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First Time Half Marathoners

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    Hey all - not done anything since I went out on Sunday morning.  Not sure how far we went but was out for about 2.5 hours so hopefully something over 10 or I'll be a bit disappointed.  Bloomin exhausted though!

    Am going out tonite for a shorter mid-week 'need to get out and do something' run as my Tuesday buddy is on holiday.  Lacking a bit of motivation but will be fine later on (she hopes....)

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    well looks like folks are doing ok.

     i did a couple of my old 10K (6 1/4 m)  routes this week both in 74 minutes so slowish for me but at least the holiday hasn't done much damage. switching up to 8 mile runs this week will then throw in weekly long slows again soon . last time i ramped up way too quickly and nearly did me knees in.

     going to lose a weeks training as work has me off to batam next month but running under equatorial conditions cant be too much worse than running in the med can it? its not yet wet season down there so humidity shouldn't be toooooooo bad.

    anyhow swimming tomorrow and then the first time running 8 miles in a while on thursday.

    was it just me or was it COLD this morning - at least i only got rained on for about 10 mins  - took ages to warm up. that said over all i prefer running in cooler to cold. weather goes on like this and its back to me montane running jacket.

     still hoping to run cardiff in 2 and half but this might be optimistic - we shall see. still need to bring my pace up just a squeak as well as the distance and time grows short...

    later all

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    Evening all image

    Toe dipping again ... got a stinking cold and feeling sorry for myself ! HM in 1 week today and I'm woefully unprepared.

    I managed to walk / run 11.64 miles on Thursday night, the good bit was I didn't ache the next day, the bad bit is how sloooooow I am. I found it really hard to keep myself motivated. Part of it may have been due to the impending cold, as when I came home, I had a bath, then started to shiver and shake all over and then throw up ... 

     Oh well, what will be, will be, I guess.

     My aim, is:

    a) To finish

    b) 3hrs .....

     I'm fairly confident about a) , b) I'm not so sure about.

    Equally not sure what to do about running / training / gym with this cold. My instinct is to rest and let my body get rid of it as quickly as humanely possible. But, oh I don't know ....

    Tomorrow, DH, DD and I are going to do a drive around the course, as he wants to see if/where he can get to, to cheer me on, pick me off the tarmac., etc. !

    Yes ... I am scared, LOL !!

    image

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    walk / plodded 8 miles tonight for the first time this distance since i almost did me knees in. thursday didnt happen due to laziness and a evening of drinking image

    only 93 minutes but that should be sub 90 when i give it a better go on monday. swimming tomorrow.

    Zed, take it a bit easy mate - dont want to be doing too much in the last few days before the HM and with a cold to boot. give yerself a break , enjoy the event, not much point doing it if you dont, an you wont do another.  get around uninjured and aim to beat that time next year.

     later tater.

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    Hi!

    Any advice for a HM Virgin!

     Doing the Run to the Beat HM in 4 weeks and training has been a bit slack over the summer so now I am panic training and am way behind image

    I done 8 miles yesterday  1 hour 23 mins, longest run to date - ever!!

    I know I should be tapering soon however I have it in my head that I still want to aim for at least a 10 miler and an 11 or 12 miler before race day, but that leaves very little time for tapering.

    Any advice welcome for a nervous, scared HM Virgin!

    Clare

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    Hi there Clare,

    I am sorry, but being a woefully unprepared HM virgin myself, with a week to go, I have absolutely no advice, except ... don't push it too hard.

    I'm going on the premise that I know, know, know (I hope!) that I can walk 13.1 miles, so running some of it is achievable, so finished ought to be obtainable.

     With that in mind, I'm "ok-ish" .. obviously I'd love to be able to ace it, but realistically I know that isn't possible.

    I have 2 aims, as stated above .. 1. to finish and 2. to do under 3hrs.

     And again, as I stated, 1. ought to be achievable, 2., I'm not so sure about ... 

    I don't know what your personal aim is, but as others have said, I'm going to attempt to enjoy it, finish it, and at least know that whatever time I do .. will be my "first" PB image

    Run to the beat looks an ace event, I have a friend who ran it in 2008 and loved it, the atmosphere was ace ... 

    As opposed to the one I'm doing, whereby apparently it's across a lot of housing estates with not a lot of support ... that could be interesting image

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    again hm virgin here lol. but i train quite a lot and training to get into the army

    i think your best bet is to rest the week before as youl run your best when your feeling good, if you go out in that last week and o over on your ankle then all your hard work has gone out of the window, if you can run 8 miles, then i think youl be fine, thats well over half way image worse omes to worse then walk for a mile at like the 7 mile marker and you should find that rest along with the atmosphere on he day youl get through the rest of the race, but a lot of people panic, and overdo it the week before, so chillout for a bit, before the rece, and if it helps at all, when i want to walk during a run i have 3 different phrases i use to get myself going again (along with a decent playlist lol) and they are

    pain is only weaknees leaving the body

    the difference between the possible and the impossible lies in a persons determination

    failure is not an option

     theyre a little extreme i know lol, but it keeps me going and when i get in and my dad asks if ran non stop no matter how slow i go i feel proud to say yeah i did image

    i ran 8 miles yesterday, longest run to date and did it in 93 mins, but i wasnt breathless at the end, my legs were hurting and my knees feel like theyve been done in today :/ so ive had to take a day of circuit training with bmf as i know theyd have made me sprint toniht and then id be out of it for the whole week :/

    but good luck with your hms image im sure youl both ace em, and look at it this way, no matter the time you finish in itl be a pb image

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    Hi Zed

    Good luck with your HM! Glad to know I am not the only one who has completely lacked in training!

    My only aim is to get round alive, and set a bench mark for a new PB next HM.  Shold be easy as this first time PB aint gonna be great!  Under 2 and a half hours would be great - but not sure if that is possible!

    Thanks Knowsely!

    My bro is/was in the army and he is doing the HM with me yet hasnt been for a run in god knows how long (well, not with e anyhoo!) as he has a good fitness level through army training too.

    Widh I could be someone who knows that they can go and run a HM withlittle training and not stressing about the act I havent followed a training schedule despite all my good intentions a few months ago.

    Well, aiming for a 9-10 miler this week.  Longest run EVER (if I do it)

    Im just worried about the lactic acid build up that i wont be used to.

    In 4 weeks it will all be over and I can stop stressing about it!

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    like i said, difference between the possible and the impossible lies in a persons determination lol,

    sweett, what did he do in the army?

    and yeah it would be great to just wake up and think i wanna run 13 miles toda and off you pop lol, but then again, getting up at 4 am to do pt :/ lol

     but then again, anyone who can run a hm no matter how much training is still pretty sweet image,  so good on ya XD

    and good luck for the long run, have you tried running with an mp3 player/ipod? its supposed to detract 30% of pain you feel when running so worth a try if you dont... also tell as many people as you can how far youre going where youre going to run and how long you reckon itl take, that way youre less likely to not go,

    ive just realised your hm is on the same day as mine lol, and the longest run ive done is 8 miles in 92 mins as well, and my plan is to add between 1 and 2 miles every sunday and so the week before il be on between 12 and 14 miles, so il have the distance in my legs, and still have the following week to relax a bit before the race, along with a mid distance in mid week and a speed session (usually hill sprints as mine is all uphill for the last 5 miles or summite lol) so, youve got plenty of time to get yourself back on track, i too am hoping for a sub 2.30 time, so we can heelp keep each other motivated lol image

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    Good luck everyone!!!!

     I'm doing my HM on Sunday in Glasgow but have been struggling this last week. Went for a run yesterday but only managed 4 miles before work. Planning to go out tomorrow for a short run just to keep the legs moving but not planning to run until Sunday after that. Is this OK or should I try for a longer run tomorrow? I can't get the diea of tapering into my head and feel I should be still running up unitl the day of the race!

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    Hi Knowlesy!

    My bro was in the army air core for about 6 years and officially leaves on 6th Sept this year as he is starting college and going to Uni next year. 

    I always run with Ipod - hate listening to myself huff and puff and also helps me feel less self concious as I am less aware abnout what/who is around and can see me sweating like a pig and puffing away!  Not so good safety wise but hey.  Also run with a cap on for the same reason - makes me feel more hidden from public eyes!!!!

    Where is your HM then?  Do you train on your own or with someone/club?

    I'm a loner runner - feel like I hold people back when I run with others so I push myself too far and die before I normally do!

    Helga - good luck with your HM! I know what you mean about Tapering! I feel like I should be running for miles up to the race but my training plan that I should have been following reckons I need to start tapering now - but I still wanna get 2 long runs in!  Guess the idea is to prevent injury before the race.  That is my biggest fear as I still need to run further than I ever have therefore the risk of injury is greater than ever - not the best timing huh?!

    Clare

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    hey mrs k image

    im totally the same with the ipod, if i can hear myself breathe its soo off putting as im usually breathing outta my a#rse after 2 mins haha, but yeah i can put my ipod on and ust let the wrld go by lol

    my hm is in anglesey, the last 5miles all uphill, so its kind be a mind over matter thing to keep going im thinking lol, but gona have such a sense of achievement itl get past the line lol

    and nah im a lone anti social runner lol, i took a  couple of friends out with me before when i could only un a couple of miles and my friends couldnt run at all, so it was me pulling them along all be it very slowly haha, but im quite the anti social runner as i cnt carry on a convo as i sound like a donkey when i try haha

     but i do go to something called bmf which is good fun, its more like interval training and circuit training all rolled into one, such good fun its held in parks throughout the uk and its really sociable as well, but i find im struggling to keep up with  the top runners and instead of lagging behind il push too quickly and end up feelingsick, but coz its short bursts of intensive training with breaks so theres always time to recover so its not too bad, but yeah worth a try they got me from absoletuley no fitness to  miles and then ive put the extra work in from there, image

    and cool, the army air corps is prety sweet, i couldnt deicde between pilot and musician, but as id already started my musciian app i stuckwith them and then il transfer into the pt corps once im in, thats the plan anyway haha image

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    Hiya everyone

    Good luck to everyone for your races.

    Helga, one of my friends is doing the Glasgow one too, so I'll be thinking about you on Sunday.

    I'm still not back into the swing of things as my knee is still playing up a bit, but I've done it.  Just entered my first half.  Thankfully not until 22nd May next year in Edinburgh, so should be fighting fit by then.

    Been so busy at work, so just not had time to catch up.

    I will do my best to get online more often.

    Speak to you all soon.

    C xx

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    Morning all! Just a quick post as I'm definitely about to get out for a run! Finally got both children back to school(s) this morning - although 1 school just rang to tell me I've sent son in with a packed lunch, and I'd already ordered him a hot dinner for today - back in July. How's that for being over-organised!!! Done a bit of work, and now determined to get out for a 10 miler. Nice & flat (so back on the cycle track!) and if I struggle with that then I need to think seriously about whether I can / should actually run Chippenham. Wish me luck! Will reeead all the posting laterimage
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    GL for Sunday Helga

    Ran on Tuesday and was planning to do 8-10 miles, but after 3 didn't feel it happening. Stopped at 4.5 miles so i can give it another go Sunday morning. Legs were fine next day though. The recent warmer weather defo made a difference

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    B&T - hope you got on okay today, keep us posted.

    Helga - good luck for Sunday

    Pegleg - don't worry about it, we all get our off days.  I'm not so good in the warmer weather, so I'm looking foward to when it gets a little colder (not too cold though!)

    Off out tonight for a short run to test out my knee.  All going well can do a couple of miles on Saturday, then back into the swing of things next week.

    Will catch up later.

    C xx

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    B+T let us know how you get on image

    Pegleg... im the same the warmer weather puts me right off... i prefer to run in the rain if i can lol,

    and corrah, hope youre knee is getting better image

    havent done much running this week... got loads of overtime this week due to loads of peeps calling in sick... the mysterious bank holiday illnesses lol

    but i did get out to do some circuit training and skipping... such good fun lol image and also a timed 1.5 miles for the army, i got 14.56 i was a lil disapointed tbh as my last time was 15.20 and its taken 4 weeks to get it down by 30 secs, but i gotta get it down by at least 1.30  so im looking at december, at the latest, but my app will expire in jan which means starting and waiting all over again, its just ive worked so hard to get to this point itl be so fustrating to get deferred for this :/ o well lol il get there soon

    hope the training is good image

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    Knowlesy you will get there!!  I know u canimage

    And I am with you with running in the rain - was lush when I went out and it started raining.  Have wanted to rain in the rain ever since - damn weather cant make its mind up...

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    Well my knee held up.  Seems that I might have to spend some time strengthening it but only did a short run just over a mile.

    Will do more on Saturday morning, but just going to get back into things very gently.

    C xx

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    Managed my 10 miler, but boy it was hurting for the last 2 miles. Not in a 'strained something' way, just in a worn out way. Thank heavens I've got mentally tougher since I started running! Corrah - take it gently with your knee. Knowsley - you'll get there with your speed - keep at it!
    Pegleg - hope you have a better run at the weekend.
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    B & T - Congratulations on your 10 miler image

    Corrah - Good luck in getting your knee right.

    Just started running again over the last two weeks. Damaged my left knee running 10K at Delemere in July, I struggled to walk up and down stairs for a few days.

    When I started to run again, it was with a limp. Thankfully It seems to holding up now, but I had to defer my half in October at Warringtonimage

    Good luck everyone with their training / races.

     

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    Hi Goatersleftboot,

    Great that you've started running again - but the limp doesn't sound too good. Good idea to defer your half - is there another race you can enter to keep yourself motivated?

    Aiming to get out for a "quick" (its all relative!) 6 miles today, and then just an easy 3 miles later in the week and that's it for my rubbish training for my Half. Will just have to keep my fingers crossed and pray for a burst fo speed and stamina on the day! Just been warned about 2 big holes that have opened up in one of the roads on the course that are due to badgers - will be watching out for them, I can tell you!!

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    Badgers .. eek, that's a bit of a challenge !

    Well, yesterday, was my first HM image I started well, but had a major issue between miles 9 and 10, which caused me to walk the rest of the way. Wondered if anyone else here has had similar .... probably aimed more to the females amongst us ...

     I was well hydrated before the race, I took with me my runners bottle with lucozade powder in it, I drank from each of the water stations, I stopped to use the loo at mile 6 and (sorry if this is TMI!) well, it still looked as if my hydration was fine ... but about half way through mile 9, I got that dreadful feeling in my lower abdomen, that feeling of needing to go to the loo urgently, that dreadful cystitis feeling ... which got worse and worse, I stopped for another loo break .. and sure enough ... nothing, nada, just the feeling of needing to ... and about a mile on, again I tried, with same results. It was worse when I ran, so I walked ... when I finished, I crumpled.

     Since getting home I've been on the old cystitis sachets and drinking water like it's going out of fashion, and I'm feeling an awful lot better.

     However, this is the 2nd time this has happened after a long run ... has it happened to anyone else? Is it dehydration, how can I prevent it ??

    Anyway, onto happier talk ... I did it in 3:03:02 image So, even with walking I only missed my target my 3mins .. and I was really pleased with the first 9 miles image

    Right, time to start planning for San Fran, as I've 8wks and counting !!!!!!

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    Morning everyone,

     Managed to complete my HM yesterday in Glasgow in 2:39. A bit disappointed that Ic couldn't hit my target of 2:30 but really pleased that I finished it. Had to walk for a couple of short spells towards the end but managed to muster up the strength to run the last mile and make sure I was running for the finish photo.

    The atmosphere was great and I perhaps "peaked" before I started and got caught up in the moment. There I was at the start with my hydration drink, gels, biscuit bar, mobile phone and ipod, thinking I was needing a rucksack! The hill start soon decreased my enthusiasm. The crowds were really good with some spectators getting their garden hoses out when it became really hot as the monring wore on. It was lovely to run under the spray of the water.

    My two running buddies also managed to finish, one in 2:42 and the other in 3:23. I managed to have enough energy to go back and walk the last half mile again with Mandy to make sure she finished and was running for her photo shoot at the finish.

    We are now looking to see what our next challenge will be. 

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    well done guys! bet your buzzing now youve completed this... and both in cracking times XD youve inspired me to train that little bit harder now as well image

    and well done to your friends helga, its one hell of an achievement to get round a half marathon image

    missed my long run yesterday, but i have training tonight so im not too bothered, as my long runs usualy see me resting for a day possibley two with no exercise at all, so am going to go tomorrow instead as im working wed so i can have wed as my rest day. I have 10 miles planned, i think if i can get round 10 miles then im confident il be able to get the course, ive done it so the lat couple of miles are all uphill good practise for the real thing :/ lol

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    imageimageimageimage Well Done Zed and Helga!!!! You are now half marathoners!!!!! Zed - I've not had exactly the same, but I have had a very uncomfortable feeling sometimes on a long run, almost like thrush (charming!). Not found out what it is, but its been better since the weather's got a bit cooler. If its happened a few times, might be worth going to the Drs to get checked out for a UTI? These things can linger, and then might be aggravated by running / getting over heated / even slightly dehydrated on a long run???

    Helga - loving the image of needing a rucksack!  And loving the enthusiasm of working out your next challenge!!

     Knowlsley - sounds like you have a good plan for your runs this weekimage

    Ran 5.5m this morning, tried to go a bit quicker (11MM pace), and really tired myself out. So I know I can't managed 11MM in the HM and have saved myself the humiliation of starting off too fast and crashing & burning.

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    Congrats on completing your halfs guys, VVWD

    I was due to have  a run this morning along the seafront but was very windy so wimped out. Will be doing a run tomorrow evening instead. Due to rain but I actually like running in the rain.

    Got a couple of running tops at the weekend, a long sleeved and a short sleeved. Only Karrimors but were only a fiver each.

    Think i'm gonna get a Garmin 205, i'm quite keen to get an even pace and fairly accurate distance to my runs

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    Have been lurking in the forums for a few weeks now and figured it was time I made a contribution.

    I have entered my first HM The Silverstone HM in March. I have not run at all since 2004 and that was only to get to the pub quicker image

    I have not really been following a proper schedule but am running about 3 to 4 miles 3 times a week. I have hit a bit of a wall just don't seem to be getting any quicker or longer image Has anyone else experienced this ?



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    Matty .. as a newly virgin busting HM'er ....

    Build on your distance .,,,, 

    And don't worry about your time ..

    Next March is eons away .. so perhaps this week instead of doing 4.... do 4.5 ...  

    Go on, give it a go image

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    Hi all

    Well done to those of you who completed any HMs over the weekend.  I completed my first HM on Sunday in Bristol and really enjoyed it! 2hrs 24 so very chuffed with that!

    I was just wondering, how soon can I start jogging again? Really keen to get back out there but my legs are still hurting from Sunday, was hoping to go out Wed morning...

     Any advice greatly appreciated image

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