Half Marathon Training Spring 2024

[xsquared]

The other thread got full, so I'm starting a new one to keep us motivated.

How is everyone doing?

Went out earlier today for a 8 mile run, when it was a little drizzly, but then got completely soaked as Storm Babette did their stuff! I'm still glad to have got out though.

Since completing GNR 2023, I've been training for a 10 mile race next month with Hal Higdon, as well as running 2 of the XC fixtures for my club.

I found out earlier this week that I got a place at a HM race in January 2024 through the new ballot system, so I will start training for that soon.

Well done @bakewellbride! Great work.

Well done @bakewellbride and @MirandaWest , hope the weather was good for you both too- it's been lovely here.
I managed a12 mile run today despite nearly going back to bed with nerves - I'd decided on a route with an early hill climb to replicate the half marathon profile, and it seemed very daunting. But after a few miles I got into a rhythm and enjoyed it, and somehow average pace was much faster than my 4 miler during the week. I must have more energy at weekends compared with after work.
Anyway that's going to be my longest run before the half in 4 weeks, I'm feeling a lot better about it now.

Was dry here although a bit grey while I was running. But better that than raining

@MirandaWest sounds like you did great, good job x

Fantastic work @bakewellbride and @MirandaWest!

Congrats @bakewellbride and @MirandaWest on the races!

I did some stride repeats in the drizzle. Went well and took about nearly 5k with warm up and cool down; but I wish I knew why the Garmin V02 max is going down. (know it's not accurate but I want it to go up...)

Well done @bakewellbride and @MirandaWest !

I managed a run/walk on Friday and my scheduled long run, so miraculously only missed one run from my schedule (8 km with 8x hill repeats of 1.30mn). So pretty relieved I haven't been knocked too far off track. Biggest difficulty was that I was wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt and leggings as it was a bit windy and overcast when I set off, then the sun came out and the wind dropped. Was roasting for most of it! Guess my HM could be warm, so I need to acclimatise 😆

This Thursday run is down as 8km easy or tempo, so I may do the hill repeat workout then - I'll see how I feel and what I think I'll get the most benefit from!

Thinking ahead two months to what I'll wear for my HM, if anyone has any recommendations for a lightweight jacket that packs up very small (and preferably not too expensive), they'd be gratefully received! I had just the thing from Decathlon years ago from the cycling section - a bit water-resistant, wind breaker, but packed small enough to tuck into a pocket. It flew out of my pocket cycling downhill at speed a couple of years ago and I didn't realise until too late!

Bonus marks for fluorescent colours!

Congrats to those that raced yesterday!

I completed the Winchester 10k. Wasn't expecting it to be so hilly and my legs felt fatigued from the get go due to strength training earlier in the week. I did it in a time of 58:01. Was hoping for a sub 55. I've another 10k race next month so hoping i'll get that sub 55...

Well done to all those that had a race this weekend!
Running wise, I did some parkrun volunteering and a run interval session. Long (zone 2) run this coming weekend and a parkrun (I think)!

@Hawkerslife sounds like a very solid performance on that course!

Did a "Zone 2" (still jumping up and down the zones a bit, but improving) 7k yesterday on the trails - it was sunny with a biting wind in parts, so I was either boiling or freezing.

Had something of a revelation while running (best thinking time), when I realised I'd been spending so much time online searching for a pair of running shorts, right length, colour, pockets, price, size etc., that I'd been oddly obsessive about it, and it struck me that I was actually nervous about my HM as I'll be one of the slowest and the most overweight (ancedotally, I believe there are a lot fewer fun runners in France), I'd been trying to find the outfit that would make me look slimmer/more like a proper runner/fit in 🙄So I came back and ordered a 25 quid pair from Decathlon and unfollowed all the runners I was following on Instagram and I feel better already 😅Comparison really is the thief of joy!

Agree about the dangers of comparison @Trickedbyadoughnut & I've no idea how Instagram runners manage to run smile and chat while sticking their arm in the air to film themselves 😂.

My husband filmed me at the end of my run today (he is being super supportive and comes to the door to cheer me at the end of a long run) and I looked like a mad woman shuffling along. But I'm hugely pleased with todays 12mile run, I felt rubbish to begin with and nearly turned back after 2 miles but kept plodding along listening to a podcast then felt good enough at mile 10 to add a couple of extra miles with hills.

3 weeks to my half marathon now!

The French attitude to having to be medically signed off as fit to run races won't help.

I've been wondering if that's another layer in the parkrun records removal debacle. It's a more logical thought behind parkrun's stance of it being seen as a race and improving participation if it can re-activate in France compared to claiming that vast numbers are put off by small print that Speedy Gonzales holds a course record of 15 minutes. While people are speculating that it's side-stepping the trans/ female course record issue too, there is actually a logic if it enables nation wide expansion in beaucratic countries like France.

I've had a week off running. I made good use out of a hotel swimming pool though 😁 I wasn't bothered enough to get up early and beat the heat. I've done lots of walking aound and my stair count was good, so I'll take it as a week's active rest. I hadn't had any formal intentions for last week. I need to get milage back up for late April though which is fine as I have a good 10k base already.

@Ponks liking the sound of your DH (mine does the same, and "encourages" me to run the last bit even though I don't feel as though I can put another foot in front of the other). Well done on a good run.

@Trickedbyadoughnut love the revelation. I agree that running time is the best thinking time, even if you are not actively thinking. Chapeau to you for running in a culture that might not be as inclusive as others.

@BogRollBOGOF that sounds like a good week.

8 miles on muddy hilly trails for me this morning. Absolutely loved it - it was quite misty when I went out but the sun shone most of the way. Treated myself to a soak in a hot bath when I got home. parkrun plus an extra mile yesterday, and 2 x 4 milers during the week = 20 miles for the week.

I've weaned back in with a gentle 30min run. Cardio felt good. Calves a bit grumpy but they've been traipsing up steep hills all week, so not a shocker. I've got 8mi to do as my longest this week, so I'll see how I feel about fitting it in. Hopefully this run's just been a good shake-out to get going and it's the usual feeling rusty after a break.

I am like this. I’m new to running but my heart rate is sky high every time I go out. I did 8km yesterday (my longest ever run) and I had to switch to running intervals because of my heart rate. Even then over half my run was in zone 5 according to my Apple Watch. The bulk of the rest was zone 4.

I did my first 5km with my beginner running club on Thursday in about 45 mins (which is about ten mins slower than the fastest I’ve ever done one) and chatted the whole way - but my stats are still 14 mins zone 5, 21 mins zone 4 and the rest zones 1 to 3. I am worried I’m in zone 5 so much but part of me thinks it can’t really be zone 5 if I’m able to that and sustain it for as long as I do.

I get I am unfit but I’ve been running 3 times a week since October (admittedly a Couch to 5K plan until the end of the year) and I thought my heart rate would start levelling off but it hasn’t! I hope it gets better before my half in October. I’m hoping intervals will keep it down a bit in the meantime.

All that being said - I’m delighted to have been able to run/walk 8km and I am planning to do my first 10km next weekend. I’ve tried Jeffing (30 seconds running, 30 seconds walking was recommended for my pace) but I don’t really like it. However, I’m getting on well with 3 min run, 1 min walk so I am planning to do that for my longer runs (runs with running club are going to be continuous, I think - although the most recent one was 8 mins running followed by 1 min walking).

Can I join please? I have an ultra HM at the end of March, did 12 miles today and feeling it now!

@gm2023 you have to train yourself for zone 2 stuff. It's like all things, it takes time to develop. Build the running at both zone 2 end and the upper zones; it's all beneficial.
A year ago my zone 2 runs were all at 9:30pace, I'm now running 10miles in zone 2 at 8:25 pace.
It has taken a year though but my fitness has improved so much and I'm less tired from training.

That’s incredible - really good progress! I think I will have to walk to stay in zone 2. I don’t think I’ll be able to run at all. I’m a slower runner (12-13 minute miles) so I don’t really have much room to slow down without walking. I am sure I can fit some more walks into my diary though so that might help.

Have you managed to find that lightweight jacket @Trickedbyadoughnut ? I've got one I've had for years from Skins but I checked their site and unfortunately they don't seem to have anything similar. Such a shame you lost yours, so frustrating!

Week done on the 10k @Hawkerslife, one of my friends did it and described it as undulating. An understatement I think!

You're in a great place @Ponks - not long now!

That's a very interesting point on the parkrun changes @BogRollBOGOF - I'd heard rumours they were making progress in restarting in France but it sounds very complex.

Fantastic week @OhOneOhTwoOhThree! Amazing how some sun helps.

I like the 3 min run/1 min walk ratio @gm2023. That's what I used for all my original HM training and it's my default. I find 30seconds/30 a bit jerky for me. I'm at 11/12 min miles at the moment and I think I would find zone 2 a struggle too without walking. My next half is September so I'm trying to get my 5km times down now and then I'll see how zone 2 is looking when I start half training.

Welcome @foxychox - what distance is your ultra HM?

I enjoyed parkrun on Saturday and I'm seeing some slow improvements in my pace. It was very crowded though as a lot of our local ones were flooded out again.

When I jeffed my marathon last year, running 90/60:30 kept my heart rate down on the training runs. I also kept my running pace slower than my usual. My natural pace is in the 6min/km zone and I kept it down to 7min/kms which is a strategy I hadn't really used before. I went for that approach to stop an old injury flaring, but it worked really well for zone 2 training and was good for my VO² max.

My heart rate has come down a lot over the years. When I started, it always pinged up to 155bpm straight away, and I can manage it down in the 130s now.

Confusingly, Garmin names its zones differently to normal, so the ideal place to be on a Garmin watch is Z2-Z3, which is more realistic than pure Z2 by Garmin standards as that's too low. Putting on a HR alert is a useful feature.

Garmin zones (black screen) vs calculator (not sure which way round they'll show up)

It feels better for me than continuous running at the moment so it’s what I am planning to do for longer runs. I don’t mind running continuously in a group though. I was listening to the Women’s Running Podcast and the host Esther ran a half marathon recently with “runswithemily” who got a PB doing 3 min running, 1 min walking. The other host Holly did Paris Half last year 5 min running, 1 min walking so I am trying to embrace it as a strategy, something plenty of people do and not feel guilty about it. I don’t want to feel like a wally at the start line! Couch to 5K was all about getting me to run continuously and I have to mentally unpick some of that to go back to running intervals! But I’ll carry on running with my running club and build up the rest. I want to have a good time and be injury free.

My half training starts the first week of June and in the meantime I’m working on running between 5KM and 10KM. Running club basically takes a lot of the thinking away as they plan two of my three runs a week and tell me how far to go on the third! I’m enjoying listening to audiobooks now when I go out.

Hi @gm2023 - I'm mostly run/walk - 10 running/2 walking, as that's what works for me. I'd rather walk regularly from the beginning than feel like I'm giving in if I need a walk break later in the run. I much prefer hills and trails, and it's sometimes impossible to run them all.

@chutneypig 15 miles 😱. I've done the distance before but 7 years ago. I did a 12 mile run last Sunday so training is on track. My only hope is that my trusty Hoka Arahis last out! I bought a pair of new style Arahis a year or so ago and tried them on a progression run 2 weeks ago. I found them a lot less flexible and they caused pain in my Achilles, so sticking to the old ones for the race! I've bought some enertor insoles to try and refurb them a bit. Will try them on a short run on Thursday....

good luck to all running/training today!

@ponks I might get myself a tshirt made with "Mad woman shuffling" on it 😆Well done you for sticking it out for the 12 miles too

@BogRollBOGOF yes, I hadn't thought about the whole medical certificate thing - but when I went to the doctor last year she wouldn't give me the certificate straight away as my blood pressure was a bit high (I have POTS so it tends to shoot up and down, which is in my medical records) and I had to go away and do home measurements before I'd get it, so I think that may have played on my mind a bit too.

Interestingly, I have a friend who's signed up to the 10K at the Marathon du Mont Blanc this year and they are allowing "self-certification" of health for runners - if they get away with that with no problems, I imagine it would be good news for Parkrun over here.

@foxychox Welcome! My HM is mid-April and it feels like it's coming up quickly. Fingers crossed your shoes make it!

@gm2023 I followed RunswithMilly on Insta - before I unfollowed all runners! Nothing against her, she seems lovely - and it is making me consider a run/walk strategy. The thing is, I really enjoy running non stop, but I'm pretty sure I would be faster run/walking!

@chutneypig I am hanging around Vinted hoping that a Kiprun jacket I've seen (out of stock on the website and stores) will pop up, and if necessary DH has dug out his packable jacket - it's a men's XXL, but it still fits in my pocket so will do the job as necessary and has the advantage of being free!

On the subject of running expense, I've just ordered the Saucony Tempus to try as the shop didn't have my size. My NB 860s are decent for easy and long runs, the Prisms feel great for speed/tempo and my legs recover much better than with the 860s but I think are a bit too soft for a HM, so I'm really hoping the Tempus will hit the sweet spot of being the perfect HM shoe. I can try them on the treadmill in the shop once they arrive, can't wait.