Half marathon help - struggling

[Shefliesonherownwings]

I need some advice or maybe a reality check here as I am struggling with my half marathon training.

So I used to do a lot of running, was a member of a club, ran three times a week and have done several half marathons but this was all 6/7 years ago before marriage and kids and life got in the way. Before last year I hadn't been out running at all for about 5 years.

I decided last year I wanted to get back into it because I used to love it, I wanted to get fit and healthy after having my DS and I wanted to raise money for a charity very close to my heart. So I signed up for a half in April. I started training last October and went right back to basics starting with couch to 10k.

I started well, out three times a week, meeting all the targets on the app and went from nothing to running 20 mins straight within about 6 weeks. I was loving it again too and the weight was dropping off. Then illness hit us all. DS started nursery and over December all of us were constantly sick, I ended up on antibiotics twice. A family member got rushed into hospital too so my running went out the window.

I had the first week of Jan off work so thought I'd get back into it then but I am really struggling, mainly with my stamina and breathing. I can barely run 15 mins now without stopping. I just can't see how I can do this half in April, I am nowhere near the mileage I need to be. At first I was hoping to get close to my old times (nothing major, just 10 min miles) but now i'll be happy just to finish the half. I don't know what to do. I'm back to going out three times a week but I just can't seem to increase my mileage at a rate that will get me close to 13 miles.

I would be gutted to pull out/defer as people have donated money and I am running in my daughter's name which is something very important to me, I wanted to do something in her memory. But I just don't feel I can do it not unless I walk the whole thing :( It is such a struggle when i'm out.

Any advice/tips/kicks up the backside? Is it really doable in 11 weeks??

Hi all. I just wanted to update and say thanks to you all for the advice. This week I put some of it into practice. I went for a run on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, I decided to go to the gym and run on the treadmill as I couldn’t face going out in the freezing cold. I think the cold was really affecting my breathing.

Anyway I took the advice to slow it right down and to try some walking and I found it much much easier. I really did go slow, but I think this made all the difference. I did 10 mins, then walked for a couple of minutes, then 10 mins and walked and did that for over 30 minutes. I did longer on Thursday. It felt so much more comfortable, to be honest I felt like I could have kept going for longer which has really boosted my confidence.

I had a look at the guy someone mentioned above too and liked the look of his training plan so I’m going to give that a go. I feel much more optimistic about completing the run now, albeit much slower. Thanks again all, I really appreciate all the advice and support.

That is fantastic! It's all downhill from here. You will fly, you will have the love back, you will complete that half and enjoy (almost) every minute of it!!!