GULP just entered my first half marathon

Hi all.

Think I need to wander over to the "giving up booze" thread, oooooooh I had way too much to drink on Friday night... What on earth was I thinking???  I was so ill that I couldnt even muster a shuffle round the supermarket without feeling sick  so there was no way on earth I was getting out for my run.  Will chalk this weekend up as a lost cause and start afresh this week.

Well done MtP on giving up the cigs, terrible habit and so expensive.  Dont rush into the giving up the beer though, not this close to christmas... You dont want to do anything you may regret... LOL.

Everyone seems to be doing so well, feel a bit guilty now about my total skive.  Oh yes, Julia dont keep any hot tips to yourself. If you find one on how to make 13miles feel like 3 then please feel free to share... *crosses fingers & hopes there is a top tip on this*

Well done FoxyLady on the Grim 8 and your 11min mile average.  *pats FL on the back*

Now having to page back again so bit at a time...........

Darren 11.85 is FANTASTIC WELL DONE hurrah  you can definitely make a half marathon no worries. I'm not really following a plan yet, that's why i got the book and i've also got to check out the plans for the Garmin. I have been doing 1 long run a week which gets a bit longer each time (trouble is it's taking up a large chunk of time now). Then i do a short 3ish mile dash then about 6 miles with bits of sprinting in. And a hill now and then. The marathon book talks about using heartrate as a guide, i'll keep reading. The only thing is the plans seem to start at less miles than i'm doing now so i'm not sure whether to start halfway thro or not. I think you can change around as much as you want depending on how you feel, as long as you are going that little bit further/faster/ hillier each time you are bound to improve.

Pause whilst turns page back

Foxy well done on the Grim, there is something about going off road in the mud isn't there! It may be because you don't have to race the clock, just finishing is a mega result and a larf if you get filthy!

I think my neighbours think i'm off my trolley. Suspect they may be right. Especially when i have to cut my circuit short to dash home for the toilet and shout 'can't stop' as i rush past. It's the only time i manage a sprint! Good for speed training

MtP well done for stopping smoking. I managed to stop about 3 years ago after smoking 25 a day for about 25 years. Wouldn't say it was easy at the time but don't even really think about it now. There is NO WAY I would be able to run like this if i still smoked, used to try sometimes and got such pains in my throat and i couldn't breathe !  

And Caz is right, you don't want to risk beer withdrawl symptoms this close to Christmas............. It's chocolate i need to cut down on, typical girl! Mind you, firms Christmas do on saturday and not only are they paying for us all to eat drink and be merry, they are also laying on a minibus to drop us all safely home afterwards! So no driving YIPPEE.

Caz, we all do it, it's such fun getting drunk at the time isn't it! Do you always feel like the life and soul of the party, full of wit and humour as tho everyone is hanging on your every word and admiring your obvious talent and good looks? Or is that just me............ Haven't seen a tip along the lines you suggest, although i do find that if i put some good music on my i-pod and let my mind wander then the time and miles seem to pass pretty quick. (Always keeping a sharp lookout for cars/muggers/dogs and small children of course). I'm waiting for Gnarls Barklay to arrive, i've ordered him from Amazon. I find Smiley faces a good running tune, Run seems like it might be good too..........

Happy running in this chilly weather all

Evening all. Foxy, i've downloaded the half marathon programme to my Garmin basing it on my heartrate and seems to have worked fine. I have two comments tho:

It wants me to run on Christmas day (although only 3 miles)

I'm already going further than it says for the earlier weeks so do you think i should skip the first few until i get to where i am now or start at the start?

Wimped out running today, the supermarket was calling and it was soosooososo cccccooollldd

Hi All (again)

Been a quiet week in mileage but eventful.  People must think i'm mad as well absolutely got soaked on Monday night doing a 4 miler (I used to think that was a marathon itself but now it seems to be just a jog) but hey I quite enjoyed it.

But I've just got back from a little 3 mile jog that included some little hill I used to struggle with. So thanks Julia I just kept telling myself to slow down.  I must do it now after 6ish miles.

Well done MTP on quiting smoking 13 years for me, I've slowed down a lot on the booze but wont cut it out completely,  but the chocolate consumption has risen. Well we have to have our treats.

Ive decided now to look for a 10K race in before my half Marathon difficult with working every other weekend but I have found a 7 mile race 4 weeks before the half marathon.

This running malarkey and forum is quite addictive?

Darren

Horrifically adictive Darren. So are you saying that you made it up the hill??????????I love running in the rain. For starters nobody else is mad enough to be out so you get the pavements to yourself but also i always get absolutely soaked in sweat anyway so the rain has a pleasant cooling shower like effect

I cannot believe how arrogant and cocky i was in my last post! I did the first stage of my Garmin training programme  today, a mere 1 mile warm-up, 4 x 400m intervals and a 1 mile cool down. Well..........i was not able to keep my heartrate low enough on the warm-up or cool down, and it wanted 97-99% of my max HR on the 4 intervals. OMG i thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest!!!!!!!!!!! SO. I've managed to juggle the days away from the 25th and i now believe that it is quite challenging enough thank-you, especially since i've also realised that it wants me running 4 times a week instead of my current 3!

How is everyone else?

Hey fellow addicts!

Just done 6k in 31 mins (not the fasest run in the world - but i'm pleased) Got a few "Jesus Christ you must be mad" stares as I negotiated the ice patches - but feel good for hauling my arse away from the fire and actually going! Julia - I like running in the rain too, actually I love it when it starts raining half way through - well done on the training!  Darren in the words of Kate Bush keep "running up that hill"

Must go 'Ghost whisperer" is on Living  

Hi all,

Just saw this thread and thought I'd chip in as I'm thinking about doing my first ever half next spring. I run about 2 times a week for 45 mins or so (sometimes more often, sometimes less - all very irregular) and have done three 10k races this autumn. They went all reasonably well - not too wasted afterwards, though sore the next day, between 52-58 mins.

The thing is that I'll be away for 3 months next spring though, and won't get much time to train. So, doing a half in April or May might be completely crazy... What do you think?

Also, one of my hamstrings keeps playing up, so I'm never too sure whether I might have to drastically cut down on running soonish or not.

Hi all

Welcome to the thread Spicedapple, well done on your 10k times they look pretty impressive to me.

Saltpot - Oooooh I like Ghost Whisperer too... Did you cry at the end of the 1st season, I was sobbing like a complete idiot.  Mr CS has got used to me though and now just hands me his hanky as a matter of course without even looking at me.

Well I went out the other night & slipped & slid my way round a little 3 miler (my Nike+ was flashing low battery so I think that was what I did).  I even managed a quite steep hill that I thought I'm never gonna get up that without walking, so am really impressed with myself.  Hope to get out for a decent long run this weekend, weather permitting.

Julia - I am so pleased that you aren't even considering running on Christmas Day, I was beginning to think it was just me.  Loads of people on here seem to think its the norm to run on Christmas Day, Mr CS would probably file for divorce if I even considered it... Which I wouldn't cos Christmas (in our house at least) is a time for family and eating & drinking too much. 

Hope everyone else is plodding along nicely without too many tweaks/twinges.

Happy running.

Caz x

Hi everyone, feeling proud as i did my gym work out this morning then went out for a 3 mile plod as per training plan. Dithered so much and changed my mind about going out half a dozen times as it's bitterly cold and raining but in the end i went and feel so chuffed.

Saltpot, fantastic time, especially as it was icy and you were probably being cautious  I'm afraid i've never seen Ghost Whisperer so cannot comment. I have tried not to get hooked on telly series since my addiction to sex and the city which resulted on 87 episodes getting recorded on series link on the sky recorder! Still got 20 something to watch!

Welcome Spicedapple, a very festive name, your times sound really quick! I'm sure you can make 13 miles because you could always walk if necessary. You already run so you will have a headstart on the people who enter on a whim having never even run to the end of the street. Keep us posted!

Caz, Mr T is the same, i should be able to get away with running on christmas eve and boxing day though  Oohh, had to delete that and retype as he nearly saw!!!!!!!!!!!

Susiebe, that sounds horrendous! Poor you, I really really hope it gets better soon. I'll put it in my letter to Santa and see if he can help you. Perhaps a break will do you good though, are you able to swim or walk or something else to keep up your fitness levels?

Have a good weekend everyone, Christmas do tonight  so may be feeling  tomorrow..........

Thanks, Caz-mas Soul and Julia!

I suppose I'm just worried that I won't get to train much before April (and on yesterday's run, my hamstring protested again), whereas I should slowly increase distance so that I know I can do 26k. Hmm...

Susiebe, that sounds horrible. Hope the rest will do you good and your knee will be alright again soon!

Hope you enjoyed the Christmas do yesterday, Julia! Having friends over for one at mine today.

Good afternoon. Woke up a bit  but managed  to do  5 miles  at slow speed  but felt good  at the end ! In celebration, Mr T and I have decided to have just half a glass of red Merlot with dinner................ (Pint glasses that is LOL)

Hope your Christmas do is fun Spiced, I have it on good authority that if you can run 10 miles you will make a half marathon.

Hi All

 Susiebe, Your injury sounds very frustrating for you, do you have access to a gym for when you get back into training you could use a dreadmill it might just help with the impact.

Welcome spicedapple I cannot help you with your hamstring or training plan but you have a lot more experience than myself.  Would it help your hamstring if you slowed down a little? your times are much faster than I would ever imagine.

I'm in the gang for not running Xmas day  my kids (7 and 4) will not wake me up in time.

I havent done a great deal since Wednesday due to slipping in a pothole and really hurting my ankle but went out today and could really tell that I missed a training session and eating the wrong foods for a couple of days, It is still very sore.

The most frustrating thing now I find is that now I'm up to suitable distances my training takes a lot of planning around the family and work Xmas etc.

Take care all.

Haha, Julia - I can only run 10k, not 10 miles.

In light of this, my times might also be quite a bit slower than Darren took them to be... Thanks for the welcome!

I have gone 4 months completely without any exercise a while ago when I finally realised it wasn't that I was too unfit, but that there was actually a problem with the hamstring (to the extent that I could barely get out of bed without major pain). Started again really slowly at slow pace, short distances and few runs only, always spend a lot of time on stretches before and after running, and -touch wood- it hasn't come back since. But on every single run, I feel that it is there (unlike the other one - they say you only notice your body when something is wrong, right?). I do want to train more, build up endurance and speed etc, but am always a bit scared of overdoing it.

Hope your ankle will get better soon, Darren! May I give back your advice - rather take it slowly for a while, will you?

Hi everyone, sorry to be so silent, busy week and all that!  Actually was a bit poorly with a cold and "missed" a run. Could not drag myself out for intervals in the cold on Thursday. However (Darren please note) just moved them all around again and ended up squeezing it in this morning so ended up doing over 24 miles over 5 runs this week.  Not bad considering the cold- lots of Echinacea and paracetamol consumed.

 Julia-= re Garmin sounds like you've answered one of your questions, and you,re obviously going for the training by HR option.  If you don't want to run on Xmas day just move it- you can literally drag and drop them around to suit you and download to the watch again, no worries.  It does expect 4 times a week which I can fit in if nothing complicates life.  I work part-time so that helps.  I usually do my long run at the weekend, the easiest one on Friday with Mr. FL, one after work on Tuesdays and one after school run on Thursdays, but if events prevail I move them about and regularly end up doing 3 days in a row.

 Susiebe- do you live anywhere near Reading? I know a fab sports massage therapist who runs; she helped me pre last years RHM when I did my calf in.  I was a nurse and I've never heard of ancerine bursitis either!  Also low impact cross training such as bike/swimming could help?

Ditto Spicedapple- find one who is into running, they can probably really help you with your hamstring Help reading all these posts is really confusing me, sorry if I get anyone wrong!

Darren- good luck with ankle/planning just keep it ticking over.  It is hard with family work etc. I'm not running Xmas day either but will do Xmas Eve somehow (as well as pack car, run local nativity and go away.  Also aiming for Boxing Day to try out all the new gear Mr FL has "bought me" for Xmas)!

MTP- I did 8 miles yesterday including a very squelchy tour of DP, lots of dogs but only nice ones. Trainers trashed again, should have worn my Trail Foxes which I did today as others still soaking!

Happy running this week folks, day off for me tomorrow which I'm pleased about after 14 miles in 2 days!

Hello all,

Done 26k!!! (ha! made you look) OK, so it was over 3 days - trying to have a pre christmas boost! Wish i'd gone tonight, talked myself out of it and did a really stupid workout dvd (grumpy now.)

Hey Darren, hope the ankle is ok. I too will be 'kid bound' on Christmas day, mine are 5 and 2 - can't say I mind too much Doing a five mile santa 'saunter(!)' on 21st and hopefully will get out Christmas eve.

Julia T hope the pint of wine was good, i'm afraid the port has made an early appearance in our house this year! Cheeky Vimto anyone?

Hope everyone is well xxx

P.s - Caz - I think what is required is a Ghost whisperer version of 'A Christmas Carol' to see us through the festive period!

uhoh, mince pies appeared today..........and chocolate....whoops.