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?

Thanks everyone, it means a lot. I did have a second opinion today, she said it wasn't pneumonia as my whole body isn't affected by the infection, but my chest is still very noisy. She highly doubted I'd be able to get around the course even if I did lots of walking, and advised me not to do it. She is quite young and a runner herself so understands how important it is to me. So, I've followed her advice and pulled out.
They'res a slight possibility I can get a place on the London beat so at least that's something.

Ido I'm sorry you aren't well. It really sucks. However, I do think you are doing the right thing. London Beat 1/2 sounds like it would be a lot of fun, if not that one, I am sure that there are others as well.

I've put it all into perspective and am pretty much ok with it now.

Shredded that sounds amazing I'd love to run around central park you're very lucky it's close to you. I get loads of people run past me- I just call them gazelles (in a special tone in my head)- and keep on plodding

Sorry to hear that Ido, but you've done the right thing. I've never heard of London Beat but it's great you have something to aim for. Hope you feel better soon.

Ido - good to hear you are feeling OK with your decision, which I'm sure is for the best.

humble - where do you run?

Ido I've heard v good things about London Beat.

Actually that reminds me - do you guys all listen to music on runs? I do on training runs but not on races but am thinking that ifI it's allowed I might well take iPod shuffle on the half marathon. Just cos of length/ boredom/ keeping tempo up etc. any thoughts?

Ido, sorry to hear your gnr plans have gone belly up. That must be Gutting, although run to the beat looks amazing.

Kiwi, I run to music. I use endomondo on my phone which gives me splits, music and allows people to talk to me while I run. DH does it sometimes to let me know kids are asleep or he's putting dinner on. When I did my 10k a friend logged in about every quarter of an hour to tell me I was doing well. It was lovely.

I'm not sure my phone will last a whole hm, it'll do 10 miles though and I think i'll see if I can get people to talk to me. The hm will be quite lonely; its rural and disused railway so very little room for supporters along the way. The 10k I did was from one town to another so lots of folk out in their gardens cheering runners and unofficial drinks stands etc which was lovely. Any of you gnr folk using endomondo and want encouragement? I'm around some of Sunday...

I carry my phone when running, just to track my pace on GPS. I don't like to listen to music because I need to hear what's going on around me if I want to cross roads etc. or am off the beaten track on my own (e.g. lots of woods near me). Endomondo sounds interesting with the logging in to shout things though! I may look into it when I get home.

Oh meant to say also that I quite like the nothingness of running without music. I love music in many forms (always have it on in the car, for example) but as running is almost the only time I get absolutely to myself, I really love just being alone with my thoughts, trundling through what's rattling around in my head seems to sort things out and put them into place - like defragmenting my hard drive. :)

Sometimes it turns out there's not a lot in there either. That makes for a lovely relaxing run. Me and my blank mind...!

I run with a basic garmin (110) and an i-pod shuffle. My i-pod has a selection of mostly embarrassing songs which help to put a spring in my step at different times. e.g. I have a couple which are 10 minutes long, which I use if I'm flagging in a long run, while telling myself that if I get my act together I'll have another mile under my belt by the time the song has finished .

Because I listen to the same stuff over and over again must get some new songs I sometimes end up running without noticing the music. Like Lexi says, that's the bit I like best.

Issy, are you sure you are ready for this?

I have a live version of Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits) which has a bouncy start and a long guitar solo in the middle, and recently discovered a 10 minute version of I Heard it Through the Grapevine (by Creedence), which is a bit slower but has a good strong beat.

I have to go to work now, am not running away!

I use endomondo sometimes but have a Garmin 405 so mainly use that for pace (btw have found amazingly large discrepancies between Garmin data and Endomondo for some runs!) and then upload all the Garmin data to the computer/endomondo afterwards (yes just get a life..)

I listen to some seriously odd choices too :) DH was in charge of putting running music on my iPod shuffle so I have rather a lot of Dr Dre and Metallica...
Personally i find cheesy music better for running. Sugababes for instance

Lexi I am like you. I really love not listening to music when I run. I just want to appreciate everything around me. I also revel in the silence of not having 2 small children bossing me around for the time that I am out. Like you it also gives me the opportunity to sort things out in my mind (or not). Also I have never found comfortable earphones and they tend to fall out.

I was using the Nike ap on the iphone but I recently bought a Garmin Forerunner 310xt, which I really like. The Nike Ap was good but I didn't like carrying my iphone with me and it got very wet a couple of times which wasn't good for my phone.

neither I run around Prospect Park or further afield depending on how long my runs are. I live in Brooklyn pretty much next to the park.

I just 3.5 mile run. It felt so good. It is a nice feeling nearing the end of the training when you consider 3.5 miles a good short run. I think back to the beginning of the training when I found it so much harder and realise how far I've come. It's a nice feeling.

I did 8.5 miles today after 4 yesterday and 7.5 on Tues. my legs are TOAST

I'm not a big fan of running w no headphones cos I hate hearing my own panting..! I run with Sennheiser phones that aren't for running as I have the same problem with buds falling out

You know how people sometimes say to really appreciate a landscape, or art, you should draw/paint it yourself, because it forces you to concentrate on all the details individually? Or when reading a book/poem, read it out loud to slow yourself down and let it sink in?

Well I think that in a sort of reverse sense about the sights and sounds around me when running. If I went for a nice walk down the disused railway line I would not get such a 'hit' of the smells of trees and wildflowers and the sounds of birds and insects as I do when I am running on a Sunday morning. It's nearly a five-senses experience (I try to avoid letting flies into my panting maw! but even water tastes better when you really deserve it)

Lexi I suspect I would feel more like that if my runs weren't mainly around London! Having said that I do often run up to the nearby Common/Heath and it's glorious there on a quiet Sunday morning with just me, a few other runners and the odd dog walker for company. I can definitely see the appeal of quiet running through countryside like that. But alas there's also rather a lot of running down roads...

I love to listen to music when I run, it stops me from getting distracted and slowing down to a snail pace, instead of my usual tortoise. I do, however, run with only one ear plug in, so I am aware of traffic, people, bikes etc. and not hugely loud. Actually it's lucky I do that because a few weeks ago I accidentally stood on one of my earphones. They need replacing now though because my 2 1/2 year old pulled off the plastic soft bit for in your ear and then my mum swept it up and threw it out!!! The cheek! she won't be allowed to come stay again (was good she swept the floor though).

I like to listen to the ministry of sound running tracks (not all of them- i put the ones i like into a playlist). I think they release a new one most years. I also currently have on my playlist Rhianna (run the world) mambo number 5 (Lou bega) sexy and I know it (hehe) and black eyes peas I gotta feeling- and a few others I probably (as a 37yr old mother of three) shouldn't admit too?. I like to relive my youth

Yes kiwi- I am currently blaming London for my chest infection! Bad roads

Hope everyone's training is going well. I posted early in the thread, and am doing the Blenheim Palace half in just over 3 weeks. I'm a bit worried as I did 13k yesterday (my longest run yet) and it's knocked me for six! Felt fine during and just after, but am still knackered 24 hrs later! Am wondering now what to do training-wise in the next couple of weeks. Try and push for a couple of longer runs or ... not?!