Half Marathon Training Spring 2024

Well done @foxychox - you did it and it if was anything like my race last weekend you had every kind of weather in the three hours you were out!

Sorry you have been poorly @CatherineMaitland, hopefully you have enough base fitness to make a good comeback.

Brilliant work @brooksghost, you are just getting better and better. Shows the importance of consistent training.

@gm2023 excellent progress, you are doing really well.

@BogRollBOGOF so sorry to hear about your son. Hope he is faking a good recovery and back to full health soon. A worrying time for all concerned.

We (Dh and I) were supposed to run the Kew Half today, but decided mid last week to ditch it. We're both shattered after a busy time for both of us at work, and when I realised that it was also clock change weekend it was just too much to getup and get there in time for an 8.20 start (hadn't clocked that when I booked it!). I have run 3 x 5 milers this week, including my fastest parkrun of the year so far yesterday (maybe the one mile warm up run helped). Doubling up on socks really helped, so thank you for the suggestions. I still need to run half marathon distance tomorrow as part of my plan for my July event, so will be doing it on my own tomorrow instead of in a big crowd.

Thanks for all of the support here, ultra HM completed last Saturday! I wanted to do it in 3 hours but ended up a little over, so I am disappointed in that but glad that it is done! Shoes just about held out and am breaking my new ones in now. Good luck to all those with races coming up!

Well done to everyone on the PBs and speed improvements.

I am currently going backwards after what was either a cold or Covid and no run at all for 9 days now. Blah! Hopefully I don't lose too much.

That's a lot on your plate @BogRollBOGOF - I hope your son is the mend now, it's such a worry when they're not well and it sounds like it's been a long stretch.

That's really great about the endurance side @gm2023, feeling that type of progress is so rewarding when you know your on track.

Fantastic work @brooksghost. On an entirely selfish note it's so encouraging to hear how positive the zone 2 running has been for your pace.

@BogRollBOGOF I hope everything with DS is now improving.

I did my 10 mile race. I was aiming for consistent miles but the wind was really strong on the exposed parts of the course so I didn't manage any consistency whatsoever!
Anyway, a PB by 3mins with a 10km (post kids) PB thrown in as well! Ave pace was 6:55 which I'm really pleased with...thank you zone 2!
2 weeks until my half marathon...I now have more of an idea what I could do though the thought of another 3.1 miles after the 10miler is a bit daunting!

Hope your DS is OK. It sounds like you’ve been dealing with so much lately.

Not bad weather here today! I’ve only been running since October and I was absolutely boiling on my mid-afternoon 5K. I’m not sure how I’m going to cope with the summer at this rate! I ran another 37:30ish 5K on a different route and each mile was slightly faster than the last so I think I’ve found a sustainable pace for me over this distance. Can’t believe I’m running 12 minute miles comfortably now when 13 minute miles were all I could stomach last month. I’m sure I’ll slow a little as the distance increases to six miles but the first week of my training plan has gone well. Just have to keep plugging away so I’m ready for this 10K in May! Hoping that’ll give me a solid base for half-marathon training then.

My training has gone completely off the boil. DS has had a run of health issues that were causing planning and consistency issues, plus generally uninspiring weather contributing to runs feeling more chore than fun. It's all gone conpletely AWOL in the last couple of weeks as I'm supposed to be reaching peak milage as he ended up needing surgery. He's recovering well now so hopefully I can get my milage back up to a sensible level in the next month. At least it's trail so not pb chasing, but I'd like to race it comfortably.

More sunshine and warmth wouldn't go amiss!

I'm sorry to hear that @Jumbojem - could the weather be a factor? I really found it much harder at parkrun last week and I figured it was because I was generally cold. I'd been enjoying the sunnier weather.

That's encouraging about the HR training @Trickedbyadoughnut. I'm feeling in a much better place running at the moment so I'm going to start on the 80/20 approach for some base training before I get stuck into the HM plan.

Sun made for a lovely parkrun today, we went to a new course and had a great breakfast after.

Hahahaha @Trickedbyadoughnut love it! I shall bear that in mind next time I’m out on the trails.

Well done @Hawkerslife! That’s a great improvement.

Sounds like the training is paying off @gm2023. Well done.

Thanks for the sock advice. The only other time I’ve had blisters was last year on the Thames Path when it was that crazy hot weekend in September. I’ll look into some new socks. TBH I hadn’t worn the trail shoes in ages and have probably never gone that far in them before. I might try to wear them in a bit on shorter runs.

@Jumbojem hope you get you run-jo back again soon.

Well done all on your achievements!
I'm finding running hard at the moment. After a great 8 miler the week before every run last week was an absolute slog, even the easy pace. Did my goal pace repeats and just couldn't maintain the pace yesterday.
So I am delaying entering the 10k at the end of April as just can't face it at the mo.

And I forgot to say that I made some progress with the zone 2 running in my long run 82 per cent of my run was in zone 1 and 2. I had started listening to the Infinite Monkey Cage podcast from the beginning and apparently engaging my brain slows my legs down ... I don't know what that says about my brainpower (or lack of it)! Still, for once I didn't have to look at my watch too much to stay in zone 2.

@Trickedbyadoughnut this is the best quote on trails I've seen for ages!! "If a trail race doesn't have you questioning your life choices, is it even a trail race?" So true.

Sounds like it was a tough one @OhOneOhTwoOhThree, great work. The trails shoes versus blisters is one my sons still contemplating after our event earlier this month. Mind you he did wear his school socks 

That is fantastic @Hawkerslife - very well done to you.

The 10k sounds a very sensible progression @gm2023 - such a good feeling when you're making progress like that.

This is brilliant - well done! I’ve signed up for my first 10K in May and I’m hoping to do it in 1h20m. I managed a 37:30 5K yesterday - my best time yet - so consistency is paying off. I’m just plugging away but quite happy with where I am from a standing start in October.

That 5K felt fine and I wasn’t overly pushing the pace so I’m feeling optimistic about the future. I’ve downloaded the Run with Hal app to structure my training over the next 8 weeks and to get me up to 10K. I’m largely ignoring the midweek runs as just going to my running club twice a week will be enough to cover the suggested miles but it’s given me some distances to cover on Saturdays: 3, 3.5, 4, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5 and then the race! Broken down like that it feels doable but time will tell. There’s a two hour cut-off so as long as I run the first 5K I’ve told myself I’ll finish just by walking the rest!

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree well done! If a trail race doesn't have you questioning your life choices, is it even a trail race?

I don't know what socks you have, but I have dyshidrotic eczema which gives me small blisters all over my feet, and I have double skin socks which are the only thing that keep me running. I have Thyo ones, but there are lots out there. Just in case that helps.

@Hawkerslife wow, that's really good progress since October.

Completed the Eastleigh 10k this morning in 54.55. I'm really pleased with that time, it was a sprint finish at the end to get sub 55 and I heaved a bit at the finish near a tree! (Tmi!)

I completed my first 10k race in many years last October and did it in 1hr 2 mins so I'm really chuffed in the progress I've seen.

The Southampton half/10k is 2 weeks today and might enter one of those but not sure which. Possible the half with the intention of treating it like a easy long run...bit pricy though at £45..that's what's putting me off.

Hope everyone is having a good Sunday racing and running!!

Well done@OhOneOhTwoOhThree , sounds like a tough run so hope your feet get to recover in the next few days. Lik the sound of cake and a hat at the finish!

Just did a slow 5 miles this morning, feel a bit lost now I've done the HM, need something to aim for. Might aim to improve my 10k time then another half in the autumn.

Wow, well done @OhOneOhTwoOhThree that sounds quite a tough race! Nice goodies at the end though. Enjoy your rest days.

Thanks for the good wishes!

I wasn't last! 17.3 miles by my watch.

It was blooming tough, very hilly and we had some interesting weather - including a hailstorm, drizzle, bright sunshine, cloud and wind. I wore my trails, which was the right thing because I needed the grip, but OMG the blisters. I'd have dropped out if I wasn't run/walking with my friend. We were on track for the cut off for the first half, but for slower towards the end. My feet are wrecked.

Rather than medal or a tee-shirt we all got a nice cup of tea, some home made cake and a warm hat at the finish - a far more useful memento than most.

So 27.3 in the bag this week. No more running until Tuesday.

Thank you @chutneypig @brooksghost and @Jumbojem . I'll check them both out.

I'm a bit nervous because I have never run on a treadmill before!

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree hope it went well today!

@CatherineMaitland Easy Runner. I had gait analysis there, you pay but it's refunded if
you buy shoes there. It's not a conventional shop though, no real shop front, although I think there was a shoe display but I didn't even see it! He was very keen for me to not know what shoes I was trying but for me to judge on feel, and him by sight watching me on the treadmill.

@CatherineMaitland Easy Runner or Easy Run (can't remember exactly) is Bristol.

Good luck to those running/racing this weekend.

I have a long run tomorrow (90mins) and then an easy running week as I have a 10mile race on Friday. I've just learnt that they will be having pacers at the 10...now to decided what would be a good time to aim for or what might just push me over the edge! I have to be sensible!

I hope it's all going well @OhOneOhTwoOhThree! We're cheering you on.

We go to Up and Running and have had great service from three different members of staff at our local one. I checked and it looks like there's one in Bristol @CatherineMaitland. My husband, son and daughter love the shoes they got. I'm going back once I've redone my c25k. I have had Saucony Guide for years but they did say they've altered them for this season.

parkrun tourism for me this morning. I wasn't feeling it but my son knocked out 21 minutes then kept his old mum company on the last lap which was lovely.

Hope the sun is shining for everyone's runs today, or at least isn't too boggy underfoot

I was also following the Barkley Marathons and cheering on Jasmin Paris!

I got lost on my long run yesterday and ended up dodging lorries on the A39 which was NOT my idea of fun.

Hope your horse is doing well, Trickedbyadoughnut.

I am thinking to go to a proper running shop to try trainers - does anyone have experience of any near Bristol?

Race day tomorrow for me! I've eaten most of an enormous pizza, so have got to get out there. I've just looked again at the map and the elevation profile and decided I must be bonkers. Forecast is for wind, it's a circular route so hopefully I'll have it at my back on the five mile long hill in the middle.

Has anyone else been following the Barkley marathons? So happy for Jasmin Paris, I will be pretending to be her all the way round tomorrow 🙂