Exercise

[Dave2002]

I've not quite got into cycling again - after a very long period away. I have a mountain bike, which is pretty much new, but never used. One of my friends suggested that it wouldn't be good on roads, but yesterday someone else who's really into fitness, mentioned that he rides his mountain bike round a lot of the roads and tracks around here (some quite steep hills, plus many cycle tracks), with no problems, and it would be OK. OTOH another friend, who like me hasn't ridden for some time, mentioned that last time he tried - before the end of the last century, he fell off. However, he did wonder if that had had anything to do with the drinks he'd partaken of beforehand!

[Serial_Apologist]

I've not quite got into cycling again - after a very long period away. I have a mountain bike, which is pretty much new, but never used. One of my friends suggested that it wouldn't be good on roads, but yesterday someone else who's really into fitness, mentioned that he rides his mountain bike round a lot of the roads and tracks around here (some quite steep hills, plus many cycle tracks), with no problems, and it would be OK. OTOH another friend, who like me hasn't ridden for some time, mentioned that last time he tried - before the end of the last century, he fell off. However, he did wonder if that had had anything to do with the drinks he'd partaken of beforehand!

Undoubtedly would be my guess! From personal experience, not having done it between the ages of 11 and 30, cycling - like swimming - is an ability one never loses.

On a sad note, a girlfriend, with whom I used to undertake long rides when living in the West Country, subsequently put on weight as a consequence of having to take anti-psychotic drugs, and was then unable even to balance herself let alone ride the bike I had kept for her. In consequence she was unable to benefit for the sake of her mental health.

[teamsaint]

Hope it goes/went well for you TS

R3’s Beat Beethoven challenge got me back into the Park Run but I kept picking up foot injuries that set me back so I never made it. The one size fits all attitude of the NHS training programme is probably too demanding for a lot of older runners because the weekly increments are a bit steep, eg 3 x 5 minute runs increases to 3 x 8 minutes in the following week. It means is that a 60 year old person training for a Park Run is expected to follow the same regime as 30 year old. Well, I couldn’t keep up with it, even after warming up and stretching, and indeed NHS orthopaedic specialists have been seeing more and more lower limb injuries in casual runners. A gradual weekly increase of about 10% in the time intervals is probably quite enough. This advice comes from a North American orthopaedic advice website, btw. Much bigger population and they've been jogging for longer than we have here.

Apart from that, training on grass, running and walking, seems to provide the cushioning limbs need, because the surface is springy and so less stressful. A warm footbath with Epsom salts after training helps feet to recover, although nobody knows whether or why Epson Salts work, and so does foot massage. Anybody who watched the excellent ‘Men at the Barre’ BBC4 documentary about the Royal Ballet’s male dancers will have caught a glimpse of them massaging their feet during their break. Ballet dancers are particularly prone to horrendous foot injuries so they know a lot more about injury prevention.

Thanks CB. Terrible forecast right up till Sunday and an ill timed minor ( I hope) tweak in my left calf have been a bit of a downer, but I'm still hoping to take part and get round !!

I do agree that the NHS programme could be a bit ambitious in its time frame for some people, but they do suggest repeating weeks I think, and many people would need that. The 10% increase you mention is also the level suggested as people move to more long distance running, and seems a good rule of thumb.
It is important to take it gently, and be patient. Wearing well padded shoes, and choosing if possible a good surface to run on are all significant. Running on grass when it is firm is good, but it can be taxing when very wet in winter. Running is undoubtedly a high impact activity, and needs to be undertaken sensibly, not that I am suggesting you aren't sensible ! I must say that after about 14 months of regular running, my knees seem to be holding up well, and in fact much better than they were a few years ago. Some people say that muscle build up as you gain fitness helps the knees.
I think for a lot of folk it does take quite a while to get to a point of actually enjoying running, esp in the British weather !
Never tried Epsom Salts, but for minor aches and pains I use Meadowsweet gel or oil, which works very well, and I love the smell !

[french frank]

the drinks he'd partaken of beforehand!

Section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 offences - drunk in charge of a pedal cycle!

Just cancelled my gym subscription as I don't fancy it at the mo. Sounds like a return to up and down the stairs 10 times x 3 times a day.

[Dave2002]

Section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 offences - drunk in charge of a pedal cycle!

Just cancelled my gym subscription as I don't fancy it at the mo. Sounds like a return to up and down the stairs 10 times x 3 times a day.

Someone I once knew, a very long while ago, from school, cycled into the back of a police car. Perhaps it was raining and he couldn't see. He wasn't old - and not old enough to drive, but was taken to court and given penalty points. I assumed that this was correct.

When I asked how he could get penalty points if he couldn't drive, I was told that if he learned to drive before they expired, they would be added to his licence. I'm was never really sure if that was possible, or just a made up story, but I'm pretty certain the bit about colliding with the police car was correct.

[teamsaint]

Much organised running seems to be cancelled for the forseeable future. Very sad, really.
No sign of parkrun returning.

I took part in a 10k trail run a couple of months ago. Plenty of precautions taken by the organisers, who deserved one of the shiny medals for all the extra effort they put in .Such a shame that people can’t take part in what are surely very safe events.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Much organised running seems to be cancelled for the forseeable future. Very sad, really.
No sign of parkrun returning.

I took part in a 10k trail run a couple of months ago. Plenty of precautions taken by the organisers, who deserved one of the shiny medals for all the extra effort they put in .Such a shame that people can’t take part in what are surely very safe events.

Well done for keeping going. I find it difficult to motivate myself to run when group events are so elusive, though I still manage a weekly run at a less than ideal pace. With parkruns I always had someone to chase or be chased by.

[gurnemanz]

Much organised running seems to be cancelled for the forseeable future. Very sad, really.
No sign of parkrun returning.

Just got back from playing tennis at our sports club after latest lockdown. About 15-20 playing also some coaching going on. Car par pretty full. The Running Club were out in force with their day glow and head lights. Also junior 5-a-side football.

[Dave2002]

Really slacking re exercise - which is not doing me any good. I did go out for an hour and a half's walk last week - before it got dark - and given the terrain that wasn't terrrible, though I should have been quicker than that. Shall we say that the first 150 yards is flat, and then it goes up quite steeply. The return back down the same hill can be difficult - I think I actually prefer going up.

I need to pick up on the exercise bike too.

[teamsaint]

Well done for keeping going. I find it difficult to motivate myself to run when group events are so elusive, though I still manage a weekly run at a less than ideal pace. With parkruns I always had someone to chase or be chased by.

Different people find different things motivate them I guess. I like running on my own, but also like to have an organised event to aim towards. I finally got under 24 mins for 5k a couple of weeks ago, ( hurrah !!) but would have found it much easier ro reach the target , I suspect, with a faster running partner, or pacer at parkrun. Anyway, when it all reopens, I should be back in the car in time for BaL .
Got a 7 mile trail run at Larmer tree on the Wilts / Dorset border in March in my sights, but it does look a bit gruelling. And toying with the idea of a half marathon next year, if there is anything suitable. But that will need some serious training.

[teamsaint]

Just got back from playing tennis at our sports club after latest lockdown. About 15-20 playing also some coaching going on. Car par pretty full. The Running Club were out in force with their day glow and head lights. Also junior 5-a-side football.

Excellent. That sounds brilliant.Good to hear.

When I talked about organised running, I wasn’t meaning running groups. AFAIK, groups of 6 are ok, depending on what tier you are in I suppose. Who knows?!

[Dave2002]

Excellent. That sounds brilliant.Good to hear.

When I talked about organised running, I wasn’t meaning running groups. AFAIK, groups of 6 are ok, depending on what tier you are in I suppose. Who knows?!

Aren't the rules for sports different? Also, they may be different in Scotland compared with England. This came up recently in a discussion about groups meeting outside, and one view is that walking groups of up to 30 might still be within the rules. I think the groups that do this are actually smaller (less than 10 per group), but still larger than a couple of households.

On the other hand, currently we can't organise outdoor photography groups even with smallish groups - say 6 to 8 - as that would involve too much inter household mixing, even if social distancing were fully observed. Perhaps runners taking photographs with GoPro kit would get in under the sports rules, though I doubt whether many of our photographers could run fast enough or far enough to be taken seriously in that way.

[Bryn]

Excellent. That sounds brilliant.Good to hear.

I'm about to walk down to the post box and back. I may be some time (about 5 minutes, I would guess). The local tennis club car park has become a fly tip for bathroom furniture, of late.


Right, that's my exercise for the evening.

[teamsaint]

Aren't the rules for sports different? Also, they may be different in Scotland compared with England. This came up recently in a discussion about groups meeting outside, and one view is that walking groups of up to 30 might still be within the rules. I think the groups that do this are actually smaller (less than 10 per group), but still larger than a couple of households.

On the other hand, currently we can't organise outdoor photography groups even with smallish groups - say 6 to 8 - as that would involve too much inter household mixing, even if social distancing were fully observed. Perhaps runners taking photographs with GoPro kit would get in under the sports rules, though I doubt whether many of our photographers could run fast enough or far enough to be taken seriously in that way.

AFAICS, “ Self organised “ sport is subject to a limit of 6, but team sports or organised events are ok with any number of people. I can’t see anything that would specifically prevent parkrun, for example.

I do know that some non league football clubs are struggling to restart because bar regulations are making it difficult to serve drinks , which is a big part of their income.

[Serial_Apologist]

AFAICS, “ Self organised “ sport is subject to a limit of 6, but team sports or organised events are ok with any number of people. I can’t see anything that would specifically prevent parkrun, for example.

I do know that some non league football clubs are struggling to restart because bar regulations are making it difficult to serve drinks , which is a big part of their income.

Aren't there said to be problems with group running events, what with the amount of moisture exhaled with running - unless (I guess) social distancing is strictly observed, even if that may necessitate straying onto possibly dangerous roads? When runners come towards me I always try and get across to the other side of the road to avoid them; it's infuriating when they come up from behind and physically brush me in passing.