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.

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree hope it went well today!

Thank you @chutneypig @brooksghost and @Jumbojem . I'll check them both out.

I'm a bit nervous because I have never run on a treadmill before!

Thanks for the good wishes!

I wasn't last! 17.3 miles by my watch.

It was blooming tough, very hilly and we had some interesting weather - including a hailstorm, drizzle, bright sunshine, cloud and wind. I wore my trails, which was the right thing because I needed the grip, but OMG the blisters. I'd have dropped out if I wasn't run/walking with my friend. We were on track for the cut off for the first half, but for slower towards the end. My feet are wrecked.

Rather than medal or a tee-shirt we all got a nice cup of tea, some home made cake and a warm hat at the finish - a far more useful memento than most.

So 27.3 in the bag this week. No more running until Tuesday.

Wow, well done @OhOneOhTwoOhThree that sounds quite a tough race! Nice goodies at the end though. Enjoy your rest days.

Well done@OhOneOhTwoOhThree , sounds like a tough run so hope your feet get to recover in the next few days. Lik the sound of cake and a hat at the finish!

Just did a slow 5 miles this morning, feel a bit lost now I've done the HM, need something to aim for. Might aim to improve my 10k time then another half in the autumn.

Completed the Eastleigh 10k this morning in 54.55. I'm really pleased with that time, it was a sprint finish at the end to get sub 55 and I heaved a bit at the finish near a tree! (Tmi!)

I completed my first 10k race in many years last October and did it in 1hr 2 mins so I'm really chuffed in the progress I've seen.

The Southampton half/10k is 2 weeks today and might enter one of those but not sure which. Possible the half with the intention of treating it like a easy long run...bit pricy though at £45..that's what's putting me off.

Hope everyone is having a good Sunday racing and running!!

@OhOneOhTwoOhThree well done! If a trail race doesn't have you questioning your life choices, is it even a trail race?

I don't know what socks you have, but I have dyshidrotic eczema which gives me small blisters all over my feet, and I have double skin socks which are the only thing that keep me running. I have Thyo ones, but there are lots out there. Just in case that helps.

@Hawkerslife wow, that's really good progress since October.

This is brilliant - well done! I’ve signed up for my first 10K in May and I’m hoping to do it in 1h20m. I managed a 37:30 5K yesterday - my best time yet - so consistency is paying off. I’m just plugging away but quite happy with where I am from a standing start in October.

That 5K felt fine and I wasn’t overly pushing the pace so I’m feeling optimistic about the future. I’ve downloaded the Run with Hal app to structure my training over the next 8 weeks and to get me up to 10K. I’m largely ignoring the midweek runs as just going to my running club twice a week will be enough to cover the suggested miles but it’s given me some distances to cover on Saturdays: 3, 3.5, 4, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5 and then the race! Broken down like that it feels doable but time will tell. There’s a two hour cut-off so as long as I run the first 5K I’ve told myself I’ll finish just by walking the rest!

@Trickedbyadoughnut this is the best quote on trails I've seen for ages!! "If a trail race doesn't have you questioning your life choices, is it even a trail race?" So true.

Sounds like it was a tough one @OhOneOhTwoOhThree, great work. The trails shoes versus blisters is one my sons still contemplating after our event earlier this month. Mind you he did wear his school socks 

That is fantastic @Hawkerslife - very well done to you.

The 10k sounds a very sensible progression @gm2023 - such a good feeling when you're making progress like that.

And I forgot to say that I made some progress with the zone 2 running in my long run 82 per cent of my run was in zone 1 and 2. I had started listening to the Infinite Monkey Cage podcast from the beginning and apparently engaging my brain slows my legs down ... I don't know what that says about my brainpower (or lack of it)! Still, for once I didn't have to look at my watch too much to stay in zone 2.

Well done all on your achievements!
I'm finding running hard at the moment. After a great 8 miler the week before every run last week was an absolute slog, even the easy pace. Did my goal pace repeats and just couldn't maintain the pace yesterday.
So I am delaying entering the 10k at the end of April as just can't face it at the mo.

Hahahaha @Trickedbyadoughnut love it! I shall bear that in mind next time I’m out on the trails.

Well done @Hawkerslife! That’s a great improvement.

Sounds like the training is paying off @gm2023. Well done.

Thanks for the sock advice. The only other time I’ve had blisters was last year on the Thames Path when it was that crazy hot weekend in September. I’ll look into some new socks. TBH I hadn’t worn the trail shoes in ages and have probably never gone that far in them before. I might try to wear them in a bit on shorter runs.

@Jumbojem hope you get you run-jo back again soon.

I'm sorry to hear that @Jumbojem - could the weather be a factor? I really found it much harder at parkrun last week and I figured it was because I was generally cold. I'd been enjoying the sunnier weather.

That's encouraging about the HR training @Trickedbyadoughnut. I'm feeling in a much better place running at the moment so I'm going to start on the 80/20 approach for some base training before I get stuck into the HM plan.

Sun made for a lovely parkrun today, we went to a new course and had a great breakfast after.

My training has gone completely off the boil. DS has had a run of health issues that were causing planning and consistency issues, plus generally uninspiring weather contributing to runs feeling more chore than fun. It's all gone conpletely AWOL in the last couple of weeks as I'm supposed to be reaching peak milage as he ended up needing surgery. He's recovering well now so hopefully I can get my milage back up to a sensible level in the next month. At least it's trail so not pb chasing, but I'd like to race it comfortably.

More sunshine and warmth wouldn't go amiss!

Hope your DS is OK. It sounds like you’ve been dealing with so much lately.

Not bad weather here today! I’ve only been running since October and I was absolutely boiling on my mid-afternoon 5K. I’m not sure how I’m going to cope with the summer at this rate! I ran another 37:30ish 5K on a different route and each mile was slightly faster than the last so I think I’ve found a sustainable pace for me over this distance. Can’t believe I’m running 12 minute miles comfortably now when 13 minute miles were all I could stomach last month. I’m sure I’ll slow a little as the distance increases to six miles but the first week of my training plan has gone well. Just have to keep plugging away so I’m ready for this 10K in May! Hoping that’ll give me a solid base for half-marathon training then.

@BogRollBOGOF I hope everything with DS is now improving.

I did my 10 mile race. I was aiming for consistent miles but the wind was really strong on the exposed parts of the course so I didn't manage any consistency whatsoever!
Anyway, a PB by 3mins with a 10km (post kids) PB thrown in as well! Ave pace was 6:55 which I'm really pleased with...thank you zone 2!
2 weeks until my half marathon...I now have more of an idea what I could do though the thought of another 3.1 miles after the 10miler is a bit daunting!

That's a lot on your plate @BogRollBOGOF - I hope your son is the mend now, it's such a worry when they're not well and it sounds like it's been a long stretch.

That's really great about the endurance side @gm2023, feeling that type of progress is so rewarding when you know your on track.

Fantastic work @brooksghost. On an entirely selfish note it's so encouraging to hear how positive the zone 2 running has been for your pace.

Well done to everyone on the PBs and speed improvements.

I am currently going backwards after what was either a cold or Covid and no run at all for 9 days now. Blah! Hopefully I don't lose too much.

Thanks for all of the support here, ultra HM completed last Saturday! I wanted to do it in 3 hours but ended up a little over, so I am disappointed in that but glad that it is done! Shoes just about held out and am breaking my new ones in now. Good luck to all those with races coming up!

Well done @foxychox - you did it and it if was anything like my race last weekend you had every kind of weather in the three hours you were out!

Sorry you have been poorly @CatherineMaitland, hopefully you have enough base fitness to make a good comeback.

Brilliant work @brooksghost, you are just getting better and better. Shows the importance of consistent training.

@gm2023 excellent progress, you are doing really well.

@BogRollBOGOF so sorry to hear about your son. Hope he is faking a good recovery and back to full health soon. A worrying time for all concerned.

We (Dh and I) were supposed to run the Kew Half today, but decided mid last week to ditch it. We're both shattered after a busy time for both of us at work, and when I realised that it was also clock change weekend it was just too much to getup and get there in time for an 8.20 start (hadn't clocked that when I booked it!). I have run 3 x 5 milers this week, including my fastest parkrun of the year so far yesterday (maybe the one mile warm up run helped). Doubling up on socks really helped, so thank you for the suggestions. I still need to run half marathon distance tomorrow as part of my plan for my July event, so will be doing it on my own tomorrow instead of in a big crowd.

@foxychox @brooksghost congratulations on your events!

What a mixed bag of weather we're having @chutneypig you might be into something saying loss of mojo is weather related. I had a great just over 8 mile run on Saturday. It was a run home after being dropped off in town, so no dull out and back. I took scenic route along the "sea front" the tide was in (Severn estuary so when it's out its basically just miles of mud), sunny but cool breeze so perfect run conditions. Lots and lots of other runners, cyclists and everyone happy. I really like these long easy runs, I hate the ones where I have to push pace!
@OhOneOhTwoOhThree I'm with you on the not wanting to get up crazy early for events. A friend asked if I wanted to do a 10k event on Exmoor but it would be at an hour and a half to get to there and need to leave so early to make the start. So I said no, mind you I can't even be bothered to get up early enough to make parkrun. I'm in awe of the early morning runners, especially in the dark winter months. Firmly a 10am runner here, bit of toast and tea in bed before heading out!

Fantastic @foxychox! That's a huge achievement.

I hope you're feeling better soon @CatherineMaitland

Water always makes for a better run I think. A point to point is definitely a good thing for a long run, must remember that. Thanks @Jumbojem!

That was a crazy early start @OhOneOhTwoOhThree - sometimes you've just got to be sensible, especially with the clocks changing.

I tried to start the HR plan today but hadn't set my zones properly for running, so it was super slow! Will try again tomorrow, it's only a 20 minute one. I'm on holiday this week so trying to get back to good habits after a hectic start to the year.

Hi all, cranked out a horribly slow 13 miles (I ran the same route 20 minutes faster two years ago - thank you Strava!). I think I want out too soon after breakfast and didn't ever get into my groove. Quite a bit of mud and standing water in places thanks to all the rain we've been having.

Enjoy your holiday @chutneypig!

@Jumbojem I'm an early morning runner a couple of times a week as it's the only time I can fit it in before work, but an early start and a long drive made no sense at all.

Have a good week everyone!

I'm back on it. 11 miles done by Jeffing and my body got into it which was good after finding some recent runs heavy-legged and uninspiring. It's good to be back in the HM-ready zone.

Normally I find it quite straight forwards to ramp up from 10k to 10mi, but it's been a slog this year despite good fitness.

I have also been out jeffing today. My Run with Hal plan keeps telling me to run 8:10-8:40 min/km but I have one fairly plodding pace at the moment (around 12 minute miles). I’ve been fascinated by women I’ve seen in various running groups online covering huge distances by running 15 seconds, walking 30 seconds and repeating it. I gave it a go today and did 5km at 8:20 min/km pace. The app keeps telling me I am ill-disciplined so hopefully this will please the algorithm a little now! I still prefer running for longer but this was a bonus run so gave myself the chance to experiment.

Training for my 10K (which will take me up to my half marathon training plan really nicely) is going well and I’m beginning to feel confident I’ll be able to do my 75-80 min goal. This weekend I have to do my first “long” (hah!) run of 5.5km. I’m looking forward to covering some longer distances now.