phil) and ended up finishing in over 12 hours moving time and almost 14 hours total time. Brutal

 

i mean I say "run" but some of the mountains you go up you can't even walk it's more of a scramble so half run part walk part climb

 

raise a bit for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) after my nephew in law died on a football pitch in Syston around 4 years ago from an undiagnosed heart related problem 

 

need another project I think going forwards - hopefully not related to similar circumstances 

[VLC86]

27 minutes ago, Bob Weasel Fox said:

Toughest "run" I've ever done was the George Fisher Tea Round in Cumbria - completed it in June 2023 

 

31-32 miles roughly with 11-12000ft of incline around 10 plus mountains in Cumbria 

had support with me also (genuinely owe everything to Nosey, Jamie and Phil) and ended up finishing in over 12 hours moving time and almost 14 hours total time. Brutal

 

i mean I say "run" but some of the mountains you go up you can't even walk it's more of a scramble so half run part walk part climb

 

raise a bit for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) after my nephew in law died on a football pitch in Syston around 4 years ago from an undiagnosed heart related problem 

 

need another project I think going forwards - hopefully not related to similar circumstances 

That’s insane mate. My ultra had about a 3rd of the elevation and I’d completely had enough of it by the end. When you say another project, are you thinking a similar type of challenge? Or smaller?

 

Sorry to hear about your nephew, I’ve played in a match where the same thing happened and I can’t imagine that happening to my nephew.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

47 minutes ago, VLC86 said:

That’s insane mate. My ultra had about a 3rd of the elevation and I’d completely had enough of it by the end. When you say another project, are you thinking a similar type of challenge? Or smaller?

 

Sorry to hear about your nephew, I’ve played in a match where the same thing happened and I can’t imagine that happening to my nephew.

Yeah not really sure, I've done equinox previously as a solo and completed 62 miles in 24 hours 

I've done the Leeds marathon 2 years ago and other similar challenges so just anything that pushes me I guess (preferably for charity but even for shits and giggles I guess) 

[Ric Flair]

4 hours ago, James_lcfc said:

Cheers. I don't really have any accomplishments to speak of as other than the odd parkrun I don't race anymore! I have been training pretty hard recently so I might do the odd race this year.

 

I'm quite a way off even being considered sub-elite though...absolutely miles off 'elite'!

 

You must have some pretty special DOMS by today? I have so many little niggles that that sort of distance would absolutely ruin me...it's an impressive achievement. 

What's your fastest ever 5km?

 

Hahahaa yeah my legs are hurting so much now, not only the issue in my left leg/knee but my thighs and quads are excruciating! Going to properly rest and stretch now as I barely had any chance to post London Marathon as had this 5 weeks after so needed to keep at it.

[James_lcfc]

11 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

What's your fastest ever 5km?

 

Hahahaa yeah my legs are hurting so much now, not only the issue in my left leg/knee but my thighs and quads are excruciating! Going to properly rest and stretch now as I barely had any chance to post London Marathon as had this 5 weeks after so needed to keep at it.

I can imagine - Body must be furious with you 

 

I ran 15:37, but that was 11 years ago now so it barely counts as a PB! Really trying to go under 16 minutes again at the moment as I haven't done that for 10 years. Had a go 2 weeks ago at parkrun but missed it by 12 seconds. I was on my own so maybe could have gone a bit quicker with some competition but not sure...I was fully on the pain train and hanging on for dear life after about 1k!

 

 

[SecretPro]

Them Puma Pure Nitros look like they might be a bit tasty at that price point. Getting a lot of hype. Released to general public on the 4th. 

[Ric Flair]

9 hours ago, James_lcfc said:

I can imagine - Body must be furious with you 

 

I ran 15:37, but that was 11 years ago now so it barely counts as a PB! Really trying to go under 16 minutes again at the moment as I haven't done that for 10 years. Had a go 2 weeks ago at parkrun but missed it by 12 seconds. I was on my own so maybe could have gone a bit quicker with some competition but not sure...I was fully on the pain train and hanging on for dear life after about 1k!

 

 

Pure sauce pal that is, rapid!

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Anyone else find Strava routes/maps bullshit? 

 

Sunday thought I'd give a route it suggested on a 20 mile run. 

 

Started off ok then the roads led me into farm tracks, had to hop over farm gates then suddenly lost in fields. Couldn't get out, every time I left one field I'd get another one in the way with a ditch separating each one. Skipped down one and stung my legs to bits with nettles. 

 

When i did eventually get out had a farmer matey tell me one of the fields was covered in something. **** knows what but just said cheers and ran off down the road before i was shot for trespass or something. Nightmare it was 🤣 

[waddadamadda]

9 hours ago, Heart-Shaped Fox said:

Anyone else find Strava routes/maps bullshit? 

 

Sunday thought I'd give a route it suggested on a 20 mile run. 

 

Started off ok then the roads led me into farm tracks, had to hop over farm gates then suddenly lost in fields. Couldn't get out, every time I left one field I'd get another one in the way with a ditch separating each one. Skipped down one and stung my legs to bits with nettles. 

 

When i did eventually get out had a farmer matey tell me one of the fields was covered in something. **** knows what but just said cheers and ran off down the road before i was shot for trespass or something. Nightmare it was 🤣 

Footpath is your friend here! 

[waddadamadda]

On 02/06/2026 at 16:34, SecretPro said:

Them Puma Pure Nitros look like they might be a bit tasty at that price point. Getting a lot of hype. Released to general public on the 4th. 

I’m eyeing up the deviate nitro elite 4’s but not sure if it’s just because they look nice or if it’s because they are a fast shoe. 

[SecretPro]

1 hour ago, waddadamadda said:

I’m eyeing up the deviate nitro elite 4’s but not sure if it’s just because they look nice or if it’s because they are a fast shoe. 

I could do with a Plated shoe tbh which is why I've not pulled the trigger on the Pures.

 

Only bad thing ive heard about the Nitro Elite 4s is that the logos, writing etc seems to peel off and disintegrate pretty rapid which obviously doesn't affect performance, just an aesthetic thing. 

[Ric Flair]

12 hours ago, Heart-Shaped Fox said:

Anyone else find Strava routes/maps bullshit? 

 

Sunday thought I'd give a route it suggested on a 20 mile run. 

 

Started off ok then the roads led me into farm tracks, had to hop over farm gates then suddenly lost in fields. Couldn't get out, every time I left one field I'd get another one in the way with a ditch separating each one. Skipped down one and stung my legs to bits with nettles. 

 

When i did eventually get out had a farmer matey tell me one of the fields was covered in something. **** knows what but just said cheers and ran off down the road before i was shot for trespass or something. Nightmare it was 🤣 

I always use Garmin Connect to create routes, some of those can have you taking liberties through people's properties but most of the time they are decent 😂