Page 206 • Nike+ - New EG challenges • Non-Gaming • Sport • Eurogamer.net

TheBlackDog 22 Jul 2014 10:46:45 1,114 posts
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I procrastinated so much on the Garmin 220 that I missed it at �110, which, after the price went back up, I realised was a ridiculously cheap price and was the watch I really wanted! However, like a good consumer, I convinced myself/realised that I really need an adventure watch with running functions as well as gps navigation, compass, barometer for accurate altitude reading and huge battery life.

That DC Rainmaker site is awesome for running watch reviews, and I eventually settled on a Suunto Ambit 2. Since they've just announced the Ambit 3 for September, there are some good prices for the Ambit 2, although I'm still going to have to wait until end August for a relative to bring it back from the US.

Deleted user 22 July 2014 11:12:13

Lotos8ter 24 Jul 2014 11:29:50 3,156 posts
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Does anyone know how to get the voice announcement of time elapsed and distance covered during a run on the Nike app on iphone pls?

I used to press the centre button on my Nano to get an update but can't seem to get this on iphone and I struggle to see the screen when I'm running. Cheers

Zomoniac 24 Jul 2014 11:55:38 10,628 posts
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Lock the phone. If it's locked you'll get it each time you press the button. Otherwise there's an option in settings to get an announcement automatically at set intervals.

Lotos8ter 24 Jul 2014 15:09:45 3,156 posts
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@Zomoniac - ah. Thanks mate, appreciated.

Gurgy 28 Jul 2014 07:55:49 2,924 posts
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Some nice big Nike+ syncing going on over the weekend guys

Now reached 2 million Nike Fuel points whatever that means.

Plant 9 Aug 2014 17:33:24 360 posts
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Well, today's syncing put me out of the top three quite effectively. I'm finding the motivation to compete really compelling though. I'm not sure I'll manage the 100, I've already run more this month than I ever have!

TheBlackDog 9 Aug 2014 17:58:41 1,114 posts
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Yeah - I like the motivation that the Challenge brings - and as this is my first, and probably last challenge, I've got to win it !

I feel like a whinging old git but I'm finding the Nike app and website really shit compared to MapMyRun. Aside from functionality, GPS seems to drop more - the other day it was recording a km for roughly every quarter of a km I ran so I decided to delete that workout as I didn't want to cheat the challenge. From next month I'll be using a dedicated GPS watch that uploads to Strava, so unless I can export to Nike plus I don't think I'll be able to play

Plant 9 Aug 2014 18:07:05 360 posts
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I think the apps probably more use than the website, but they're both rather shit. the gps is toss as well. I apparently ran a 1k in 1 min 15. Take that Lord Coe.

AccidentProne 9 Aug 2014 18:23:12 1,380 posts
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@TheBlackDog I use a Garmin watch and still sync to Nike+ via this site. I found a Suunto to Nike+ uploader too, but apparently that's no longer working...

Edited by AccidentProne at 18:24:35 09-08-2014

TheBlackDog 9 Aug 2014 19:44:55 1,114 posts
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@AccidentProne cheers for that. Yeah, I saw one uploader that had stopped working because Nike changed something. The suunto site (movescount) automatically syncs with strava, so I'm hoping that I can export from at least one of them so I can continue doing the EG challenges.

@Plant that's what mine was doing, really quick km's, which is weird because crap GPS usually sees me losing distance.

Findus 14 Aug 2014 13:07:12 147 posts
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Can you super people give me some tips on speed running?

I've been including them in my weekly runs so my training plan (My last half of the year). It says run 60 minutes and include 6-8 s short pickups. Are these flat out sprints or a slight increase? I've always been a bit of a plodder but I want to getting faster any tips?

Saucy 14 Aug 2014 15:07:02 2,775 posts
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I do strides quite often, which I assume is pretty much the same thing. The idea is to accelerate gently over a distance, until you reach the point where you are going as quickly as you can while still staying relaxed, and hold that speed until the end of the rep.

Practically, I usually do them over 30 seconds. Spend the first 20 seconds gently accelerating, then hold the speed for another 10 seconds. Then jog slowly for 90 seconds before going again.

The key part is trying to stay relaxed, it's much easier said than done, so if you feel yourself tensing up/blown to pieces at the constant speed part then you aren't quite doing it right. As they're placed in the middle of what is already quite a long run, you should never feel like you are full on sprinting.

TheBlackDog 14 Aug 2014 16:19:36 1,114 posts
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@Findus I used to be a plodder too because I thought it would enable me to cover as much distance as possible, just focusing on endurance. Now I've started entering races, I have the irrestible urge to be quicker too, but I've also found that including different paces in my training makes it more enjoyable. Obviously, its helped me increase the distance of my long runs because I'm covering ground more quickly, more efficiently. I've also realised how important speed work is in improving your (running related) strength, fitness and overall running ability - obvious really but I never wanted to do ANY speed work at the beginning. This should also, depending on what you do and over time, help you avoid injury. And you don't need much speed work to make a big difference.

Like Saucy, I see pick-ups as strides, i.e. picking up the pace. You don't have to go flat out - maybe up to 85% of your max, but as well as making sure you are warmed up, build the intensity up over each set, so taking it easy with the first set and building it up. Saying that, your sets look quite short if that's meant to be 6 - 8 seconds - probably that short just as a starting point.

Unlike Saucy, I tend not to do my speed work during a long or an otherwise high intensity run. Instead, I do speed work during shorter runs - so that would be a fartlek type run (fairly unstructured but changing the intensity at different points as I feel like it) over maybe 5 - 10 kms, including the slower pace to warm-up. Or, for hill sprints, I'll run to a suitable hill, maybe 3 kms to warm up, and do however many sets of hill sprints (walking back down each time, and also building up the effort with each set). Then a steady pace back home.

I don't really enjoy structured interval training (having to do so many sets of a certain time or distance, with a certain amount of recovery in between sets) which is why I prefer to stretch the definition of fartlek training and do what I want

The only other type of speed work I do is a 10 - 15k run at quite a consistently fast pace rather than plodding. And then I have my long run (25 - 40k) to plod, but even then, I'll try and change the pace around depending on the terrain and how I'm feeling, so that if I'm feeling really strong towards the end, I'll pick up the pace as I'm able (either overall increase in pace, or add bursts of speed on hills, etc).

I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing speed work could be responsible for a fair chunk of running injuries for those who try and do too much, too quickly. Eventually, the more quality speed work you incorporate, the stronger you will be as a runner and therefore, you'll be more capable, but in the early days, take it easy. And the last thing I'd say is be aware of not losing your running form at any point of increasing speed, as then, you aren't doing it right - although, in actual fact, depending on whether you've spent much time looking at and building a deliberate running form, then you may find out new things when increasing speed that you want to incorporate in to your running form ! Getting a bit complicated now ...

Here are some links with basic info on different types of basic speed work - I'd highly recommend trying to incorporate hill sprints at some point, whether its in your plan or not explained in more detail in the Brad Hudson article I've linked).

Speed Work 1

Tempo Run

Speed Work 2

Hill Sprints

Gurgy 30 Aug 2014 08:59:26 2,924 posts
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Big "Well Done" to SaucyG for a very impressive run total for August.

Hope you've got another one to sync to take you over the 200 miles for, afaik, a new thread record.

Saucy 31 Aug 2014 16:55:03 2,775 posts
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@ReGuRgIt8oR Ha, thanks! Yep, been out for my final run of the month to cross the 200m barrier. All the training is for the Yorkshire marathon on 12th October. Not sure if it's realistic, but hoping to run 3h 10. All being well, I'll be close to 200 in September as well.

Vortex808 6 Sep 2014 19:13:00 15,593 posts
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Christ. For the last week to ten days I've been coughing up all kinds of gunk, and am itching to get back running.

Why won't it go away? It's too early for this type of cold FFS!

ryanclayton 6 Sep 2014 20:43:38 124 posts
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alright EG runners, any tips for me, I'm stuck between two groups at my running club, the group ahead are running 8.30-9.30 min miles and the ones below are much slower than me, however I cant keep the pace with the quicke group so feel I'm not getting as much out of my running, it has been suggested going to the track will hep me get that extra bit of speed I need but I am not too sure, has anyone had any experience of track running and does it help any?

I'm aiming for a sub 55 10k in November I'm willing to stick the work in and I have a decent endurance base, ran a few halfs so I just need to get quicker. Top tips?

TheBlackDog 6 Sep 2014 23:11:07 1,114 posts
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Yeah, well done saucy, I don't think I did half of that in August. You obviously don't believe in tapering

I've got 34km in the mountains tomorrow, hardly any of it flat. I decided against the 60km when I had a practice run at the 34 and found it hard enough. Here is the course profile:

Sancy

First proper race I will have done (not counting a 28km race through a gorge about a month ago which wasn't anywhere near as steep as this). I'm thinking it'll be close to a marathon run on the flat so I'll be happy with 4 hours, although ominously the cut off is 9 hours and the median time for the same course last year is more than 5 hours I think.

Edited by TheBlackDog at 23:13:20 06-09-2014

speedofthepuma 17 Sep 2014 01:40:29 13,428 posts
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Hi everyone, I've just got a probe after some advice from mrpon, I'm new to the Nike + stuff, and would be keen to add friends somehow, or is there an EG community or challenge list still that I can somehow join - if so how?

mrpon 17 Sep 2014 08:16:24 37,366 posts
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PM'd you speed.

And please, not probe, foot sensor! Don't want people getting the wrong idea

Edited by mrpon at 08:17:03 17-09-2014

speedofthepuma 17 Sep 2014 08:21:15 13,428 posts
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oops, keep saying probe, that's why I get funny looks..

TheBlackDog 17 Sep 2014 09:53:46 1,114 posts
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speedofthepuma wrote:
oops, keep saying probe, that's why I get funny looks..

Nike+ butt plug ? :-)

not sure if it would make you run faster or not. Let us know how it works out.

BravoGolf Moderator 18 Sep 2014 19:00:51 12,787 posts
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How'd the 34k run go?

TheBlackDog 20 Sep 2014 11:19:01 1,114 posts
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BravoGolf wrote:
How'd the 34k run go?

Hhhmmm. It was an experience

It was also a lot harder than I expected but I think that was down to how I ran it. In particular, I was too fast on the downhill and even though I've read plenty of race reports where people talked about taking it easy on the descents because they didn't want to blow their quads, I didn't really hold back, and I think it's something I had to experience just to learn for real how it can mess you up.

I'm pretty fast even on technical downhills, and I'm probably guilty of assuming that all the runners that I pass are not as confident going fast downhill. I now realise that they are probably deliberately taking it easy for a reason. According to my watch, I hit 20km/h downhill - in the middle of the run there was a downhill section that didn't seem to stop. I was even getting fed up with running downhill especially as it got more gnarly the further we went and I also realised that it meant more climbing than I was anticipating at that point (still had to summit the highest peak at that point).

When we got on the climb back out, I was reduced to 3 km/h at the slowest point and at that point, was seriously wondering why I'd chose to do this type of course. It just seemed like bomb downhill out of control, and then walk the rest of the way. I also thought about not bothering with the same course next year, and all of the other mountain races happening in the area. I did recover once we'd done the last climb but was surprised to find that I couldn't even run fast on the last 6km which was all downhnill, as my legs hurt too much (never had that before).

My time was just under 5h30m, and I think the average was just over 5 hrs. I'm in absolute awe of the top time of just over 3 hrs, just thinking about what pace they'd have to run on the uphill alone. Plenty of room to improve - after 2 or 3 days, thinking back over the race, I wanted to run it again and I'm now looking forward to training for it again over the coming year. Properly, this time.

Marathon ?? Pfftt !! Total ascent was 2200 m - some of it, even on the downhill, was so technical, it was even difficult to walk.

Oh, and the other school boy error I made was just on the start of big climb out, I realised I'd lost my sunglasses. Stupidly, I decided to go back for them, not thinking about how far I'd go back. Anyway, I just kept going because it seemed nice walking back downhill and on a short flat section. After about 15 or 20 mins I finally decided to turn back, so I ended up doing a couple of extra km's. Stupid, but I blame the exhaustion at that point (and I didn't even find the bloody sunglasses).

Overall, it was a great event and I should be thankful for the beautiful weather (perfect conditions really) and the scenery was amazing even if I didn't appreciate it at the time.

Saucy 24 Sep 2014 11:54:34 2,775 posts
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@TheBlackDog Great write up, I always find attacking long downhills damage my legs more than anything else!

Last long training run for my marathon coming up tomorrow. I've been consistently tired for about 6 weeks, looking forward to the taper!

Gurgy 24 Sep 2014 21:06:08 2,924 posts
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Good going Saucy - enjoy the taper and hope you smash the marathon in the manner your training deserves.

I ran the Equinox24 last weekend. Similar to Thunder Run but held on the Autumn Equinox so the day and night are equal length. I was recruited only about a week before it to join a team of 8, so I only got to do 4 laps but was still quite tough.
Event is a lot smaller scale than TR approx 700 entrants and as a result the facilities aren't as good (only 6 showers for example).
Course isn't as technical or challenging as TR either - no fun bit in the woods. It's approx half and half path and grassy trail.

Would recommend it only if you can't do TR.

AccidentProne 1 Oct 2014 17:17:50 1,380 posts
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Anyone else manage to grab a place in the London Marathon via the ballot? After hearing about folks trying and failing for years, I was pretty surprised to get in on my second attempt. Not usually that lucky.

Saucy 1 Oct 2014 19:44:05 2,775 posts
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Nice one! London Marathon is definitely on my event bucket list! I didn't get in this time, but still a chance through the club ballot, and if not there is always next year.

Saucy 12 Oct 2014 23:33:49 2,775 posts
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3hr 10min 39sec in todays marathon, 40 seconds shy of the 'A' goal, but I don't care, proper chuffed with that. First time I've run a roughly even paced marathon, 1hr 35 out and 1hr 36 back.

Bring on next year and an assault on a sub 3 time.

Nike+ - New EG challenges • Page 206