Half marathon training, starting 1/1/23

[JessicaBrassica]

Hi,
I'm planning to start half marathon training in n Jan 1st. Aiming definitely for an event on May 13 but plan designed around a race on 22/4. Just in case.

Anyone want to join me?
I've done several halfs before but not run a good one for a few years.
I'm using the Garmin beginner 3x a week programme.

Anyone want to join me?

My favourite run this morning. An 10k easy run commute along the Thames in the sunshine.
Gentle pace, dual purpose of training run and getting to work. Felt smug at work!

Sounds fantastic @shamoola and what a day for it.

I'd be cautious @Cantdoitallperfectly. My legs are still feeling my hilly parkrun from Saturday. Sounds a great session!

I pushed my tempo run to tomorrow and did a plodding recovery run today. I'm glad I got out but it felt hard going. Better than the ongoing conversation in my head as to whether I should go! I'll try and get some yoga in tonight, didn't even fancy pilates this morning.

This is a very inspiring thread - can I join?

First time HM here - the Royal Parks Half. A personal goal post-baby last year. A complicated delivery meant no exercise until she was nearly 6 months and I’m plodding back on an accelerated C25k now, but it isn’t too bad. I’m half excited, half terrified by the prospect of doing the HM!

@SomeMonstersEatTelly welcome! Is Royal Parks Half in October? If so that gives you a nice summer of running and steadily building your distance post baby. Not sure if there is more than one Royal Parks though, a lot of hits came up when I googled.

I should have run today but I had a long day travelling for work yesterday and my shins felt a bit sore from Sunday. So did yoga this morning to get rid of travel aches and then a kettle bell workout this eve.
Will go tomorrow but can't decide whether to do intervals, seek out a hill (taking inspo from @Cantdoitallperfectly ) or the easy run that today was meant to be. Thursday is usually my speed interval day but it has a 5 min time trial on the plan this week with 1k warm up/cool down either side so it doesn't sound like much running?
Those of you with Garmin 255s, or similar, have you entered your event onto the app? I like seeing the countdown and my predicted finish time go down. But it seems to do it very randomly, like getting slower after I've done a speed workout but faster if I get a good night's sleep. I find it a bit disheartening when I feel like I've done a good run and my predicted time gets slower!

@Jumbojem a 5min time trial, the hardest you can do is pretty demanding. Though not far in distance if you run so that there is nothing left at the end it's a good test. But you can always keep going for further in the cool down if you want to.

I think that prediction on your Garmin makes sense because surely after a good night's sleep you won't be tired and would be able to run faster than immediately after a speed session. However over time you should seen a downward trend.
My prediction for 5k is only out by about 4 secs which is pretty darn close! My 10k/half times also look stretching but achievable.

Welcome @SomeMonstersEatTelly that’s a great goal to have set yourself post baby. My one regret was letting fitness slide once I had children; I didn’t make time for myself to exercise and it took years to get back into it. It’s such a great feeling to come back from a run tired but energised and having had that headspace for yourself :)

@Jumbojem I didn't realise you could add your date in - is that just if you're doing one of the Garmin plans?

Welcome @SomeMonstersEatTelly - I'm also doing Royal Parks, first ballot success for me although I've been trying for years. I'm very excited about that. I'm also signed up for Robin Hood which is two weeks earlier in September. Looks like great timing for you to build up.

Porridge now and tempo run for me, slept well so it'll be good to get it in the bag this morning. I've typed it so it has to happen now. Might do Bodycombat later, I've sacked that off for weeks and I ought to go.

@chutneypig you add the event onto the calendar in the Garmin Connect app and it will give you a count down, info on likely weather and your predicted time. Instructions here
@shamoola thanks, that all makes sense!

I've had two full days of rest. The combination of a whole day touring a Uni and city plus the 10 mile race has left me drained.
Went on my turbo today and did an hour of low intensity intervals. As the session progressed I started to feel much better.
Aiming for an easy run tomorrow and parkrun on Saturday.
Back to it properly next week once the kids are back at school.

Sounds like you needed that down time after the epic run on Sunday @brooksghost I’m in awe of your times!
Ive struggled with motivation this week, just done my tempo run but legs felt heavy and I wasn’t too happy with time. Perhaps expecting too much in too little time. The kids are off school so it’s busy trying to fit it all in etc.

Ouff that was one tough session both physically and mentally. Struggled with heavy legs and tight breathing and almost gave up after the first interval. Some serious mind tricks had to be deployed!
15mins warms up, 8x 800 at a challenging pace, (400m rest in between) 15 cool down.
Very very glad that's over - but got it done!

Next week's speed session looks even worse 🙄

<thunders back on to thread feeling even more like an elephant than usual>

We've been away on hols. I took running gear with me and did two runs while we were there. We were somewhere pretty and picturesque with cobbled streets which turned out to be hard work to run on. We also walked at least 8 miles a day doing our sightseeing, according to DH's Garmin based on his step count. So very tired legs now, and I just chugged around my village this morning in the mizzle.

Well done @brooksghost on a brilliant run, and congratulations @chutneypig on getting into the RPHM. I got a ballot place the first time I tried, having forgotten that I'd even applied It's a smashing run, with loads of support all the way round.

Waves to everyone else

Another four miles this morning. Went to my local country park to run around the trails. A slow trudge but I did it.

Well, I don't know if I can get out now.
DS2 (nearly 14) has his first girlfriend here for the first time.
I am working in my office in the garden, so popping in to the loo etc, but I can't leave them home alone, can I? I've said she can stay until 10pm.
Maybe I'll put my 80s fitness kit on and do a workout in the front room.

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree a slow trudge is better than no trudge! I do love a country park!

I had massive car drama yesterday so I am w/o a car. I couldn't get to club. A mate came to me instead so she was treated to me getting the whole sorry story off my chest as we ran.

Cobbles are a nightmare aren't they @OhOneOhTwoOhThree - our local half has an uphill section on cobbles which is the narrowest bit of the whole course. I think they've done away with it now

Lost control of my post there. That sounds tricky @TheOrigRights, my two are 15 but we've not had to navigate that yet. My son still hasn't recovered from me running past his DofE expedition a couple of years ago - he wouldn't make eye contact

Intervals for me today - hard work but a definite improvement in pace and they were pretty consistent- very pleased with that.

RD tomorrow then 10 miles on Sunday.I think I'm looking forward to that.... probably

Well done on the intervals Chutney - your hard work is paying off.

So, the GF has gone, but I just don't feel like going for a run. This isn't like me and I don't like the feeling.

By some horrid coincidence DS1's parent/teacher night was the same evening I was racing a 5K and the race HQ was his school. I literally went from race to parent/teacher in my post race tracksuit and sweaty self.

DS2 doesn't seem to mind me turning up in my kit - maybe because he's grown up knowing that when he was at football training that's was my only run time. It's easier now he's older.

I'm happy- a Parkrun 5km (post kids) PB!
It's been a long time coming but I took 20 seconds off my best...which, at the age of nearly 48, is good going!
I woke up feeling sluggish and not very runner like so I put on my cycling kit and ran in that.
Mile splits were all very consistent and I felt surprisingly strong.
Ran there and back so a nice 5 miles for the day.

Well done @brooksghost ! You are really smashing it at the moment!

Sprints this morning - lots of huffing and puffing! Longest run in the plan tomorrow at 2hours. It's been a heavy training week and it will definitely be a slow jog tomorrow. Hopefully it will be dry or it could all get a bit dispiriting!

I’ve got a place in the Royal Parks Half too via the ballot - took me by surprise as I always try but never get a place. I was so sure I wouldn’t get a place that I signed up to do the Bath Half with a friend, but now I have a place in both and they’re only a week apart from each other! Don’t want to drop out of either but I feel a bit daunted. Suppose it’s no different than people training for a marathon who run that sort of distance weekly in their training.

@Sammysquiz I'd do both races but pick one as an A race and one as a B. Two hard runs in one week will be tough so use one for 'times' and one for fun.
Enjoy, both races look fab!

That's fantastic @brooksghost - you're on a role!

I'm glad you're in too @Sammysquiz. I think the A and B race option is a good way to go. I've got Robin Hood two weeks before so I'm going for Royal Park as my A race. I'm hoping it will feel far flatter than Robin Hood, although that is my PB course.

Trying to get my head into 10 miles today. I need to get that under my belt.

Well done everyone on training.
I came back from a week in the mountains where I ran / hiked / skiied so legs felt tired today but I did 12k which is my longest run ever!! Also decided to include a big hill which I have always put off.

Was quite hard though and my feet are so sore. My half is in 11 weeks so even though I have time, I still am unsure where I’ll find the remaining 9k in me…

10 miles done today! Felt like a goal I wanted to get to mentally. I took it slow, the wind was wild which definitely slowed me down in parts but was behind me for the last 2 miles, I didn’t take any fuel with me and did feel like I needed something at 8m. Now to concentrate on my tempo runs and speed work and keep doing the 10m every Sunday. 14 weeks till race day so I’ve got a good amount of time. Well done everyone else for their runs 💪@brooksghost your PB are amazing and inspirational, I’ve used age as an excuse and you’re proving to me it can be done!