I just thought I'd share this, as I feel very foolish right now. As I've told everybody on any occasion I can, last Sunday (11th Oct) I ran the Oxford Half, one of the best things I've ever done. I diligently followed a 16 week training plan, and arrived in the starting pens about as well prepared as I could have been. One of the factors that really made a difference was the build up of distance in the month to six weeks before the race. Previously, I'd got to the position where 10k wasn't a difficult distance to complete, and on occasion, I'd stretched a run as far as 13 or 14km. Going that bit further was a challenge, and introduced the necessity to consider nutrition and fuelling in conjunction with the run. The first time I ran a little past 14k I experienced the bonk/wall - I just suddenly ran out of energy.
I managed to move on to ten mile runs, fine tuned my in-flight refuelling techniques, and managed to reasonably confortably do 16, 17, and an 18.5km run, at the end of which I knew I could have run on to the HM distance.
I tapered in the last week, and I was pleasantly surprised on race day to be able to set off at a faster pace than I expected to (the first 5k was a shade under 30 minutes, and 10k was 60:02) and apart from tiring a little in the second half, didn't have any problem completing the race strongly.
Then, apart from accepting the need for a bit of a rest, I ignored the "reverse taper" - I took 3 rest days, then went for a 7k run on the Thursday morning. Later that day I found that I was able to go for a first club run with the local running club (I'd planned this, but expected it would have to be the next week). That turned out to be another 7.5K run, including a hill. I rested Friday, then did Parkrun on Saturday. At this point I was feeling fine. Parkrun was my second fastest.
Then my cocky, bravado filled head got the better of me. I'd run a HM. I'd conquered 10 mile runs. Sundays were going to become a regular long run day. I know, I'll go for a ten miler!
I ate fairly lightly on Saturday. As a last minute afterthought on Sunday morning, I had a banana for breakfast. I'd planned to take on energy during the run so had my shotbloks with me.
Off I went. Nice. Running comfortably, watching the k's go by. 10k, ok, just 6 to go. Taking it easy, running at a moderate pace, 7-7:30/k. Then, at about 14k, *BONK*. This is hard work. I suddenly felt really tired. Stubbornly, though, I pressed on. I'd gone out on a 16k run, and I don't give up easily. I did run on, and did complete the run. I was tired, though, more than at the end of the HM.
I recovered a little over the next couple of hours, though it caught up with me again, and by the evening, I was just about out on my feet. Today (Monday) I still feel really tired.
It's easy to get carried away and think we've got this running lark cracked - we can run where, when and how we want, and it's just easy and fun.
I've learned a lesson, though. I need to think clearly and plan properly. I'm not superhuman, and while I'm loving my running and want to do it as much as I can, I must not overstretch. Recovery and rest is important, as is carefully eating properly for those longer runs.
Happy running, people, but do it sensibly!
completely echoes how I'm feeling!
That was strange but I do like a plan
what would you do?
Hm training 
Daunted at start of runs
First Post on Bridge.
