I've just entered a Half Marathon!!

[IreadthereforeIam]

...and now I'm panicking!! The furthest I've run before is 10K, and I haven't managed that in a while! I'm sure I can do the 10K, but 21K is looking a bit scary at the moment.

Does anyone have any tips? I started running because of lack of money to do anything else. I don't go to a gym, and I can't afford a personal trainer, so any tips would be gratefully received!

I do enjoy running, and I've been building myself up (mentally!) for signing up for the Chester Half Marathon for the last year! I really want to do this, but I'd like to do it and end up in one piece at the end of it!!

Thanks for any advice!

Hi...

I've also signed up for a half - GNR for me... and now have 7 months to get ready, having only ever done a 10k once before... oh and not been running much since October...

Don't panic about it... you've done it now :) take a deep breath and start planning how you're going to get from where you are now to race date.... you can do without the peronal trainer - there are plenty of people on here to talk to for moral support: try the happy when we are running thread

when is your race? how many weeks / months do you have to train?
how much are you running now? Can you fit in 3 or 4 runs each week, including a long run?

There are also plenty of free plans on line that will do say the final 12 weeks to get you ready for the 1/2....

Oh and Don't Panic!

Thanks Hamster!
The race is on 14th May - so that's 12 weeks isn't it?!! Oh gawd!! I've printed off the couch to 5K's Half marathon version, so I'm going to have to get going. The 5K I did yesterday is starting to seem a little insignificant!!

I'm breathing deeply....

I'm a SAHM, so I have when my youngest is in Preschool. Evenings have to be fought over - my dh is training for a 140mile bike ride (in 1 day) the weekend before my half marathon, and he trains for Triathlon as well. So I have an absolute max of 3 hours a day (not that I'm going to be able to run for 3 hours at the moment!!).

I might just head on over to that other thread!! I've had a look on there, and they all seem scarily competent!!

I entered a 10 mile race, thinking it was a 10k, and only discovered a couple of weeks before what a twit I had been. I wasn't fast but I did get round.... I have done the same race since, and also some half marathons, so it might grow on you!

Good luck with the training. Running is obviously the best training for running but there might be other things you could do from time to time. Could you do squats, lunges and other strength exercises at home in the evenings? And if your DH has rollers for a bike as well, might that be a possibility?

Hi Iread - I'm impressed! I'd love to run a half marathon, so will be watching your progress with interest...

I've just recently joined the Happy when we are running thread and they're very friendly and supportive. I'm very slow and not terribly fit, but they've made me feel very welcome and I'm sure it would help you to chat with the others that are training for a half marathon too.

See you there! :)

I did a half marathon using the polar personal trainer site which gives training programmes. As the polar I had was pretty jurassic I had to be er, a little creative when plugging in it's particulars when I registered with the site. However, it gave me a training programme which I really tried hard to stick to.

Loved doing it but if doing it again I'd train more on the road as doing most of my training cross country meant that on the day it felt easier but afterwards.....ouch, lots. Incidentally a friend ran it with me at the last minute, no training and she'd only ever run 10ks and one 8 mile training run with me....she was going better than me at the end so never underestimate sheer bloody mindedness!! Good luck!

Hi there, I'd second joining the happy when running thread. Lots of mixed abilities on there and everyone's very supportive and will have some good ideas. Pretty sure you might even find someone else who is running the Chester half marathon!

Hi, thanks all for your responses! I have actually found the 'Happy when we're running' thread, and found lots of help there so far - Thanks all!!