Half marathon new thread

[londonmummy1966]

Starting a new half thread - as we are running out of space - no I'm ot envious of the lucky guys with London places - no not at all...

Hope you don't mind me joining! I've got Cambridge HM in a few weeks - looking forward to a nice flat course!!! 🙌🙌🙌

Welcome AJE Cambridge sounds lovely. Might consider that next year. How's your training going?

I have been out for a mile or so. Taped my foot up and donned some compression tights for my calf. Seems ok-ish and so I am now looking forward to tomorrow 😊

Also, unless tomorrow is hideous, I am looking for an early June HM. Kind of midland, herts, bucks, beds, leics kind of areas...any ideas?

still not sure if you like trail, but if you do have a look at the Colworth Marathon Challenge. It is great fun, a lovely atmosphere and no pressure to go fast. People camp for the weekend and barbecue in the evening (although IIRC you are vegan?). I have done it a few times and really enjoyed it (although I am driving distance away so sleep in my own bed at night )

Bloody back has gone so no running for me this weekend 😔 Getting some physio tomorrow to get it moving! Until then training was going OKish - I just really struggle to get my arse out there after work in these cold damp dark days!!!!

If anyone's interested, my hubs is organising the Stort 10 & 5 mile race in Hatfield Forrest, (Herts/Essex) early July. All off road, and Frank Bruno is opening it & running the 5!

Hello, reporting in! (dd is in hospital). The Hampton court half is really recommended. It was glorious and very flat. Also really friendly. I was slow as I went out cautiously but I really enjoyed it.

Hope your DD is ok still. I'm so glad you had a good time on Sunday after all the niggles you had. How's the toe holding up?

Did the physio help AJE? I know what you mean about the darkness not helping. I've enjoyed it being warmer this week.

Hi, can I sneak in? I'm on the verge of signing up for the HM in my town in May...not quite taken the plunge yet! I'm doing a sprint triathlon the week before so have been focusing on training for that, but I've got my "long" run up to 6 miles so now I'm thinking I should be able to work up to a half.

But then I wonder whether I can fit the longer runs in, as well as the swimming and cycling I'm trying to do. I really want to do it though, it's right on my doorstep so seems silly not to. I last did it 5 years ago and would love to improve on that time.

Maybe I will see if I can do 7 miles and then make a decision!

Hello to my fellow parkrunners, I recognise a few from that thread

still hope your dd is OK.

LifeisaBeach hello! Do come and join us!

Good to see you Life!

I'm only up to six miles now and my planned half is in April, mind I'm not fitting in any swimming or cycling. I guess it depends on whether you've only got weekends to fit a lot in. I struggle s bit with just fitting the long run in on Sunday. Because clearly Saturday is for parkrun

Yes Saturday is definitely for parkrun

I usually do my longer run in the evening on a week day. Generally only have an hour or so to squeeze it in around the kids' activities, which isn't enough for more than 6 miles at my pace.

I really want to do it though!

I glad the days are getting s bit longer on the timing front. I'm aiming for 7 miles Sunday and increasing a mile a week up to 10. You're right, that jump from six is the start of the real timing problems.

I'm starting to feel a bit perkier with the vit d supplements, despite having a cold so hopefully I'm in a place to start extending the long runs. Even managed some short hill reps with DH last night while the kids were at athletics.

Hello everyone and welcome Life and AJE. I'm struggling with the motivation - had a lovely 10 miler on the riverbank to Barnes 10 days ago and managed one short run this week but today's long run was really hard work - and only 10K so I need to get my mojo back. I've not even managed a parkrun yet this year.... However I am pleased to hear from still (well done you!) Hampton Court is pretty flat as my HM there next month is a similar route.

Chutney - there was a fascinating programme on food with Dr Michael Mosley on BBC this week and they had a bit about vitamin D enhanced mushrooms (basically expose them to sunlight when freshly picked) and I spotted some vitamin d enhanced mushrooms in M&S today - might be worth a portion or two of those a week as well?

Hi

Is anyone doing Liverpool half in April? This is a new one for me.
I do Cardiffevery year which I love

london it was really lovely. And I think the route is very similar. Enjoy it!

Welcome over cannot help you with Liverpool. How did that take your fancy?

Just something different. Going with some friends and we are making a weekend of it.
Should be fun.

I'll have a look out for those london thanks.

I've not done that one Over but heard lots of people from round here going last year and they were very excited by it. Is that the rock and roll one?

I'm feeling like I'm just about on track now. After watching the kids at a very windy cross country I decided I had to get out or I'd doubt whether I could do the half, it's in 5 weeks. I managed it and wasn't any slower than last year so I was pretty pleased with that. I tried my new compression socks for afterwards too - very nice after the battle to put them on!

Hello all, can I join you? I foolishly signed up for a half marathon last year in a haze of newborn sleepless nights...it's on 1st May, I have not trained at all - am I crazy thinking I still have enough time to train if I start today (tomorrow)?

Hello TheReigningLorelai! I'd say it depends on how much running you do now. It's pretty doable if you've got a base to work from but even starting from scratch I'd think it's possible, if you take it carefully and don't over do it. I'm sure I've seen eight week plans around. I'll try and remember where!

TheReigningLorelai, I agree with chutney that it depends on your current fitness level and whether you've done much running before. I find my running fitness comes back fairly quickly if I have a break from it, because I've built up the fitness before. You could always plan to run/walk it?

I did 5 miles on Friday which felt pretty hideous, slow parkrun with DD on Sat, then 3 miles of hill reps on Monday (also hideous). I'm hoping to do 6-7 miles tonight but it depends on when OH gets home from work.

I've signed up for a 10K race on 12th March. I did it last year and would ideally like to beat that time, but not sure whether I'll manage it. If it goes ok then I think I will bite the bullet and enter the half!

Oh and I was also going to ask - I've found my toes start to feel numb after around 3 miles - do I need new trainers? The ones I have are a size up from my usual shoe size, which is what I usually do for running trainers, but they have always felt a bit on the tight side.

I overpronate and have worn Asics GT-2000 for the last few years, but the reviews of the latest ones I have do say they are quite narrow. Not sure whether to look at another brand, or try the same ones in another half size up...

Life I also use these and find they vary - I think Asics use 2 lasts one of which is a wider fit - some of the discount sports websites sometimes have ones that make it clear they are wider fit. Otherwise if you take a size 6 upwards you could look at a men's shoe as they are likely to have a wider last. You might also think about trying a Kayano - I find they tend to come up wider (not sure why). They are dearer but again you can get them on the discounted websites.

I've found that Asics have recently cut the length of their laces - I even measured them against the laces in an old pair of shoes so it is a fact - seems trivial but if you have porky trotters like me it means there isn't enough to tie in a bow any more..

I overpronate on one foot - I've had Saucony Guide 8/9s and got on very well with them. My feet are narrow though, so not sure where they sit on the width front. I'm normally a 6/6.5 and was told 7.5 was the best fit for me.

I managed a 5k long interval run tonight and it felt ok, I think the vit d is kicking in. When I actually checked (FB was good for something!) I realised I'm only a week off from last year on my long run. I'm thinking about a 15k trail run in a couple of weeks. Trail isn't my natural type of run but it's niggling at me. I thought about doing it last year. I think the 10k sounds like a good test Life

Thanks for the shoe advice, londonmummy1966 and chutneypig. I'm tempted by the Kayano 23, but need to look out for a good deal as they aren't cheap. I've read that they are also narrow, so I might try a 6.5 (am a 5 in normal shoes and usually get a 6 in runners).

I managed 7 miles last night and it was really hard. My right knee started hurting at about the halfway point, but I'd done an out and back route so had to push through it and get home. I was feeling disappointed with the time and pace, but then realised it's the longest run I've done in about 5 years. And also when I look back at when I last ran that distance, I was actually faster last night. Just not as fast as I want to be!

Think I will stick to shorter runs now until the 10k, which is a week on Sunday. Then start trying to up the distance again and maybe enter that half!

Thanks chutney and Life - I've not really run at all for a while, I signed up for the half marathon in an attempt to motivate myself but it hasn't really happened as yet!

I think it's just that first run I need to do - I find myself making so many excuses not to go. I'll do the half regardless of how much training I manage to get in - if I have to walk/run it then that's what I'll do.