Half Marathon thread

[Pikachuwithyourmouthclosed]

Anyone up for a bit of half m support?

I'm registered to run my first half m in early September.

I'm struggling a bit with motivation tbh. I think I peaked too soon - could have done it 6 weeks ago. I've got time to get prepared though - it's 8 weeks away and I'm not starting from scratch. The most important thing for me is to keep up the strength work or my knees go kerboom.

Anyone else?

I used to have 3 paces - plod, going off too fast and "finishing line - yay!!!". As I've started training I have learned to run slower as well as keeping up with others!

I've only got one pace and it's around a 10 minute mile.

If I run faster, I feel sick and can't calm down. If I run slower, I'm almost strolling!

According to my BUPA training plan, I must run 40 mins today (should've done it yesterday after my 8 miles on Sunday, but my legs ached too much!).

My plod is more like a 12 minute mile- trying to increase it somewhat! All I see on Strava is people doing "easy" miles somewhere close to my flat out Parkrun pace... I have learned to accept this fact - just want to equal my first Parkrun off minimal training sometime this year! Dead flat 30.08 and my best since is 31.17!

random the key is to ignore Strava!

My fast pace is 9 minute mile but that's on shorter runs. My average pace is 10 minutes mile BUT on distance further than 10k I slow it to 12 min miles. That way I can complete the longer distances, without stopping, comfortably. This is my aim for the half marathon.

I recommend some trail running. It's impossible to run it fast and builds up speed and endurance for road running. Plus it's really enjoyable! I do it every two weeks.

sendcoffee I was like this from Christmas to mid Feb including a bout of full blown flu, and then I started taking siberian ginseng, I haven't looked back, bar one bout of gastric bug I haven't been sick at all since and have lots of energy too.

I wonder are my stats every 5 mins & every mile helping or hindering my speed. This morning I was thrilled with my 5 min pace announcement and even ran better after it, at 1 mile was thrilled too, at 15 mins thought I'd better not keep this up or I will end up walking, if I'd no pace announcement I'd just listen to my body would I?
Will knock off the pacing announcements tomorrow and see how I go.

Haven't done any trail running as no parks like that here, and farmers are precious about their fields! I run on the beach though sometimes

mammy I switch off the announcements and it's brilliant. I also challenge myself not to look at my stats eg, I choose a landmark/garage/shop/that pretty garden to be the next point I will look at it (one I know is a good distance away), then I try just to look at distance run. When I come back I look at my splits etc sometimes they're decent sometimes they're not but I just tend to think meh. I ran it to the best of my ability at the time. I enjoy it more this way (without the added pressure of feeling I should go faster etc). I do all runs this way Inc farleks,sprints.

My achievable time for the half is 2 and a half hours, but experience tells me I'm most satisfied completing a non stop distance than a certain time. I'll be at least starting the half with my sil. She is very fast and seems to focus on speed on Strava. I don't care, that's her and this is me iyswim? She may get more kudos if she runs it faster than me but we'll both get a medal . I'm not running her down (excuse the pun!) we are very supportive of each other. Just making a clumsy point that we are different but the end result will be the same.

Everyone here, on Strava etc are doing more laps than we would do on the couch!

Ps, I don't know about anyone else but I've been running for 4 years and my slow pace still makes some passers by make a witty remark! I don't care I usually agree with them

Interesting about the ginseng btw. I'm a vitamin 'trier' and open to any thing.

I might look into it myself (ginseng) depending on if the thing the doctor suggested doesn't work!

Hi

Is it ok if I join you? I'm doing my first half on 24th September. I did a couple of 10 mile races before Christmas but ran 5 minutes walked 30 seconds practically all the way round. I've had an ankle injury so needed to start almost from scratch again but got up to 9 miles on Sunday doing 4 minutes run, 1 minute walk.

I'm struggling to run more than twice a week due to the holidays so doing a long run at the weekend and a club run of about 4-5 miles in the week which is faster and hillier than I would do normally. Unfortunately for the kids I'm making them walk when I would previously have driven to try and keep my fitness up a bit!

I'm quite overweight and my normal pace is 12 min mile so I'm aiming for as close to 2hrs 30 as I can get. I'm also on holiday next week so am taking my trainers but will probably only do a couple of short runs so will have to miss out on a long run (should be 8 miles according to my plan) but there isn't much I can do about that.

Sorry for the long post but looking forward to cheering you all on x

Welcome tupperwarelid I've only just improved from 12 min mile to sub 11 min mile in past few months.

pint I aim to run all of my runs and regularly come home and say well I only walked 2 steps/10 steps etc and that makes me more pleased than a time!

I live in a very hilly town (steep slopes down to river) so I am to run as much as possible and just walk on really steep long hills (or if it's too treacherous). My hill system is I count breaths and exhale for 3 footfall and inhale for 3. Repeat this 8 times and I give myself permission to walk an 8 breath pattern after I've finished this one. Usually I manage 3 run to 1 walk unless it's massively steep. Having mental permission to stop after a set period breaks the stoopid hill into more manageable chunks and I am more likely to keep going. There also isn't the run round corner, see continued/steeper hill, give up psychological set back I've had a few times in the past!

How are you all checking (or being good and not checking) strava as you go along? My phone is zipped into my bum pocket and i don't look at it until i get home. Run keeper interrupts my podcast every 5 minutes to let me know distance and average pace.

Ooh pikachu I like to look at my stats, otherwise I go too fast!

I have a running watch so I can check my pace when I want, plus Strava announcements every half-mile.

I did an 'easy pace' short run today (40 mins). Really hate short runs as I don't have time to get past that 'thing' where it's strenuous on your heart/lungs for the first 30/40 mins, then something kicks in and you feel more comfortable and in a rhythm.

Anyone else know what I mean?!?!

I'm sure there's a scientific explanation.

send I just couldn't muster much enthusiasm for running for a long time and to be honest still seem to have peaks and troughs, it's such a head game!
Hopefully the doc might sort the tiredness but the only advice I can give is to just keep going, do you ever run with a friend? I find that helps massively.
I did a 5k tonight with hill runs in the middle which was quite nice but could feel my legs off Sundays run. Hoping to get out tomorrow as won't get a chance again until my long run on Sunday.
I tried the salt after my 10k but it didn't help still had a headache at bedtime, really need to get this sorted or it will ruin every Sunday!

My pace hasn't changed in most of the 18 months I've been running nothing I do improves it so im hoping just to complete the half all running. Doesn't help I got the date wrong and it's a week earlier than I thought!!

Disappointed this morning, everything set to go for a 3.2 mile run - food made for the day clothes ready weather checked all good, then ds came in just before alarm went & puked so that idea is gone out the window will pack my gear & hope that dh finishes at a reasonable time & that I can run straight after work. Meant to be raining though

Hoolit it was running with others & doing bootcamp classes that improved my time. It's harder when running alone.

mammy I'm sorry this am went badly (hope ds is better) but definitely go later on.
I'm dreading tonight's long run. Im aiming for 10 miles but I still keep getting on/off dizziness and after last weeks post run puking I'm nervous about feeling ill again. Plus it's raining (side issue)

Rain is a bit issue for me I don't mind if it starts while I'm out there but just can't head out if it's already raining [grr] but usually I go before work so would get cold and wet today I can go home for a hot shower afterwards so that'll make it better

Are you eating enough before you go pint?

I'm loading today to see if it helps!
I'm actually looking forward to it now. Just came back from the weekly food shop and omg the dc drove me CRAZY. I just shouted and nagged constantly

Seriously need to run off the tension!

Hello - can I join? I'm running my first half-marathon 1st October.

I'm fairly fit from boot-camps and boxing but I haven't really done any running in the past 3 years as my knees always end up going. I started training last week and today my knees started to ache in the last half mile of a 4 mile run. Any tips on avoiding injury?

Hi princess. There seems to be a few on here for the 1st Oct (myself included).

Mine is 1st Oct too (Glasgow)

Hi, I'm doing the Aberdeen half in 25 days, eek! Training has not been brilliant but fingers crossed!
princess can you ask the bootcamp trainer for some knee strengthening exercises to help? Also make sure you have good shoes. If possible doing some running off road can be a bit nicer for your joints.

I am awful for not stretching, not doing cross training and not warming up.
I've had a sore knee for a few days now and thought my years of neglectful running has finally caught up with me but today my knee gave a massive crack and is now pain free.

I have ordered resistance bands and I am going to start doing knee strengthening training from now on

Confession: I've never stretched or warmed up

I've been running for 2.5 years. Will it all come back to bite me in the arse/knees?!

I will ask the trainer about knee exercises - no doubt he'll recommend sumo squats or something equally 😩. Years ago I was told the cause of my knee pain was my amnesiac bum muscles! After years of remedial lunges, squats and I was hoping my gluts would have started to remember...

Your knee cracking sounds quite dramatic DFP, maybe that's what I need!

I never stretch before running but always after. Maybe that needs to change too.