GULP just entered my first half marathon

I'd say Mr CS is about right. In my experience I was a bit like you, I looked at my old runnning log I kept from 1 year ago and I remember how long it took me to get to 10K - and how slow. However when that happened it sort of snowballed for me. I think my milage automatically went up for the week and as a consequence only then did I start to lose weight (which makes running for me sooooo much easier). I don't weigh myself but I have gone from fat belly trousers to medium belly trousers quite quickly after reaching 10K. Still a while to go before I get into slim belly clothes though.

So keep at it and I bet you will be surprised by your progress especially now your up to 7 miles. I'm going to try and up my long run by 1 mile a week until I get to 15 mile while cutting back on some of the other runs I do - hopefully that will work out.

Just found this thread and after reading am encouraged by the posts.

Julia T what an amazing achievement, you've inspired me, I have just entered my first half next year, am doing the Reading one, so realisation (and determination) is sinking in!

I did a bit of running in 2006 and entered a 5k and a 10k then I didn't run again until May this year (although I had been going to the gym twice a week). I joined a slimming club in July this year and have lost 4 stone so far (2 more to go) anyway this year I have done a 5k in May, 5 mile multi terrain run in October and ran a 10K last weekend. I'm up to 7 miles in training but only manage to get out to run twice a week at the moment, at weekends I do a long run and I do a shorter mid week run. Am also waiting for delivery of a forerunner 201 which should arrive next week

I'm training with a friend who has also entered and luckily we run at the same pace so good for motivation.

When I ran the 10k last weekend I suffered from what I can only describe as 'lead legs' my legs felt really really heavy at around 8km and there was just nothing left to give although from a breathing/lung point of view I could have continued, I have never experienced this before, I was surprised to get this lack of strength & energy as I have run further before, I did walk for about 20 seconds and managed to run through it to the end.

Well done to everyone else too there are some really positive posts from people in the same sitution as me that have spurred me on.  Thanks

Well, I have not been getting any e-mails so have not been here for a while and look what i've missed!

Kaz, sunnies are deffo not daft, i was blinded by the sun glaring on the soaking wet roads the other morning. It's lower in the sky at winter!

Tracey i'm glad your friend is still talking to you, she is probably very glad to have you pushing her, it's too easy to stop when you are alone........

Cazsoul jacket sounds nice. Do you have to wait for Christmas until you can wear it? What is happening at Sheffield.......?  i bet it's long whatever it is

Glad your treadmill is fixed mob, i'm not good on them, i have a tendancy to fall off them and i do find them boring. Still i guess they're safer when it's dark at night and it beats keep looking over your shoulder to cross the road!

Have to page back now as can't remember what else was written.....

Hope Amsterdam was good Mob! Saltpot I think you will notice a difference with the trainers. I just wore any old thing when i started and, ok so my legs were not used to doing it but i got bad sore knees and my shins were really sore. I posted on here and everyone told me to go and get properly fitted so i did and the difference was amazing. Still get sore now but only because of over exertion. (Apparently i'm very rare as a supinator  ).

Welcome Awaywithfairies you have done fantastic! 4 stone is mega loads. The running makes such a big difference to losing weight i think, i just wish i had discovered it years ago then i could have avoided always having to shop in Evans and cutting out the size labels. So nice to go to 'normal' shops now! And i've discovered some legs and am wearing skirts! Short ones too!

Have ordered 2 books off Amazon today to hopefully give me some sort of training schedule. I think i'm losing direction a bit, i try and do a long run a week, a quick run with maybe short sprints and some hills here and there but i thought you can't beat a good read!

Have a good weekend everyone

Morning All,

Saltpot, welcome to the Brooks family... I have a pair of Brooks Switch and am dreading the day they have to go to trainer heaven as I've not had a moments bother with them.  Have you managed to get out for a run in your sparkly new trainers yet????  Did you notice the difference if you have???

Awaywithfairies - Welcome on board hun and WOW what a fantastic loss... Well done, bet you are really chuffed with yourself.  With regards to your lead legs, did you hydrate and fuel up enough beforehand???  If I haven't eaten sufficient then I find I burn out so quickly when I go out for a run and always take a donut drinks bottle with me (better safe than sorry) on anything longer than half hour or so.

Julia, I have the Running Made Easy book and although I've not read it in full, I have dipped into it for training/fuel/clothing ideas.   Can't beat a good book for those 'I need to know NOW' moments.  Santa says I have to wait until Christmas for my jacket...  Not long to go now... Oooooh I'm getting so excited!!!!

Are you ready for this.... I went out for my long slow run along the canal on Saturday and managed.... 9.4 miles.... Count them, 1     2     3     4     5    6     7      8     9!!!  And without a single walk break... I was absolutely buzzing when I got back to the car and couldn't wait to get home to tell Mr CS. 

WELL DONE CAZ, what a mega achievement. How are your legs now? My books are about marathon and half marathon running, can't remember the names.

Susie sorry to hear about the knee, isn't it frustrating not being able to run. You may find the rest does you good though and you are rejuvinated and invigorated (sorry, been reading the dictionary again  )

Went out yesterday and managed 11 miles. Hurrah, it ws not a fluke the other week after all. Had sore quads after tho and hobbled about in smug satisfaction! All ok now.

Made a momentous decision yesterday. I would like to have a bash at a full marathon one day Gulp  Stupid or what ! ?  

Hi

Hope you don't mind me dropping in sounds like everyone is improving I have signed up for my first half (first race in March). I have been in training for a couple of months and have got up to 7-8 miles on an undualiting course.

Cazsoul I am very intersted in how your hill training is coming along is there a plan to follow?  My half(Ironbridge) has a steep drop and yes it goes up again. Even though I have no problems running up small inclines the steep hills really catch me out.  There is a steep hill nearby  which has about a 10% incline and lasts for about a mile,  I just cannot get up in one go.  All I can do is run to one tree walk to the next tree and repeat several times. I can run on my treadmill with a 6% incline easily for a mile but I quess its not the same.

Just done some tempo training very flat course concrete based meant to do 3-4 miles I couldn't stop and managed 6 mile in 53 mins very fast for me.  It is such a great feeling when something goes well.

Cheers

D

Can I say Hello? 

I'm doing Wokingham Mr MTP! 

Have to confess it's not my first (please don't throw me out) as I did Reading HM last year, however my training partner has recently wimped so got no-one to talk about HM training with.  I did Reading in 2.20 but had just (2 days earlier) recovered from a 10 day bout of rotavirus (if you don't know what it is you don't want to.)  I started running 20 months ago when I was sucked into a work RFL team; just before I did it I entered at 10K, then just before that I entered Reading.  I need something to aim for to keep me motivated.  Since then I've done another RFL( took 5 mins off the previous time) another 5K and about 5 other 10Ks during this year.  I had a Garmin 305 for my 40th in April which was the best present ever- if you have one the downloadable training plans are superb.  Nothing like a machine beeping at you to get you hurtling along whatever the weather- I even ran in the sleet the weekend before last.  Anyway my last race of the year is this Saturday (according to my Garmin HM training plan should be an easy 8 miles) so I'm doing the Grim 8!  At least I'm not worried about what time I do it in, I just want to avoid drowning.

It sounds like you are all doing great, I think I managed about 11 miles as my longest run before Reading, then I injured my calf running in the dark, then I went skiing, then I got sick, I reckon I peaked about 2 weeks early so am hoping to get it right this time and knock a good few minutes off.  Whatever happens the atmosphere will carry you round. If you are doing Reading, there is a pub that does free beer at about 7 miles- it got me up the last hill no problem.

I was sponsored too so every mile marker I added up how much I had raised, not a bad motivator.

Anway one more short run before I do the Grim and then cast away into the mire the trainers I bought to do Reading in, 400 miles on........ 

Well done Caz! You deserve to be 'buzzing' that's brilliant.  Welcome to our 'newbies'- sounds like the training is going well -  I did a 10k 'Reindeer run'  on Sunday and jesus it was cold and for some reason my hips are sore (never had that before!)  Woken up here in Lancs to a thick blanket of snow - hoping it clears up for my run tomorrow... pretty but slippy!

Hey Foxy - have been tempted by a Garmin, got a ipod nano with Nike + , Garmin seems to get rave reviews though.

Right, best go brave the elements  have a good day everyone.

Hi Saltpot 

 I can't rave enough about my Garmin.  I only got it because the family were desperate to buy me something big for the BIG b'day and i knew someone who had one.  First time I used it was a bit chaotic (settings all awry) but I rapidly got to grips without and can't imagine life without it now.

The only facility it is missing is that despite looking like a prop from Start Trek, there is no "Beam me up and home Scottie" facility.  Probably just as well.  I can def. attribute my steady improvements in speed (still a plodder) to it.  Now the 405 is out the 305s have come right down in price.  I have it hooked up to my laptop and use the Gamrin TCsoftware that comes with it and Sportstracks which is free downloadable mapping software.  I'll stop now before everyone nods off.

I now have to nurture a sore calf due to slip sliding away on my very muddy run yesterday.  Same one as I hurt last year but not as bad this time.

Happy training today. Mr FL(aka the Reluctant Runner) ran 3 miles this morning and it was only 2deg and very icy, so be careful out there!

Thanks all for your praise, am still on a high... Have had to give the training a miss tonight though (gym sesh), it is just far too slippy out there and I dont want to risk crashing my car.  Will try to make up for it later in the week, providing the weather picks up a bit *fingers crossed*

Saltpot - Sore hips... I had that too, when I got up on sunday as well as the usual long run aches & pains my hips had a sort of bruised ache in the joints if that makes sense... Is that what yours was like???  Could be something to do with the cold damp air maybe...  Just a thought.

Julia - Your training is coming on a treat, well done on your non-fluke 11 miles... You go girl!!!!

Darren - My hill training is very sophisticated and I dont know if I should share... LOL Basically it breaks down like this... Find a hill, not hard to do in West Yorkshire, and run up it for as long as possible.  Am currently only on gentle inclines, you would heavy breathe walking up them but they wouldnt really slow your pace and will build up to OMG hills!!!  Have managed the 1/2mile one back home once which is a little steaper without a walk break which I was dead chuffed with as it has been my achilles heel.  If i turn right at the main road then I can run for about 3 miles or so without running out of incline and then there is even more hills on the side streets... Woohooo!!!  Move to West Yorkshire and hill train all day long, its great!!!!

Caz x

Hi all

Glad everyone is doing so well, some nice long runs for sure (11 miles JT well done you). I managed to fit a couple of runs in in Amsterdam - nice big park next to the hotel that was really well lit at night. There were dozens and dozens of runners all runing counter clockwise and just me running clockwise  - don't know what that was all about but it was nice not being overtaken all the time - got some funny looks though.

Hi FoxyLady, know what you mean about having a goal, I know I wouldn't be clocking up the miles I do now if it weren't signing up for the Wokingham HM. I have a  Garmin 201 and wouldn't be without it now to me it's invaluable. I am still thinking about signing up for the Reading HM - can't get excited about that one though. Am about to sort out the Canterbury HM in May and make a weekend of it - well, have to keep Mrs MTB happy.

good luck all and keep plodding.

Hi Susiebe

I guess it is due to the fact that there are so many doing it - but, I had a think and knew really that I need to carry on after the Wokingham HM otherwise I may let the running slip so have just bitten the bullet and signed up. Hope the knee improves, can be depressing not being able to get out.