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?

This is helpful, thanks loveable. I'm just back from a 45-minute run where I did the fartlek thing I mentioned of 10 paces threshold, 10 jog, 20 paces threshold, 20 jog, and so on up to 100, then back down to 10, at which point I was exhausted so had to walk for a couple of minutes, but then I managed 10 to 40 and back down to 10 again, so around 4.75 miles in total.

Distance could be better but I really feel like I've had a workout so I'm going to keep with this one day a week and try to get to the point where I can go from 10 to 100 and back down twice, with no walking in the middle! Friday I'm scheduled for a short hill run but I might try another round of this and see if I can improve at all. Totally get the competitive with yourself thing

I'm nowhere near many of you in terms of speed or distance, but I am inspired by how far many of you can go! I did my 7K this morning - conditions were beautiful: about 5 degrees, dry, flat, not much of a breeze. I flagged a little in the 5th kilometer (maybe because my body was used to starting to wind down at that point) and the last 500m were tough, but I did it in 45 minutes flat, so an average pace of 6:25/km. I'm pretty pleased with myself - not only didn't I die but I managed a time I thought was respectable. It's going to be a while before I manage fartleks and speed intervals though...

Honestly, mommybunny I never thought for a minute I'd even be able to think about running a half marathon. The only thing that's keeping me going is the knowledge that it gets exponentially much easier - I found it so much harder to get from 0 to 5K than I did to get from 5k to 10K, so I'm hoping it stays that way! Well done on your 7K - think of it as a third of the way to a half marathon, which is brilliant.

The only reason I'm doing fartleks and so on is because I'm such a one-speed plodder that I feel I need a bit of a push to spur me on a bit ...

That sounds great, mommy.

Lurking, that fartlek sounds a great idea. I'm going to try it :)

I've just done 10k easy run. Average about 9:50/mile. A good warmdown from the half. Feeling strong. :)

lurking well done, fartlek sounds good. Don't worry about then instance you cover doings speed work session, it's the intensity of work that matters. So a hort distance doing hill repeats, for example, is as beneficial as a straight longer run. Sounds like you worked hard! The fartlek I did last week was 2x15 secs run with 15sec recoveries, the2x30, 45, 60, one 90 sec then work back down. Each time recovery is as long as the time you ran hard. It was good fun and not too exhausting. might have a go at your one, worried about the counting of paces though! I always have trouble counting when I'm running

Fom what I have read, recovery jogging after threshold intervals should/can be half of the time you ran threshold. And for speed training, so faster intervals, revovery should be double speed time. I use this as a general guide, though I realise other types of run can be done :)

Can i join you? I'm doing Ironbridge at the end of april but not started training properlt. Currently working so kind of place marking so i don't lose you. Lurking have we met on a running thread before?

Ooh I'm not sure, golemmings. I was on a C25K thread not last summer but the one before that had about four or five diehards on it. We all practically pushed each other across the 5K finishing line, virtually speaking - it was a lovely thread. Please do join in the fun here. When will you start your training?

Did a ten-miler yesterday - have moved my long runs to Fridays while both girls at school. Takes less time out of Sundays, means it can get threshold run out of the way first thing and I don't need breakfast - I'm more likely to do it that way!

What training plans is everyone using/going to use? I sort of make mine up one, but used plans a lot to begin with and will be for my sept marathon. I subscribe to two running mags and find term really helpful.

I have a plan from womens running magazine, by Liz Yelling. I was going to use the one from the Edinburgh marathon website, but thought hers looked more interesting. I like variety, and I think I'm more likely to do the hard sessions if they're on a plan, rather than making it up myself, when I might decide I don't really feel like intervals that day! The first two weeks have been easy, the progression runs and intervals are about to start!

emummy is it the Edinburgh half you're doing? I am too. I'm also doing a plan from Women's Running magazine, although I changed the order around a bit and added a 4th run every week to try and get in some practice on hills.

I managed a 13k long run at the weekend - 2k further than I was supposed to do according to the plan, but I'm doing a 13.1 k race in two weeks and wanted to make sure I could actually run that far. I was a bit wiped for the rest of the day, mind you, and was really hoping I wouldn't wake up this morning with something hurting but all seems fine. I'm supposed to do a 30-40 minute easy run today but might just put that off until tomorrow and have a rest day today.

There is a 10 mile race here on 19 April that I was thinking about trying to do as a practice run but I'm not sure I'll be quite at that stage by then. Also it's on a really hilly route which I'm finding a bit daunting (the HM is one of the flattest in the country, I think, but other races take advantage of Edinburgh's hilly nature...).

Yes lurking am doing Edinburgh. Did lots of research to find a nice flat route! The plan I have does 4 runs a week, and so far seems fine. It's quite easy at the moment, my long run on Sunday was 9k. Have done 13 over the winter though. Not sure about a 10 mile race, guess you could see how you feel nearer the time? I am doing a 10k on April 26th, which famously has a large hill in the middle. There aren't many flat routes up here either!

I was just coming on to ask which plans people are using to train with, but see I've been beaten to it :) I've downloaded 3 and can't decide which one to use!

I've got my GNR place so am now doing 3 halfs this year.

I just increased my long run by about 10% per week last year and it worked. Managed to stay on 10 miles over the winter which helps a lot.

Me! I'll join! I stupidly signed up to the Great Eastern Run in October. At the moment my longest run is 5 miles and that took me 54 minutes. I run 5K in about 32 - 35 usually. I'm 44. I only started couch to 5K in January.I run 4 times a week and do martial arts twice a week and have not a CLUE about training. So far I am just sort of planning to increase by 10% or half a mile a week on my long run.

My pace is kind of slow, 10.30 per mile, sometimes more, but I don't know if I have it in me to fartleg or whatever. I am doing a short run of 2 miles or so per week in which i'm trying to improve pace.

I feel a bit daft for entering now. I was just carried away as i'd done a 5K.

phlebasconsidered you're not daft! I am nearly 44, been running for just over a year, and am definitely not fast! Your gradual increase plan is just fine. Fartlek if you want to try it can be as easy or hard as you make it. So you could go out for your 2 mile run and after maybe half a mile, run a bit faster between 2 lampposts, then slow down bit, then run faster again when you feel ready. Repeat that 3 or 4 times. I do these things, but I don't really worry too much about how fast I will be, I just enjoy the experience of running. Good luck!

Your explanation of fartleg ( the name in my house is fartleg, it causes much hilarity in my children) is much easier to understand than that of running websites. I'll give it a go! Running harder between two lamposts is doable!

The good thing about farther, phlebas, is that you are completely in control - next lamppost, just a little further, slow down for a bit, whatever. You can decide, which means you're more likely to push yourself a little more than you thought you could.

I had a really good run on Sunday morning: threshold. Thirty minutes, in seven blocks. Felt great. Then ate my own body weight in roast dinner!

An easy, off-road run today. I'm trying out footpaths, for a change. A beautiful sunny day through cornfields :)

How's everyone doing this week?

May I join in too? There's been a pregnancy, a birth, a third degree tear and a nearly two year old between me and my last half but I'm down to do one in October. I am essentially starting from scratch. With a terrible pelvic floor. How come none of you have mentioned this? Are you all ace pelvic floor exercisers who did what the midwives told you to?

No ecofreckle I never quite got th go of those exercises! And after 3 children, first a forceps and the next 2 needing manual placenta removal, I'm not sure I even have a pelvic floor! I saw a Physio about it for a while and did some exercises then, but have found since starting outdoor boot camp plus running it seems to have improved. Still only wear black running gear though!

phlebas, please do join us! Be assured that by far the hardest part is getting to the point where you can run for 5K. I found C25K quite difficult, actually, and didn't really start to enjoy running until I'd cracked the 5k and had built up a basic level of fitness. After that it's really just a matter of increasing stamina and regularly adding a bit to your distance, which you've obviously started doing. You have plenty of time before October.

I mentioned the fartlek thing I've done - run a bit faster for 10 paces, jog for 10 paces, run faster for 20, jog for 20 and so on up to 100 (or until you're just too exhausted to do any more ).

ecofreckle, I have no children, so pelvic floor still thankfully in one piece

oh loveable, I stand in awe of your prowess! Threshold running just makes me want to weep and I don't think I can do it for more than 3 minutes at a time.

I did an easy 35 minute run on Monday as a recovery run from my 13k on Sunday. Today is fartlek day again, so am going to attempt the same thing as before but pacing myself better so that I don't have to walk for a minute in the middle. I have this 13.1K race next Sunday so not sure what to do for my long run this week. No point trying to go further than that for now (and last Sunday's run really exhausted me as I went a bit further than planned).

I've also realized I hate the thought of doing any race at all and feel quite sick at the prospect but if I don't have a goal to work towards I'll just end up lying on the sofa eating biscuits so I think I need to just grit my teeth and get on with it.

Welcome all :)

Ha, lurking, no particular prowess. I also don't like pushing myself and often find an excuse to swerve threshold/speed runs. But they make me feel great after - lungs really stretched. Did a four-mile speed run today. Two.mins fast, four mins recovery. Feel great now :) about to do pilates.

Re races, I personally love the community part of it - I feel that I belong, and every run I've done leads up to that moment. I won't lie, as I begin running, I do wonder why I'm doing it, as they're hard work, but the jostling, running alongside others and being cheered on is so, so motivating. I fell into stride with a lovely girl in my last race, which really helped us both. I really hope you enjoy your race

I am in. I did my first ever 5km on Saturday even though I have run 10kms before. It was my worst time ever since my last 10km just over a year ago was 62mins and the 5 km was 34mins in spite of a fair bit of training but the course was seriously tough. I having been thinking all week I would love to do more serious training and the halfarathon I want to do is in September. I have downloaded the asics app which I will start on Monday.

I am excited. DH bought me new headphones today so that should help too.

Yay - a half marathon thread! I've signed up for a trail half in June. It will be my first - I entered myself for two before but had to pull out both times.I managed to do the distance pretty much when I trained for those two, but I haven't run more than about 6 or 7 for a good while now, so I need to put in some serious training!

One month until Plymouth half marathon!

I am torn between feeling excited and feeling terrified!