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?

Did it! 2:19:23! Really nice run, felt nice and relaxed. And had rotten sleep last night so extra pleased.

That's great, emummy, well done! I managed 2:16:01 so feeling quite pleased. It really felt quite manageable - once I'd warmed up there was never a point where I thought I wouldn't be able to do it. Yay!

So what's next? And who's got the next HM coming up?

Well done lurking, great time. It was a good course for an hm, the only part I didn't enjoy was when the runners in front had turned back and it seemed to take forever to get to the turning point myself! Once I turned around it felt great. My next race is the non-timed color me rad next Saturday in Aberdeen! A completely different experience! holmes has an hm next weekend I think. Then I think I will probably do a trail 5k in August and our local hm in September, although it's a bit hillier than yesterday!
How are you feeling today? I have a stiff back and hips, always nice to hurt in new places!

Oh yes, I thought that turn would never come ...

I would have been fine today had I been able to go straight home and stretch properly but it took me longer to get home than it did to do the actual race, with a lot of hanging around at bus stops watching packed buses sail past By the time I got on a bus and sat down my legs started to seize up completely so I could do with a stairlift today to get me up and down. Totally worth it, though.

I'm doing another HM in Glasgow (that one is hillier too, so will need to practise running up and down hills) but that's not until October so am casting my eye around for any nice 10Ks I could do in the summer.

How are you feeling holmes? Are you all set?

Well done emummy.

I go next Sunday too, and am not impressed by this talk of a heatwave! Nice 7.7mile tapering run last week, now easy street till Sunday.

Hello, can I join? I have a HM in three weeks It's part of a local marathon challenge which you run over a weekend - 5 miles on Friday night, 8.1 cross country on Saturday and the HM on Sunday. I did it last year, and so have a time to beat, both for each individual race and a total time .

However life has been getting in the way of training, and although I am a regular runner the furthest I have been in the last couple of months is 8.6 miles. Am hoping to get a 10 miler under my belt this coming weekend and just hope for the best (chunks of the route for all 3 races are off-road, so it's more a question of endurance than speed).

Good luck ohone that sounds like quite a challenge and good fun too!

Wow OhOne that's quite a challenge.

I have a nasty feeling I'm getting a sore throat

No, 'fraid not, lurking . Cold has developed into a hacking chesty cough. The HM was always going to be very tough for me even on top form. And I don't think there's much chance of me being on top form by Sunday.

OhOne - challenging is right! In three weeks? You'll be right

Don't worry Holmes, don't get into a negative frame of mind. It might be more difficult but you definitely can do it! I beeeellliiieeeeve in you!

Oh no Blue! Not you too!

My 10 milee race is in three weeks. I'm doing my 10 mile training run on Sunday - then probs do a mixture of 5&10ks up til the race. My HM hasn't to. sept, but I figure this is good base training.

OhOne, that sounds um ... I have no words, honestly. I think it would kill me but you sound totally up for it and your endurance will get you through it, of course it will.

Holmes we are not going to let you think negative thoughts!!! Think of us all behind you chanting "Yes you CAN!" in an Obama-esque kind of way. You know you can do it, and you have until Sunday to tank as much medication as you can get your hands on and then just get out there. You can always collapse later .

Blue - quick, get the First Defence down you while you still have a chance of keeping it at bay!!

I'm right behind you holmes with the chanting . I'm sitting an OU exam tomorrow. One one of the other modules I did one of the tutors had us chanting "we can do this, yes we can" at our last tutorial and I have been practising ready for tomorrow, which means I am in good voice for you and Blue

Um yes, my thing is a bit of a challenge, but I did it last year on very little training after an injury so it can't be any worse this time round can it? And I met some lovely runners at the back of the pack

Thanks for all the chanting everyone . I'll see how I feel in a couple of days. Hardly slept last night because of the hacking cough.

Hope you feel better soon holmes - these are for you . Don't think they'll drug test you ... but only you can decide.

My niggly throat has got no worse so I'm hoping it stays that way!

Aww thanks, BlueChampagne! Unfortunately quite a few of the more effective drugs (for colds, not performance -enhancing ones ) I can't take because they muck about with my blood pressure or with the meds I take for it.

Hello all - how are all the poorly lot feeling today?

The dog and I went and did a purely for fun run, 4 miles mostly around the woods in the sunshine.

Lovely. Why I run (oh and coz I love Chinese takeaway)

That sounds lovely, Thursday! I'm so looking forward to running with ddog once he's old enough. I fear he will be very scornful of my pace though . I'm feeling worse if anything. I really don't think the HM is going to happen. And as my potentially third failure to make it to a HM starting line, I am beginning to think it's really not my ideal distance...

How are you feeling now, holmes?

Any chance you'll make your hm holmes? Did I mention I did mine on 2 hours sleep?!

emummy, ha, no, you kept that quiet! Even more of an achievement then!

Mind you, when I did my 13k race a few months ago, I did it the morning husband spent the night snoring like a train and would not be woken, causing me to decamp to the sofa and lie awake thinking murderous thoughts for hours while my spine seized up. Come on, holmes, you can always collapse later.

Getting excited now, and just found out a friend is running the same HM. Don't know if we'll run together or not (I'm easy either way), but I'm sure we'll exchange notes at the end.

How are you feeling holmes?

GO HOLMES!

I also spent the night on the floor of DSs room the night before my 10mile muddy run last Xmas. Fecking children.

I'm excited that you're excited Blue!

I'm park running with my sis tomorrow (so not THAT much running ) and then a 10 miler LSR on Sunday eve with my pal. Looks to be a nice weekend for it.

Hope your HMs go well today holmes, blue and friend of blue

Yes! You must report back post haste!

I had one of those races that just went right! Sunny but with a welcome cool breeze. Friend and I had different race plans, partly because I have been training for this event specifically, and she hasn't. I exceeded my secret hopes and my chip time was 1:51:53!

Did you run Holmes?

So, who's up next weekend?