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?

@Cantdoitallperfectly well done on 10miles -such a milestone!

I managed roughly about 13miles today in the glorious sunshine. Certainly felt it in my legs though. Just the small thing of running it all considerably faster come race day!

Well done @Cantdoitallperfectly and @Lamontaine - running after a week of ski-ing is impressive. Hope you had a good run @chutneypig too.

Heading out to do 8 miles in a bit, have just given myself an hour of knitting after swimming earlier. It's definitely getting milder, I was able to stay in long enough to swim a lap more than I have been doing. Annoyingly I left my garmin on charge at home, so don't know if my swimming speed has improved at all.

It sounds like you had very good reason to be tired @Lamontaine after all that! It'll come I'm sure.

Always frustrating not to be able to track @OhOneOhTwoOhThree but sounds like it was a good session. Spring is definitely on the way.

It does feel good to get to 10 doesn't it @Cantdoitallperfectly? I'm hoping I managed my food better today. I had toast and porridge quite early and took some homemade energy bits which I had every half hour. I've been feeling quite ropey post run.

You're going great guns @shamoola!

I did my 10 and it went well, surprisingly I found the second half easier which I guess is a good sign. It's an interesting looped route I've done before, plenty to see. I couldn't face an out and back along a dull section of the canal. Randomly ended up in the middle of a race I didn't know was happening.

Thanks all, definitely a milestone for me! @shamoola well done on the 13m. I plan to add in an extra mile per week in a month or so once I’ve done a few solid weeks of speed training, a lot of plans only have up to 10m on them but I definitely want to have at least 12m under my belt before race day.

@chutneypig what energy bites do you make? I definitely need something like that. That’s good that you felt strong on the second part of the run, all bodes well for HM. I’m not quite there yet but I know it’ll happen (I am impatient 😬).

TAPER TIME!
Just back from 12 miles. Confidence boosted.

Wow, been some great running over the last few days on here!

I did my 5 min time trail on Friday. Not as fast as I'd have liked, can I blame running into a strong headwind after I turned around at 2.5 mins?!
I did some 15s sprint intervals earlier in the week. Garmin wanted a pace which sounded unachievable but I was chuffed to hit the pace on 3 of them and the other 9 were just outside that. My legs were absolutely dead for the two days after though, which surprised me as I didn't feel done in immediately after the run.
Glorious 8 miles in the sun with a friend this morning, felt really good and consistently paced. Hoping to make it up to 10 next Sunday but am away Fri and a long long day at DSs cross country on Saturday so we'll see!

@Jumbojem arh memories of watching cross country. Cold and muddy!
My son had real promise as a runner but gave it up and doesn't run at all now. I'm hoping that he goes back to it at some point and I can again live vicariously through his achievements!!

Well done everyone on the long runs!
Good luck at the cross-country @Jumbojem I'm assuming it's the National XC champs. As a junior, I remember the Nationals well...so many runners and so much mud. My DD ran in a few before switching sports; it was quite sad to see how the fields were so much smaller than when I ran. Maybe they put a numbered limit on now or perhaps mass participation has just dropped. The quality of runners is just as high now but with fewer runners.

@Cantdoitallperfectly they're date based with oats, honey and some seeds in. I think they helped but also having some carbs before I went must have helped.

Well done one and all! some great running this weekend.

@shamoola we must have cross posted. Congrats on going the distance. Glorious sunshine here today, it makes such a difference doesn't it.

@chutneypig well done on your ten, and hope you are not feeling too ropey. I had toast and jam before swimming, cake and some chocolate malteaser fridge cake afterwards (we take it in turns to bake), and a bacon sandwich with DS1 before I went out. Not exactly typical, but it seemed to work. DS had some weird amino acid drink and a protein shake - he was training this morning, and is into his post-training refuelling (he also has type 1 diabetes, so it's a fine balancing act).

@Cantdoitallperfectly I thought my plan only took me to 20 miles, but it turns out that I go up to 12. Humph. Last time I ran that far was my last HM which I think was September last year. And as it was the Norfolk coastal trail HM there were quite a few walking bits as well.

@TheOrigRights woo hoo! Enjoy your taper!

@Jumbojem well done on your time trial/sprints. And good luck to your DS next weekend. I've spent more hours than I care to remember in muddy fields watching my boys (now young men) play sport. We still get invited to come along and cheer even though one is at university and the other is out the other side. I'm just glad that they are still doing something active and that they enjoy.

I'm sooooo looking forward to a rest day tomorrow, it's been hard work catching up these last couple of weeks but apart from skipping a seven miler last weekend I've done everything else my plan suggested <just not got round to any intervals yet>

Thank you to all the posters on this thread, I find it really motivating.

Four miles yesterday, really enjoyable run, contrast to today - meant to be 7 miles but aborted at 6 miles. ITB pain kicked in and just can power through. Gutted as had hoped I’d shaken it off with new trainers, strength training and gradual build up of miles but is just something I’m predisposed to.

Going to pull back on anything more than 3 miles for the next few weeks and concentrate on my hip/ glute exercises.

Good advice, I will take one of the two half-marathons steady, and then go for a PB on the other. Probably make the Bath one the hard one as it’s my hometown so less of a journey home afterwards when I’m feeling broken!

If I've done my sleuthing correctly, I think RPs is the week before Bath, yes?
If so I would recommend attempting a PB at RPs.
I think the terrain is pretty similar, with both offering PB potential (road, not too hilly).
A 13 mile run of any effort isn't recommended before a PB attempt.
Or maybe if Bath really is the better PB race for whatever reason, you could walk/run RP?

A 13 mile run of any effort isn't recommended A WEEK before a PB attempt. !

Did my long run this morning (9 miles).
It was back to school for both kids so a bit chaotic this morning.

Lessons learned-
*a banana and an espresso is not enough for 9 miles
*a hard, hilly long bike ride yesterday followed by a long run today is not a good combination
*not taking water on said long run is daft
*taking an out of date gel on long run is not the most sensible (so far, so good though )

But, 9 miles in the (very achey) legs done.
By 6 miles, I was dreaming of how much sugar I was going to add to my breakfast porridge once home...I don't normally add sugar!

Yep, not the most ideal of runs!

Yes, you’re right @TheOrigRights, RP is the week before the Bath one. I think I’ll treat RP as a confidence boost that I can manage the distance but take it very easy, and then hopefully have some energy left in my legs to go for it the following week in Bath.

@brooksghost I usually run better if I have my porridge before my run, but enjoy it so much more if I have it after the run! The thought of that bowl of porridge is what keeps me going….!

My main problem on long runs is boredom. I have to have a very gripping podcast or audiobook to listen to. I blame my phone use for this - before mobiles I would be happy with my own thoughts, now I’m used to constant mental stimulation!

@Sammysquiz You're a stronger woman than me! I know myself and I'm not sure I would be able to take the first one slow enough to enable me to give everything in the second.

Rest day to day - but lots of travelling. London to Liverpool and back. Those with a Garmin my body battery has dropped to 6 not sure I've seen it lower than this!

I need to take a drink with me on long runs- how do you carry fluid with you!

I see a lot of people out with mesh type waistcoats but that looks overkill for my needs.
I'm not keen on running holding onto a bottle but could use bumbag type thing.

What do you use...and how much water can it carry?

Now my long runs are over 8 miles, I do need to take on some water as I can't drink too much before running...

@brooksghost I use a running belt from decathlon. It sits on your hips and you can fit in some soft flasks and gels etc.
I tend to have one 250ml in the belt and another one in the leg pocket of my leggings. No bouncing about which I found was a real problem with those hydration vests.

I have a hydration vest from decathlon. As long as it's done up tight enough it doesn't bounce. Took a bit of getting used to drinking through the mouthpiece/tube thing but I've had it a few years now and like it. It also fits a phone and snacks/gels/keys in the front pockets.

I hope that battery has recharged a bit @shamoola - that sounds very low. I'm finding that feature unexpectedly helpful in scaling what I'm doing.

I did some longer intervals yesterday and was overall pleased with my pace. I might get in a steady run today but I'll have to see.

Carrying water - I have a soft flask which fits in the leg pocket of my leggings. We also have camel backs for biking but slosh to much for my liking when running. Otherwise, I do a figure of 8 run and stash a water bottle in the garden for when I pass the house.
@shamoola that is a low body battery! You must have been exhausted.
Slightly sniffly here so only managed 3.5 miles of the planned 6 yesterday. Hoping will feel better for tomorrow's 3 mins hard/3 mins easy intervals. I'm starting to look forward to the speed work, in years of running I've never done it before. I've been watching YouTube videos about the 80/20 approach to easy/hard running and it's making me realise the futility of the "all at one pace" running I've historically done.
After my half in May I'm entering the local 10k in June. Then a trail half in September. Feels like a nice mix of events.

The plan I'm following is 80/20 based - I tried it once before but it was early on in my running and I don't think I had the feel for pace/effort and didn't stick with it. This time round that side has been better. It took a good 6 weeks to see any pace gains but I could see the impact on my VO2 max quickly. It helped to see a positive early on.

I did à fast run earlier this week, just 5k. Will aim for a long and slower one on Sunday and need to decide what to do in between. I am a bit lost with how to train; slow, fast, intervals, hills etc. Feels a bit complicated for me! Haven’t got a watch either so I find it hard to measure pace when I’m running; it’s always a surprise at the end of each KM when the app announces it in my ear!