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?

That's fantastic Sven, great time. Would you do that course again? Sounds like a nice goodie bag too, much better than the bags I've got with random horrible health bars and 'detox teabags' I've done the choking myself on a jelly baby before too.

Intervals jaggy? Yuck

Squeezed in a little 4 miles today. Looked lovely from inside the house, sun out etc.. was blooming freezing. Took to about mile 3 to start to warm up. On the upside a bit faster than usual, trying to get home quicker :) Shin a little bit sore but suspect that may have been from wearing heels on Friday as I never wear them nowadays.

Dc off half term so won't be at the gym this week in favour of fitting in my runs when I can. Ds loaded with the cold and coughing away so I'm keeping my fingers crossed he keeps it to himself. Only a month to go!

Yes I would do it again. The goody bag was one of the best I have recieved.
The worst memento I have got was a 'towel' which turned out to be a chamios leather.

Heels really mess my ankle up. I realised last year I spend loads on supportive good trainers to then wear shoes with heels or no support(ballet pump style which have now all gone).
I had to go to a physio last year as I tend to have a really dodgy left ankle.
She supplied me with insoles and exercises which have worked wonders as my ankle rolls inwards my whole ankle joint was collapsing and I was never aware of it.

I will be out for a run on wednesday and friday just nice easy 5ks.

Well done sven!

Ran another 13 miles on Saturday but as Somerset lanes don't all have nice clear sign posts on them I got hopelessly lost and ended up running in a bog circle. Ran 13 miles, walked another 2.5 to get home until I gave in and rang DH for a lift Feet were so sore - they got soaked within 5 minutes and it was so cold they were like blocks of ice. Have two blisters on my toes.

BIG! although bog is appropriate atm come to think of it....

Light sabres sound a bit alarming Cherryminx! I'm glad she enjoyed it, will she go again do you think?

That's fantastic Sven, congratulations and that is an ace goodie bag. My worst bag had Stilton cheese in. Yuck!

Sounds painful Irian hope it's not too bad.

A lunchtime running club sounds great Jaggy, very encouraging to get out. I'd not have gone to the gym today if my friend at work hadn't gone. I'm finding the treadmill very good for intervals but my hips a bit sore from yesterday so kept off it today.

I can't believe how cold it is today Sirona. Yesterday was lovely but today - shudder.

Got six miles in yesterday and took DD with me. I did have to keep reminding her not to talk whilst eating her jelly baby every mile. She thoroughly enjoyed it. But I'm feeling it today, think it was the hilly parkrun that really did me in.

DD was a bit disappointed that some little kids ran faster than her on the park run so I suggested she do some training for one of the Sport relief 3 mile races which will have lots of old slow adults like me .

I was meant to do 3 miles today but felt so tired have switched to doing it tomorrow. Irian I know what you mean about getting lost. I have done that running in my local woods - its very dispiriting to turn a corner and realise you are back where you started.

I feel your DDs pain Cherryminx - I'm perpetually disappointed by the small fast little kids making me feel even slower Sounds like an excellent plan to include us older slower types. I think you've got to listen to your body when you're tired, no point overdoing it.

Circuits for me tomorrow, then maybe some intervals Wednesday depending how my hip feels. It's definitely improving so fingers crossed.

Well done Sven and Irian on your mileage

I still didn't manage to get up to 8 miles at the weekend - I did parkrun, a 7 and a bit on Sunday and 5 and a bit yesterday. However, I have to drop DS2 somewhere early tomorrow, and there is a place I can stop at on the way home that is a 10 mile loop - we have cycled it as a family before and I filed it away as a possible place for a long run that wasn't one of my usual local routes. It's a bit too far to go just for a run, but as it's on the way home it makes sense to stop off and break the journey

chutney I hope your hip is feeling better. Mine was twinging yesterday so I am resting today. I had considered trying the bootcamp in the park over the road from my house but a bit scared

Give it a go FirtyNine, I do an outdoor boot camp and it's great fun, while being hard work at the same time.

Hope the hips are feeling better chutney and fiftynine

I have little ones whizzing past me all the time at parkrun cherryminx so I also feel her pain :)

You're doing really well distance wise Irian, is your hm soon?

Oh yum, stilton cheese chutney but I wouldn't have thanked you for it years ago.

Went for a run last night and really enjoyed it but my shins are still bugging me. Now wondering if it was really the heels or maybe the faster runs I did last week? Indecisive about what to do now. Was going to go on my long run tomorrow but not sure if best to rest/go to gym instead dc back to school, yay. However only have two weeks before I was going to start tapering and didn't do my long run last week.

I rarely wear heels now too Sven, about once a year weddings and funerals jobs. I had a mortons neuroma in my foot that I needed steroid injections and I don't want it to come back, plus heels bug my hips and ankles now. Since seeing the podiatrist last year I dumped loads of my shoes including all my ballet pumps and usually stick to sensible trainers/dm boots/flat decent soled shoes.

Bootcamp sounds hard. Dare I ask what you do emummy? Do you reckon you'll get out tomorrow FiftyNine? It'd be a shame if you couldn't do that loop.

That's tricky with the timing for tapering Sirona, not sure what I'd do. Maybe edge towards playing safe and go to the gym?

My hip flat much better yesterday so did my circuits class and a couple of speed intervals on the treadmill. I should have done three but wasnt feeling up to it (fast day was heavy going this week) so I did the last bit slow but much steeper incline. It felt quite hard but in a different way so I might do that again.

From what I can see our boot camp (which I have observed closely from my front room window) includes kettle bells, running up and down the park with car tyres attached to you and press ups. I need to investigate whether you can pay as you go - I couldn't go every week, but would like to once in a while.

I'm hoping to get out tomorrow chutney as long as it is not too wet.

Yup the bootcamp I go to occasionally involves flinging around/dragging big tyres, carrying logs, swinging over muddy puddles and obstacles (it's in a field), running about, doing piggy backs and lots of bodyweight exercises. Good fun.

Not surprised you didn't feel up to doing all the speed intervals after your class chutney, I'd be busted after a circuits session. Glad your hip is feeling better, I find inclines feel better for my legs. Harder but I prefer going up to going down.

Our boot camp involves running, body weight exercises, core stuff, and more burpees than anyone would want! No tyres, can't say I mind that, plus we have a handy very steep hill and set of 50 steps to be climbed in a variety of ways. Hard work but great fun, we are most women over 40 and give lots of encouragement.

Burpees are enough to put me off. I quite fancy kettle bells. Sounds like a great work out.

I think I'm missing my Pilates class a lot this week. I think it irons out a lot of niggles. I'll give it a rest today, may be do some stretching this evening.

Hope the rain holds off FiftyNine

Tyres are my least favourite bit.

I love kettlebells chutney and try to make a class once or twice a week. You feel it allll over, after my first class I had to roll out of bed The kettlebell swing has done wonders for the lower back pain I had.

Did some shin and lower leg exercises and stretches last night and feeling a lot easier today. My muscles were pretty tight. Going to attempt my long run and if it's the last long one I'm able to do I'll be happy enough to do cross training for the remainder.

Well I'm back. Shin felt fine, did proper stretching and warm up for a change noticed a vague stiffness for the first km or so but kept an eye on making sure I was taking shorter, quicker strides than usual and as a result landing softer on my feet.

Must have worked as I got a new half marathon pb by two minutes with loads left in the tank as it was my slow run. Glad I went out now :)

That's my running done for the week; gym tomorrow and WOD Saturday. Enjoy all your training and parkruns this weekend, hope the weather is good to you all.

I did it!

First of all I looked into boot camp and it turns out that they give you the first class free, so I shall have a go before investing in a pay as you go card for 6 classes.

And then I did my 10 mile run. It wasn't great to start with, it was around a lake/reservoir but I lost the path and decided I would stick close to the shore, so ended up in boggy mud with wet feet after the first couple of miles. Found the path again, hooray, but got back to where I started and had only done 8.75 miles because of my short-cut at the beginning. The cafe was beckoning but I steeled myself, thought of you lot, went for a wee and ran some more . I got as far as where I'd lost the path and found out where I'd gone wrong so I will know for next time

It felt really good - I managed a fairly steady pace on the path, and could have pushed it a bit more. I had some nice soup in the cafe, and some apple and sultana cake (which must count as part of my five a day, no?).

The weather was great and there were hardly any other people around - I met a couple of riders, some birdwatchers and a handful of walkers but otherwise had the place to myself. Will deffo go again!

Off to foam roll now.

Well done FiftyNine, especially for carrying on past the cafe! Hope you enjoy boot camp.
Good run in the woods dodging ice today. Long run goes up to 10 miles at weekend, am hoping it will be a bit warmer so I can go up local big hill. If it's icy I won't as the track is really rough at the top, I don't need added danger from the ice!
Glad your shin is behaving Sirona and what a great run!

Sirona we must have cross-posted. Well done on your PB - that's brilliant, especially as you weren't even racing!

Week 3 done, had lovely 10 mile run this morning. Missed yesterday's hill repeats though as had really sore back. It's a little better today, but still stiff. Getting a massage next weekend, hope I can last till then!

That's excellent Sirona and especially if you had loads left in the tank. My coordination isn't what it could be, is that likely to be a problem with the kettle bells?

It's so good to hear we were inspiring FiftyNine . Sounds a lovely spot. Pay as you go for the bootcamp also sounds very promising.

Well done on the ten miles emummy, hope your back isn't too bad.

I was away this weekend so only got a parkrun in (but it was Bushy) and no long run. I did walk a lot but I'm hoping to get in a couple of sessions at the gym on the treadmill this week plus my circuits and Pilates classes.

Hello everyone can I join in?

I'm a real novice runner. I started last December to try and get fit after dc1 and have since signed up to do the great north run in sept.

I have built my running up so I can now comfortably run for 60mins, usually running 8-9k in this time. I run about 3 times a week, but need to make more of an effort to run 4 times. My job is reasonably active, I am a childminder and like to get out of the house daily.

I hope to join a local running club next month. I wonder if anyone can offer me and advice, should I now focus on running faster or just try to run longer distances?

Hi all, another 15k yesterday. Harder going than last week thanks to the wind (and lack of sleep due to a teething baby) but I felt I could have gone further. Didn't make it to my office lunchtime running club as I had a client meeting that clashed but I did get some intervals done on the treadmill in the gym. Not as good as running outdoors but better than nothing.
I love kettlebells too. I try to get a kettlebell circuit in at the gym one or two lunchtimes per week. It does wonders for your core.

Welcome JeanGenie, the more the merrier :) Personally I think you have loads of time to build up your longer runs. It was me I would probably stick at 10k for a while and concentrate on making one of your shorter runs, like a 5k parkrun a faster run. That's only my own thoughts though, others may disagree.

Sounds like a lovely long run FiftyNine, very jealous of those of you that can go out to nature for your runs, living in a urban area with no car myself. Enjoy bootcamp, always good to do something new.

Hope your back is better now emummy

If you have the coordination to do pilates chutney, you can do kettlebells :) I'm hopelessly uncoordinated and the basic swing is easy enough to do properly, some other moves it did take me a few weeks to get down but everyone is the same.

Well done on the 15k Jaggy

Yes the new pb was a bit weird, wasn't expecting it. Think it was maybe changing my stride? I do have a tendency to overstride and it's not the most efficient I've read.

Did a gym workout Saturday and I was fine even though a bit of running was involved but went out yesterday and my niggly shin is back. Going to crosstrain at the gym this week I think. I'm happy enough I can complete the distance in a few weeks anyway.