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?

Very well done @xsquared - there's not much shade to be had on that course!

Thank you @chutneypig and @OhOneOhTwoOhThree .

Alas, absolutely no hiding in the shade on the GNR course! I used every water station this time, but more of it went on me rather than in me!

Quads are feeling it this morning, so I'll take a couple.of more days off before an easy run.

I have a 10 mile road race in November I've never done, amd then there's XC season which starts in a couple of weeks.

How about you?

Congratulations on your runs @OhOneOhTwoOhThree and @xsquared

@xsquared I may give XC a go this season, how do you train for it? Or don't you specifically? I'm just doing more hills/trail at the mo. I find it more fun than road, but then I also use the terrain as an excuse to walk, stop and take pics so not exactly race training!

@Jumbojem I only started XC last year, two weeks after GNR without any other training other than my usual cycle.

I guess you can prepare for it by doing lots of hilly routes, hill reps, grass intervals, that sort of thing. Given that you enjoy hills and trail, I think XC would suit you if you wanted to challenge yourself on those sorts of terrain.

Doing XC races in itself feels like strength training. It's not for the faint hearted, but it can be satisfying.

Well done @OhOneOhTwoOhThree , amazing, esp given the weather.

And well done to you too @xsquared!

Hope you are both enjoying restful starts to your week!

I was supposed to do a 10k yesterday but i had to defer to next year because I was traveling. Was actually quite relieved! But feeling sluggish after a few days off so looking forward to getting out tomorrow. Only 3 weeks to my hilly run, I really hope all my hill training and speed repeats will pay off!

Thanks @Lamontaine .

Good luck with the hilly run. I should think the hill reps will pay dividends!

How's everyone enjoying running now we have some true autumn weather?!
I'm definitely signed up for XC now which is pretty scary! First race is about 4.5 miles with a couple of short sharp hills and I think the rest is undulating grass. Ran with my son's club last night. I was miles behind, well, didn't see them for dust might be more accurate 🤣 so I'm a bit worried but will give it a shot.
I've continued to ditch any kind of training plan and do whatever. Did do hills/sprints on Sunday. Bizarrely all last year I followed a plan but Garmin rarely declared my training "productive" but it has been on that ever since I started doing what I felt like doing!
@Lamontaine your hilly event must be soon?

I'm doing well. I have a challenging trail HM in 4 weeks or so. I've made it past 10 miles on a few long runs, and I've been doing a weekly hilly run too. Hopefully the two combined should cover the stamina and correct muscle groups to cover the distance and terrain. I think I'll enjoy the taper!

The rain isn't so bad as it's mild. The return of mud and resisting winds is more of a challenge.

Good luck @BogRollBOGOF it sounds like your training should get you through! Enjoy the taper, not long to go now!

I don't mind the rain, it's running in the dark I hate. I find seeing curbs, dips in the pavement or giant puddles hard to see in the dark. Usually have to go to the nearest town for better night run conditions.

Good luck for the races.

I've got 2 trail races lined up for December. My main sport is now in full swing so that's a lot of weekends taken up.
Planning on parkruns to keep the speed up.

New triathlon training seems to be going well; I'm less tired than when I was following my own 'do what I like when I like' plan!

What's the weather like your way @Lamontaine - hope it's cooled down a bit for you with those hills!

I love a good productive feedback from my watch @Jumbojem but not something I'm seeing a lot of. I found anything with intervals didn't seem to register as productive, although that might be my appalling pace!

That's a definite beauty of parkrun @brooksghost, nice and regular to keep things ticking over if you've got other things going on.

Sounds like your training is going welll @BogRollBOGOF. I couldn't agree more on the wind front though, that's been a shock this week.

I've been running less than ever, but I'm still toying with doing Robin Hood on Sunday, even if I have to walk a fair bit. I have done a half before when I've been on worse shape so.... I can defer up till the morning so will look at the weather too. I could really use it to clear my head, work is a continuing stress and it's really taking its toll.

I've been doing more yoga/bodybalance and keeping up my weights so I am feeling stronger for that.

I'm feeling happy today. Been for my MOT at the osteopath and other than some well earned DOMS still settling down, everything was operating pretty smoothly by my standards. Hopefully I shouldn't be saying "oof" tomorrow 😂

Hi everyone!

The weather is here is mixed but we’re back up to low 20s next week which is not what I’d like for my run next Sunday!

did you go for the Robin Hood @chutneypig ? I’d love to do it one year.
XC sounds good @Jumbojem as do thé trail runs @BogRollBOGOF and @brooksghost .

I’ve really enjoyed running in the forest over the past few months for hill training so I might look into some more events like that. There is a famous race in Switzerland, Sierre Zinal (2000m uphill) that is supposed to be absolutely breathtaking but a far cry from what I’m used to! So not quite ready to sign up for that challenge but I think I’ll be looking for something for next year once these next two (have a HM in 5 weeks) races are over…

I did do Robin Hood @Lamontaine. I knew I'd be really annoyed with myself if I didn't. I'd only run 16 km this month and that was at a very slow pace for me, so I took it all steady. Ran walk most of it. It was PW for me but I honestly didn't care, it was more about going out. But also not completely destroying myself for Royal Parks.

I don't feel too bad this morning but the 3 hour drive to work might change that!

I hope you do get to do it, I love it, such a good atmosphere and lots to see on the route. The forest racing sounds lovely although that's quite a climb!

Well done @chutneypig, great that you did it! Good luck for the drive to work… 😊

Thank you! I might need winching out of the car when I get there

I felt like that most of last week and making little "oof" noises just from a training run.

Well done for doing it!

I'm expecting my next HM to be a PW, but that's because of the terrain.

I'm beginning to look forwards to it now I've covered distance and a good preparation for the terrain. It's the first time I've actively enjoyed the perks of living somewhere undulating. I normally dodge the steeper hills for long runs 😂

Hey, very late to the party but I wondered if I could ask you fabulous running people to comment on my training schedule.
I have my first ever half on 5th November. I only started running at the start of the year.

I've had to pause my plans for a while as I got a shin splint which is mainly better but I'm still being very careful.
The furthest I've run is 10.25 miles (16.5km) yesterday. I planned to do 17 but my legs refused to go any further. My training runs are very hilly but the half is actually flat so I'm hoping that will help.
So my plan was to increase the long run by at least 1km a week, plus a 10km and 2 5km or easy runs.

That will get me to 21km on 23/10 so then I can taper (what does that even mean and how do you do it).
I did a 10k race on Sunday 1.07.22, I don't expect to finish the half in under 2.40, I just want to make sure I can finish. I got sponsored for it otherwise I would probably have pulled out.

Hello everyone! I thought that the thread had gone very quiet but for some reason I wasn't getting notifications.

Welcome @ditavonteesed! You will probably get all sorts of advice, but my twopence worth is that 10 miles is probably enough - nice if you can get up to the full distance but you don't need to. I tend to tell myself it's a ten mile run with a parkrun tacked on the end, and anyone can run/jog/walk a parkrun can't they :-)

Hills are great for training especially if you are doing a flat race. Don't be afraid to walk/run if you need to (I do 10 minutes run/2 minutes walk and I'm no slower than if I run the whole distance). Tapering is when you ease off the long runs to allow your body to rest before the big one - just do some short easy runs to keep your legs turning over for the last couple of weeks.

@BogRollBOGOF are you doing a trail run? I'm thinking of signing up for one in December - I did the full marathon distance two years ago and would only do the half this year.

@chutneypig well done on your Robin Hood and very wise not to wear yourself out ahead of the RPHM. My fried has decided not to do it, but too late to transfer her place to me.

@Lamontaine I love the sound of your forest runs.

I'm still recovering from my Thames Path adventure. Blisters are almost gone and the furthest I've been is parkrun (twice) and a couple of interval sessions as I'm concentrating on speed for the next little while.

Mine's a trail, so I've trained further than my usual standard as it will be more time on feet. I've also been getting out into hilly areas that I normally swerve on long runs as they slow long runs down. In training I tend to cover about 5mi in an hour, but my usual race pace is quicker. There's an off-road, undulating 10mi race I like that tends to take about 1:50, and my flat 10mi race pace results in around 1:40. Peer pressure helps!

It's not my first trail, but it's a gear up in terrain from previous ones I've done.

10mi is enough to get you through a HM. I often find that a HM is a 10mi run and a parkrun. When I did my marathon, it was a similar mentality of 20mi run, then a 10k race. I got through that bit after 4 hours on the go by reminding myself that every step was reaching a new pb.

Hills are great for transferring to flat, much more than the other way.
I can find that flat is more repetitive, and it can be hard on the body. Some undulating can ease pressure on the joints and musclrs. The natural variation can interfere with learning to pace evenly over a longer distance. Training on hills will mean that your stamina is well prepared for race day.

I did a "hilly" parkrun last weekend, and really noticed the fruits of hill training. I powered up it pretty easily past all the flagging people. I've been at flat ones recently so the contrast was quite stark.

@ditavonteesed i echo what the others have said, 10 miles is fine and hills were a great idea. Ignoring my recent 'training' I've never gone above 10 miles in training. And breaking it down into parkruns is my preferred mental strategy too.

Blisters sound very painful @OhOneOhTwoOhThree so I'm glad they're nearly behind you. I bet parkrun seems a nice distance now. Shame about Royal Parks, I did think their transfer window was very early. Robin Hood let you defer up until the morning of the race, as long as you didn't start.

Great plans @BogRollBOGOF - sounds like you're in a good position. It's a different mindset for sure.

My legs are easing up a bit, mostly aiming for yoga this weekend and parkrun. I'm not too far off my 250 so that's going to be my focus after RPHM. I think I'll go for a 5K improvement plan the rest of the year to get a base in for a spring half. Get back to nearer where I'd like to be.

@Lamontaine good luck for your hilly run!
@chutneypig well done on Robin's Hood. Sounds a lovely event. I guess RPH isn't far away now? I entered a prize draw for a place but didn't "win" but maybe no bad thing as I'm not in half shape right now.
I'm still loving the hills though🤣 off at 7.45am tomorrow (may day off!) to do hill reps with a friend. Hoping this week see me through the first XC while I simultaneously lose weight, get fitter AND faster for the rest of the series (not asking for much am I!?).
@ditavonteesed echo what everyone else has said, 10 miles is fine. I'd try and get at least one more 10 miler in though before you taper. Then on the day it's that plus a parkrun. 9 miles tends to be the "wheels fall off" point in halfs for me so good mentally to have been beyond that a couple of times before the day. Good luck and stick around to let us know how it's going!

Thanks.
While I did struggle at the end of ten miles I wasn't sore at all afterwards so could probably push further. Tried to do a fartlek yesterday to get my pace up, was fun to do something different.
I picked the half because it's flat but it is 4 laps so im hoping I don't lose the will to live.

Im very impressed reading about everyone's races, I really did enjoy the 10k at the weekend, was buzzing afterwards.

Hi everyone 👋

So I did my hilly run today, 17k, almost 400m ascent. I have to say that it was tougher than I thought, practically the whole run was uphill. I did it in 1:51, a minute slower than my target. I am pleased with the result but I did think I’d find it easier. I’d worked out a whole plan for the run and had 20 mins to do the last 3.2km which I thought would be OK but NO, it was SO hard! But what a challenge, I never would have thought I’d been capable of that a few years ago.

Now have the Lausanne half marathon coming up at the end of October, it’s mainly flat so I’m hoping the hill training will have paid off!

Hope everyone has had nice weekends and good runs for those who have been out! @ditavonteesed i will agree with everyone and even say that it’s good not to do more, I think I pushed my training for my first half a bit too far and ended up with a sore shin. Good luck!