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00:00:01
The UKRunChat Team chat all things running with Sherie, Katherine & Rachel.
55 Plays4 years ago
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Transcript
Introduction and Host Introductions
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to this episode of the UK Sports Chat Podcast. I'm Joe Williams, and in this episode, some of the UK Run Chat team chat some of your topics that you have sent in via our social channels. So get ready for Catherine, Cherie and Rachel talking about how they've been motivating themselves, how they keep safe whilst they're out running. And you also hear Rachel tell her boyfriend, Martin, not to use the microwave while they're recording the podcast. Enjoy.
00:00:32
Speaker
Hi everyone, I'm Cherie and I'm from the UK Run Chat team. I've been with the team for about five years or so now and my current role is to the membership secretary of the UK Run Chat Running Club and also the face of the Twitter account sometimes as well. So when you hear, when you see tweets from the UK Run Chat account, I'll be behind some of those.
00:00:53
Speaker
Hi everybody, I'm Catherine and I live in Kent. I work for the Church of England and I've been running for about eight and a half years now. I've done a variety of events from park run through to a couple of ultras and have more exciting things planned for as and when events can carry on. Hi everyone, my name is Rachel and I
00:01:20
Speaker
I'm often found on the UK Run Chat Instagram stories. That's probably where you'll recognize me from. I live in Dublin, but I got involved with UK Run Chat when I lived in Exeter and actually was part of the UK Run Chat Exeter running group, actually in person. And then I moved away, but it's been great to be part of the team. And today the three of us are just going to chat about some topics that have
00:01:48
Speaker
come up recently on Instagram and Twitter and we just really wanted to have a bit of a catch up.
Reunion at the Running Show
00:01:55
Speaker
And the three of us met up, it was the start of this year at the Running Show in Birmingham. So that was the first time I had met Catherine and Shuri in person.
00:02:07
Speaker
And that will definitely stay in my mind for a long time. It's a good job we did as well. If only we knew at the time that we wouldn't then be able to see any other human being. And it feels so long ago, but at the same time, not so long ago at all. I know. I'm kind of glad we had that night because that was definitely a night out that has lasted me this whole year. I don't think that says it all.
00:02:35
Speaker
Yeah, I definitely wasn't ready for it to end. I feel like we could have just carried on because that's all the nights out for this whole year now. I know, it's so funny. Next time. Yeah, definitely when we can get back to that, we'll be on that stage and that club. I thought I was best friends with the DJ, but anyway, we'll leave it at that and get on to some running chat.
Morning Run Routines
00:03:01
Speaker
Before I just get into those topics, you've both been running this morning?
00:03:05
Speaker
Did you have a good run, both of you? Catherine, how was yours? It was very wet, very, very muddy. I was quite glad I'd put my, well, very glad I'd put my trail shoes on. It was at the point where there was no puff, it was just puddles. So I had to just splosh through them all. And by that time, your feet are wet anyway. So then I just splashed through the lot. Lots of dog walkers laughing at me, but it was very good fun. And it keeps you moving when you're that wet and cold anyway. So it has its benefits. Exactly.
00:03:35
Speaker
Cherie, what about you? Yeah, I just went out for a 5K and it's quite an enjoyable one, but I was just listening to Catherine about putting trail shoes on and things like that. I'm the worst runner for having the right kit for the right environment and terrain. I'll literally just pop on any trainers that are there and I'll just go and hope for the best. I end up doing that and I feel sad if my normal road shoes get all muddy and I have to think they're only shoes
00:04:05
Speaker
Oh, I know. And, you know, the road shoes that I have, they're discontinued. And I went, when I found a couple of pairs of them about a year and a half ago online, I bought about three pairs just so that I had them. And my last ones are on the last legs now. And I'm sad. I've got to find some more. It's not the easiest thing to do as we all know. No, no, but nice to treat yourself all the same. Definitely. So it's good that you both got your run done this morning as
Motivation in Gloomy Weather
00:04:35
Speaker
One of the questions or topics that has come up is about motivating yourself to get out running. I guess this time of year when we've got the dark evenings, the weather's pretty miserable, be cold, it's wet. So it'd be good to talk about how you get motivated to actually put your shoes on and get out the door. And I think especially this year, when for a lot of us, we can't meet up with our running groups. So you are trying to motivate yourself. So.
00:05:04
Speaker
I guess we can stick in this order just to get some points out there but Catherine do you have any tips or ways that you motivate yourself at the moment or are you finding that difficult as well? I think for me it's just a question of routine I am a creature of habit anyway that is my nature and for the last however many years I've been getting up on a Saturday morning to go to Park Run
00:05:30
Speaker
The big difference for me in this scenario that we are in at the moment is that I've started doing some strength training so I do a kettlebell class on Zoom three times a week so I then run three times a week on sort of opposite days and I think I've just been doing this for so long.
00:05:48
Speaker
that it is just part of my normal routine, but saying that I could quite easily talk myself out of it. I could have quite happily stayed in bed this morning and I have to get where I literally say to myself, Catherine, the sooner you're out, the sooner you're going to be back. Just get up, get stressed and go.
00:06:08
Speaker
because you're just going to regret. I know that I'm going to regret it later on if I don't and it was raining when I went out. I actually don't mind a rainy one once I'm out. It is just that first step of getting up and getting dressed and going. So true. Yeah. Once you're out there, it's fine. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Being in that routine definitely, definitely helps. Cherie, what do you think at the moment? Are you?
00:06:33
Speaker
Finding that motivation to get out or how's that for you?
Mental Health and Running
00:06:38
Speaker
Yeah, I think the three of us might be in the same boat. We're all working from home at the moment, aren't we? Yeah. And I think working and living in the same place can be so suffocating.
00:06:49
Speaker
especially when you are actually in a lockdown environment as well. So I think previously where we'd come out of lockdown and it was a bit more, a little bit more freedom. Now we're back in lockdown. I think all of us are, aren't we? So it does make it a little bit more difficult to just get out and do things, especially as there's no social element and there's nothing you can actually get out and do.
00:07:08
Speaker
So I think if I didn't have that motivation and that commitment to get out of the house, I think it'd be quite detrimental, just I think, to mental health really. I don't think it does anybody good to stay sat living and working in the same place for days and days and days on end.
00:07:24
Speaker
And there's very much a danger that that could happen. So, yeah, I try to get out no matter what the weather, because I always know how peaceful and how much clarity of thought I think running gives me. And just reinvigorates your little bit, doesn't it? It doesn't matter how fast or how slow, but wait when you're out the house where you've been all day, or if you're doing it in the morning, which is what I tend to do, just gives you that break from the norm, I think. Yeah, I'm definitely the same working from home.
00:07:50
Speaker
and sitting at the laptop all day at my kitchen table. And I'm in a flat, so it's my kitchen dining room and living room are all one room. So sitting at the same spot. And definitely if I go out for a lunchtime run, I come back feeling a lot better. And I think that's what motivates me knowing that if I didn't do that, I'll kind of feel terrible. I'll probably be in a bad mood in the evening and just a bit out of sorts. So I think that's motivation in itself.
00:08:20
Speaker
I think especially getting out at lunchtime to try to get some sunshine or daylight, at least it might not be that sunny, but you know, at least it's not dark, I think is good motivation to get out earlier in the day to
00:08:34
Speaker
to help with that. I've seen the biggest difference for me is that I've pushed myself to get out at lunchtime when I can, and I'm lucky that I've got a very supportive team when I go. Does anybody mind that I go for a lunchtime run? They're always no, absolutely fine. Off you go. And it means that I'm out longer than I'm technically entitled to for my lunch break, but I'll then work a bit later. And the unexpected bonus that I've discovered in this is that I push myself harder.
00:09:02
Speaker
because i know that i've got to be back and i've got to be back at work and this isn't my team putting any pressure on me this is me putting pressure on me i am doing that circuit that
Lunchtime Running Benefits
00:09:14
Speaker
i do it's it's up the road round a little nature reserve which is beautiful i'm very lucky it's on the doorstep and back home and i am doing it quite quickly because i know that i've got to be back and i've got to be back at work and that actually means that i've sort of got a speed session in there that i've not had
00:09:34
Speaker
Yeah, I must say I really struggle with the idea of getting out at lunchtime and I don't know if other people experience this, but I feel that that guilt about
00:09:43
Speaker
middle of the working day and actually going out and I constantly feel like I should be working even though in any normal environment, I say I'd have a lunch break, I probably wouldn't just because of the nature of the way my role works. But yeah, most people would have a lunch break and not feel bad about that. But I've really struggled working from home, actually not feeling guilty trying to go out at lunchtime and, and just get that breather. So if I don't get out in the morning, I find that I won't go at all.
00:10:07
Speaker
I'm very lucky because my employer has been specifically saying to people, make sure you do go out at lunchtime, if you can get some daylight, that's better for everybody. So my ears pricked up at that point and went, ha! There's permission to do this.
00:10:25
Speaker
Not that my team certainly would not have said no, because they're great. And even when we're in the office, I'd sometimes go and run at lunchtime. But it was nice to kind of have that from the upper echelons that they're giving us out. The actual upper echelons as well. Yeah, I think my employers also recognised that actually quite recently. Last week they introduced for everybody that's still working, they introduced the concept of the goal of an hour.
00:10:54
Speaker
which was instructed to be your time taken for you between the hours of one and two and you know they were very specific about that can't be you know meetings can't be scheduled there you should be doing something for yourself or getting out it doesn't stop me from thinking I should be doing work and I don't think it'll change the habit of my my lifetime which is if I don't run in the morning I won't run at all but it's it's good I think that employers are recognizing
00:11:16
Speaker
the impacts of working from home and giving individuals that sense that they feel empowered that they can do what they want and that can include getting out some exercise. That's right. Yeah, definitely. I don't think I would be able to run that lunchtime if I was in my office just because there is a shower, but it's in the cleaning cupboard. And if there's more than one person going out, then you would be fighting over who's having a shower and things like that.
00:11:44
Speaker
I'm probably benefiting more from working at home and being able to do that. But it's funny you should say about feeling guilty because my brother has just recently started his first ever grad job and he's obviously working from home, but he's got into running recently. So then he's trying to do a lunchtime run and he said he felt like it was illegal.
00:12:06
Speaker
So now we're calling lunch runs illegal runs.
Virtual Runs and Challenges
00:12:10
Speaker
So a message I'm like, I went for an illegal run today, even though we know what's totally fine. Yeah. That's our word for it. Yeah.
00:12:19
Speaker
But it's good that he's trying to get into that routine probably from the beginning. So it will feel normal soon. Yeah. And that's the thing. We just don't know how long this whole situation, I know lockdown will probably end at some point, but actually the whole work from home dynamic, we just don't know how long it's going to last. So we do need to make sure we get into some positive habits and try to keep those routines up so that we can come out of it, hopefully stronger in all senses. Yeah, definitely.
00:12:47
Speaker
And I was thinking of some other ways because with the lockdown and we can't really run in groups or with too many other people. So other ways to keep yourself motivated. I guess we have, well, virtual runs, which we can come on to now, but maybe you could tell a friend that you're going to go for a run at a particular time and they could be across the country or somewhere else and they maybe plan to run at that same time. And then you could message each other afterwards.
00:13:16
Speaker
I haven't done this, but I just thought that might be quite a cool way to have that accountability when you're not actually with the people. Yeah, you could do it. You could definitely do it one of two ways that way, couldn't you? It could just be a nice little social run. You could even be chatting to each other if you've got the facility to run and talk at the same time. Or it could be a little competition between the two of you. You know, let's both go out for a 5K. Let's set off now and let's see who can get that quickest or something like that. Loads of ways, I think. And that's a really good idea. That'd be quite cool.
00:13:46
Speaker
And our running group has actually come up with a challenge for November and as a bit like a bingo card. And I guess some of the virtual runs, like the runner one we did in October had this where you would try to get selfies with certain things and different types of runs. We had run under the stars. So that was doing a nighttime run. And we had one actually over the weekend, a lot of our running club were doing it where you had to run around and take selfies at churches.
00:14:15
Speaker
That was the topic. And then also doing like the fastest mile or hills sprints, just different things and you could tick them off on different days. So that was definitely.
00:14:27
Speaker
I'm encouraging people to get out. I quite like that because I'm missing being on a training plan. I think that's the one thing about my motivation that I'm missing being on a training plan because I've been doing races for so long that I'm virtually permanently on a training plan normally and having to think about what run I want to do at any given time
00:14:48
Speaker
is just kind of an added complication. So to have a little bingo card of, oh well, go out and do some hill sprints or I'll go out and do a night run or whatever would be quite fun. Yeah.
00:14:59
Speaker
Yeah, you know, that's a really good thing for what you're just saying about trading plans, Catherine. I think it's very easy if you don't have a plan to just fall into a routine of just going out for a plod. Yeah. And then it does run the risk of becoming boring. And that's when that's when you start to give up, don't you? Yeah. So yeah, things like that. The bingo idea is a great idea. Yeah, I think having a plan or a goal, it's hard this year without having our actual races and events, but with so many virtual runs or
00:15:29
Speaker
virtual events happening, that is another way to keep yourself motivated. And I know I'm training for virtual Edinburgh marathon at the moment, and I've put that date myself as to the 5th of December, so I'm working towards that. So that's definitely motivated me, although I can't say it's in any way a normal marathon training plan, because I know it's not really the real deal, but it's still helping me do the longer runs that potentially I would not have,
00:15:58
Speaker
I ran 35 kilometers yesterday and there is no way I would have done that if I didn't have a virtual event coming up. And you might say, well, you didn't really need to do that. Like, you know, life would have been fine, but it's something to do. It makes you feel better. So I think having those virtual events is worthwhile. Have you taken part in any over the past couple of months or do you have any coming up?
Virtual vs. In-person Races
00:16:28
Speaker
No, I must say it's not a concept that has ever really engaged me and I don't know why. I'm not sure why I don't engage with them and participate in them. I just like to run, but run safe. And then I think the thing I enjoy about races is the people. So I don't think it means, I don't think it makes me really engaged with virtual races because I enjoy actually being around the people and
00:16:54
Speaker
meeting everyone from the UK Run Chat community, that's one of my favourite things about an actual race, so a virtual one is never really engaging but at the same time I do see on Twitter and on Instagram when people are training for the same virtual races, when we have obviously the virtual London this year I saw everything explode all over Twitter, it was really nice to see that sense of engagement had gone
00:17:17
Speaker
online as well. So I don't have to rethink my views on virtual races because I just sound fun, but I think I probably do it for something a longer distance rather than a shorter one. I'm not really, I'm not really bothered about getting a medal for a five or a 10K. I don't, I don't really like, I don't know. I don't feel like I'd, I'd get that same sense of achievement as if I'd done a virtual half or a full marathon. So yeah, I think that's probably, probably what I need to do going forward.
00:17:44
Speaker
Yeah, completely understandable. And I think the virtual London, that's what motivated me to actually plan a date for my virtual marathon. I wasn't really that bothered about doing it because actually for Edinburgh, you can do runs throughout a week. You know, you don't have to do it all in one go, but I saw everybody do in London, saw things on TV, Twitter, Instagram, and I was like, oh my goodness, I need to do this. And I know it's not going to be the same amount of people on the
00:18:13
Speaker
I could be the only person doing a virtual marathon on that day, but it did kind of spark that motivation in me. I was very lucky that I managed to get an actual real life race in last month.
00:18:29
Speaker
just before everything locked down again, so I do have a fairly recent very nice wooden eco-friendly medal from the Fours Beharthmarathon in Nottinghamshire which was mid-October. I haven't done any virtual races, so I haven't done a virtual one that is a specific race, but I've done a few recently of the ones where
00:18:54
Speaker
marathon in a day and run around the world and leave nothing but footprints and i'm going to be doing run up to christmas which are the kind of months long do it as an individual or as a teen type thing i've done this the last few years and it just keeps me motivated and keeps me running and i'm in the sort of twitter chats with some of the people and it's quite nice just to have that sort of encouragement
00:19:18
Speaker
from other people who are getting out there and if you've perhaps had a run that wasn't so brilliant that you go, that was a bit rubbish and they go, it's fine, it was a rubbish one, that one will be better. And it just helps you sort of pick yourself up again a bit, which helps me a lot. And they're just really nice people. So what can be wrong? I totally agree. It's so nice having everybody on Twitter and it's almost like nobody does a bad run. There's always somebody telling you, no, you went out there, you did it.
00:19:48
Speaker
Well done, and yeah, it's a nice feeling.
00:19:52
Speaker
Yeah, especially now, when it's so easy not to go out. You know, it's just much easier to sit at home, especially as the weather's getting worse, it's getting darker. The Canyon Run is a good run, isn't it now? Yeah. I always remember, I think I did the, I didn't do the actual NHS couch to 5k, but I did the NHS couch to 5k Plus, which is some extra bits for once you can do 5k. And I think the very nice lady on the podcast is called Laura. And she always used to say, remember, any run is better than no run at all.
00:20:22
Speaker
Yeah, definitely agree. And Catherine, how was the actual race that you did? I don't remember what that's like. I know. It was very strange. They did very, very well. It was excellently run. I was very impressed. It was you wore masks in the race village. They discouraged sort of hordes of spectators going with runners. The toilets were being cleaned after every use, which was a delight.
00:20:50
Speaker
and they did staggered starts so there was only small groups starting at any one time and then obviously once the course is basically through what would have been part of Sherwood Forest
00:21:03
Speaker
So it's very beautiful. It's sort of the grounds of what would have been a country estate and is now a bit of a swanky hotel. So once you're out there, you're in the middle of nowhere. You're in the countryside. You saw a few people max at any one time or certainly for me. So there wasn't any worry about distancing from people once you are out running. And it was just really nice to be doing something that felt a bit normal.
00:21:31
Speaker
I've raced so much over the years. And as Cherie just said, it's the seeing people at races that makes the race for me. I'm not, I mean, I love the running side of it, but it's the seeing people before and after that is just the icing on the cake. And I managed to see a couple of people from UK run chat before we set off.
00:21:52
Speaker
Which was lovely, it was really nice to be able to get to see real human beings that I know. I'm really sad because I was supposed to be running that race as well. I was meant to be doing the 10k, but foolishly, instead of coming up and staying over the night before, I thought, I'll drive up from Bristol in the morning. That's no problem. I do Bristol to Nottingham all the time. And then the M5 messed me up around about Birmingham.
00:22:18
Speaker
That was so hard. I know. I know I was devastated because it looked like a really good day. It was awful. You wouldn't have enjoyed it at all. It was disappointing to have missed it. But never mind, I'm sure we'll all get those opportunities to race again hopefully next year. Yeah, hopefully. So I guess another thing related to
00:22:45
Speaker
running at this time
Safety While Running in the Dark
00:22:46
Speaker
of year. We've talked about some ways to motivate ourselves but there is another aspect with the dark evenings and I guess dark mornings as well is the safety aspect if that is a concern to some people and it is for me dependent on where I am. So I thought we could chat a little bit about how we overcome that, if there's any tips and advice we can give to anybody listening and perhaps
00:23:11
Speaker
you are wondering that yourself or maybe you haven't thought about the safety aspects of running in the evening and this might make you think about it. So what do you two think? Do you have any ways that you keep yourself safe when you're running in the evenings? I know we just said about running in the mornings and lunchtime runs, but I'm sure there are times when we're out in the evening. And is there places you would avoid or things that you do to keep yourself safe?
00:23:39
Speaker
Yeah, I think I saw something actually on online a few weeks ago, I was just randomly seeing things as you do. And I saw this, I saw an Instagram account, it was run by a doctor, and they were asking people about their safety considerations, male versus female. And I found it really, really quite interesting that the results of this, well, the findings of this survey showed that men don't really feel the need to have to consider safety prior to leaving the house to go for a run.
00:24:08
Speaker
And obviously that's not going to be the case for all men, but that was the general consensus of the survey. Whereas every single woman that was questioned had a different answer for the things that they feel they have to consider, which I think is so sad, but unfortunately is a fact of life that we're in now, isn't it? Definitely. I think that there's some parts, there's definitely areas when I'm running in the evenings, like I wouldn't go into the park that I would usually run in during the day because it's not lit up
00:24:39
Speaker
Whereas I know that my boyfriend who's currently just walked in and I'm telling him, don't put the microwave on. But I know that he probably would run into the park where it's not just as lit up. And so that's definitely a difference. But then there's some aspects of safety, especially where I live and it's the traffic.
00:25:08
Speaker
Like I think sometimes just being lit up so that the traffic can see you is very important and that should apply to everybody and even people who are walking, not just running. So there's things there that everybody should consider, but then I think, yeah, I'm not surprised that women would maybe think about these things a bit more in terms of maybe where they're running and who knows, like,
00:25:36
Speaker
planning where you're going to go and who knows where you're going to go. Like you can put a tracking thing on your phone. Like I can't get any words out here. Strava and the Strava beacon. And then you can do that or like the Google tracking thing. So maybe women would be more likely to say, well, this is where I'm going to go and I'll be here. And I've said that to my boyfriend before and he's just like, okay, see ya.
00:26:02
Speaker
And I'm like you need to know where I'm going to be. So maybe I think I worry too much but I'm quite up on my trying to stay safe. Katherine what do you think? I mean I'm very lucky it's not something that's ever really
00:26:24
Speaker
I mean obviously it's crossed my mind but it's not something that's ever concerned me particularly partly because up until I moved house last year I've always been sort of running around on roads anyway and I've always finished work I start work early and therefore finish work early so I finish at four and then go for a run so actually there's still a lot of sort of school traffic and things about at that time of night so
00:26:53
Speaker
I've never really had any concerns about security and safety. It is interesting though, because I suddenly spotted a route which I'd never been on last week. So I thought, oh, I'll run up there. And albeit it was a very main road and there was a lot of traffic and it did have street lights, but it was still actually very dark because there were some very, very big trees lining the road that were in effect blocking the street lights.
00:27:22
Speaker
And I did think, you know, if somebody jumps out from one of these driveways and grabs me, nobody would be able to see for all that I'm on a main road with street lights. So actually, I'm not going to run up here again in the dark. And as you say, with the parks, I went out a couple of weeks ago at four o'clock and it was still just light. So I managed to scoot through one of the little parks that's at the bottom of my sort of housing estate.
00:27:51
Speaker
but it was falling dusk and I remember thinking oh I'm not going to be able to do this again at this time of night because it is another week or so and certainly by now it will be dark by that time of night and it's not something I would do is run through a park
00:28:08
Speaker
at night in the dark on my own. And it's a shame we have to think like that. I'm always in a bit of an argument with myself when you see these things about, oh, women need to make sure they let someone know where they're going and take well-lit routes and only run on main routes. We shouldn't have to, but we do. It's an unfortunate fact of life that we do have to take these things into consideration.
00:28:37
Speaker
I know I totally agree. I'm on the same side of, it should be the other people that, you know, which shouldn't be us that's worrying. But what about taking your phone with you? Do you always bring your phone on a run? I always have my phone with me, yeah. Yeah. Oh, I don't. I'm really bad for anything. I don't carry anything. I literally have shorts, t-shirts, trainers, Garmin, and I've safety pinned my keys to my sports bra and it's like, oh.
00:29:09
Speaker
I think the only time I'm likely to carry my phone with me is if I have my camelback for a longer run, it's just because then I can put my phone in that. But no, I'm really bad. I need to be better and think more. But for saying that, I do, I am mindful of my roots. So, you know, I live near some really nice trails, some really nice woodland. I've got all the loads of cycle paths near me, which are really nice and quite peaceful to run on.
00:29:37
Speaker
so I'll run on them when I feel it's safe to do so but I certainly wouldn't go into the forest in the dark, I wouldn't go into the trails in the dark, even the psychopath to some extent because it's not very well lit so even if I've got no phone or anything on me, wherever I choose to run is usually well lit and fairly densely populated so I would feel as safe as I could be.
00:29:59
Speaker
Yeah, it's a shame. I had a funny, I'm sorry, Catherine. I was just thinking the other night that I would actually love to get my head talked out and go for a run around the nature reserve at night. Yeah, really, really fun. Because I did, I've done a couple of night races and it is a lot of fun. But I just think it's not a very wise idea to do it. And it's a shame.
00:30:21
Speaker
Yeah, I remember, um, endure a couple of years ago and going for a midnight run around, um, Bramman Park in Leeds. And it was so much fun and so nice and a really nice experience. And yeah, it would be, it would be great to get out at night, um, of my own accord. I just don't think it's practical. No. I had a funny moment recently where I was on a usual route and that's quite residential around me and
00:30:48
Speaker
on a road where there's traffic and so just running along and traffic on my right hand side and trees on my left and honestly a guy did just climb over the fence from the trees right in front of me and he just kind of looked at me and I was like and I said hi I didn't really know what to do but I don't really know what he was doing in there it wasn't threatening but I was just like who is this person and I just kind of ran on thinking
00:31:18
Speaker
That could have been a really bad moment but I think nature was maybe calling but it just seemed a bit strange. It's quite surreal isn't it though when you're in that situation and you don't know what to do. I remember this was a year ago now but I'd finished work and I decided it was relatively dusky but there was a main road and I thought I'm going to go for a run. So I started running and I heard a cyclist behind me so I moved over to let him past
00:31:45
Speaker
carried on running, didn't think anything about it. Notice did not pass. So I moved over again, just in case I'm not left enough room. And he still didn't pass. So I turned my iPod off and I carried on running and just being a bit more mindful. And he was still cycling really slowly behind me. So then I stopped. It was very weird. Then I stopped and he circled around and cycled in front of me and then blocked my path.
00:32:09
Speaker
and just said to me, what are you doing? And I didn't know what to say. I was like, come out for a run.
00:32:16
Speaker
Then he said, where are you going? And I was like, I'm going home. I'm going home. People are expecting me kind of thing loud and clear. And he just still stood there and stared at me and I got really freaked out. So I just turned around and ran back the way I'd came like towards my house. The worst thing about that was that the run so far, I've been all downhill. And now I'm kind of going, I was running all the way back uphill.
00:32:42
Speaker
Oh goodness.
Running with Music and Gadgets
00:32:44
Speaker
And did he follow you more? No, no, that was it. It was just the weirdest thing, but it was, as I say, when I set out on the run, it was dust, but the road was still relatively busy with the post-work traffic, but all of a sudden it seemed to get dark and quiet really quickly. So yeah, you definitely need to be mindful of the time. And as I say, that was just a very odd experience. Yeah. And one thing you said there was you were turning your music down, which is something else I was going to say, even though I'm
00:33:12
Speaker
try to stay to lit up areas and wearing high vis and all of that, I will still listen to music. I'm not letting anything stop me from doing that. And I know people will say that you're not really aware of your surroundings, but anytime I come up to a junction or I'm not sure about something, I will turn it down or just pause it. But I wouldn't want to give up my music.
00:33:34
Speaker
No, I think I used to run with music all the time and it was only, as I've just said, I don't take my phone out with me. So previous to that, it would be my iPod shuffle, which I still have and I am not giving up for anybody. But yeah, I don't think it works anymore if I'm honest. I haven't used it for a while. But I started at the start of the pandemic when we had the first lockdown. I thought, you know what, I'm going to just go out for a run without my music because the iPod's not working and I'll see how it feels.
00:34:01
Speaker
Now I can run without music, I've trained myself to do so but I do like running with music still and I think if you want to you shouldn't be forced not to. Exactly, yeah. I've got some of the bone conducting headphones which are helpful for being able to listen to things but also have your ears unblocked literally
00:34:25
Speaker
So I am a newcomer to podcasts for running, but I do still have something going on so that it distracts me from the run. I've got some of those as well. I think my head's too small for them though. I can't make them fit. I wish I had that problem, I've got a big head. They came in different sizes.
00:34:53
Speaker
Those are probably a good idea. I still have AirPods, which I love using them.
00:34:58
Speaker
but I've heard lots of good things about those types of headphones. Did they not fall out? I would feel concerned that they would fall out. I know people always say that to me, but I actually have really small ears. I think I have a big head, but I have small ears. It's a bit disproportionate. Your ear pods are jammed into your ears. I have no problems.
00:35:27
Speaker
Well, we are a family of people with very round heads, shall we say. My mum has and my sister and I and my niece and nephew. So heads not being big enough for headphones is not something that we would come across in our family. Well, it's great to get that advice and hear your thoughts. It's good that some of our ideas on these things are a bit different.
00:35:55
Speaker
So I guess what's next in the running calendar for everyone? Whether it's at the moment or maybe next year.
Future Race Plans and Goals
00:36:10
Speaker
I know it's very hard to plan, I guess. Is there anything happening at the moment virtually for either of you?
00:36:17
Speaker
No, nothing for me. But I think Catherine mentioned run up to Christmas earlier, which is I think with my job, it's so easy to get sucked into just doing nothing but work in December, which is one of the busiest times of the year. So I think I'll want to get motivated to get out every day in December. So I think I might get involved in that. In terms of real life races, I've only got Manchester Marathon booked, which is let's move back to October now, hasn't it next year? Yeah.
00:36:40
Speaker
Yeah so yeah quite a long way off but I'll certainly look to put something early on next year if we can because I am definitely missing that whole getting together and seeing everyone and I used to love as part of things like Shrewsbury Manchester would always go out for dinner the night before then there'd be something afterwards as well Manchester especially there's always pub for post-race which is one of my favourite things about that particular event it's such a good time Catherine likes to have a snooze in that pub as well don't you think?
00:37:10
Speaker
It's some tradition, post runs smooth. That sounds ideal. Manchester is one actually that I've, everybody hypes it up but it's not been a race that I've ever really felt, oh I better do Manchester, but maybe sometime just to see everybody.
00:37:32
Speaker
Yeah, a lot of people tend to do that from UK Run Chat because the whole North, sort of Northern community tend to get together in that one, but it's, it is flat, it is fast and it's really, really well supported. And I must admit, I think this, I've done it three times and I've always had a good time. And then next year when I do it again, it's on a new route, they've changed the route to incorporate some of the city centre, which will be quite interesting. So looking forward to checking that out. So one I would wholly recommend definitely. Okay. Yeah.
00:38:03
Speaker
Well in theory I've got various races that have rolled over from this year to next year but the ultimate aim is that they're mostly training for Race to the Castle which is in June. So I did Race to the Stones last year so I'm hoping, fingers crossed, that by June it might be
00:38:22
Speaker
good for going ahead because I think races especially I mean it's a trail race they start kind of in fields I can't see why by then they can't have things in place for things going ahead I mean I would imagine the issues will be around sort of the aid stations and they have a campsite halfway so I would imagine they're the issues that they will have to iron things out how that's all going to work
Excitement for Upcoming Races
00:38:51
Speaker
But I am hoping by then it might be able to go ahead. What I'm really hoping though is that the things that I've got booked in aren't going to then be lost because they're all my training things. So for example, I should have been doing Manchester in April as a training run.
00:39:09
Speaker
I mean you know it's all gone a bit weird when you're doing marathons as training runs but Manchester was supposed to be a training long run for the ultra and then that's now been bumped to the autumn so I will struggle with my training for Race to the Castle if I can't get some races in I think it will be it will just be very very hard work doing it all sort of under my own steam
00:39:36
Speaker
Yeah we've got Endure as well actually haven't we that's rolled over from this year I forgot about that in July. Yes that's the weekend after Race to the Castle so I can't remember I'll be getting many likes of Enduring but I'll come for the craic.
00:39:52
Speaker
When we did that, we did it a couple of years ago again and I loved that so much. Again, it was the atmosphere, the environment, everybody, the camaraderie, the whole setup was absolutely amazing. I was so gutted that we couldn't do it this year because I really, really wanted to. So I'm crossing my fingers that we can do that next year because that was such a fun event. Yeah, it sounds like a lot of fun. Have you got stuff booked in? Nothing, well, I guess,
00:40:21
Speaker
Edinburgh then should go ahead as the real event next May. I don't know if they've actually announced anything about that, but because I then chose to do the virtual version of it this year, then some of my entry fee then went towards the actual event next year. So I should be able to do that. And I don't actually have anything else booked in. I'm the type of person that will have maybe one or two big races and then
00:40:46
Speaker
That's, that's really it. I mean, I like getting the medals and things, but I tend to just have one big
Inspiration for Ultra Running
00:40:53
Speaker
goal, but there's an ultra marathon. That'd be my first ever ultra marathon on, on the north coast of Northern Ireland. It's, I think it is literally called the Causeway Ultra and they do a 10 K half marathon marathon and ultra. And it goes along some of the beaches around the Giants Causeway.
00:41:14
Speaker
around there and that's where I'm from so I would just love to go and do my first ultramarathon there and that would be in September so it's hopeful. It did actually go ahead in September of this year but I think it was a lot of out and back along a beach and so I think if you were somebody that had done that race year in year out you would go and do it but I thought no I'm not making that my first my first one
00:41:41
Speaker
So hopefully next year I would do that as I love doing the trail running and being a bit more adventurous. I have some of my own kind of plans that I'm really close here to the Wicklow Way and the Wicklow Mountains. And I can't get to them at the minute because of our restrictions, but I would love to try to run the different sections of the Wicklow Way. And I think there are events and things like that to do that, but I might just go and do it myself and try to camp or stay somewhere overnight.
00:42:12
Speaker
make it into a bit of an adventure. So that's a plan for some time next year. I've never, not never considered an ultra. I've been almost coerced in and out of doing them before, but it's not something that's ever been really high on my agenda. What makes you guys want to do them beyond the marathon? Well, Catherine, you can give your bit first as you've
00:42:38
Speaker
you've done a couple yeah i've done two now i've done one 50k and 100k i think it's oh my god i'm just so casual i've just i ran 5k this morning i still can't quite believe i've done them though that's the madness of it all i still can't quite believe i've done them and then i of course i did that thing where we finished the race stones last year and we're we're loving
00:43:04
Speaker
never ever again, never ever, never. And then within two weeks we were texting each other going, oh there's an early bird offer, shall we? And so yes, let's do it. Race to Castles is a new one in their race series for next year, so I think that's what enticed us. Oh that's cool. That's what was tempting. Well you've got to complete the trio haven't you? Well now, well exactly, now we've done one, if we then do two you've got to do the others, so. Exactly. I think for me it's
00:43:32
Speaker
I think it's just seeing what I can do. I know that sounds incredibly cheesy but I never thought that I would take up running in my late 30s and I never thought that I would be probably the fittest I have ever been in what is now my mid 40s and I'm loving it and I'm just loving seeing what I can do both with running and I mentioned kettlebells earlier
00:43:57
Speaker
doing the extra strength training is really paying off with my running as well so that's something else that I look to carry on even once all of this madness has gone and we're back to normal because it's obviously doing me a lot of good and I think it is just about that and it's about I do I do most of these races with other people and certainly the altar I did with somebody and I will be doing it again with the same person and it's
Night Running Magic
00:44:25
Speaker
It's not just a social thing, that's a ridiculous thing to say, but sharing the whole experience with somebody else and being out there for 26 hours non-stop, no sleep.
00:44:43
Speaker
and I think for me it was things I expected walking through the night to be absolutely hideous and I expected to hate it and I loved it and I can't tell you why I loved it I think it was just because it was nothing like I'd ever done before and we stopped at one point we were in the middle of nowhere we switched our head torches off and you could just see
00:45:05
Speaker
I'm getting all poetic now. You could see the moon and stars that you don't get because of light pollution and you could hear things in the undergrowth and it was all, I wonder what that is. You can hear an owl and you can hear a this and you can hear a that.
00:45:22
Speaker
And I think it was just so unusual. I'd never done anything like it. And then it just makes me want to do more of it, I think. Yeah. Oh, it sounds very mysterious and magical. Oh, it does. It was great. I think I'd be terrified. Yeah, I wouldn't want to do it on my own. I wouldn't have the confidence to do something like this on my own.
00:45:46
Speaker
but doing it with other people is, it was just a great, great experience. What's made you want to play one, Rachel? Well, even as you're describing that, I've like got this big smile on my face, like, oh, this sounds so good. I just want to go do something like that. I really like the, I think you said something similar. It's just showing what you can do. It's a bit of a challenge to yourself. And even doing these long runs at the minute for the marathon,
00:46:15
Speaker
You do get into, like, it's uncomfortable, but I'm running along thinking to myself, like, I actually love this feeling, knowing that I'm pushing myself forward here. I'm the one doing this. It is a bit crazy, but it's good fun. And I just think I'd like to try further than the marathon distance. And I guess what appeals in terms of like a race is that there's no time expectation on wealth.
00:46:43
Speaker
not for me, I'm sure there maybe is for people who actually race those sorts of events. But you know, with the marathon, I am still trying to get a sub four marathon. And then it's the same with maybe trying to get a sub two half marathon. I'm not saying that you have to do that. But you know, there is that kind of sometimes an expectation or people ask you about it. Whereas I know with an ultra, you're just trying to complete it. And that is such an achievement. And they're all so different. So you can't really compare
00:47:13
Speaker
you wouldn't really be able to be like, oh, they did it in that time. And I hear there's really good snacks along the way, a lot of them. And I'm all about food. So if I can eat along the way, that just sounds like my perfect day. Just plodding along.
00:47:30
Speaker
beautiful scenery, having snacks. I think that would be good fun. Someone once described an ultra to me as being a series of 10 Ks with a picnic every 10 Ks. It actually sounded like a very, very engaging way of getting people on board. It's all very visualised. And I think that's right. I think it's certainly for me, it's just easier to get your head around it if you break it down into the... Yeah. And you certainly, we were certainly doing that when we were out there. Oh, well, it's only
00:47:58
Speaker
10k for the next pit stop we can do that because we can do 10k and it's all the mind games that you're playing with yourself regardless of the fact that you've already done 30 or 40 or 60k it's just another 10k you can do that i can do 10k yep i know you have to i'd say the same thing to myself even for marathon training and it's just trying to forget that you're already exhausted no it's just 10k
00:48:25
Speaker
Yeah, I think I do the same. I break my marathons down into park runs, so it's just eight and a bit park runs. Eight and a bit park runs, and I've got this, so we can all do a park run, can't we? Yeah. I know. My brain goes a bit crazy though, and I'll maybe split it into 10k sections of the marathon, and then
00:48:44
Speaker
I honestly get so confused and I think I'm finishing at 30k. And even though you know what distance the marathon is, but my brain goes crazy. And then I'm like, no, there's more to do. It did distract me one time. I think when I was trying to get my first sub two hour half marathon and I was tracking it in miles at the time. So it's nine minute and nine second miles.
00:49:14
Speaker
If you keep to that, that will get your sub two. And I honestly, well, I didn't have it written on my hand or anything, but I was just playing
Training Strategies and Personal Experiences
00:49:20
Speaker
that over my head. Okay. So nine, nine, 18, 18, 27, 27, you know, going on like that. And then, yeah, eventually got a bit delirious and lost track. I did, I did get there and I did do it.
00:49:34
Speaker
But it was a distraction for a while. Yeah, I think just talking about times, times are definitely personal to everybody, aren't they? But that's probably what's partly stopping me from moving on to an ultra distance, because I am also seeking that elusive sub-four in marathon. But I'm conscious that I feel like I'm getting slower, so I really want to work on my speed. And I don't think that will be difficult to do if I start training for a much longer distance. True, because I think for an ultra, I would just be
00:50:04
Speaker
focusing on long steady runs, but that's probably different for people. I know for marathon training, I would try to do speed sessions at the moment. I'm not, I'm just covering the distance for this, but yeah, I would almost, in my head, I agree with you there. It's like speed work or ultra. Yeah.
00:50:25
Speaker
But other people can maybe do both, I'm not sure. No, it's interesting. When I was doing my first marathon training, someone said, oh, you part run times or drop, you'll start getting PBs left, right and centre at part run. And I absolutely didn't. Because I think my brain is just.
00:50:45
Speaker
It's one way or the other. Your marathon training say you've got to run quite slowly. And even in places where I could have run more quickly, I wasn't because the brain was just so much in the zone of your training, you've got to keep slow. Yeah. Oh, I feel like this could end a whole other deep conversation. Another podcast. Oh, yeah. I know with there's people
00:51:13
Speaker
you know, would ask maybe it's somebody doing their first 5k or they've done their first 10k and they're wondering, should I try to improve that time? Or should I move on to a half marathon? I've seen that question come up on Twitter quite a bit, but a lot of responses tend to be, if you aim to go further, then you're likely to get faster on your five and 10k naturally. And I know you're saying that that didn't happen for you, Catherine, but I feel like
00:51:42
Speaker
I feel like that would be the case for most people, like if it's your first time kind of ever going to a further distance. And yeah, there's lots of different ways. I'm sure everybody has different opinions and all of those things and different experiences. It's not just as easy as train for a marathon.
00:52:05
Speaker
get a park run PB, that's for sure. Different experiences and different views from different people. It all depends on how you approach your, your training first of all. And I think how you approach those shorter runs when you are training for a longer distance, because you probably would have the fitness to go faster. It's just whether or not you, you want to do that. So, um, yeah, very unique to each person, I think. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, very true. Well, there we've got another podcast topic anyway, about our
00:52:34
Speaker
our training and training plans. And maybe we could get somebody to give us good advice on all of that. Definitely. If you're listening, give us a shout. All feedback welcome. Well, I think we've covered
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:52:50
Speaker
quite a bit there with our motivation for running at this time of year and some of our safety tips. And it's great to hear all about the races coming up.
00:53:02
Speaker
and things that are keeping us motivated hopefully we will be running in well in person you know what I mean with other people at some point and maybe we'll have another reunion in Birmingham at some time that would be good fun fingers crossed we can get that there next year yeah well thank you lady it's been lovely
00:53:26
Speaker
Yes, it has. I've really enjoyed this. So yeah, must do it again sometime and we'll get some more topics from our listeners thrown out as I'm sure I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone's got to say. And I'm sure we can chat about anything that people want us to. Yeah, please do shout up on Twitter or Instagram or anywhere else that you know how to get hold of any of the UK Run Chat team. If you've got any more podcast topics that you'd like us to cover and we can do that for you.