Half marathon new thread

Well done random that sounds really lovely. gentle inclines are my least favourite. My HM training is going well and I only missed 2 runs when on holiday. September is my third HM and as before I cannot imagine running 13.1 miles!

First half done. Was undulating mixed terrain. Undulating meant lots of down in 1st 5k when I was trying to keep up with the pack, then constant low level up for the next 12 followed by some down to finish.

Annoyed with myself for going off way too fast but got round without walking more than up some of the steeper bits and at water stations. Managed to run all the last mile at a decent pace and even managed a sprint finish!

Really friendly race and water every 2 miles was much appreciated!

That sounds great shortaris1, good luck with the training

Evening all, I'm signing up for my first half in October.

I started running at the start of the year and did a 10k a few weeks ago. I'm very slow but going to be starting interval training to help with that.

I am not an expert but found the BUPA beginner plan helpful as I used it for the long run lengths and then did 2-3 other runs in the week. Parkrun if not otherwise engaged, some form of speed or form session (hills, sprints, intervals)

I'll have a look at those, thanks random. Water on the long training runs is such a hassle this time of year, I've been thinking about a hydration pack. I've got bottles that go in my flipbelt which are very comfy but I find any belt very hot in the summer! Catch 22. Well done on the 13 miles.

Hello Auntie! I've followed a few different plans. At a minimum I've done parkrun, a longer run which I've gradually increased the miles on and a short interval run. I'm sticking with that, maybe alternating intervals with hill runs and adding in an extra shorter run at race pace. I think they key thing is extending the distance and mixing up the rest of the runs so they're not all the same pace.

Can I drop in to say 'hello'?

I started running last year, have just done my first 10k race, and am hoping to do a half early next year.

I'm planning on sticking to running up to 10k over the summer (hay fever) and then train for the longer distance through the autumn.

Does anyone have a favourite plan? Or can it be done just by doing what I do anyhow, which is run 3-4 times a week, 2xshort, 2xlong, and by making one of the longs progressively longer?

So my 12 miler became a 13 miler. Did a parkrun then ran home so had a breather while doing barcodes and another couple of breathers while considering the navigation situation plus a couple of snack walk breaks but otherwise ran the whole thing. 3 week taper due to holiday/DH work commitments.

My plan is to keep my HR below 160 apart from up hill and see what pace that gets me - with any luck that will be somewhere near 2h30 which is my ideal world target.

@Chutney depending on location Great Eastern run is 8/10 and Birmingham following weekend. Forest of dean has good reviews from my RC and is about that time of year as well!

Have just booked what will be my 2nd Half - Great Birmingham run - as it's relatively local and I have childcare in place as I have a concert on the Saturday. First not quite booked as it's stone age postal entry plus SAE and I need to buy stamps - task for tomorrow.

3 and a bit weeks to go and I have my last long run this weekend (12 miles - going to run home from parkrun..!) thanks to DH's work patterns. 10k trail race for my race pace 10k then possible hill walking week (toddler dependent) before a final taper into the race.

10 miler was interesting - definitely needed fuel at about 8 miles (DD's fruity paw thingies) and would not have wanted to go much further without water (well hydrated before) so have borrowed a belt to try for the 12 miler. Shouldn't need to carry water on the race as there are water stations though. Wasn't that sore afterwards though which was something. Was a linear route and net uphill - fortunately the race is a loop so any up will be balanced by down which definitely helps!

That's a very exciting batch of runs still!

How about you Vet, have you booked any?

In terms of halfs, I've got GNR in September and London Landmarks in March. I think I need one in between. There's the local hideously hilly one in December that I didn't start last year because I felt so rough. Might think about that but wonder if there's one October time I should think about. Our local big half is two week after GNR so think that would be too much and DH wants to do it, so I'm on kid duty as they need an adult for the mini marathon.

I've had a bit of a flurry My next half is the New forest in September - the video of the route looks stunning and I am very excited. So I booked onto the Hampton Court half in February and the Hastings Half in March. Now I need to get on with some training!

Surprisingly ok! And I'm already looking for my next run...

Veterinari thank you!

chutney they're actually not too bad this morning - yesterday I could barely walk though!

Well done Vet - sounds very challenging with head winds and hills. That's always a good feeling having enough in the tank at the end.

Great stuff Lorelai - the first mile is always hard on that front, at least for me. Good time too.

How are all your legs feeling now?

Brilliant - well done!

I did it!! Just under 6 weeks of not properly training and thinking I was going to drop out after the first mile...Managed to get round only walking some of the way in 2 hours 47 minutes!

I have and thank you Chutney for thinking of me - it's lovely to get back and see this thread

Hi all sorry been across the water on Tiree so just back in civilisation 😊
Well after basically no running at all for the last 2 weeks due to crazy work I ran the HM on Tiree! Certainly haven't broken any speed records - mostly plodded along the beach Fifty and a pretty brutal headwind for half of the course but I'd rather have that than your heat - there's no way I could run in the heat!

Though I was slow I'm really pleased that I ran almost all of it - no walking at all til 8 miles, then walking only on the undulations up into a headwind. Managed to keep enough in the tank to catch and pass 4 runners in the last 2 miles having run alone towards the back for most of the race 😊

I'm already planning my next half for the Autumn and the illuminator is a definite contender. I might even squeeze in 7 hills in the summer....

Now that's exotic and a half Fifty how exciting! And very well done. My last one was around 20 here - I was pretty comparable to the much cooler previous year until about 10 miles then that was it, nothing left. I walked a fair bit of the last section.

Have you got exciting post half plans now? Enjoy.

Hello - or merhaba as they say around here.

I am in exotic foreign parts for the long weekend and have done the Istanbul HM today, ferociously hot (over 20 degrees) but fairly flat along wide tarmac roads. I must have drunk about 2l of water on my way around, luckily there were lots of well stocked water stations. My time was not far off my Royal Parks time, but my splits got increasingly slower after a decent first 5 and 10K. I ran/walked most of the last 6k as there wasn't anything left in the tank by then.

Am now wishing I had trained a bit more .

Vet I hope you got on OK, Tiree looks lovely. Did you get to run along the beach Chariots of Fire style?

Good luck today Fifty and Vet too if yours is today! I did a similar trail run a month ahead of my half, it was my longest run, slow but being trail took the time pressure off. I like plodding around at the back - you get to talk to more people!

That sounds positive still and a slow plan is great for flexibility. Hope it clicks back in for you.

I've signed up for the London Landmarks half next year and think we've secured DH a charity place too. I'm very excited about that, just need to check some local relatives can take the kids!

parkrun was very slow for me yesterday, my legs were so tired but hopefully I'll be feeling the benefit of the extra training soon. I've also been doing more yoga which seems to help.

Oops, NC fail

Vet it's you this weekend as well. Looking forward to your run report.

I have a HM tomorrow. I moved house and started a new job a couple of months ago and haven't yet got into running regularly again. I did a slow 9.5 mile trail run three weeks ago with a group, and have done a few shorter runs (my new commute is just under 5k so I try to run home from work once a week). So I don't think I will be PBing tomorrow, but as usual I will plod round at my own pace

Who was the other poster going tomorrow? I will need to read back through the thread, I'm sure there was someone else.