I’ve been following the NRC HM plan since June and I’ve finally hit the last week of increasing distance before tapering (they are calling it sharpening!). I was both relieved and a bit nervous to be doing this run. The longer runs have been tough. At the moment, I’m naturally happiest around 10k so the thought of pushing on to 21km today wasn’t one that filled me with joy. Still, I was pleased to het a chance to run the distance before the Bath HM in three ish weeks. I’ve done ok with the training and I felt ready for it so it was time to think about where to go.
Usually, I’d just run from home but today I wanted a flatter route which would be more similar to race day. There’s a lovely walk I’ve done before along disused railway line a short drive away which seemed suitable. I assembled my kit-oatcakes, a couple of energy gels, water and a celebratory vimto rip roller (a long tradition from c25k) and headed off.
It didn’t start well. I couldn’t get the guided run to play on the app and started off with just distance check ins. Decided that wasn’t going to work for me to spent ages faffing around trying to find another version of the same run. Eventually I got the dulcet tones of Coach B to play and off I went.
I’d forgotten that flat paths are often a bit dull. The first 5k was not exciting! There were a few sheep in fields but that was about all the interest. The main distraction came from cyclists zipping past. I’d forgotten this path is a nightmare for that. I came to a cider factory and almost lost the path. There was long enough for me to worry I was lost but not long enough to get the phone out to check where I was! Very relieved to spot the sign. The next 5k was also a bit…dull! Luckily the music on the podcast picked up the tempo a bit and I had a nice time partying in my head. 10k came up in an hour and ten minutes which is slow for me. I’d deliberately tried to take it easy but was surprised at how tired I was and began to worry I might not make it back. That’s when I remembered the energy gels and decided it might be a good plan to actually use them!
I don’t know whether it was the gel or just knowing that I was now running back to the start but I got a real lift and felt like I was flying along for the next 7k. 7k! When 17km came up, that was when I started to struggle. My previous longest run has been 16km and I began to feel like I was in uncharted territory. My legs felt heavy and I just felt tired. A group of dog walkers sitting on a bench yelled out “you can do it, love” which was nice and I gave them a cheery wave. I was determined to make it to the end. Maybe I’d been distracted but I suddenly noticed the ground was sloping upwards gently. Realising that was contributing to the sudden tiredness was really helpful. The podcast ended at two hours and I quickly found something upbeat to get me to the line. Coach B threw in some surprise pace pick ups near the end. I was cursing him in my mind but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could manage it. And then it was done! 21.1km. 2hrs21 minutes! Thrilled with that.
It was by no means a perfect run but it has given me a lot of confidence that on race day I can make it over the line. Couch to half marathon. Who’d have thought it?
I forgot to take pics so this is a throwback from c25k run 1.
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MissUnderstanding
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Congratulations MissUnderstanding; a superb half marathon; full stop! The fact that it is your first just adds to the lustre. Your time, to me, is amazing. You are going to nip across to the Marathon site and claim your shiny badge I hope? A well deserved dinner to top off the day…..and you may find yourself asleep before you know it; or maybe that is just a 70 year old speaking! 👏👏👏👏👏🏆🥇🙂
Thank you! I’ve got my badge-shiny and new! I am very pleased!! Still smiling (and aching a bit!!!). Definitely an early night in order and a good rest tomorrow.
This sounds like a wonderful run and in an absolutely brilliant time - you must be so proud of yourself. Enjoy a well-earned rest - you definitely deserve it
Thanks, I was so pleased with how it went. Some tweaks for race day but that’s useful information. Think I’m going to be still on a massive high tomorrow! I had an extra bubbly bath and might even break open a glass of something bubbly. Unheard of for a school night!
Congratulations, I felt so much happiness reading your post, and realised that I enjoy out and back runs now more than straight runs or loops. I’m so pleased you did it and a jolly good time, you must feel so proud
Glad you picked up on the joy! Massive sense of achievement. The commentary on the run talked about that great feeling of satisfaction sitting down afterwards knowing you’ve done something really good. That’s definitely it here tonight!
Ha ha! You did so, so well and you are going to really enjoy the HM.
I only managed to get a longest run of 18K in before my first HM... but knew that because of my slow pace, that I would, ( with the support of my son in law , who ran with me), I would get those last Ks in.
You will go into the HM really confident and knowing you will do it... just soak up the whole experience x
I’ve seen lots of training plans have you doing most of the distance but not all of it. I can definitely see the advantages in that, plus the extra bonus of doing the distance for the first time at the event with all the other runners. I know I suffer with nerves and that was the main reason why I wanted the reassurance of knowing I’d done it before and could do it again. The official NRC run was 20k but think knowing myself, keeping going was the right decision.
Thanks! It’s taken a lot of time and training but I was super pleased to get there. Also couldn’t really imagine getting there…until I did! Who knows-find a plan you like the look of and you could too if you fancied it?
Possibly in the distant future ?!At the beginning of 2021 I did start to work towards 10 miles then ended up on the IC twice. I decided to consolidate where I'd got to so this year has been all about 10ks. Who knows what'll2023 will bring
10k is such a great distance to run. I’m really looking forward to focus on that over the winter. The thought of going out for over two hours in the wind and the rain isn’t one I am taken with!!!
It sounds like you’ve been really sensible in taking measured to stay off the dreaded IC. Good luck with whatever comes next!
Well done! My first HM distance run was this time last year. Since then I've tried to do one run a month at that distance or longer. And 2h21 is an excellent time. I haven't been able to break the 2 hour barrier yet.
Thanks! I was amazed with the final time. I’ve been looking at pace charts for what I’m running for 5k and 10k and thought on the race day I might get somewhere near to that with the adrenaline. Was super pleased with doing it yesterday-extra bonus since I was only really aiming for the distance. Good luck with your 2 hour barrier quest.
The ravenousness started yesterday evening. I’ve turned into some sort of carb monster!!!
Congratulations on completing your first Half Marathon Miss Understanding, you should be very proud of yourself, good luck for that HM race in a few weeks time.
Thanks! I made some jam a couple of days ago (finally went to pick the blackberries I’ve been running past for ages!) and I picked up some scones and clotted cream from a local farm shop on the way home so it’s a cream tea for me! Plus coffee. Obvs!
Wow well done to you 👏🏻👏🏻 It’s great to read a post from someone who has done the journey I am currently on and you’re doing so well. I’m intrigued about your kit you take with you for these longer runs, where do you put it all? I’ve seen great running vests with lots of pockets - my current free train one is just big enough for my phone and keys but thinking as I increase distance I might need an upgrade.
Thanks! That’s one of the things I love about the site-reading posts from newbies that remind you of where you’ve come from, people at the same stage as you are and others who’ve done it and can share the wisdom!
Kit was one of the tweaks for race day. I’ve got a bottle you hold which is ok but annoys me a bit! There are water stations on the route for the HM but I might look at a vest for longer runs in future. I shoved everything in leggings pockets yesterday. It sort of worked. I was quite lumpy at the start! I got around taking some things by leaving another bottle of water and post run snacks in the car. I’ve read great things about flip belts. I’m just going to have to visit a running shop for a browse-what a hardship!
Really good luck with your journey. Running is awesome and there are so many places to go! ❤️
Huge congratulations on your first HM. I know just what you mean about flat routes. I had my final long run (2 hours) last week for my HM on Sunday and was so glad of my podcasts to keep me going. You’ll do brilliantly at Bath. Me, I’m just a bundle of nerves now 🦋🦋
Well done!! That's a great time & you'll find the actual HM much easier, with all the other runners there!
When I did my first (and only so far) HM in May, everyone advised me to watch my pace at the beginning... It's easy to get carried along too fast and then get too tired.
I'm sure you'll love the Bath event, totally different to slogging away on your own. Good luck!!
Thanks for the tip and your lovely post! Knowing how tired I was by the end will definitely be in my mind at the start!
I’ve done one 10k race with about 500 runners. I can’t quite get my head around 15,000. I think it’s going to be a brilliant atmosphere. I’ve done a bit of fundraising for a charity with a close personal link so I think I’ll be an emotional mess by the finish. Am properly excited now.
Thanks! I had an absolute shocker of a ten mile run a few weeks ago where the whole thing was a grind from start to finish. I think I’m getting the hang of differentiating between “I am so tired that I shouldn’t keep going” and “I am not enjoying this and finding it hard right now but I can tough it out”. Hooray for rubbish runs!
One thing I’ve really liked from the commentary on one of the runs is the idea that success can be measured in lots of different ways. That might be the time, the distance, the effect on your mood, and even the fact you got out and did anything at all. Every run has something positive. Sometimes that’s that the run is over!!!
Thanks and I agree there could be another in the future!!! The thought of keeping up the long runs through the winter isn’t an enticing prospect but come spring… who knows?
Aw, thanks! I’ve read some of your NRC HM posts and it’s so nice to compare notes on the runs. I’ve missed quite a few since five runs a week is too many for me. I’m looking forward to going back and ticking off the whole thing.
congrats on completing the distance. I am having the same thoughts re hydration for my HM on sunday. I found it difficult to drink out of cups at the watering stations. So will I take a vest so i can sip when needed, but need to decide which bottle
brilliant post and well done for covering that HM distance MissUnderstanding ! I almost felt like Id done the run with you, although I havent and im full of admiration as Im only just plucking up the courage to enter my first HM. Its not until April but I was just telling someone at our running club that im going to follow NRC training plan. Knowing I have Coach Bennett with me, makes me think I could do it. So do you recommend the training plan, has it been as good as you thought it would be?
I only started running 2 years ago after completing C25K and always thought 10km was my limit. I've managed to run 10 miles twice now, and then decided to tackle a HM. I do have a concern about heavy legs and being tired but hopefully being well hydrated and the thought of achieving a HM is amazing, so best of luck for yours!!🏃♀️🏃♀️🤞
Thanks for the lovely feedback! It’s so nice to have an outlet for all my running chat so my friends and family don’t get too bored of me banging on about it!!!
I’d definitely recommend the NRC HM plan. It’s easily been the best thing for my running since c25k. Miles better than I’d expected. It’s got me outside my comfort zone trying all sorts of things I would never have done without it. It’s really set the importance of long easy miles and finding as many ways to measure success in your running as possible. Some people find the commentary a bit too cheesy and chatty but I like it. The thing that’s been the biggest surprise is how much I’ve loved the speed runs. On paper they sound awful. Some of them are awful but in an absolutely wonderful way. Epic, exhausting and endorphin inducing!
I wish I’d started a bit earlier. There are five runs a week and that’s too many for me. That’s meant choosing a run or two to skip. I’ve had no problem getting to the distance on three or four runs (the programme says you can do this too) but I don’t like having weeks marked as incomplete. At some point I’ll go back and do them. It’s also a bit glitchy with playing music underneath and constantly asks for my Apple ID. The distance measurements are often wrong so I think about runs in terms of real kms and NRC kms which are longer! For a free app, I think it’s absolutely brilliant though.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do next. I’d definitely encourage you to give the NRC a go. At least it can be deleted with nothing lost if it’s not for you!
thank you, Im going to give it a go. I know someone in our running club that also used it and as I say Say I love Coach Bennett so Im sure he will get me in good shape!
Thanks! It totally caught me out because I’d a) chosen the route as easy to navigate and b) walked it before! I would have liked a sign halfway along the “detour” saying “you’re going the right way-don’t panic!”. To be fair, I’d quite like a sign like that halfway through my runs too!!!
Going for a quick and quiet run today since I’m away for the weekend and back on the plan on Monday.
Congratulations on your first HM 👏 👏 🎉🎉! They are a bit daunting but you're going about it all in the right way. I'd say you will be quite surprised at the time you will get at the Bath HM.
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