Half Marathon Thread continues .....

[mammymammyIRL]

Don't want us to lose contact !

[mammymammyIRL]

Thanks skigirl did 5k with a friend yesterday morning and while it was tough it wasn't awful. Will rest now until Sat's 10k

Sorry to hear you've had to take a running break, the weather has been an awful torment for exercising outdoors for sure.

@cherryminx anyone is welcome.
6 months is loads of time to be half marathon ready, I will also do one in September but possibly June too and I haven't run for a whole month currently until yesterday. But I'm confident that I can do it.
On race day perhaps start out together and agree to run yer own race then, this is what my friend and I did and it work beautifully last September, for the finish there was only 8 minutes between us but neither of us was under pressure then.
I also decided to go alcohol free this year, January 5th was my last indulgence. I've hated running with a hangover and not getting the most out of my runs and also best out of my time off with dc. I may or may not drink again.

[Cherryminx]

Can I join. I did a HM 2 years ago and since then have really lost my way with running and have done almost nothing. But I've challenged a friend to do a HM in September, which gives me 6 months to go from zero to 13 miles.

I've got a 20 week plan so thought I'd do a few weeks of C25k - 3 half hour runs a week to get me going again and then launch myself into it.

My friend is really good so my aim is just not to come too many miles behind her. I've given up alcohol since 1 Jan so in theory should be in better shape than last time.

[SkiGirl007]

Glad your finally on the mend mammy hope you find your running mojo.

I’ve had to take a running break as my niggley injury hasn’t got better. I’ve switched to mix of swimming up to a mile now, and rowing in the gym both low impact. Really miss the running buzz though! Hoping once this flipping gloomy neverending winter wet weather goes I can get back out on the bike too.

[mammymammyIRL]

Hi everyone how's things going?

I've not been running due to that awful flu virus but I'm starting to improve & have a 10k next week and 10m two weeks after that.

[SkiGirl007]

Get well soon mammy sounds s*it recovery from that truely nasty flu bug. My mum was out of action for 4wks and taken 6wks to feel more herself.

[SkiGirl007]

The Big half (London) wasn’t cancelled but the Bath Half was so I went for a cycle ride instead. I’m planning to do a HM myself in a couple weeks on Strava (got sore foot so give it time to heal hopefully) and maybe get a “virtual” medal for my efforts, it’s shame that Bath are going to recycle all the medals rather give the option to “earn” them on Strava but I do understand their dilemma.

[mammymammyIRL]

Hi all I'm not running currently, still recovering energy very slowly from that flu.
Walked two miles yesterday. It's not the same at all

[opionated]

the big half wasnt cancelled

[SkiGirl007]

Bath Half has been cancelled but I’m also relieved as the weather & roads have been truely awful I was dreading trying to get there! Hope everyone is keeping warm.

[SkiGirl007]

Thanks mammy how are you doing? Hope the bugs have left now, my kids seem to be tag teaming colds back and forth at the moment!
thisgirlrides I’ve struggled a lot over the years with piriformous issues, the piriformous stretch is my daily life saver and I also stretch enroute normally 2-3x on a run, by holding onto a street lamp or pole and go into a squat and put opposite ankle onto other leg knee to stretch (for 30secs) my hips mid-run it normally immediate release any “knee” pain which is my tight hip flexors not my knees at all. Also google glute exercises as strengthening them should help. If you can’t run you could try cycling as that’s worked for me in the past. Gd luck as the pain can be miserable.

I went out for a 5k slow run last night to stretch out my sore legs and hips from Sunday. I think it’s helped abit.

[mammymammyIRL]

Wow @SkiGirl007 well done, amazing achievement 

@Growingboys Epsom salts & running are great partners, 11.5 is a big distance you'll fly the hm

@thisgirlrides sorry to hear about your impediment, hope you feel better soon

[thisgirlrides]

Not doing so well at the moment - after a week off from sore knees I had a great week and everything felt good including a slow but steady 9miles. Out on Saturday and felt a twinge in my backside, carried on for another 2km before giving up and walking home and it's been hurting since .

Dr google suggests classic piriformis syndrome symptoms so not sure where I go from here. Resting this week (bar a couple of swims) and foam rollering like mad but there's no way I can run if it keeps hurting like this.

[SkiGirl007]

Well done growingboys hope the Bath helped. I’ve run out of Epsom salts need to get some more. I’m in dire need of them at the moment.
Completed my first HM on Sunday the weather wasn’t as bad as expected but the head wind was horrid on the last 3m leg glad I had my friend to help me finish.

[Growingboys]

I did 11.5 miles this morning - my longest run yet. It was ok and makes me feel more confident about the race.

I had an amazing Epsom salts bath afterwards followed by chicken pie and chocolate pancakes and ice cream. Well Runkeeper did say I'd burned 1375 calories!

[SkiGirl007]

Did a great 10k on Monday well it didn’t feel great then I realised it was my fastest yet and I didn’t feel brill because I was running that tiny bit faster. So hopefully that’s my long sloooww runs paying off. Hope to do a 5k mid week then carb load for my first ever HM on Sunday!

[SkiGirl007]

Can someone else video you running thisgirl ? To give you an idea of how you run? Then try some different shoes. My DH bought the £100 shoes from a “running” shop after analysis but they made him hurt a lot so he switched to some very cushioned ascis and went up 1size and his issues went away. Yes it cost him more £s but it’s worth it for a comfy body. The run mummy run face book group has secondhand page people sell on shoes that don’t suit them so you could try out some different ones?

Squeezed in 3m last night between work & kids stuff. But was slow with fatigued legs post Monday’s 12m run. Had a swim tonight to stretch stuff out hope it helps.

[Lifeisabeach]

thisgirlrides mine filmed me running on a treadmill and then showed me the video of my foot striking the ground and you could see it roll inwards. You don’t have to buy the trainers, just see what they recommend and see if you can get them cheaper elsewhere. Worth a try anyway?

[AuntieStella]

Can someone drench me in a bucket of motivation please?

I've got my first half in spring, and this week I've been really tired and struggling to find the will to get out.

I can run up to about 10 miles fairly comfortably, and have run 13 once. Some of me thinks I'll get round whatever I do now. But I really think I need to get in another few longs run, and do 10ks a little more often.

[thisgirlrides]

When I started properly running last year I went to a running shop on a couple of recommendations but all they did was have me run up & down in the shop before telling me I needed a certain type of shoe. I wouldn't be surprised if I have a funny gait as I have massively high arches & wear the biggest insert available in my cycling shoes or my feet go numb! Ok so another sports shop & another £100 pair of shoes maybe?

[Lifeisabeach]

Have you had gait analysis done thisgirlrides? I had knee pain when I first started running, went to local running shop and had gait analysis done. Turned out I overpronate, so need trainers designed for that (stability shoes).

[thisgirlrides]

@sayhellotothelittlefella be careful as I've had to have a week off due to sore knees. They now feel fine walking but I won't really know until I run . I'm going out tomorrow and doing a gentle 4/5 miles unless I get niggles along the way. Less than 8 weeks to go so need to either get this sorted and back training or make a tough decision.

I'm just assuming mine hurt due to too much pavement pounding + upping my distances this past month but could be gait-related I guess? In fact, I obviously run wonky as I've worn a hole where my big toe in one shoe (same side as sore knees)but not the other . What can I do to help these poor old 40-something knees or who should I be talking to?

[Lifeisabeach]

Just checking in; I did another slow 8 mile run on Sunday. All fine until the last 2 miles or so when my right knee started hurting a bit. Hoping it’s just because I’ve upped my mileage recently and nothing more serious.

My half (that I still haven’t entered!) isn’t until May, so there’s plenty of time to build up the distance.

[SkiGirl007]

See you there sayhello did you get your number this week? My friend and I signed up only 10mins a apart on the website and put same end time in but have been put in different pens - hoping I can join her as she in pen behind me.

Hope you sort your knees out sayhello try stretching out all the muscles around the knee and IT band you may find that helps as it worked for me, they were all tight putting my knee under stress resulting in pain. I’m hoping to do a 2hr run on Monday as my last long run. I got a wet 5k run in followed by 1k swim this morning before the kids joined me in the pool.

[sayhellotothelittlefella]

No Belle I'm running the Bath Half - see you there skigirl.
Did a 9 mile long run today and really struggled with my knees. Starting to worry I might not get round 13 miles. I'm booking in for a biomechanics assessment and will change my trainers and see if that helps. I also think I've maybe over trained a bit the last two weeks.

[SkiGirl007]

Oh dear get well soon mammy rest is what you need eve though it’s hard
I’ve done two runs this week post bug then felt crap thurs with sore throat again Arrh!! But I sprayed that stop cold stuff up my nose, downed more honey& lemon & becurroca fizzy vits and hoped for the best. It meant I missed my swimming session. I’m still hoping to do long run Sun or Mon so hope this blooming bug doesn’t take hold again!!

I’m running the Bath Half on 4th but there is a London one i think the same day?