Half marathon new thread

Thanks chutney. The woman in the shop warned me off jelly babies but the shots siund interesting. I just really need to fuel myself properly beforehand I think.

You're definitely doing better than me missmap, didn't make it out Friday with the rain and only managed 3 miles of the planned 6 today. I really struggled to keep my heart rate down mostly because it's 22C here. Beautiful day but it did get a bit much, so I played it safe. Managed to hit the 20k I need per week for the 1000k so not too bad,

I'm not keen on gels nat, I usually aim for porridge or a bagel a couple of hours before and then something throughout the long runs, either jelly babies or clif shot blocks for the longer runs. Otherwise I do feel quite peculiar after.

I've just had to ditch a faithful pair as they were definitely past their best, so ordered a replacement and a new trail pair too. They're the same model as I was fitted with in my first gait analysis, I know they do the job so tend to buy when I see them cheap.

Great news on e New Forest half still

I'd hugely struggle with that pace too Vet, it would probably finish me off!

Thanks mad and thats - lesson learnt, ha! Thats - thank you, I'll pop into the shop and grab a selection to try. I'd love to crack the sub 2 hour half eventually.

Hi all,
Managed to rag myself out of bed and run ten miles this morning. I hate getting up early but leave being out when most people are still asleep and that sense o achievement when it is 8am and you've already completed a run.
Busy week next week so trying to work out when to fit some runs in.
That's interesting about your running shoes natweb I am rubbish at getting new shoes but maybe I should take a look. I think I've had the same pair for two years and I ran a couple of Half's and a marathon last year.

Hope veryonevhas a good week.😃

I tend to have porridge with grated apple in it for breakfast on the morning of a HM nat. Then I take a gel at about 1hr and another at 1hr20-1hr30. My HM pace is just under 2hrs. I do think they make a massive difference but worth trying different ones as the textures are different. I like the sms orange ones. You need to take the first before your legs start hurting ime. Otherwise they don't help as much.

I did a 10k today trying to go slow - ran with a friend so went at her pace. I was about a minute or so slower per km than usual but average HR still over 150. It felt easy today, was chatting and could have run for a long time but not sure how easy to run even slower. Might try a longer run next weekend and see how it goes.

Hope you've all had a good weekend's running

Crikey nat, you're supposed to change your running shoes every 500 miles tops!

I think the important thing is to fuel yourself properly before hand. I'm sure someone mix more in the know can help you more though.

I should add I still haven't got the hang of nutrition. I nearly fainted/threw up an hour after the first half I managed. Today I guzzled a bottle of Lucozade and a protein bar afterwards and felt better but still felt like I just wanted to lie on the floor and sleep for 20 hours. Have any of you tried gels?

Hi all! Well done to everybody for getting out in the damp and dark. My lovely DH took me to our local running shop for a gait analysis and new pair of running shoes a couple of weeks back. Turns out that I'm beyond crap at running on a treadmill and I've been running in shoes that are about as supportive as slippers for 2 years . They were fantastic and kitted me out with a lovely pair of shoes. Had a 10k race and managed to knock a minute off my PB, knocked 2 minutes off my 5k PB and managed to run half marathon distance a minute faster than my first attempt! Good ol' proper tools for the job.

Well done wine that's great! My HM pace is not much faster than that tbh!

Thanks Still think you're right about the first bit of running thing - it definitely is harder for me at the start till my lungs get warmed up. I don't want to go back but I'm determined I will - I need to shift some weight and gain strength to improve my running !

That's fantastic winefortea Keep it up and you'll be in good shape for April

I did still! And I didn't die!!!

The training plan said to run for 3 mins, walk for 2 and I managed that the whole way round apart from 2 places where I had to walk through a run as the hill was too steep. I was a bit daunted by the prospect when I set off, as previously whenever I have tried to run I have found myself out of breath very quickly and never really recover it enough to do any distance, but I followed the advice about taking it very slow and it really seemed to work for me and I managed the whole distance - I even felt I could have carried on a bit at the end, which I was amazed by!

By slow, I mean really slow though! 15min/mi avg slow! . Still, it's only my 1st week, so hopefully will be able to build up distance and speed before April!

How did it go winefortea? did you manage to get out?

vet I have tried some classes recently and whereas I used to manage fine, I feel so old and feeble now that I am seriously considering a personal trainer to get me on the way but at my own level. Also there is that whole 'first bit of running is the hardest' thing, because your body is desperately trying to cope with the exertion. I think that is what makes 2k harder than 13.1 miles.

I have entered the New Forest Half in September. Really looking forward to it.

I managed 10 miles today. average pace was 11.22 (min/mi) which seems terrible to me but I did try to go slower, so I should not be so put off.

Ouch! First circuit class for about4 months and it was SO hard! It's outdoors and we start with a 2km run to warm up its run at about 5min/km pace and it's SO hard for me (though everyone else manages fine ) my usual pace is more 6.5-7ninutes/km which I know is super slow. I just don't understand how I can run a HM (albeit slowly) then struggle with 2km. And don't get me started on the upper body exercises!

I guess I need to work on my upper body strength and high intensity training too

I was hoping to do a 5 miler tomorrow, but I've been bedridden with flu today. Fingers crossed I'm better tomorrow!

chutney I managed 5 miles tonight , did you fit one in ? Planning a long run on Sunday morning , ,hoping it is dry then , tonight was a bit soggy !

Thanks Chutney! I haven't run since my school days (and they were a good while ago!) really so am expecting it to be quite a challenge but my aim is to get round rather than to smash any speed records.

The training plan on the half marathon website which is based on running for certain time lengths rather than distance but I have found one on the women's running website which also includes a distance run once a week so I might switch to that. Plan is for a 5 mile run/walk on Saturday - I hope the weather is nicer than today!

No, not sore now chutney. It was bruised back at the beginning but I've just been waiting for it to detach itself!

If been running slow for a week now - def find I need my HR monitor as it's so easy I struggle to stay slow enough! It is all about time spent rather than mileage so I'm just focusing on that rather than distance during the week but then trying to get out for a proper long slow run at the weekend. I did 5km at normal pace with some interval sprints yesterday and have a circuit class tomorrow so thats my anaerobic contribution for the week.

I'll let you know how it goes - it'll be an interesting experiment if nothing else!

I'll report back missmapp, I've failed for an early run, I got up in time but my colds still lingering. I'm currently hoping to fit one in before I pick the kids up. I'm travelling all day tomorrow so really feel the need!

That article is a good read Vet. I've heard good things from people who've tried this approach, although they all said it was hard in the beginning. Given I'm not feeling my best at the moment that's not proving too much of a challenge and at least I can feel positive about it!

Is it sore Thats?

Interesting article vet. Think I'd struggle to run that slowly but might give it a try. I can imagine it feels counter-intuitive to start with.

In other news, the toenail that's been bruised since August has finally come off. Oh the glamour!

Chutney , I have challenged myself to run 1000 miles this year as well. Need to go out for a run tomorrow to add to weekly total so will virtually run with you if that's okay

It's funny how a lot of us are feeling like we're struggling. Hopefully it will all pick up soon!

Welcome winefortea! I trained last year for my first half in April starting January. I'd mostly done 5k and the odd 10k but didn't have a huge weekly mileage. I'd think it's very manageable with the right training programme and there's so many around, just a case of picking one starting from where you are, if that makes sense. I've walked some of both my halfs. Breathing, apart from the basics, eludes me

Forgot to say, I've also signed up for a virtual 1000k in 2017 just for the extra push to get out of the door. Which means I might get up early to run round the village in the dark tomorrow. Maybe!

can I join too please? I'm signed up for one in April which is meant to act as an incentive to get out running and get fit. I'm fairly unfit at the moment (think no formal exercise but usually achieving 10-15,000 steps a day)but am hoping it will be doable if I stick to the training and slowly up my strength and endurance, and that the worst case scenario would be that I walk part of it (ever hopeful!). Has anyone else gone from couch to half in 14 weeks? Any tips please? I think I have found a running app I like to record progress (runkeeper) but could use some advice with breathing techniques I think as that seems to be all over the shop!

This probably sound terribly, but it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who's struggling. I'm aiming for another half in Feb, but have done next to know training in almost 2 months and gained a good 6+lbs.

Keep up the good work though ladies.

Hello everyone

You're not alone going back to basics Cherry, I feel like I've lost most of my energy if not pace but can't keep my previous pace going for more than 5 minutes, I've been enjoying the 80/20 training as it's a bit more gentle but works already got in the way this week and I've got a cold - sigh. I'm away with work next week so hoping for warmer runs and enough time to do them.

That's good to know Vet, I've not got as far as a long run yet!

Slows good on frosty paths still! Sounds like it's going well for Feb.

Hello missmap! I've found speed intervals made a huge difference to my pace, even one session a week and only20/25 minutes still made a difference.

I'm aiming spring and autumn too london, repeat of my first half local one in April and an autumn one, not sure which yet. I guess there's a few trail runs in the New Forest which is pretty accessible by train I think. near Brockenhurst.