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

[waddadamadda]

parkrun with arm in splint was an interesting time this morning. 
 

Had to sell my Derby 10 place as one armed running is far more challenging than i anticipated.
 

Lost all motivation at the moment so cheered myself up with a marathon and ultra for next year plus the London to Brighton bike ride. Hoping half term means that I rest the wrist properly, get the all clear from the fracture clinic and rediscover my motivation.

 

[deejdeej]

Another one to the injury list before the Leicester HM. Did a 10k yesterday morning and felt fine during, after an hour or so I had a bit of pain on my hip bone. Nothing too bad for a few hours and still managed to go driving range 

 

Last night and this morning I can barely walk without an intense stabbing pain on it, hopefully one of those things that miraculously goes away throughout the week!

[Trumpet]

3 hours ago, deejdeej said:

Another one to the injury list before the Leicester HM. Did a 10k yesterday morning and felt fine during, after an hour or so I had a bit of pain on my hip bone. Nothing too bad for a few hours and still managed to go driving range 

 

Last night and this morning I can barely walk without an intense stabbing pain on it, hopefully one of those things that miraculously goes away throughout the week!

Be careful with it.

 

Hips don’t lie.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Done a 20 miler today, moving pace 5:04. 

 

Really want to enter a marathon at some point and push to get around 3:20-3:30 I think I could do if I'm fully fit. Just have to find one for the spring time. Unbelievable how popular these events are, even HMs distance too. Might do the Boston one (Lincs, not USA 🤣) in April. Apparently an MK marathon in May so that's an option too

[VLC86]

20 minutes ago, Heart-Shaped Fox said:

Done a 20 miler today, moving pace 5:04. 

 

Really want to enter a marathon at some point and push to get around 3:20-3:30 I think I could do if I'm fully fit. Just have to find one for the spring time. Unbelievable how popular these events are, even HMs distance too. Might do the Boston one (Lincs, not USA 🤣) in April. Apparently an MK marathon in May so that's an option too

Do mine on Saturday if you want, I’m absolutely shitting it 😂

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

16 minutes ago, VLC86 said:

Do mine on Saturday if you want, I’m absolutely shitting it 😂

Where is it mate? Tbf it sounds a better day out than going down to Millwall to see us get beat like I am 🤣

 

But good luck with it, let us know how you get on

[VLC86]

2 hours ago, Heart-Shaped Fox said:

Where is it mate? Tbf it sounds a better day out than going down to Millwall to see us get beat like I am 🤣

 

But good luck with it, let us know how you get on

Snowdonia national park 

[Ric Flair]

Feeling a bit better health wise ahead of Sunday. Been out for 3 runs in the last week and body feels OK bar a minor niggle in my left thigh. Lungs haven't got the capacity for me to have a thrash I don't think as I'm still on antibiotics for a chest infection but we'll see.

 

I'll put the foot down first 5km and see where I'm at.

[VLC86]

Conditions look pretty decent for Leicester don’t they, good luck to everyone.

 

Ive been eating all of the carbs in sight for the past 2 days and head down to Llanberis tomorrow. My feelings go from excitement to pure dread and doubt which I guess is normal, I’m sure I’ll get round but would love to hit my target time.

[waddadamadda]

10 hours ago, VLC86 said:

Conditions look pretty decent for Leicester don’t they, good luck to everyone.

 

Ive been eating all of the carbs in sight for the past 2 days and head down to Llanberis tomorrow. My feelings go from excitement to pure dread and doubt which I guess is normal, I’m sure I’ll get round but would love to hit my target time.

Take your gloves! It’s predicted to be around 0 degrees at the top of Pen Y Pass on Saturday!

 

As I’ve always said….forget about the 3 inclines, it’s the final descent that’s most likely to tip you over the edge!

[CosbehFox]

11 hours ago, VLC86 said:

Conditions look pretty decent for Leicester don’t they, good luck to everyone.

 

Ive been eating all of the carbs in sight for the past 2 days and head down to Llanberis tomorrow. My feelings go from excitement to pure dread and doubt which I guess is normal, I’m sure I’ll get round but would love to hit my target time.

Yeah hopefully some PBs smashed for some. Retrospectively having done a few now. I think Leicester is one of the better routes to get a quick time provided you have that tough finish in you. Not Bournemouth or Great Eastern flat but it's not Sheffield hills. 

 

Like Ric, I've got rid of the cold. However I'm running Leicester with very different intentions. It's been a while for good reasons that I haven't been PB chasing. This year has been a bit of up and down thing with my running. All of sudden in this past month, the gym has been pulling through with real muscle mass gains which has changed my body in so many ways and I have lost 4kg out of nowhere. In combo with the long runs in training. 

 

However, personal things aside. It's the first half that my brother is doing. We've trained together and we hope with a bit of luck we beat 2hrs. He'd always said to me after I ran other half that we wanted to do one himself. He's been training around North Leics and I think he's a bit resistant to think we might break the 2 hr mark as his training runs have been at sort of 2:05 pace. He's underestimating the hills he runs up at home and I actually think he will find the first half quite reasonable. 

 

Go well on Sunday everyone. We all do it for reasons. They are all personal. They all come in our minds when we are at it. We all suffer. Even if you find Sunday a good run, you'll have suffered training for it. We will have all gritted our teeth on our way. We will all get that hit at the finish line. We will all enjoy the Sunday feed. 

[Ric Flair]

24 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

Yeah hopefully some PBs smashed for some. Retrospectively having done a few now. I think Leicester is one of the better routes to get a quick time provided you have that tough finish in you. Not Bournemouth or Great Eastern flat but it's not Sheffield hills. 

 

Like Ric, I've got rid of the cold. However I'm running Leicester with very different intentions. It's been a while for good reasons that I haven't been PB chasing. This year has been a bit of up and down thing with my running. All of sudden in this past month, the gym has been pulling through with real muscle mass gains which has changed my body in so many ways and I have lost 4kg out of nowhere. In combo with the long runs in training. 

 

However, personal things aside. It's the first half that my brother is doing. We've trained together and we hope with a bit of luck we beat 2hrs. He'd always said to me after I ran other half that we wanted to do one himself. He's been training around North Leics and I think he's a bit resistant to think we might break the 2 hr mark as his training runs have been at sort of 2:05 pace. He's underestimating the hills he runs up at home and I actually think he will find the first half quite reasonable. 

 

Go well on Sunday everyone. We all do it for reasons. They are all personal. They all come in our minds when we are at it. We all suffer. Even if you find Sunday a good run, you'll have suffered training for it. We will have all gritted our teeth on our way. We will all get that hit at the finish line. We will all enjoy the Sunday feed. 

Only done Leicester once but to date it's my favourite, good support and the route is really enjoyable. Love that stretch when you get out the city and then hit Watermead, makes yer proud to be from here.

[Ric Flair]

11 hours ago, VLC86 said:

Conditions look pretty decent for Leicester don’t they, good luck to everyone.

 

Ive been eating all of the carbs in sight for the past 2 days and head down to Llanberis tomorrow. My feelings go from excitement to pure dread and doubt which I guess is normal, I’m sure I’ll get round but would love to hit my target time.

Good luck pal, beyond jealous. Will be very memorable, you'll smash it. 

[VLC86]

3 hours ago, waddadamadda said:

Take your gloves! It’s predicted to be around 0 degrees at the top of Pen Y Pass on Saturday!

 

As I’ve always said….forget about the 3 inclines, it’s the final descent that’s most likely to tip you over the edge!

yeah that 25th mile looks bad. Watched a video of a guy with a go pro strapped to him and finished 10th, all you kept hearing down that hill was “oh god” and “oh no”.

 

Also saw the video posted on the Facebook group of everyone stacking it down that hill 😂 

Edited 24 October 2025 by VLC86

[VLC86]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

Good luck pal, beyond jealous. Will be very memorable, you'll smash it. 

Thanks mate, appreciate it. Same to you on the half.

[VLC86]

In an extremely cruel twist of fate, this is the view from the place I’m staying at… it’s literally the hill I have to run up and down at miles 21-24

[deejdeej]

4 hours ago, VLC86 said:

In an extremely cruel twist of fate, this is the view from the place I’m staying at… it’s literally the hill I have to run up and down at miles 21-24

Good luck to you! Im sure you'll do great and hopefully it'll be enjoyable too (at least after you finish)

[stretch1965]

On 23/10/2025 at 22:58, VLC86 said:

Conditions look pretty decent for Leicester don’t they, good luck to everyone.

 

Ive been eating all of the carbs in sight for the past 2 days and head down to Llanberis tomorrow. My feelings go from excitement to pure dread and doubt which I guess is normal, I’m sure I’ll get round but would love to hit my target time.

Good luck today mate.

just north of where you are today and it's a windy one, hope it's behind you going up that hill. You've done the training so hopefully you'll hit your time.

[Trumpet]

Been running for 3 months and never really attempted my 5k best. Gave it a proper go this morning - 10 mins warm up at easy pace and then the 5k. Managed 22:43, which I’m chuffed with. Not sure what this translates to in a 10k but I’m aiming for ~51 mins.

[Raj]

Good luck to everyone  for tomorrows Leicester half/10km and any other runs over the weekend.

My Half days are over, just found the training too much now I'm 54 but can appreciate  all that goes into them so am just doing the 10km

GLA👍🏾

[Ric Flair]

2 hours ago, Trumpet said:

Been running for 3 months and never really attempted my 5k best. Gave it a proper go this morning - 10 mins warm up at easy pace and then the 5k. Managed 22:43, which I’m chuffed with. Not sure what this translates to in a 10k but I’m aiming for ~51 mins.

That's class pal, my best 5km is just under 22 mins and I can get round a 10km in 47 mins so you'll comfortably get under 50.

[VLC86]

**** a duck, not even sure what to say about that. Mega pleased with my time unofficial chip time of 3:55:19. I’m beyond drenched, think it was hailing 5 miles in.

 

walked from mile 21-24, pretty much skied down mile 25 which was mental.

 

Finished 358th out of about 3600/700 I think.

[westernpark]

Monsal Trail half marathon. The announcer billed it as a pb race but it’s so congested with the 10kers that I was nearly doing an eleven minute mile for the first couple.

Despite feeling horrendous still, turned it round to get a respectable 1hour 57. Heart rate spiked at 201 which is the highest I’ve ever recorded it. 

[Ric Flair]

6 hours ago, VLC86 said:

**** a duck, not even sure what to say about that. Mega pleased with my time unofficial chip time of 3:55:19. I’m beyond drenched, think it was hailing 5 miles in.

 

walked from mile 21-24, pretty much skied down mile 25 which was mental.

 

Finished 358th out of about 3600/700 I think.

That's class mate, well done!!

[deejdeej]

Good luck everyone today whether doing the 10k or HM