GULP just entered my first half marathon

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  • Forgive me I have sinned?

    Getting back in the grove - Excellent little ones birthday such a joy apart from the 3.30 early morning call.  Not much running but managed 3 miles of intervals on treadmill Wednesday,  this morning just run up my hill (for punishment) managed it and could of gone on. 

     Happy and healthy new year to all.

  • Did the 10 miler as planned (infact 10.28 miles she says smugly).  Scoffed my roast dinner with a clear conscience.  All went very well.  Most of the route was the same as I did this time last year (apart from the extra 3 miles I tagged on to make up the distance).  It was great as there are certain bits I remember walking last year and being knackered at, and this time it was so much easier and I even cranked the pace up for the last 3 miles.

    4 miles tomorrow and a rest on Saturday (and "oh joy" a trip to the Pantomime)

     Well done DC for getting up your hill, great to hear it went well!

    Signing off smugly to watch Shrek 2.

    we

  • A very Happy and Healthy New Year to you all.

    Susiebe, hope the knee holds out, scary how quick the time is going!

    Saltpot I still have stilton left. O. Trying to resist.........

    MTP hope you get better soon, I love swimming but find it so cccccold when I get out at the local swimming baths, showers are always freezing too. Also, there is a tendency to either get jumped on by kids or else we get ladies doing widths or just standing in the middle chattering to negotiate! Guess I need to find a different pool...........

    Darren is this THE hill that was just casually chatted about several pages ago? WWHHHOOOOPPPEEE image and Happy Birthday to your small person

    Foxy, watch out...........HE'S BEHIND YOU. Bet that made you jump! Managed my easy 3 miler easily today so looks like i'm back in the swing apart from the slight excess of food still being consumed. I have been wondering about doing the Run to the Beat half in london in september however I think I should probably wait and see how Brentwood goes in march. No point trying to run before i can walk and all that image

    HAPPY NEW YEAR (again)

  • Just back from a 3.5 mile run.Took my time as not worried about my speed just want to build up my fitness again.Knee feeling fine,I have invested in a neoprene knee support which doesn't offer much support but keeps the knee warm.I think its helps a bit but probably its a bit psychological!

    One thing I have definatly found is since I've had this injury I've been stretching and strengthening like mad and can really feel the difference now when I run.My ankles and knees(both of them) feel so much stronger,like the muscles are being much better supported.Before the injury I was probably a bit lazy doing my stretches so in some ways my dodgy knee has been a blessing and has now better equipt me to be a better and stronger runner.
  • Good point Susiebe, I have to confess to not stretching properly most of the time............

    I tried knee supports once but found they rolled over and I couldn't get them to stay put image

    Checked out the Run to the Beat website and nearly entered but at the last minute I checked out posts on this site and it got really bad ratings last year so holding fire at the moment..............

  • Well done Susiebe; agree totally re the stretching and strengthening; if I don't look after my knees, I get a warningtwinge from my ankle (yes really) and if I ignore that......image

    Did my 4 miler today as planned, very hard after yesterday (which was supposed to have been easy but I ran at  a steady pace) so explained why today was like running through treacle.  treated myself to a new IPOD shuffle and just reloaded the stuff from the old dead one- weird music I have to run to but can say "Waterloo" is quite uplifting, but Marillion/Fish is less so; may have to update it a bit.  Any good suggestions?  Robbie "Let me entertain you is good".

    Stop trying to scare my Julia- it worked; it's Dick Wittington tomorrow and then some intervals on Sunday, with hopefully so extra mileage at the end to keep the distance record up.

    Are you following the sub 2.15 schedule?  I am but often go faster/further so have been comparing it with the sub-2 hr (a girl can dream!) and wondering if it's too later to change with 5 weeks to go.  There's not a massive difference, but maybe I'd be better off doing what I am now, than cranking it up "officially" and ending up in the seried masses of the injured........

     SP- finally banished the stilton to the freezer, still Xmas cake left; there's really no hope for good dietary habits until after Monday when we all go back to school.

  • Hey Foxy - we're at Dick Wittingon tomorrow too - weird!
  • Not Salisbury?  If so I'll sneak some stilton in..........
  • Nope - afraid not - I'm in Lancashire - although for stilton it may be worth the trip!! x
  • We have to travel for ours, it's my home town and my Dad treats the cubs (and us of course- yippee!)  Not quite as far as Lancashire though.
  • Just back from a longer run including my hill 7.5 miles (that hill is now well and truely conquered onto the next) Isn't it suprising how quick you can improve.

     Anyhow you Garmin 305 girls just ordered mine today any tips?

    Take care it's quite slippy in places.

    Darren

  • Happy new year everybody!

    Sorry for disappearing almost as soon as I had entered this thread - I'm so busy holidaying and stuffing my face with all sorts of christmas goodies, it's unbelievable. Only went running twice or so during the past 3 weeks, but one of them was superb: a clear and sunny winter morning, crisp frost on the trees and bushes and a beautiful forest. Other than that, I have gained a hole in my belt in the meantime and a lovely selection of chocolates to take home.

    Some of you have thir halfs coming up real soon, it seems, though I have to say I lost track of when everybody's are. Good luck with the training! (I still haven't entered, still not sure whether I can do it - recent binge eating doesn't seem to be too helpful on this one...)

    Susie, you're so right about stretching. I now stretch for about 15 mins after each run or gym session. Not sure whether it really makes that much of a difference to my hamstring, but I also like how it slows me down mentally, and makes me feel all contentthat I have exercised.

    FoxyLady, thanks for recommending sports massage therapists. Unfortunately, I'm not only on the other side of the country though, but am also on a rather tight budge...

    MTP, hope your injury is getting better!

    Darren, did you manage to get rid of the man flu yet?

    And Julia, did you find your motivation again? Sorry, can't help on that front (cf my first paragraph)... image

  • DC- Congratulations- you will not regret that purchase!

    HintsNo1 I know you're male, but still read the instructions.

    I use Garmin TC (the CD it comes with) and Sportstracks (free mapping software) Other software is available at a price, but I have been happy with this combination.

    Don't forget to charge it up!Very frustrating when it runs out part way through a run.

    I have glitches when downloading the schedules from RW with the dates, but then move stuff around.

    If you need help with virtual partner- ask Julia, I have never managed to get that to work and will be asking her for help soon as I need to do a "10K race" and there isn't one so I am going to race the VP (hopefully!)

    As for hills- there's always another one, but at least you'll know how high it is!

    Enjoy.

    Spiced Apple- welcome back and enter one!  Stop talking and do it.  Right, got to check out the new doc....................................

  • Wotcher everyone, nice cheese is Lancashire, white with a distinct twang I believe?

    Foxy I downloaded the slowest heartrate Garmin I could find on this site, I believe it was 2.15 although I have not a hope of getting round in that time, 2.45 best so far in training. I tweaked the heartrate to a max of 185 rather than 200 and i'm so glad i did that, my 3 Steady miles today wanted HR between 147-155 (ish). Phew last mile was hard. If I keep my heart in the low 140's I can go on forever (well you know what i mean). Unfortunately tomorrows 7 mile is also 'steady' ah well, we shall see. I noticed my longest run comes in at 14 miles in a few weeks, I have wondered whether to extend a bit once the post xmas pud round the middle goes. It's that fear of overdoing it tho isn't it?

    I've recently discovered Gnarls Barclay and am loving running to him.Mcfly are cheerful and cheesy with it (saltpot!). If you want to plod to a fixed bpm to get into the groove man then podrunner does good house type stuff. And it's free. In fact it's due to podrunner intervals that i started running in the first place so thought i should big them up. 

    Darren my Garmin is the best gadget i bought except may be my i-pod. It will do far more than you maybe realise now, you can race a stick man, so you get paced if you're trying to do a particular time, it does HR, pace, speed, distance, INCLINE (so you can see how steep those hills are!) and even your intervals are worked out for you and it beeps when you need to speed up or slow down. I could go on forever and i'm sure there are still things i haven't discovered. Enjoy it!

    Spiced apple welcome back, YES i'm full of motivation again now not to mention mince pies, quality street, blah blah etc! How long is it until your half? You probably need a couple of months to get back into the swing. Shall we all compare?

    Mine is 15 march and i'd like to be under 2.45. (sounds like the AA, we should be RA instead!)

    image

  • To race the stick man you go to training,workouts,quick,then pick if you want:

    Distance and time e.g. i want to do 5k in 30 mins (i wish!)

    or time and pace e.g. i want to run for 30 mins at 9.39 min mile pace (thats 3.11 miles funny enough!)

    or distance and pace e.g 3.11 miles at a pace of 9.39 min miles (well i never, if i manage that it will take 30 mins!) You'd never tell i've been trying to do a 30 min 5k would you! Got half way thro a race with the stick man last time and having built up a good lead he caught me up and i could sense him 2 foot behind breathing over my shoulder so rather than be overtaken i stopped the race! So did a 15 min 1.5and a bit miler!

    anyway, woffling again. Once you have decided which option you want you select it then input the data you want your race to be, then do done. It will then display a split screen showing your race e.g. distance to do and pace you've got to achieve, press start. Then you scroll on the up and down arrows, to get various displays, the stick one being one of them. At the moment i'm 0.12 miles behind as i pressed go and i'm sitting at the screen. ha ha fooled you stick man!

    To get rid of your race, it's 'stop workout' in training.

    Hope you understand that!

  • He's behind me!  imageArrgh- the Garmin stick man I mean (I wish).

    it was OK, I nodded off a few times, yes really!  despite the racket and maltezers.

    Thanks for the music ideas.  Mr FL has promised tecnical assistance, really need it for the 14 miler you mentioned, on 24th, as my plodding partner has wimped on that one and is planning an 8 mile race- I pointed out I'd have to do it twice to meet my training needs!

     SP- How was your Dick W?  The high point in ours was the cat, which was def. modelled on Danny John Jules- Cat from Red dwarf.

    Just watching the DR Who announcement progrem checking out who is supposed to replace DT in my affections.....Hard act to follow.  Mr FL has just announced a penchant for Sarah Jane!

    Back to running and Garmin training Julia- I have noticed with their training plans(having done the 10K one as well I am now the expert of course!) that they build mostly mileage first and then speed gets pushed towards the end, as I have a couple of much easier weeks coming up distance-wise but lots of intervals, unless I have just jiggered the plan around too much.  Before I did my first HM the furthest I ran was about 11.5m, about 3 weeks before, so if you get up to 14 before that will give you great confidence.

    Tom Baker (Dr Who when I was young) must have been a closet runner- he was always offering jelly babies around.

    Diet really starts tomorrow, totally failed in my plans not to put on any weight over Xmas- I entirely blame the chocolate!

  • Hi

    Thanks for the advice on the Garmin, I purchassed a cheap HRM just to see how I got on and found that training in the different zones helped to keep training intersting.   Very wise advice about instructions Foxy I am a typical male. 

    Thanks Julia for quick instructions I guess this stick man/woman will be the first thing I've raced with or against.

    I have done the research on all gps & better hrm's and the garmin seemed the only one with everything that I needed with a realistic price (sale at Amazon) most others had either distance, pace or Incline missing or twice the price.

    One other question - Do you take the Garmin & HRM strap to a race?

    Thanks

    Darren

  • Yes I do race with it.  Even wore it for The Grim- it's waterproof but not suitable for swimming. It's amazing how far out some of the race distances can be, especially if you swerve a lot round other runners!

     I think you can set it up with split times etc when you get complicated and wanted to do more than just get round and not require an ambulance at the end!

    I was given my Garmin for a big b'day present last April- wasn't even sure I wanted/needed it, but people wanted/needed to give me something big so I suggested it.  Best thing I even did.  Got it just after the 405 was launched and wibbled between the 2, but the 305 price was dropping like a stone and it has the advantage that the bugs have (mostly) been ironed out whereas the 405 was just starting that process.  As I only wear it for running I don't care if I look like an extra from Startrek!  it has made a huge difference to my training and motivation.

    Mind you, the day after I got it, I ran a 10K wearing it.  It was set up all wrong and beeped the whole way round saying either HR too high or Need to speed up; was a no-win situation and the people I was running near found it a tad infuriating I suspect but laughed at me/with me as I didn't know how to reset it!

  • Thanks, Foxy! I suppose you're right... image

    But then, Julia is also right in saying it'll probably be a good while until I get back into the swing. I think I'll wait until mid/end January, and then decide. Would mean I would have to decide without knowing at all how much I can train in the months leading up to the big day, but as I'll only find out about this around mid February, the half marathon I'd like to do might be full by then.

    And thanks for welcoming me to RA, Julia. My name is spicedapple, and if I decide to do a half marathon, it will be on April 5th. No clue about time - getting round without walking too much sounds good.

    On this note - does anyone have a good training plan (not heart rate, just a "normal" one) for plodders based on about 3 runs per week? I've seen that there's one on the RW website, but it's for subscribers only, and is also aimed at running/walking, whereas I would prefer one getting me round running.

  • Hi

    Spicedapple - if you go into the the training tab on RW  put a mock time and distance into the smartcoach  then choose 11-15 miles with moderate training this may work.  It will work if you choose 6-10 miles. 

    Hope this works

    D.

  • Hi Guys- 4th of Jan and 3rd run.  Intervals this morning.  Went to to church first to allow it to "warm-up" to -1 or -2 and saw a first- in 12 years of living round here (admittedly only been running the tow path for a couple of them) the Thames was frozen and 3 canooists were trying to break their way through!  What a sight.  Then the environment agency sent a little boat down as an ice breaker.  Very amusing.  Anyway did my intervals along the towpath made a change to skate rather than squelch especially when I got to the water meadows.  And boy it was cold even when I had warmed up.  Interestingly (to you Garminites) it was exactly the same session as I started the training plan with, but as I got going, having done 2 long runs in the last week, I cold see why I am due an easier week or two distance-wise.  Legs are just tired, tired, tired, especially as the session should have been just over 3 miles and I ran home so did a couple of extra miles on top, very slowly I suspect!

    Rest day tomorrow and back to school on Tuesday for me and the cubs, boo hoo but better for the diet.

    Routine is the key.  Official data is put on 3lbs over Xmas- arraggh!image

  • Darren, absolutely definitely yes you take your Garmin and HRM chest strap to a race. How else can you do all that nerdy after race analysis! I have become a total heartrate anorak. It doesn't help that the gym where i work has a heartrate measuring step machine and i have to check people. It always makes me larf when they reckon 'it must be wrong, i'm working much harder than that! The thing is, I know how it feels to have a HR of 185 and they don't! 

    I think you made the right choice, cannot see that the 405 could have anything much better than the 305. How much did you pay if that's not rude, mine was around the £130 mark from Amazon last June time.

    OH Spiced Apple, 5th April is ages away. You can do that easypeasy, just enter and go for it. There will be heaps of people entered who have never even run before so you have no worries about being last (if that is a worry, never been one of mine funny enough). Once you have entered you will feel so much better, I know I did, i dithered for so long it was a relief to finally make the decision. Although i was scared stiff, hence starting this thread! Not sure about schedules, but i'd say one of your weekly runs should be a 'long' run, where you go at a comfortable easy to keep at pace, start as long as you can go then aim to gradually increase the distance. Then do one run about 3 miles with some short faster bursts in it or try chucking in a hill or 2. Then your 3rd run aim about 3 or 4 miles at a faster speed, the sort of speed that you can only just maintain for that distance then you're so glad to stop. With warm-up and cool downs included in these runs and stretching at the end of course image Hope that helps, that's loosely based on what i'm doing, if you have a HRM I could maybe be more specific on HR training zones. Good luck!

    Foxy I hate the interval sessions! You are right about it being cold, there was flooding down the road, suspect someone had gone thro a pipe or it had burst and it was like a skating rink. Of course I didn't realise so went flying, hole in the knee of my new asics running tights with the orange flash and blood but as it was so cold I couldn't feel any pain at the time. Too numb! Managed my 7 miler, first 3 were awful but it got easier, however my HR was only in the 'slow' zone as opposed to 'steady'. Wanted to just make sure i got round.

    Lost 2 of the 5lb so back to 3lb to lose. Plus the next 2 stone or so that needs to go. Still, I can see how much quicker I will be when i've lost it all image 

  • Julia- hope you are OK and your knee is alright.  I would be gutted about the running tights too.  I was wearing my old ones today (first bit of proper running kit I bought August 08 and they kept falling down- while I would like to think they are too big, sadly I suspect it was the Xmas muffin top aiding their descent!!

    Also the ends of the tie cords to tie them to fit are now fraying so even if I dbl bow them they gradually undo, and then the tights fall down.  Did get a new pair for Xmas but haven't worn them yet.  Was trying to be tough and run mostly in capris as (unless it is still like this) that is what I want to wear for the HM.

    Well done for losing 2lbs, great start t the new year- you could try another thread as well "Losing it with Nam and Bear", it's my other main thread I witter on, I just joined them before Xmas having lurked on and off since it started.  Just about to upload my data from this morning as I haven't had time yet, taking Xmas decs down and other stuff as well.

    Oh yes- apparently intervals are great fat burning sessions so even if you hate them, they have a great purpose.  It's interesting the Garmin training plan doesn't have hill training but I guess  it's hard to quantify.

    Spicedapple- look on some the HM sites, most of them have HM training plans with different time aims; there's a good 16 week one on the Reading HM site I used last year before I had my garmin.  It may have been 4 times a week but I averaged 3 sessions and my friend I ended up doing it with certainly never managed more than 3. Hope that helps. Def had hill sessions in that one, I remember the bin men looking askance at me as I limped down and (in my imagaination) blasted back up the hill I live on, repeatedly!

  • Hi

    Julia - Hope you are o.k. The price is roughly the same I paid £130 with express delivery, second hand 305's are going for roughly the same price on E-Bay infact one just finished 120.99 plus £4.95 postage. I looked at 405's even though it looks better  I believe the 305's are easier to use whilst trainig.

    I quite enjoy intervals but  probably have been doing them wrong, I guess the garmin will put me right. Infact I had them planned for tomorrow but will now shuffle and do an easy run tomorrow while I wait for my new toy.

    Intersting enough the wii fit board informed me I had put 5lb's on over xmas and last nights weigh in I had lost 2lb.

    I must find a 10k. race soon my half is now only 11 weeks away how time flies.  Spicedapple I actually signed up for a race before owning a pair of trainers never mind training, that has given me the motivation.

    Foxy sounds like you deserve your rest day and easier week.

    Take care all.

  • Managed 4 miles today and really enjoyed it.Could've run more but very aware of building back up slowly.

    Cold in Oxfordshire today but just wore my long sleeved top with one of hubbies vests underneath and felt nice and cosy after the first few minutes.Great running past people who are in hats,scarves and their thickest winter coats!!Had to be a bit aware of icy patches especially as so many people seemed to wash their cars today!

    Julia,I hope your knee is ok.I'm sorry about the tights but your knee is much more important!

    Haven't been brave enough to stand on the scales but my children finished the mince pies off today.I've just got a quarter of a bottle of Baileys to finish then I think all the Christmas goodies have gone.

    Back to school for my two on Tuesday too.My youngest will be going full time from Mon 12th(just mornings next week) so in some ways its great but also a bit sad and scary as shows how quickly they're growing up!
  • Hi Susiebe, I 'm vaguely thinking of doing another HM- an Oxfordshire one

    Sunday, 5 April 2009
    White Horse Half-Marathon 

     Guess that'll be a bit close to RHM for you to consider, you'll still be recovering.  If it gets any colder down here, I'll be able to skate over to Oxfordshire rather than using the bridge!

    Was great running past all the walkers on the tow path, I know what you mean.  Glad the recovery is going OK.

    As for kids at school, just think how much more time you'll have for your running!  I started running in March of the year my youngest was due to start in September, so he was still home from nursery on my days off and it was my motivation to get him riding his bike so he could bike while I ran.  Never quite worked out but at least he's good on his bike now.

    Think I've got some Baileys left from last year- is it going to have gone off by now? Whoops

  • 3lb on for me - Booo! suppose the cheese had to go somewhere. Did 5km yesterday - lots of hills- very hard, went walking with kids today so not a total cop out and gonna do a 5k easy tomorrow after the dreaded return to work! Everyone seemed to be nicely motivated for the new year!  Well done us!
  • SP= well done for getting out there, how was the Panto?
  • It was long! kids loved it which is the main thing (I suppose) King Rat was a bit creepy for the five year old and she nearly shot out of her skin when he jumped off the stage... hope the cheese supply lasted for you!
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