Half marathon sort of training

[Sharonb9999]

In a fit of 'OMG I'm going to be 50' I decided that I would try and do a half marathon next year. I knew it was going to take me months to get up to that distance so I've started training for it now with the aim of hopefully trying to do a half marathon in May 2016. I set up an Asics plan with reservations because I had used one before and found that the distances it listed were too much for me. It's been going OK but the plan today said that today was a 14km day. The most I've been able to do so far is 10km so the thought of doing this much in one go was pretty daunting. I had some porridge and a bit cup of coffee and off I went at 7.30 this morning. Well, it went OK until I got on to a main road and I was getting a fairly regular spray of nasty muddy road water from passing lorries and vans. This was exhausting but I plodded on until I had completed my planned route. Not quite 14km - just over 13km as it turned out. I felt pretty good - I was pleased that I had managed a fairly constant pace and that I hadn't run out of steam. I have varied from 'don't be such a stupid bag you can't do a half marathon' to 'of course I can do it' and every stage in between. At the moment I'm thinking I can (probably) do it but I want to be able to do it in less than 3 hours so there's still work to be done. All in all I'm pleased with how things are going but there's a looooonnnggg way to go!!

[poppypug Graduate10]

Brilliant Sharon, really well done !

Lots of time to train , I think you can do this xxx

[Steve_L Graduate10]

You can do it - as PP said, you've got loads of time, and to get from 13 to 21 km isn't a mountain (I did it!) Don't plan to run the full distance before the day. I got up to 18K or so with my long runs, and with the taper and fuel planning, I managed the 21K surprisingly easily.

On the subject of fuel - if you're not doing so yet, do plan to take energy on during your runs as you go further. Important.

[Sharonb9999 in reply to Steve_L]

Today I had a few fruit jelly sweets at about 7km. I could have maybe done with a bit more but that's why you train I suppose to learn what you need & what suits you

[Steve_L Graduate10 in reply to Sharonb9999]

Exactly. On long runs, I mainly use Shotbloks now. If I'm doing much more than and hour and a quarter, I eat one every half hour and that seems to work for me. Bear in mind that your body takes at least half an hour and probably an hour to convert the fuel into a usable form.

[AncientMum Graduate10]

Well done Sharon. I'll look forward to reading about your HM preparations

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

Fantastic, well done you...that's a great aim and you have the determination to get there... 😎

[Bazza1234 Graduate10]

Course you can do it ! - and in well under 3 hours.

I am almost 20 years older than you, HM in 2:36, AND I walked almost 1/3 of the distance!! Just think of what a great time I could have done it in if I had run the whole way?? -- NAH!! I wouldn't have finished!!

[ancientrunner Graduate10]

Well done. That did sound like a big jump in distance - but you did it!!!

[dagshar]

Well done. You have a lot of time to train so can afford to increase it gradually. Take it steady and make sure it remains enjoyable.

[rmnsuk]

Like bazza I'm older than you, and I completed a hm in training, so you can do it too. Calories and water are just as important as running beyond 15k/90minutes. I eat something like flapjack before I set off and then have gels, but use whatever works for you. Good luck.

[Golddust]

Well done you Will follow your progress with interest I am planning to do a HM in 2016 and I have found a 10 mile race locally in January which if I manage will give me the confidence to enter HM !