The Running Thread --2025

DianaMB333 · 2025-04-26T05:22:28-0400

nancipants said:
Speaking of London… is there a way to watch from the US without paying for a ridiculously expensive subscription service?

https://marathonhandbook.com/how-to-watch-the-2025-london-marathon/

Using a vpn (ie Express vpn) you could watch it in the BBC channel

col1 · 2025-04-26T06:16:43-0400

DianaMB333 said:
https://marathonhandbook.com/how-to-watch-the-2025-london-marathon/

Using a vpn (ie Express vpn) you could watch it in the BBC channel

The BBC coverage is excellent the follow the elites until conclusion but do hours of coverage on the whole field and lots of focus on charity runners and their stories and our “celebrity@ runners as well.

I will be watching it after my half but will miss the elites this year as I’ll be out running.

accm · 2025-04-26T08:25:45-0400

avondale said:
That's the way to guarantee getting into everything!

When I asked my mom if she'd go with me, she said I should also try for Berlin

pluto377 · 2025-04-26T08:37:08-0400

Also entered for London! We’ve been talking about taking a trip there with kids so why not right?

The Expert · 2025-04-26T08:57:23-0400

If anyone is an Outlander fan, I just saw on his IG that Sam Heughan is running London tomorrow!

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

nancipants · 2025-04-26T09:16:11-0400

DianaMB333 said:
https://marathonhandbook.com/how-to-watch-the-2025-london-marathon/

Using a vpn (ie Express vpn) you could watch it in the BBC channel

Thanks. I’m annoyed because it says it will be on ESPN2 but I’m not seeing it on my guide.

The Expert · 2025-04-26T09:19:30-0400

nancipants said:
Thanks. I’m annoyed because it says it will be on ESPN2 but I’m not seeing it on my guide.

Me either. I'll probably just stream it (I have Nord VPN) but I'd rather be able to record it and watch when I get up.

nancipants · 2025-04-26T09:26:01-0400

The Expert said:
Me either. I'll probably just stream it (I have Nord VPN) but I'd rather be able to record it and watch when I get up.

Same! It’s so annoying. It’s like they don’t want people to get interested in distance running.

accm · 2025-04-26T09:31:02-0400

I need some crowd sourced opinions. I've been using a combination of skratch energy chews and gu gels as fuel, but I have the gu gel, and I'm pretty sure its causing some gut issues. I ordered some alternatives, but won't have time to try them during a long run before my half next weekend. Would it be a terrible idea if I had one before a normal run to make sure there are no adverse reactions and then use it for the half? Or should I just suck it up and use the GU this time around and save the new gels for my next training cycle?

The good news is that the forecast right now is calling for perfect running weather - partly cloudy with a starting T+D of 88 and only going up to 94 by the time we should be finishing. Fingers crossed nothing changes.

nancipants · 2025-04-26T10:08:26-0400

accm said:
I need some crowd sourced opinions. I've been using a combination of skratch energy chews and gu gels as fuel, but I have the gu gel, and I'm pretty sure its causing some gut issues. I ordered some alternatives, but won't have time to try them during a long run before my half next weekend. Would it be a terrible idea if I had one before a normal run to make sure there are no adverse reactions and then use it for the half? Or should I just suck it up and use the GU this time around and save the new gels for my next training cycle?

The good news is that the forecast right now is calling for perfect running weather - partly cloudy with a starting T+D of 88 and only going up to 94 by the time we should be finishing. Fingers crossed nothing changes.

Can you just have the Skratch chews since they already work for you?

Good luck in your race!

accm · 2025-04-26T11:25:34-0400

nancipants said:
Can you just have the Skratch chews since they already work for you?

Good luck in your race!

I'm not sure? I've always alternated between the chews and the gel, so I don't know if having more of the chews would have an adverse effect?

WillRunForPizza · 2025-04-26T11:30:14-0400

nancipants said:
Speaking of London… is there a way to watch from the US without paying for a ridiculously expensive subscription service?

I feel like it's usually on YouTube a few days later? Unfortunately you'll probably know who won at that point, but I still enjoy watching. And I wasn't going to wake up at 3 a.m. to watch it live anyway.

RuntheMouse · 2025-04-26T12:47:48-0400

Race day!

Today was my 5K, the first one I’ve ever truly raced. A few weeks ago I posted that I PR’d my 5K in a training run and I was hopeful to do it again officially.

We had perfect weather this morning, 39 and sunny with barely a breeze.

I had a rough morning, didn’t sleep well last night and all the doubts crept in. I am a one speed runner so this is my first attempt to get a sub 30. The course is great for this, slight downhill start, relatively flat in the middle and being an out and back a slight uphill finish. I went out a little slower than I had planned, 9:25,but that’s better than the alternative! Mile 2 I cranked a 9:20 right on target. Mile 3 I was dying but still managed a 9:35 and finished the final stretch with an 8:56 pace. Final time 29:30!

I really tried to stay near the tangent and that helped me tremendously! I was thinking I needed to be prepared for 3.18 but I came in at 3.13 miles. I knew I wanted this but didn’t know exactly how much it was going to mean. I’m over the moon! Nothing big on the horizon other than marathon training starting in June!

The Expert · 2025-04-26T12:47:51-0400

If anyone has thought about turning your old race shirts into a keepsake quilt, DO IT! After moving all mine across the country and realizing I maybe wore 10 of them, I sorted through and sent 30 of them off to Happy Dance Quilting in Kentucky. I bagged them according to which part of the shirt I wanted to use: one bag for fronts, one for backs, another for other or multiple parts with notes pinned to each, all packed in one box. I also sent a form I'd filled out, choosing options like background fabric, quilting options, etc. and made a $150 deposit online.

I got an acknowledgement when the shirts arrived safely, and confirmation of my choices. Several weeks later, I got a digital layout of the quilt for approval. They don't just cut out squares, but take their time to do a proper framing of each design and lay things out thoughtfully. I loved what they did, so I approved. I got updates via text and email through the rest of the process, which took another four weeks or so. Once done, I received an invoice for the remaining amount (just under $300). They will give you an estimate, but they let the number of shirts, the layout and your choices determine the final size and cost. Mine turned out about queen size, using 32 squares, plus the border.

I just got it today and it turned out SO GOOD! I didn't want to just stitch the edges together like a lot of these places do. It is properly quilted, lined and batted, front and back. It should last years, and I absolutely love it!

GollyGadget · 2025-04-26T14:20:29-0400

RuntheMouse said:
Race day!

Today was my 5K, the first one I’ve ever truly raced. A few weeks ago I posted that I PR’d my 5K in a training run and I was hopeful to do it again officially.

We had perfect weather this morning, 39 and sunny with barely a breeze. I had a rough morning, didn’t sleep well last night and all the doubts crept in. I am a one speed runner so this is my first attempt to get a sub 30. The course is great for this, slight downhill start, relatively flat in the middle and being an out and back a slight uphill finish. I went out a little slower than I had planned, 9:25,but that’s better than the alternative! Mile 2 I cranked a 9:20 right on target. Mile 3 I was dying but still managed a 9:35 and finished the final stretch with an 8:56 pace. Final time 29:30!

I really tried to stay near the tangent and that helped me tremendously! I was thinking I needed to be prepared for 3.18 but I came in at 3.13 miles. I knew I wanted this but didn’t know exactly how much it was going to mean. I’m over the moon! Nothing big on the horizon other than marathon training starting in June!

Nice work!

col1 · 2025-04-26T14:34:41-0400

RuntheMouse said:
Race day!

Today was my 5K, the first one I’ve ever truly raced. A few weeks ago I posted that I PR’d my 5K in a training run and I was hopeful to do it again officially.

We had perfect weather this morning, 39 and sunny with barely a breeze. I had a rough morning, didn’t sleep well last night and all the doubts crept in. I am a one speed runner so this is my first attempt to get a sub 30. The course is great for this, slight downhill start, relatively flat in the middle and being an out and back a slight uphill finish. I went out a little slower than I had planned, 9:25,but that’s better than the alternative! Mile 2 I cranked a 9:20 right on target. Mile 3 I was dying but still managed a 9:35 and finished the final stretch with an 8:56 pace. Final time 29:30!

I really tried to stay near the tangent and that helped me tremendously! I was thinking I needed to be prepared for 3.18 but I came in at 3.13 miles. I knew I wanted this but didn’t know exactly how much it was going to mean. I’m over the moon! Nothing big on the horizon other than marathon training starting in June!

Great job

RuntheMouse · 2025-04-26T14:49:39-0400

GollyGadget said:
Nice work!

col1 said:
Great job

Thank you both!

rick1zoo2 · 2025-04-26T15:15:40-0400

rick1zoo2 said:
We are three days out from a local race - the Garden Spot Village 10k and Half Marathon. We are signed up for the half along with my 24 year-old son, who will also be joining us for the Wine and Dine weekend. I am hoping he gets a POT, he is certainly able as he did his own half marathon a month ago in about 2 hours. I am thinking of trying for a personal best better than my Princess half time. I understand there is a significant hill on the course and there may be rain too. It is in Lancaster County, PA, in Amish farm countryside, so looks like a nice setting for it.

https://gsv.run/

So there is also a companion race in September - the Bird-In-Hand Half Marathon. If you complete both races, you are presented with the highly coveted Road Apple Award:
View attachment 959343

https://www.bihhalfmarathon.com/road-apple/

Bird-In-Hand is the actual name of a town, along with Blue Ball and Intercourse makes for an interesting set of driving directions through Lancaster County.

I gave a more detailed report on the run itself in the Run Walk Run thread but wanted to update. I didn’t quite meet my target but was glad to finish with a new PR by 20 seconds. My son did awesome. This was his first half marathon and he ran a perfect race (good pace at the beginning then picked up speed and finished fast) and came in at 1:55 which is a good POT for the Wine and Dine. He really enjoyed it and feels awesome about it. I think he has caught the bug! My wife’s sister joined us and the two of them ran the 10k.

The race was well organized with about 600 doing the half and over 200 doing the 10k. It was raining a bit but I actually liked that as it kept me cool. The course was rolling hills through the Amish farmland. It felt like were no straight roads and no flat roads.