Would anyone like to join me in training for a half marathon?

[lurkingfromhome]

It was a thread on this board that basically got me through the C25K programme a couple of years ago. Lots of lovely supportive women pushing each other on.

Now, I've just started training for a half marathon that's at the end of May. I was a fairly confident runner before Christmas as I was doing 12k on my long run, even though I wasn't training with the HM in mind, but then took three weeks out over Christmas and seemed to lose all my fitness and go back to square one almost overnight . Still not back at the level I was before then but at least I'm feeling enthusiastic again, running 4 times a week (8.5k the longest run so far, though) and I need a goal so I've started a 12-week HM programme and today is the end of my first week.

Is anyone doing anything similar who might like to form a virtual support group and get a bit obsessed together?

Good luck Theonly! I would say to take the fuel you normally do. I agree about sports drinks, I stick with water. There will be water stations on the race. Are they handing out any gels? As for the toilet, you could try Imodium, I know some people use that. This weekend I would do a shorter long run, maybe just an hour and one or two half hour runs next week. I hope you have a good day and enjoy yourself.

Finished the Wolf Run on Saturday. OOOh it was so muddy to be biblical in just under 2h. And to think Tough Guy is going to be twice as long...

I will sign up for that sort of thing!
Also has anyone else done Tough Guy. I'm a bit nervous about all 5000 runners starting at once?

Thank you for the feedback! I've only done 2 x 10kms so far but love the race atmosphere. I don't come anywhere near those kind of times when I run on my own. I need a nice bum to follow

This is a race report from the same race I'm doing (the blog isn't mine - just one I stumbled across when I googled the HM I'm doing - she is running a 95 mile race this weekend, that's mental!) so no gels but they've handed out oranges and jelly beans in the past!

www.redwinerunner.co.uk/2013/07/15/race-report-peterhead-half-marathon-2013/

Are you in the north east of Scotland ohone? Was looking at that race, considering it for next year, so will look forward to hearing how you get on. My next one will be Crathes in September.

I am in Los Angeles today for work purposes, I tried to do 10km around the Rose bowl and when I arrived the streets were all cordoned off. The policeman stopped me and explained Obama was in town and unless I lived around the Bowl I was not allowed to enter. So, Mr Obama you have just stopped me from running my favourite circuit this morning????. I could have run around the streets of Pasadena but was concerned I would lose my way back to the hotel.

Hi emummy yes am in Aberdeenshire . Have also signed up to the Crathes half !

Hello TOOIK and good luck with your HM.

Well done Geek. Some of us from last year's MN team did the Spring WOLF. It wasn't massively muddy but the lake swim was freeeeeeezing. Hats off to anyone who does the winter one. Hope the t-shirt was nice

sara boo to Mr President's visit! I used to live on Manhattan where the same thing happened regularly.

I did part one of my challenge this evening. Wasn't feeling great, but followed another lady all the way round and finished a minute faster than last year . It was a funny mix of super-serious club runners, runners like me and complete non-runners who happen to work at the place where it is held. Two men were smoking (proper smoking, not even vaping) at the start

Great the only see you there - hopefully! Sorry I called you the wrong name, have a cold and am hard of thinking at the moment!

goodness me theonly that looks like a really tough course!

Just nipping in quickly to say that I am half way through my marathon challenge, with a cumulative time so far of just under 2:30. I took a minute off my 5 mile time last night, and over 10 minutes off my 8.1 today compared to last year We ran in cool drizzle today instead of baking sunshine

Well done ohone!

Morning banging, no not too late, my half isn't til September so I'll still be hanging around

Do you use an app or anything while you run? Runkeeper has a lot of training plans, or you can find them on Pinterest and all over t'internet really. I think the the general theory is one session a week to work on pace, another on distance and another to do what you like to make sure you remember why you like it!

I'm eating porridge (yuk)
Race starts at 10.30 eep

Snap Thursday (porridge and start time) I'll be thinking of you

Welcome Banging I used the BUPA HM plan for my first one, but as Thursday says there are plenty out there. What have you signed up for?

There must be other MNers who have done that one.

I'm only racing against myself today, just hoping to beat last year's time

DONE

Hot and hilly, but a little under 10miles completed in 1.38

How are you ohone?

Well done Thursday brilliant time

I thought of you with great at mile ten today knowing that you had finished and I still had 5K to go

My garmin time is 2:42, which I'm happy with - it was almost all off road, very undulating and jolly hard work after the last two days

My cumulative time is a little over 5 hours (waiting for official time), which I'm really pleased with - my one and only marathon was 4:59:35, and some wise people on the running thread said this would probably take longer, especially as so little of this was on-road.

Well done ohone! You must delighted that it's over

I am Thursday (although a few of us said "see you next year" as we said goodbye - the camaraderie is fantastic)

And I am not planning another HM until December (my local club HM) - famous last words

Banging have you signed up? - looks as though it is almost sold out from this press article, which could of course be a blessing in disguise

I am toying with the Rutland HM in September to keep me going to December

You could do both Banging