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?

I was hassled by club mates :) They told me it was a good one but omitted to say that last year it was foggy so you couldn't see anything!

Luton was good last year and they have changed the route to include a lot more of Luton Hoo and it's fabulous 5* hotel grounds and a lot less of the bleak housing estate that didn't want us there in the first place - just need to work out family jelly baby placement now :)
Look around as there may be discount codes about for Luton.

Out this morning for hill work, which I guess is a sort of HIIT.

Warm up run for 1-2 miles.
Find a hill.
Run up it fast fro 30 seconds
walk down
run up it for 75 seconds
walk down, rest.
Repeat another 4 times.

It was soooo hot this morning, I'm afraid I didn't do the last 75 second burst. To be fair, I had one of my dogs with me, and he was really starting to feel the heat.

Good effort melanie! I never manage more than 30secs per sprint, and usually I'm staring at the watch willing the seconds down from about 22

I did a 7 mile run, mostly on road with a teeny bit of coast path thrown in. Was actually ok as thunder and rain had passed over just before I set out. Still sweat buckets though!

I now do speed work/hill sessions with the running club as I can't chicken out like I can on my own :)
Really need to up my running now as I have 10 weeks until GNR and have been really slack recently due to illness and family circumstances (and the fact that I don't get to run regularly at parkrun at the moment) I downloaded all my Garmin stuff for the last 2 months and it's woeful.
So, speed work tonight and a long run at the w/e, if I stop coughing and can breathe

So glad my race was at the start of the month not now! A friend has a 30 mile race on Saturday so is hoping it cools a bit. Good luck to everyone still training for an event.

Have started training for next hm now, in mid September. Hope it is a lot cooler! September in Aberdeenshire can be anything from warm to freezing so will have to wait and see! Good progression run this morning, lost about a kilo in sweat I think, bu such a beautiful day. Hope your friend gets on ok BlueChampagne

Good luck emummy - my sister lives up there so I know what you mean, 4 seasons in a day and all.

Managed 9.2 miles yesterday afternoon when it was about 27C down here - it was enough!

I'm supposedly doing a HM in September, but am having serious doubts about it! I've been really short on time, and a bit lazy in my mid-week runs - y'know, doing them, but not fast and not far.
My "long runs" I've been adding 10% onto each week, and am so far at 11.5km, but am finding some of them HARD, and creaky pains are setting in. I'm also INCREDIBLY slow....
I'm severely lacking confidence in my ability to do this.

Slow is fine Saz, and you still have time to increase your long run. If you can get up to 10 miles before the HM, on the day you can think of it as a long run with a 5k tagged on to the end

Keep posting and we will support you

After reading about all your September HMs I have registered for the Rutland Water one on 27 September

Better get training

I'm only about an hour away, so I might even take myself off there to check out the route - I've only ever cycled around RW before.

thereis how did you get on today?

Hello all, sorry this fell off my TIO

How was it thereis?

How is everyone else?

Am on holiday Thursday so not sticking to training plan, just doing what I feel. No running today, 20th wedding anniversary, have so far eaten giant meringue & strawberries and large burger. Will need to run a marathon tomorrow to work it all off!

Happy Anniversary emummy! 20 years, wonderful!

It's my birthday today, I thought I'd show you my running haul

Happy birthday Thursday , and happy anniversary emummy

Anyone seen my running mojo? It seems to have disappeared since my HM. Haven't been able to get over 9 miles, and it's a slow slog. I'm blaming the heat (about 27C); any tips from more experienced runners?

My get up and go has got up and gone too Blue

I'm holding out until we go on holiday in 2 weeks - we're going somewhere flat with good running so all being well it will come back. I did a lot of marathon training when we were last there 2 summers ago so I'm hoping that I'll have some kind of Pavlovian response to being back again

Ooh, Thursday, what fab stuff!!!

Anyone able to help with my "training plan" (ha ha haha)?

I work a half-day Wed, in a place with some fabby (if hilly) Forestry commission trails. I really like wandering off for a couple of hours walking/running/being lost around the areas. Some weeks it's 8km, other wks its nearer 2km, and I walk when I need to. I would be loathe to change this as iot's kind of what makes running nice.
At the weekend I "do" a long (for me) run. It's very very VERY slow - like 7.30 per KM - and am doing about 12 km on this run, adding 10% per week.
I try and run on Friday evenings, too, a speed session or intervals. Something unpleasant but dutiful and brief.
I don't really have any other time to go out running.
I do squeeze in some strength training (ie fitness DVD) on other days, though.

So -from that, how can I get to a half-marathon?
And - Do I need trail shoes for the Wed run?

I think that sounds fine Saz, just steadily increase your long runs to increase your stamina. You'll probably find your pace increases as you go further, especially if you're doing the short but dutiful session too

I have a similar wood near me, I take the dog out with me there quite often. I personally would get sone trail shoes because they really help your balance. You might get away without them at this time of year while the trails are dry but I find them essential when it's slippy.

Agree with Thursday that trail shoes would be advantageous when it's not bone dry.

Glad it's not just me, OhOneOh. Summer hols don't look great for running, but could get more cycling in. Did 9 miles with DS2 in trailer today (and told him he was getting too big)!

Just finished week 2 of hm training with lovely easy run this morning. It's easy just now as do on holiday but once he's back to work I'll be getting up at 6 to run before he leaves. I usually run Tues, Thurs & Fri, will change the Fri run to Saturday so I can have a "lie in" . However we're collecting our rescue dog on Tuesday so not sure if my plans will work!

Hello please may I join your thread? I've read it all and everybody sounds so supportive .

I've signed up to do Oxford HM in October, did the British 10k London Road Race on Sunday in 57:28.

I suffer from ITB so knee gives up the ghost every now and then. I tried to run a HM in May but only made it to 9.2 miles before I was in too much pain to continue.

How do you motivate yourselves to do hill work and interval training etc? I'm just useless at it. All I can do is plod around and it takes me 9:30-10 mins to run a mile!

Hello sunshine , well done on your 10k! Did you enjoy it?

I don't really do much speed work, but if I do it's usually with a friend. Also don't be down on 9-10 minute miles! That's my pace! I seem completely incapable of going either faster OR slower!

I tried out my new haul on Friday, I felt like a right 'new kit wanker' new socks, new shoes, new headphones, new flipbelt but it all worked ok - I managed 4 miles.

Parkrun on Sat, vanity work out on Sunday, and I'm aiming to do 6-7 road miles tomorrow morning and a trail run on Thurs evening.

I'm so sad because my Pilates class finishes for summer. It's like a weekly MOT and really helps my back.

I absolutely loved it thank you Thursday. I really enjoy the events I do and they certainly spur me on to try harder. I did a 3 mile run today and my average was 9:30 so pleased with that although I was puffing a lot!

New kit is lovely, I think nice kit makes you feel completely different. I understand that it's been psychologically proven to help with your running as you feel so much better about yourself .

A new bit of kit is certainly motivation!

I managed 7.5 miles this morning - back before 8.15 am despite being terribly slow! Not doing a poo before I left was a big mistake