Entered a half marathon and now feel like a twat.

[zippy539]

Warning: this is long and self indulgent.
Context: I'm a short, unsporty and moderately fat 44yr old.

In a moment of madness six months ago I entered a half marathon (happening in march 2012). I thought if I had a ridiculous goal I would be motivated to get fit. I've been 'training' since October using the walk/run method designed by Jeff Galloway for unsporty and moderately fat 44 year olds. (The idea is that you use a combination of walking and running throughout training and in the race itself in order to avoid injury/improve times).

So far it's been going okay - I actually enjoy my runs though I am very very slow. I'm run/walking about 10 miles a week and apart from the odd crap run I've been feeling great. I've learnt to put up with the fact that I run at the speed of a slug and can pretty much laugh off the sideways looks I get from those that pass me when I'm out on 'a run' (eg old ladies on zimmers/people casually strolling with their dogs). Cut to today. I got up at an ungodly hour to catch the village bus into the nearest town (I was due to 'run' six miles and didn't fancy going so far down super-icy country lanes). Got into town and realised that all the paths were treacherously icy so got the bus back home again - was gutted as all geared up and had even had a nervous pre-run pee up a lane precariously close to the local high street. Back at home I decided to risk the country lanes and once the ice had melted set off at my blistering 14 min mile pace. Two miles in my shin and calf started hurting like you would not believe. I tried to run through it but ended up hobbling and had to turn around and walk 2 miles home in disgrace (and had to have another public pee up a country lane mercifully NOT close to any high street but in full view of a field of scathing sheep).

I'm on the settee now with a bag of frozen peas on my leg and feeling like an utter idiot. What in God's name made me think this running lark was a good idea? I've set myself a huge goal and even in the unlikely event that I do manage to complete the training I'm still going to be the only plonker who is running/walking and still coming in utterly last on the day. But I don't want to give up because the goal of the half marathon is the only thing that gets me into my trainers every day. Should I pack it in? Go for a more realistic goal? Just feel gutted cos I was feeling so good and now I feel like a total overweight, 44 year old twat.

I did something similar once with swimming - thought signing myself into the Marie Curie Swimathon would be a good motivator. I am a good swimmer but yes, 40s and unfit. Like you, I was in despair as the day got closer and way way off target - but when it came to it, I found reserves of strength and motivation and adrenaline I never knew I had. It was fine. And I think you'll be fine - March is still some way off, it sounds like you're doing everything right - get your leg checked out but don't despair.

And if it gets to late Feb and you're still panicking, you can presumably un-enter the marathon? What's the worse that could happen? You'll still be fitter than you were when you started, and that was your main goal.

Thanks Hassle - glad I'm not alone. I just feel that I've totally over-reached myself and today was a massive wake-up call and now I feel like a complete idiot. God - I wasn't even fit when I was 18 never mind now. Doesn't help that everyone I know raised a knowing eyebrow when I announced my intention and I swore I'd prove them all wrong. Not so cocky now am I....

Your advice is brilliant and very inspiring - well done on the swimathon, I'm honestly in awe. I just hope I've got the strength and motivation that you've shown. You must have felt amazing when you'd done it! Are you still swimming now?

[Reapplies ice pack and opens bottle of wine in self-indulgent misery]

I don't think you're a twat at all, I completely applaud you. Keep going, but obviously when your leg is better. Don't try and run through pain. You've got at least 2.5 months of training left.

I entered a 10k once to get fit and trained with a friend. The longest we ran before the race was 7 k and I think we only did that once, it was normally 5k. But on the day I jogged the whole thing, I might have been one of the slowest but I did it.

Thanks Viva -I think I feel like a twat because while I'm 'running' along I feel like Paula Radcliffe (not just because of the public peeing ) then when things go wrong like they did today or alternatively I catch myself in any kind of reflective surface I realise I am simply a very slow moving deluded piece of blubber in a lurid yellow high-vis jacket.

But it's so good to know that you don't have to do the full distance in training. I'm a bit of a 'swot' when it comes to training plans so I'm tempted to give up if I screw up a session by not doing the prescribed time/distance because then I reckon I'll never catch up. Well done on your 10k - that's brilliant. :) I don't believe for a minute you were as slow as I am but if you were I read a good quote for slow runners re fast runners. Slow Runner (to fast runner): you might run faster than me but you'll never run for as long as me.

See - you're motivating me!

Zippy, tall fat 41yo here. I just did at 10k from a non-running start, and like Viva I only managed about 7k non stop before the race but come race day, I managed to jog the whole way. After about 500m, I was in last place but I just kept on at my 12.5 min per mile pace and, tortoise and hare-like, started overtaking people walking after 1k and I kept overtaking them all the way to the end. I am too scared to attempt a half marathon so I applaud your ambition!

I recall having several really crap training runs and I just eased off a bit for the next two or three til I got back into the groove. That's what worked for me, but I'm sure some more experienced runners will be along with more scientific advice soon.

Piffpaff - It's lovely to hear about someone doing an event from a non-running start and having not run the full distance before the event. Love your stealth over-taking (and your nippy 12.5 min mile pace - v jealous) - if I manage to do the half then I will totally be relying on the tortoise and hare principle. :)

Feeling better already after all your replies - thanks so much.

Can I ask has anyone done an event using a run/walk principle? Will I be laughed off the track (or pushed off it by irate runners?).

I have been considering entering a triathlon for similar reasons but can only do doggy paddle or backstroke so this is putting me off.

Viva - please do it. :)

(If only so someone is in more of a panic than me...)

People laugh at me when I'm swimming in casual swimming never mind doing a triathlon.

Like me running then! Have you got a local pool where you could get a couple of lessons - several folk have said to me that getting a couple of sessions of your 'form' makes a HUGE difference.

Oh please enter. PLEASE.

Aw Zippy no-one has ever called my pace 'nippy' before, thanks !

I once managed 11.something average over 3 miles, had to lie down after that so reverted back to my 12/13 minute shuffle (I say shuffle, cos I don't think it qualifies as running at that speed).

FYI, there were a few people in my 10 doing walk/run but I don't know if it was intentional.

Believe me Piff -12.5 is nippy in my book. But your 11.something is just plain showing off in my (sluggish) book. If I ever average 11.something I will combust with glee. :)

I only ever managed it once, and never again!

Have you looked at the results from last year's half to see where you would have come if you ran it at your current pace? I think it is very unlikely that you would come last tbh. Is it Bath btw?

In the Bath hm last year, the slowest finisher was 4hours, so with your 14 min mile pace, you would be an hour faster!

And you won't be or look like a twat, you will be a woman who has achieved something that most people wouldn't have the courage to attempt. Start giving yourself a bit of credit and stop putting yourself down, please

It IS Bath. How did you know? Did you see me skiting about in the ice outside the bus station this morning???? I haven't looked at last years stats because I'm worried I would just pack it all in if I faced reality.

Thanks for the slap chestnut - I know I'm doing good on my own terms but today was like a horrible wake-up call. I'm NOT Paula Radcliffe - I'm a bloody slow jogger with shin splints who isn't even aiming to run the whole thing. I'm so chuffed with what I've done so far (today apart) but I can't help feeling that I'm deluding myself and will look like a twally on the day.

And I'll probably have to pee in the middle of Royal Crescent.

No, I did it in 2010! And I'm moderately fat too! And I was nowhere near last. My pace was about 13 min mile. Are you running for any charity? The thing that really spurred me on when I thought I couldn't keep going anymore was the thought of the people who had sponsored me to run, and I didn't want to let then down. I won't lie to you, it was hard, and I think the longest I had run prior to the race was 7 miles.
The hard thing about it is, you can stop at any time, towards the end you may have to fight with yourself to keep going, but then you'll finish, and get your medal and your silver blanket, and get someone to take your photo, and it'll be done, and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about! And you'll have done something that most people would not dream of doing. And it's completely different running a race with loads of other people around you, than it is running on your own. The atmosphere will really spur you on.

Obviously someone's got to come last...but it's unlikely that someone would be you

chestnut - you are now officially my God. I LOVE it that you only did 7 miles before it (but secretly suspect that you are a proper runner with load of miles under your belt). How the arse did you know I was doing Bath?

I am SO SCARED. I need to get i touch with organisers and get myself put further back in the field because I will piss people off with my walking. Did you see anyone walking when you did it?

You should be proud of yourself. Don't worry about being slow/walking. It may be that others are speedy because of practice/build/youth/fitness, but it doesn't even matter if you come last because you would have still achieved something that the vast majority of people (myself included) have not. Everyone will think you're amazing regardless of how long it takes. It is all the more impressive when you find it difficult!

xmas - thanks so much, what you said was lovely. I feel better now - thanks to you all. Will keep the peas on my leg for the next couple of days then get out there again - fat, short, slow but happy. :)