Half Marathon Thread continues .....

@LoudestRoar I really feel for you that's the worst feeling when it's cold & dark outside and you're struggling with motivation. I kept missing runs because I just couldn't face it so have had to incorporate an early one at the weekend which does mean I miss a lie-in but do at least get it done & dusted before 9am.

Went for a very hungover run today and swore I'd only manage a quick 5km but once I found my legs (c.3km in -anyone else?) I was fine and managed a half decent 10km time

Urgh, I still have 4.5 miles to do tonight. Was going to go out when dh gets home (dressed all ready) but may just go on the treadmill instead. Either way, if I've not updated by 8pm tonight, please give me a much needed luck up the arse. ...

Argh phone didn’t do proper strike through.

HRH I think it has helped me. I was just going through a bad running patch —for two years—.

I think I’ll still give interval training a go - although it’s good to know that it doesn’t benefit everyone so thanks for sharing that halle.

I’m relatively new to running - my first HM was October and only trained for 9 weeks as I was scared of injury. Prior to this I did kept fit with HIIT and boot camps, both of which involve strength and core exercises. I think this really stood me in good stead for the actual HM as I avoided injury and was really please with my time. I did however eat complete crap while training - thankfully I didn’t gain weigh. Since the HM I’ve undertaken a major diet overhaul. I’ve been off sugar for 6 weeks and this week I’ve cut my carbs to 60g of wholegrain and only on days that I run. I havent lost a lot of weigh but I don’t really need to - I do however feel a lot better, especially when I’m out running.

@TriGirl007 that's how I fit mine in when dc are doing clubs but I do also have a day off and use that for longer runs with a couple of friends which really helps.

thisgirl the hilly run sounds good. I tried some sprints between lampposts this morn but it made me feel yucky think it was tad early for my body to be doing sprints

clarabell your doing fab it’s super hard shoehorning exercise in when you are working with young children. I’m finding it easier now my oldest can be left at her clubs and I can nip for a run before collecting her again.

Everyone is doing so well! I'm still just plodding round a lunch time 5k and then trying to up it slightly on the weekend. Did 6.5 on saturday and wasn't too shattered afterwards. Hoping to build up to being able to run 10k before christmas, even if I have to have walking breaks. Then I can focus on times in January!

Wow some great times on here. Gradually upping my distances 9km last week & did a tough (2 killler hills) 9.5km today in 55 minutes so feeling like I’m on track. Doing a swim tomorrow then a nice flat trail run Thursday hoping to break the 10km barrier) before rest day Friday.

My aim is 7 miles before Christmas

Amazing progress Halle

Slightly disheartened though. I'm short, and at the top end of healthy BMI (pear shaped with chunky thighs). I know I need to lose weight to get faster, but can't motivate myself. Plus, I get really scrawny in my top half/face if I lose weight.

Did my first Jeffing run on Sunday. 6.5 miles and not that much slower than usual. Felt easy. I used a 3/1 ratio, but since been told I should try 90/30 so will give that a go next weekend.

HRH I have been doing intervals for a couple of years and hadn't improved in fact started going the other way. I have lost over a stone of weight and think the TRX / strength training has helped too.

Wow halle that’s some amazing progress on your PBS, well done.

I plodded round 8.5m yesterday but had planned to do 9.5m yet everything was groaning at the 1mile mark so I just slowed down and thought enjoy the view and headspace and see how far I get. It was a out and back route so I knew I had no choice but to run back. Was utterly zonked afterwards though and hot bath was really needed. Hope I’m not fighting off the kids cold...again.

Halle I'll have what you're having!

Awesome work Halle!!

Halle - I. AM. IN. AWE.

What is your secret? Is it interval training?

So after smashing my previous HM a few weeks ago I then completely smashed the new PB and managed under 2 hours and then some. So am still pretty pleased with myself. So I started this autumn with a PB around 2.09 and now its just under 1.53.

Buster walking is not failing. My friends jeffed around a HM in good time seeing as they were unable to train due to injury.

HRH apparently 1 minute sprints are great training they blinking hurt. Also do some longer intervals around 400 to 700 m. Plus some hill training.

Am also going to look up jeffing. I’m another that often feels like walking is failing (I do it though!!!). Managed to do 20 miles total last week, nothing longer than a 6 which is a bit of a pain though. Hoping to do an 8.5 at the weekend, I found a good new route by getting lost a while ago so keen to do that ‘properly’.

Thank you for the advice to run an extra session per week-definitely feeling the benefit!

You're welcome londonmummy1966 Glad you found someone I

5.6 mile trail race today. Really fun. Averaged about 11 minute miles with some queues for stiles and up one hill.

I don't find run walk works for me other than up hills - probably because we have so many hills that a fixed schedule would have me walking down the nice hills and running up the horrid ones. I do sets of 8 x 6 steps to get up the nastiest hills - try to run for 2 8s then walk one 8x4 steps and repeat until the end is in sight which works for me.

Have just broken 30 minutes for my "easiest" local Parkrun - some way to go on the two trail ones though! Would love to aim for a 1 hour 10k but there are no even vaguely flat 10ks until beyond my planning window at the moment so continuing with running longer and slower plus weekly speed work.

Loudest thanks for that tip - I've joined the Facebook page and found someone I know on it so I've DM'd them to see if they'd like to run walk sometimes.

Had a good run this morning 15km with some big hills but at a similar pace to the very flat 16km I did last week so feeling fairly happy.

Did it! Feel good, although afterwards I was walking, and felt something pop in my foot. Was painful at the time, but seems ok now, just a bit swollen

Go for it loudest. It definitely won’t mess up your training and will give you a great psychological boost.

I’ll be doing an epic 2k this morning! I’m accompanying DS1 at the junior park run. Yesterday I ran 3m at a steady pace of 9min mile then took a breather and a drink and then ran a single mile at 8.30 min pace. I really want to get to 8 minutes. My bootcamp trainer recommended that I jog 10 mins to warm up then do 1 min sprint/1 min jog for 12 mins followed by 5 min jog and then repeat with the 1 min intervals and cool down with 5 jog. He recons that’ll improve my speed. I’ll try in next week.

I have 6.5 miles on my plan today. Would it be crazy to try for 7? My last few weekend runs were 4.5 miles. It's silly, but my longest run to date is 6.59 miles, and I want to beat that distance, but don't want to mess up my marathon training.

It’s interesting the psychology of run/walk I struggle to get going again after I walk so I tried to slow down generally on my longer runs which is paying off with fastest shorter runs now.
Did 9k whilst daughter at her club this morning with a sprint at the end as I was running late