GULP just entered my first half marathon

U.K. I didn't realise that's what the red cross was for until someone kindly pointed it out..........i have one too i'm afraid.....do the marshalls take a special interest in us in case we need extra help? (like oxygen, walking frames, etc etc)

Ah ha! Susie be! I saw Reading advertised in Runnersworld, it looks like a fantastic place to end, i expect you will get goosebumps down your back and a lump in your throat. and a tear in your eye......Mine is on 15th march and, as you say, weird to go and run at a place where you go shopping! Although we also go through some villages too.

Let me know when your ready for that long run Julia, we'll head on out!

Jen-jenx

Julia, well done,  hope you keep us posted with your progress, i have signed up for my first two Half Marathons in Helsby and Wilmslow (north west) in spring next year, i'm terrified as i've only ever ran over 6/7k once, so i've got to doublethat effort, but like you i remember going 100m and stopping because it was too hard, yet i've ran several 10k races now, so i know WE can do it.

Good luck

To quote that famous building chap...........Can we do it?.......YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think we just have to very slowly start upping the distance  and remember how far we have already run. And if we have to walk some of it so be it.

Jenny i've been on map my run and worked out a 13.5 mile route which goes past both our houses so we can start doing bits of it and building up........

Sounds good Julia . Hehehehehe. I can't wait! 0

Jen-jen x

Good luck to you too Scott, if you need motivation let us know!

Jen-jen i can't wait either!

hmmmm

I've entered my first half too - the Blackpool and I too am having moments of 'Oh crap! what the hell am I doing?!' have done 5km and 10km, trying to convince myself it's not much further (but oh my God - it is though) Good to know there are others in the same position.

Well done all on biting the bullet... It has another chunk out of it now cos I've sent the cheque off for my 1st half too.  Sheffield in April...  Cake assures me that its as flat as I'm gonna get for a Yorkshire Half, so fingers crossed.  The furthest I've run is 7 miles but I've printed off the HM training plan from here (the Smartcoach one) and have it stuck to my fridge.  Am starting back at the beginning though as I've decided to do hills one week & flat the next.

We'll have to keep updating how the training is going.

Well done again to everyone & good luck.  

Hi everyone, just got back from the pictures.............James Bond. Wow, action packed or what!

We had lunch out and i avoided the fries and pudding, kept thinking about being in training and all that, I figure it'll be easier to run 13 odd miles if I can knock off that last couple of stone!

I'm hoping to have a spare 3 or 4 hours on sunday to see if i can cover the half marathon distance at a run/walk. At least it won't seem so scary then and I have a worst case time!

Well done Saltpot and CazSoul, Slatpot when is yours? Cazsoul I haven't really got a training plan yet, i think i should have a look at some. Trouble is i don't understand half of them when the abbreviations and stuff. Mind you i've got a Garmin 305 so i ought to be able to do something with that. I haven't progressed past a 5k race with the stick man yet!

Hello again Tracey, have you done Brentwood before? Is it very scary?

Hi Jen-jen hope you manage to get out later

Yum YUM Daniel Craig (but don't tell Mr T ! )

Oh, my daughter just told him but he said 'so? Yum yum Bond girl! '

I reckon that the extra weight will just fall off as we increase our mileage, 4.5 miles is good, could you do that twice more? I'd like to enter another 5 or 10k or two before march but not sure what's about yet. Take it steady with the calf, i'll keep you posted as to how far i get on sunday!

Off to open a bottle of wine now, just one glass for the antioxidants you know

WOW WOW WOW I went out this morning with the intention of seeing how far 13and a bit miles really is. I had set aside a few hours and planned to run walk the distance. Well, I couldn't stop and ended up running the whole way in 2.44. I seriously cannot believe i did it and when i got home i burst into tears      So, everyone who is worried about getting around a half marathon, if i ( a 46 year old 3 stone overweight only started running in feb) can do it, you definitely can