Half marathon - any one doing one?

[Cherryminx]

There was a thread last year which I looked at in admiration as I struggled through C25K and then went on to run a 10K. So I can hardly believe that in a fit of madness I've signed up for a half Marathon in May.

Training starts tomorrow! Would anyone like to join me?

Thursday already! This week has flown by. I got in a long run (11 miles) on Sunday but my plans for evening runs have not materialised thanks to an ill child. At least the clocks go forward on Saturday so that should make evening runs more achievable.

I plan to do another 11 miles on Sunday. The weather the last few weeks has been much more pleasant (I am in Scotland). Certainly an improvement on running in a gale!

So today I was due to run hills, and I got up at 5am, got in my car, drove down to the beach and it was only 5.20 (we run at 5.30) and decided to call my sister and then chatted for 45 minutes took a fab photo of the beach for Instagram and went for coffee with my by then returned running group. Pretty sure half marathon PBs are not achieved by doing this

I like your style LadyC!

I'm currently glued to the weather to see when I could get out for my final 10 miles before my half. I know it could rain on the day but would rather not get soaked. In my head I'm fantasising about beaches and Instagram LadyC.

I'm also clock watching Jaggy, my kids are clamouring to get out in the week to train.

How's everyone doing this weekend?

I went to a park run today only my second time. The last was 18 months ago.
I got a Pb for 5k of 32.25 although my garmin is saying 32.00 dead on. It was a very windy run but a flat course.

Well done Sven, there are sometimes discrepancies in parkrun times, but as one of our parkrunners says "you can have your money back and try again next week" All it takes is a missed click by the timer/too many clicks and it all gets out of whack

chutney hope you get a dry spell, and that the weather is good for you too Jaggy

I managed an unplanned 9 miles today running with a friend who was doing laps of our parkrun park as part of her marathon training - I didn't run continuously but alternated running laps and sitting them out.

Good time Sven, happened to me before at parkrun too. One of those things unfortunately although ours is very good at trying to sort it out via contacting them on facebook. I've never bothered though.

Now that is the sort of training I would love LadyC.

Hope you got some dry weather chutney

Good luck for your run tomorrow too Jaggy and I hope your dc is feeling a bit better.

That's dedication running around the parkrun park for part of her marathon training fiftynine. I'd be bored silly and probably dizzy as ours is three laps for 5k as it is. Totally agree I'd rather do a longer training plan to allow for illnesses or injuries.

Got out for my first little run since my sports massage and my shin was definitely feeling better. Apparently my soleus was very tight, even though I do try to stretch there. Was part of the gym wod so only about 1.5k but enough to check it since I was in my flat non cushioned gym shoes so wouldn't want to do far in them. Definitely thinking of signing up for the next hm in June once I check when the babysitters parents are taking their hols this year.

Huh? Could've sworn I'd posted on here last night. It's disappeared!

ladyc your training sounds ace. And beautiful views whether you have the motivation or not I'm sure the sea air must count for something in your HM training!

Good time sven. I've never done park run, don't think there's one particularly close by.

fifty how far is each circuit? It takes serious will power to keep going round in circles!

I managed 12km yesterday. Felt awful for the first few km, legs like jelly. But 5 mins later I was fine and felt like I could run all day! Very strange and that feeling didn't last! but I kept plodding on. Woken up with a sore knee today, fingers crossed its nothing. DH is around all week next week so I need to stick to the training plan more rigidly than I have been. No excuses!!!

Yes, my friend was brilliant yesterday. She ran at a really steady pace and was able to chat to people as she went round. Each circuit is just over a mile, so including parkrun I think she ran 18. Her family were there and I think she had company on every lap - people dropped in and out, some stayed on after parkrun, the parkrun RD came back and ran some laps after they had sorted the results and another friend and I volunteered at parkrun so we could run later. I was surprised how many I did with her, in the past I've gone there and run 5 laps, as that makes a 10K if you finish a bit beyond where you start and I'm usually losing the will to live by the 4th lap.

Congratulations Bunique on your first HM! That's a great achievement!
AliceScarlett, sounds like we are in the same boat. It will be good to hear how your training goes.
fiftynine your DH sounds like a star, cooking you roast meals ready for when you finish your long run.
I went out twice this week and did my standard 5k route. I had to run in the rain and wind this morning as I got out too late, enjoying my lie in too much. It started raining 5 mins into my run and it finished 1 minute before I finished. C'est la vie!

A bit windy yesterday but I got 11 miles done and a little faster than last week. Chuffed with that as I thought the wind would slow me down compared with the previous week. Now for a shorter, faster midweek run now it's lighter in the evenings.

Running in the wind deserves an extra well done Jaggy, we missed the worst of the storm here thank goodness.

Just gearing myself to get out for a run, thinking I might try a ten miles. Looking forward to a long run for the sake of it rather than for training if I'm honest.

Hello all. Have been doing quite well recently, 9 mile long run and some shorter runs over Easter weekend.

However had a bit of a disaster tonight trying to do a tempo run which I found really hard and then had to cut short because of a bit of a bowel nightmare - have been eating higher fibre diet and slightly overindulged in vino yesterday - this combined with fast running is not good

Still this I suppose is what training is all about - finding out your limitations. Its tea from now on for me until May but am going to carry on experimenting with diet to see what works best.

Another attempt at tempoo tempo run. Slightly more successful as wore Garmin so went at a better more manageable pace but still had to visit local supermarket ladies half way through.

Suprisingly though I found after the fast bits I was able to settle back into my standard pace without feeling too knackered so wondering if this is the way to get a better HM time, if I don't have to keep stopping behind bushes ...

Think I better cut down on the branflakes.

Hope you are all enjoying the lighter evenings.

Definitely agree about finding your limitations CherryMinx. I went for my final ten miles at the weekend. I've been doing run/walk for all my long runs to build up the mileage but this one I wanted to see as the real thing. I managed to run the who,e way, apart from a couple of roads. Overall I was very pleased and managed it in 1 hour 45 but the last mile was hard hard hard. So I know now I'll need to have some strategic waking breaks before then.

I was pretty sure my interval session every week was really helping with my pace. I'm now convinced this evening as I took my delightful children up the school playing field for some outdoor intervals. They were unflatteringly amazed by my pace .

Well done on the 10 miles chutney - good time too. When is your HM? I knew but have forgotten.

My DCs are equally amazed and impressed with my running progress - its a real self esteem boost.

It's a week on Sunday CherryMinx, so I was really determined to get the last long run in, in between the rain. So glad it was a long weekend!

I've been finding most of my runs have been feeling far more comfortable recently, great feeling I'm making progress. I'm hoping to be able to nip out with the kids up the field much more now the clocks have changed. They're very keen to practice and at least we can all go at our own pace there.

How old are your kids chutney and cherry? Mine are still small (4 and 18months) so I run to have time without them!

Mine are eight. They started running a year ago now, before that I was definitely running for a mental break from it all

Oooh chutney we will be going the same day (10th?). Well done on your 10 mile time, that sounds fast to me

Cherry well done, I did smile at -tempoo running I hope you find something that works.

Well done Jaggy on your windy run .

I haven't run since Saturday, I have a sore foot now. I feel as though I'm falling to bits!

Yes it's the 10th. My race number arrived yesterday - simultaneously excited and terrified. Being local there's not a huge spread of slower times, so I'm mostly hoping to a finish and b not be last, under two thirty would be a bonus.

Is your foot Improving at all? So frustrating.

I feel I'm looking for any niggle - definitely my hip. I think it's usually fine after I got my stability shoes but does appear when I get tired, guess the form goes. Definitely aiming for parkrun Saturday then play it be ear after. I've been offered the chance of an Insanity class next week, declined that!

Joined the 10 mile club today. Picked an easy flatish route and only 1 loo stop (quite a quick one too). It wasn't too bad although as you say chutney the last mile was hard. But I'm feeling optimistic. Managed to keep going at the same pace all the way through.

3 more miles doesn't sound much further until you realise its another half hour plus.

DS has sport thing tomorrow in the actual location of my HM so am going to do a bit of a reccy, mainly the terrain and the loo opportunites . My DCs are both a secondary so I can abandon them for running but the downside is that I spend lots of time ferrying them to places so end up running late in the evenings or while they are doing their own sporty things. Its much nicer though now its not so dark and rainy.

Wow chutney & 5908 - only a week to go how exciting!!! Remember to carbo load and taper. Hope those niggles disappear.

Cherry well done for breaking the 10 mile barrier. Don't think of the rest as three more miles, think of it as just a parkrun left, and anyone can do a parkrun, right?

My foot still hurts, but not as much. I did yoga today, and am missing parkrun tomorrow as we are heading off for my parents' golden wedding celebrations in the morning so hopefully the rest will do me good.

It's a good feeling to have got there though isn't it CherryMinx? That's a great base to build on with a few weeks to go like you have. What's the training plan for the next few weeks? Recce sounds excellent. Ours is local so I know most of the route well, unfortunately in the car mainly!!

I know in principle it's just another parkrun on top, I think I might take it in chunks. I've decided I'm leaving my Garmin set to km as I'm so much more on top of what it means than in miles. There'll be mile markers anyway. I'm more concerned at not having any music on as its a road race.

I think the rest can only be a good thing physically Fifty, but I can already feel the physiological I should be doing something thing going on.

Fantastic reaching the 10 miles chutney and a great time with it. Are headphones definitely forbidden? Insanity probably wouldn't the best idea

Well done to you too cherry, how'd the recce go?

That's my favourite statement to myself at the ten mile mark 'it's only a parkrun', then I remember how horrendously long a parkrun can feel

I shall join you on the falling to bits bench fiftynine. My lower back is giving me some serious jip, on the codeine and ibuprofen at the mo as of course it didn't stop me hitting the gym this morning for a WOD crossfit type thing and now I'm paying for it Hope the foot recovers soon.