Bath Half Marathon

Took part in Bath Half 2011 and thoroughly enjoyed it so signed up for Bath Half 2012 too. I'm hoping to beat this year's time by 10 minutes at least...
I'm not really a fast runner (my finishing time was 02:29:38) so any advice how to achieve my goal would be much appreciated.
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Comments

  • Tatiana, at nearly £3 a mile for Bath I'd be inclined to spend as long out on the course as possible to get my monies worth! image

    I would follow a structured training programme such as the FIRST 3+2 schedule (especially if time to train is an issue) or any that you can find on this website.  I'd also pick a different course with less runners to give yourself a fighting chance of achieving your full potential.

  • I was talking to someone who does this and says it is 40 quid to enter.

  • It is 40 quid I'm afraid...But it is a pleasant run and the race is well organized (plus I'm a creature of habit so if something works, I stick with it...) that I don't mind that much paying it...
  • Try the running school...better technique taught at the running school will increase your time two fold!
  •  image ................................image

  • I am currently enrolled in the running school bristol check out their website www.runningschool.co.uk
    hope that helps image
  • I'll have to find something close to Hertford... image
  • Who else is taking part in this one? Please share your training experience...
  • Hi I have done the Bath Half for the last 2 years and it is very well organised however I am not doing it again as the cost is high compared to many half marathons. Not worth it I think. They are trading on the fact that it is one of the country's oldest races and not sure that is necessarily a good thing. Rick
  • Okay...we've discussed the cost now. Anybody running this one then?
    Have you started training? Any tips?
  • Tatiana wrote (see)
    Okay...we've discussed the cost now. Anybody running this one then?
    Have you started training? Any tips?
    I'm running it...i'll start training after xmas!! (im not too keen on training lol)
  • Yay! finally a co-runner!
    I'm with you on that one, winter running is not always fun...
    Are you following any specific schedule?
  • No schedule, just gonna get out 2-3 times a week hopefully. How bout you?
  • Ran this last year and running it in 2012. I agree it is expensive,but the organisation and support were the best I have experienced so worth the money for an unforgettible day.

     The course is also PB territory. I just hope its warmer,though I liked the idea of wearing a jumper and then disposing of it on the start line.

  • Ringo, I agree, it's definitely value for the money..
    I hope it'll be warmer next year too. I ran it this year and nearly got frostbite when waiting for the start (I might be exaggerating a bit there image
    It's going to be my second half-marathon next year so would definitely like to shave at least 10 mins of my finishing time...
  • I have entered this one, (plus entered my sister for her first half marathon as her christmas present!) im not running much at the moment as i injured my knee doing the eden project half marathon earlier in the month, but i plan to get a good time in this one as its flat. I got 2hr 8 min at eden and that was very hilly, so im aiming for a pb of around 1hr 55min for this.
  • I'm in again. Did it last year for the first time like Tatiana. I thought it was a great race, well organised, well marshaled and fabulous support. Not to mention Bath being a lovely place for a weekend.

    It is definitely a PB course I ran 1.24.01 and hope to beat it next year by 2 minutes. I start training for the VLM in a weeks time and this race will be used as a bench mark to see how by training has gone.

    Tatiana if I was you I would start raining now. If you really want to improve. Take your time just building up your endurance. Don't increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%. After a few weeks reduce the mileage and have an easy week.

    Just slowly build it up to the tempo you need to get the time you want. Starting now will give you plenty of time, you never no whats round the corner....... bad weather, injury illness, work commitments etc...

    Any way good luck to you all and enjoy your winter training. Personally I prefer it to summer!!

  • I've just entered. This is my hubbie's RW subscription, so I've hijacked it! Tatiana, my HM PB is very close to yours - 2:29:18 so happy to swap training tips and moans with you as we head to March! I found a RW 10 week training programme for 1:50 plus which looked good plus an Ironbridge runner 16 week programme for beginners which looked good (but a little more gruelling than the RW version). Am thinking of going with the RW version starting on 1st Jan as that gives exactly 10 weeks until race day. I am currently running between 10-12 miles a week with a long run on Sat of between 6-8 miles and I want to up my mileage to 20 miles per week by Xmas (slowly adding 10% a week). My next race is an off-road 10 miler on 27th Nov which I'm slightly regretting having entered as have found out it involves running along streams!!! Bex66
  • Good tips, guys! Next year I definitely want to shave at least 15 minutes of my PB, Bath is a great opportunity to do it. At the moment there's no structure to my running, I just run when I've got time but I've got asics training schedule to start following on November 14. But I look the look of the RW10 week programme, I might follow the asics one to get some mileage done and then swap to the RW programme. Keep the tips coming! I'll try to post an update regularly, I hope to see you here often too image
  • Tatiana try and put some structure into your training. Try and set at least 2 or 3 days a week for your training and keep a diary if you don't already.

    Every little run gained now up till Christmas when you are going to train properly will make it so much easier.

    Good Luck.

  • Tatiana wrote (see)
    Good tips, guys! Next year I definitely want to shave at least 15 minutes of my PB, Bath is a great opportunity to do it. At the moment there's no structure to my running, I just run when I've got time but I've got asics training schedule to start following on November 14. But I look the look of the RW10 week programme, I might follow the asics one to get some mileage done and then swap to the RW programme. Keep the tips coming! I'll try to post an update regularly, I hope to see you here often too image
    Nov 14th my Birthday imageNo training for me that day...
  • Haha, you never know, maybe a celebratory birthday run...?

  • Sounds good, tigerrunner, I think I'm going to allocate Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to shorter runs and Sunday to long ones... Starting on November 15 image
  • Hi all,

    Just signed up for this as my first half marathon. Just done the great south last week in 1:39;21 so I suppose I should be looking around the 2:15 mark. Although not sure about training through the winter!!!

    Given myself a couple of weeks off and starting next tuesday. I used the RW smart coach training plan for the GSR which seemed to work well so will probably look at that for a plan for this.

    Be interested in what others who've done this course before think. I hear various reports about is it's a flat course or not?

    Anyway my wife has always wanted a weekend in bath so booked the race and a hotel (my longest run and some brownie points as well image )
  • I'm booked in with a few mates!!! Think trying to stay off the beer on the saturday night mights prove harder than the run image
  • A couple of people on this thread have described the Bath half as a good PB course. I was hoping someone could explain that a bit more. Is the course flat? I was under the impression that it's somewhat crowded.
  • Blimey that was lucky, got my application in and accepted yesterday and notice today that the public entries are now full.

  • Allnamestaken: the course is pretty much flat apart from a short slope you have to put up with in Bath and it is a bit crowded at the start but once you start running it's okay.
  • Thanks Tatiana. A couple more questions if you don't mind. Are there corrals? At what point in the race could you run your pace?
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