Anyone else training for a half marathon?

[golemmings]

I graduated from c25k earlier this year and ran my first 10 race in June. A friend has told me that I can do a half marathon in the autumn so I've signed up for one.

I'm a week into the training programme (using the rw one for 2:00-2:15 finishes) and I'm finding it really hard going.

Is there anybody else who is doing a half who wants to share moral support/abuse/highs/lows?

Glad you're ok Humble

Issy, good luck for training faster! I was so happy doing my half marathon in 2hrs 10mins - we've obviously got different perceptions as it certainly didn't feel like trundling to me!!!

neither are you okay? I was wondering if you have power?

thanks Issy and Onedev

Issy - I think I need to do some of this speed training. It feels so cold now I am not very keen on going out for a run, plus the parks are all still closed. Given I have another HM in 2 weeks, I really do need to do some running. My last training run was awful.

I'm good thanks humble, I have power and hot water at home. I have taken in four friends who were flooded/blacked out, and they are delightful guests.

I haven't done any running though. I'm off to the UK tomorrow and will take my running stuff and will report in from there.

Where are you visiting Neither? Hope you have fun!

Thanks onedev! Working in London, and visiting family in Yorkshire. I'm going to try to do the Parkrun near my parents next weekend.

Glad to hear you are fine Neither. What a generous friend you are as well. I suspect your friends were very grateful for your help.

Enjoy your trip to the UK.

I ran 10 miles today around the park near me today. There was quite a lot of damage evident from the storm. Apparently over 300 trees were blown over. The clean up has been amazing though. Today was the first day it was open so there were a lot of people around. It was nice.

It's much colder now.

Greetings!

Have been thinking about Humble and Shreded over in NY. Glad to hear you guys are safe.

Sorry, I fell of the thread for a bit.

Going back to work has been OK but I feel slightly guilty doing 4 days (even though the kids are with their daddy most of the week and dd is in nursery less than she was before ds was born...) but the days have been a fairly relentless treadmill of feed ds, have breakfast, shower, leg it out the house late for work... come home, play with dd whilst ds is in the bath, bed time for ds, phone dad, eat tea (thank goodness dh cooks), and then realise its 9, I'm knackered and ds needs feeding in an hour...

As a result I've run twice since the half. DH and I had a chat about it and the need for some me time - (he was the one who was surprised that I wanted to go off and do something child free at the weekend when I'd not seen them all week, but he's changed his mind now!!). So I ran this morning and it was glorious. Clear blue sky, frost on the ground and the colours in the trees were fantastic. The running was harder than I expected. I only did 4 1/2 miles and the 4th mile was over 10 mins. A month ago I could run 13 miles all quicker than that!!! The run was short because I'd overestimated the size of my parent's town... I ran to the bottom of it, ran along the river, ran home... did a divert and realised that I was pretty much home... I don't think I'd've got much slower if I'd gone further though.

DH and I also had a conversation about the next local 10k that's coming up; he was thinking about doing it as his first 10k but I broke him a month before his first 5k event, he did the 5k mud run, did it well (came 17th, and about 20 mins quicker than I did it in march, but he had to queue less for the obstacles)) but hasn't been out since and doesn't think he can get to 10k in the next 5 weeks so its MINE!! ALL MINE!!!

I've spent this evening researching 10k improvers plans, set up some runs in endomondo, and I'm all set for a sub 55 10k on 3 days a week. I will try and squeeze 4 runs in and see if I can do sub 50!

Good to hear you guys are all still running though.

Yay lemmings! Always worth having something to plan for! Gosh I remember how time would fly when juggling FT work and little children. Glad your lovely DH understands that you need some you time to regroup at the weekend.

I did 2 short runs in London last week, but have not been out all week since I got back here.

DH is running a marathon tomorrow on a dodgy knee and tendonitis and not enough training. It's in a local park, and is 6 full laps and three half laps, so if I position myself correctly I will have 9 opportunities to shout encouraging words .

I don't have anything booked until January. Then DH if he ever runs again after tomorrow and I both have a confirmed place in the NYC half in March

Hello everyone! How are you all?

I just did 10k with my club and came second - and smashed the PB too. Hooray! Down to 43'28 now. Since I have knocked 5 minutes off my 10k time since May, I have decided that if i continue at this rate I'll be qualifying for Rio. Right? Right? Oh

Well done Kiwi! Great progress!

Come on then, where are we all?

I have been nursing poor DH. He got to mile 18 of his marathon last week, not bad on hardly any training (his knee had been playing up, so he'd only been running once a week for the last month). Then his knee went pop, but he kept going to mile 22. Not a great decision, since he's been diagnosed with a torn meniscus, probably needs surgery and is barely able to walk.

I have another HM in late Jan, so I'm starting to get back into training. I did 7 miles on Thursday (out for 10 in total but walked the first two and last one), and 5 today.

How's everyone else?

I am around.

I've managed to run once or twice a week for the last few week. I have been doing 5-7 mile runs.

I am going to do the Jingle Bell Jog in PP on Saturday morning. It's 4 miles (I think).

I am waiting to hear if I get a place for the half in March. I will most likely do the one in April if I don't get a place.

HELLO!
I'm still running here too. That 10k I was training for? It's on sunday and work kinda got in the way of training. I'm probably doing it but in whatever time it takes.

I've accidentally fallen in with a bunch of fell runners. The initial lure of 4-5 miles on the flat has been upgraded. Last week was 9 miles with >1000ft assent. The views were fab and I'm very proud of having done it but I wouldn't go so far as to say I enjoyed it. They're trying to recruit me for a 20 miler next summer. Now that will be a challenge.

neither I didn't get a spot on the Half in March, but I am not that surprised as I got a spot last year. The Verazzano Half has been rescheduled to the end of April, so I think I will go for that one instead. I am toying with the idea of doing the Half at the end of Jan as well around CP and perhaps doing the guaranteed entry route like you for next year.

Merry Christmas to all! Not sure there are many reading this now.

Merry Christmas everyone- thought I'd check in as have had to have a little running break after doing two halfs in a month and straining something in my butt! It's getting better now luckily and I've started some short runs again. Hopefully it will be ok as I have a half in February!

I got some lovely new earphone for Christmas, took them yesterday for a 'test-run' which was great.

Hope to see you all again soon here

I have never done one before and am training for one in March. I managed nearly 11miles yesterday - so am elated that I will manage it by then- if I keep up the training!

You'll be more than fine exotic if you can do 11 you can easily do 13; I think the most I did before my first one was 9 (I did properly train too, unlike this time?). I think it was a revelation for me at exactly what your body is capable of- it truly is just a mind thing- just realising that yes, you can do it. The atmosphere and crowds will carry you- promise

I was surprised that I did it! My DS was very good and came with me giving encouragement all the way.

Hello - anyone still around? I was on this thread near the beginning but dropped out when I missed my October half -marathon due to illness . My running took a bit of a dive after that, but I've signed up for the White Horse Half in April and am following a training plan on the Adidas mi coach app. How is everyone else doing? Do some of you have races booked for Spring? Must go back over the thread and check!

I'm here!! Trying to decide whether to do Brighton half in feb as I have hardly trained as I injured myself in oct. it's seeming heaps better though so I'm thinking ill do it. Where is the white horse half?

Hello! Glad to see the thread is still going.

I did a half yesterday - lovely course and great conditions, but I had an awful run - everything that could have gone wrong did, and I limped home in 2.44.

humble are you doing Manhattan next week? I am thinking of volunteering, but haven't yet signed up (there are still spots).

I'm doing the NY half in 8 weeks. Hopefully better than yesterday.

Hello!
Nice to see people back on the thread. Well done for everyone for keeping running. I ran 7 miles yesterday which was great and I have a 10km to run on Sat. It will be the anniversary of my first "race". So I am looking forward to recognising how far I have come in a year.

neither where were you running? It was a perfect day yesterday. Sorry you were limping? what happened?

I am not doing Manhattan. I thought I wouldn't be ready, I looked yesterday as I briefly considered entering anyway .. and it is already full, so I can't sign up.

I am jealous of you NY Half. I loved running it last year. The thrill of running through Times Square was something I will never forget, fantastic feeling. The hustle bustle at the start line (it took me over 30+ mins to cross it) is something to prepare yourself for, it is very busy and the loop of central park is busy.

Let me know (PM) if you are up for a run sometime. I would love to have an excuse to do a loop of CP. I haven't done it in a while!

humble I was down in Baton Rouge running the Louisiana half with a friend. The course was lovely- mainly flat and around a lake, and the temp great - about 39 when we set off and low 60's at the finish.

There was a great atmosphere, there was a 5K and kids' race on Saturday, and the marathon and half yesterday (we met some women at breakfast on Saturday who'd done the 5k as a warm up for the full marathon the next day ). They stared both races together yesterday, then the marathoners peeled off at mile 9 or so. The winning man overtook me when I was at mile 12 of my half .

I set off too fast - my friend is faster than me, and was determined to get me round in 2.15 or so (slower than her usual time) - and had no energy. We'd been up at 5am for a 7am race start, and it was the wrong time of the month for me. That meant stomach cramps and numerous loo stops, and as the queues were long I lost a lot of time standing in line (I haven't yet downloaded my garmin to check my moving time, but it will be a lot less than 2.44). My left leg/foot often goes numb after 3 miles, and feeling comes back again at 5 (it's a back/nerve problem and there's nothing really to be done about it), but when that happened yesterday I felt like I just couldn't pick my foot up off the ground.

So all in all a bit of a rubbish run, but I enjoyed visiting the South and had a great time with my friend even though she's a better runner than I am .

There were several people wearing their medals on my flight out of BR last night, which was also great to see (mine was safely packed away).

ido - the White Horse Half is in Grove in Oxfordshire. It's in quite a hilly area, but goes round the hills, not up them, so is in fact very flat! A good one for getting a PB apparently. Have you decided whether to enter yours yet?