Training for a half marathon-anyone else?

I did my long run today! 16km, which is the furthest I've ever run. It started to rain heavily when I was about halfway through so I went home for a coffee break and an outfit change. I don't mind running in mild rain if I have to but this was something else!

Well done on that 5k! I had an op in June and didnt run for about 6 weeks. It was a slog starting back. Im due a bigger op in Jan and likely wont be able to run for around 8 weeks - the fear of losing my fitness is definitely real!!

I'm planning on doing an easy slow 4 miles tonight. I also managed 2 gym strength training sessions over the weekend and suffering with some DOMs today!

I was far too chuffed with myself - got up at 5.30 on a bank holiday to fit a four miles in! Did 6 on sat, felt decent. Today I got my fastest mile at 9:30 m/mile, it was all downhill though… 😂

I'm joining again after a 6 mile run today and then a gym session this evening. I'm in full training mode for the Great South and also planning on a half mid November. Really looking forward to clocking those longer distances again.

I've put running on hold until after Christmas, my niggles are still niggling and I'm not enjoying running because of it.

I hope I'll be back, mentally and physically in the near future but for now I'm focussing on strength and flexibility and getting my cardio another way. Might help for if/when I do pick up running again.

OMG it was amazing! My time was 1:06:16 which I'm so impressed with - my target was 64 to 66 minutes which did not feel achievable at all but I did it!

My pacing strategy was spot on and it worked. I'd set myself targets for how fast I wanted to run, and I never thought I'd do it because it seemed far too fast. Last week I did a parkrun and went too fast in the beginning and wore myself out too early so I was conscious of trying not to do that even though I kept getting overtaken!

Event review: not enough toilets, the course wasn't a consistent width which was really annoying as some bits suddenly got really narrow, and it seemed like there were too many people even though it was nowhere near the stated capacity. I got pushed over at one point. Oh and there was a gong bath at 3km which went on for about 1.5km and was awful - I got my fastest time at this point as I was trying to get away from it!

I'm not really a fan of mornings, but I started doing an early Pilates session on Saturdays before work. I love it. It sets my day up nicely. I've recently added a morning gym session into my week as well. I'm currently on my way to the gym but it's just "light activation and mobility" today rather than a hard session.

In my last post I meant that my goal was less than 2.5 hours. I don't think there's a cut off time - I completed it last year in 3.5 hours but I walked most of the way - but they do reopen the roads after a while.

I’ve just been out for four miles, really pleased at 10:29 m/mile. Felt okay too! It’s mad how fast you gotten once you starting increasing miles I find. I struggle to mentally get out sometimes - I’ve got a physical job (I’ve been combining all day today!) which coupled with early starts and stress takes its toll. But the more I run the more I value it to just take me out of all that for a while. It’s just time where I think about nothing else but breathing, footfall, the spaniel and the scenery around me. Just clear headspace and it’s so simple.
I’ve got another half booked for November at dalby forest, and I think I might book the 5 miles at Thoresby the week before the October half.
great stuff everyone!

I'm hoping to run my September half in lots that 2.5 hours and I thought that was fast!

Oh can I join? My spaniel and I are running a trail half in 11th October. I’m a returning runner - used to do a lot of half marathons before getting horrifically fat. Now I’m 8 stone lighter (with thanks to MJ and a fuck ton of hard work alongside) and I’ve been back running since Jan. I’ve never been fast - used to run half’s in about 2:30 hrs - and just aiming for a completion as there isn’t a time limit.
training going well! Just been out tonight for 4 miles. Actually pretty swift for me - averaging 10 mins 50 a mile. The spaniel likes to remind me he’s MUCH quicker 😂

I'm terrified @Happierwithouthim ! Not of the actual race - I know I can run the distance fine. But I'm scared I'll get ill or injured this week, or that my train will be late on the day or that something will go wrong in a million different ways. I have just got a new running watch (it was supposed to come 2 weeks ago, but I don't recommend buying anything from Decathlon) so that's another thing that could go wrong.

I did a long run today. I'm not sure how far it was, as I wore both my new watch and my old one and they had different distances. Somehow when it uploaded to Strava (from the old watch) that had a third different distance! But I'm feeling really positive overall able my training now. My ultimate goal is to finish my half marathon at the end of September in under 2.5 hours and after today I think that is possible.

You must be recovering if you can run 5k @Happierwithouthim so that's good progress!

Welcome @DuckWithOneWing .

Go in with no expectations and just enjoy your 10K race. The upside is, whatever time you get will be your 10K pb in a race, so a new goal to aim for afterwards.

I have started running again! I'm a bit scared because I'm signed up for a 10k in 2 weeks which feels far too soon, but it's really close to my house so I don't want to cancel. I've never done a 10k race before. I'm doing 3 races this year to raise money for the air ambulance after they saved my partner's life a few months ago.

Hope your injury is healing @Happierwithouthim! It's a shame you got a new injury straight after the previous one healed.

I'm joining the injury club too! I've currently got a sore quad muscle after being hit by a car. My physio has cleared me to do a slow short run tomorrow, with the hope that everything is fine and I can slowly start increasing my training again. But I've got another appointment booked for next week in case the run doesn't go as well as I want it to.

It's rubbish isn't it.

I haven't actually been told outright to keep my runs down but I think whilst I'm still battling whatever it is it's best to build up slowly even if it means stepping back a few stages. I have nothing major to train for, as long as I can get a 10K done in an hour and a half in November then I'm happy to plod along.

Really knuckling down on the eating too so if I can lose some weight that might help too. I don't think I'm overweight but every pound helps I guess with running.

I'm not giving up, one day I want to be stood at a marathon start line, doesn't matter when or where but I have to do at least one in my lifetime.