So this is where it begins

[SueAppleRun]

NRC half marathon plan.I've started this plan before but just didn't have the time or energy to do the longer runs so ended up just not going.

Now I have time, lots of it. I had planned to start this as soon as I retired but that didn't happen. I've been running and walking more though and now feels like the right time

I lolled around doing nothing all morning then decided if I want to garden this afternoon I better run or I'll never do anything.

A bit of a warm up indoors and off I go, run 1 week 1 is 15 minutes, perfect as I ran yesterday.

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, I love warm weather, I'm soon grinning as I run along, 15 minutes is over so quickly but I did a loop and almost home 😁

I needed a few things so popped to the shop after, then came back and ate a banana (I don't much like them but I bought them because they are good for me and I can't waste them )

Played with the kettlebell for a while and now I'm going to dig more wild garlic up.

Run happy or rest well but most of all be ok with whatever you do

[GTFC Graduate10]

Love it Sola!! I know this has been something you've had in your mind for a long time.

You can do it, this distance is there for you and we'll all be right behind you 😊

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to GTFC]

Thank you 😊

[Readandrun Graduate10]

All the best for your HM training plan. Lovely time of year to start.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Readandrun]

Yes, I can get it done through summer

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

Hi Sola,

I found that 3 runs per week was all that I could manage ; the longer recovery run, one of the speed runs and the long run. When I remembered, I listened to the 15 minute recovery run as I walked home as it set up the next week’s running. All the stuff about starting slow, breath control and linking that to reducing heart rate and running form made an enormous difference when it came to the really long runs. Anyway, I should leave you to unwrap your presents in peace 🙂All the emphasis is on not pushing too hard. I hope that you really enjoy it.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thank you, I've done part of it before but found that a long run on my only day off in a week meant I didn't get anything done this time I can just relax after a long run so hopefully will carry on

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

I am sure that you will carry on Sola. A bit of structure is a big help.

[Roxdog Graduate10]

Good news!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Roxdog]

😄 hopefully

[Runninggirl59 60minGraduate]

Well done, looking forward to reading about your progress towards a HM. Go girl!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Runninggirl59]

I may get fizzle out again but I have high hopes this time

[Leotigris Graduate10]

Great news Sola, good luck with the plan!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Leotigris]

Thank you 😊

[Shake-and-run Graduate10]

good luck with your plan. Go Sola xx

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Shake-and-run]

Thanks 😁 xx

[LottieMW Ambassador]

I started quietly about a month ago…I’m doing all the runs…until I stop 😂

11 runs completed…but I need to sub in my 10k sometime this week 🙄

…in case you haven’t noticed, I’ve still got a “posting block”…I’m not even editing my Strava posts 😫

[Oldlady64 Graduate10]

Really impressive that you’ve made such a positive start to training for a half marathon! Good luck with digging up that wild garlic!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Oldlady64]

Wild garlic is horrible, I'm digging as much as I can and will keep going but am sure it'll come back again and again

[Oldlady64 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

🤨

[Mudita11 Graduate10]

Good to hear Sola! I must take a look at that NRC half marathon plan myself - seems very popular with the VRBs so must be good 👍🏻

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Mudita11]

It is a good plan, I like guided runs so suits me, it is very popular isn't it? I hadn't realised

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

I know you’ve been aiming for this for a long time SueAppleRun - good luck and keep us posted.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy and no doubt I will

[Instructor57 Graduate10]

Nice one Sola !Enjoy the journey 😬👍

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Instructor57]

Thanks I'm hoping to

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

Wishing you loads of luck and lots of fun 🍀🤗 You will do this.

And good luck with the wild garlic too 🙀I need to get to grips with a corner of ground elder and I keep putting it off…

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Irishprincess]

I think Willow just pulled the leaves off the last few years, he kept the small garden tidy but I think the wild garlic was just multiplying out of sight, this year he didn't get started, but I always planned to spend time in the garden once I had the time, at this rate, a bit a day and I'll have the ground cleared in a week, I'm digging and composting as many bulbs as I can find so it's slow growing. Ground elder is invasive too, I remember moving into a bungalow 32 years ago and there was a lot, in my ignorance I thought it was dahlias and left it to spread the first year, good luck with yours

[Irishprincess Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

My first “proper” garden had this beautiful white flower that seemed to want to climb. I had no idea what it was but put a stake in the ground and trained the plant to grow up it

Then, a gardening expert friend came and laughed so much because she told me it was bindweed 🙀

We still laugh about that 😂

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Bindweed is beautiful but takes over

[Reggiegirl in reply to Irishprincess]

just as an aside, did you know that you can eat ground elder? I add it to nettle soup a bit like spinach but earthier. 😋

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Reggiegirl]

I didn't know that

[Irishprincess Graduate10 in reply to Reggiegirl]

Yes, there is so much in the garden we can eat…. And so much we can’t 😱

[Frizzbomb67 Graduate10]

I haven’t got the time or energy but I’ve been plodding my way through the HM plan too. I can only run twice a week so I just do the next run on the list. If it’s a 15 min run I do 15 mins and enjoy the extra time I have left. If it’s a long run I have to plan it in. I’m currently at 8 weeks to go and did the 8 mile run last week. The speed runs are fun and it gives a sense of satisfaction as the runs tick off. I love seeing those red ticks 😂. Good luck with it. Just enjoy the journey. I may not get to HM but I’ve enjoyed the ride 😁. Hope you do too xx

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Frizzbomb67]

Thank you, that's exactly what I was doing last year but then autumn came, the rain came and I found a run and a sit was about all I could do in a day off, we'd end up doing nothing for the rest of the day, now I have time I'll plod through and see where it takes me, I got up to 10k last time but time is something I have now, I don't remember not working xx

[Frizzbomb67 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

That’s me sometimes. I run on a Friday morning, my day off, then do nothing the rest of the day so I know what you mean. It’s easier in the summer as I can get out on an evening. Now you’ve retired you can pick running days to suit you and dodge the bad weather 😊

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Frizzbomb67]

Yes, I'm lucky in that, my neighbour is keen to run again now her holiday is over so next week I'll be back to alternate run walk days with her so thought I could do my plan in the mornings of our walk days, then garden a bit and relax after, not sure how it'll work as the weeks go by but we don't do anything at weekends so I can do the long run then

[grumpyoldgirl]

This is exciting, very best of luck with this venture Sola x

( I have a similar relationship with bananas btw!)

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

I just hate throwing them away x

[Cmoi Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Slightly over-ripe bananas are perfect for banana bread, banana muffins and banana blondies - see Dan Lepard's recipe theguardian.com/lifeandstyl... - SueAppleRun . Perfect fuel for HM training!

And can't you use the wild garlic? I keep looking for it in the woods but it doesn't seem to grow near here!

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Cmoi]

That recipe looks fab…very pleased to have a black banana in my fruit bowl at the moment!!

[Cmoi Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

It's absolutely lush MissUnderstanding . I use pecans instead of brazil nuts as I prefer them, I'm sure other nuts would work too. Made Dan Lepard's easy carrot cake the other day too. I love his recipes - Short and Sweet is probably my most-used baking book.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Cmoi]

I love Dan Lepard. I’ve had that book from the library and I keep trying to spot it second hand. I don’t think anyone wants to give it away!

His milk bread is one of my favourite breads to bake. I haven’t tried that carrot cake but I think I should!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Cmoi]

I could use wild garlic....but I can't use the amount I have, all three borders are covered

[Cmoi Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Oh the irony - your garden's swamped with wild garlic and I live next to a forest but can't find any! Bon courage for the gardening and the HM plan! xx

[grumpyoldgirl in reply to Cmoi]

Someone was asking where to find some on our local facebook this week!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Good luck Sola for your Half Marathon plan, this is the best time of the year to start it.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to AlMorr]

My thoughts exactly Al, thank you

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Oh my!

Go you... here you are , another starting line, although you have done a bit of this before...

Tweak the runs to suit yourself... and listen to that body... hark at me!

You know all that don't you, and I know most definitely I do not need to add...slow and steady

Huge well done my friend... simply enjoy. You can do this :). x

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Floss, most of my runs will definitely be slow and steady, I'm getting a lot out of running

[linda9389 Graduate10]

Exciting! Enjoy! And may the sun continue to shine 🌞

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to linda9389]

Thanks Linda

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10]

As you know, I'm more than half way through this same plan and I'm enjoying it a lot. I find it very motivating. As I get towards the longer runs I'm getting a bit nervous, but they do say early on to just think about the run you're on, not what's coming up.

I often do the 15 min run, then straight into another, usually the other recovery run, that makes about 50 mins, so perfect for me. Some weeks I don't get all 5 runs done, but just keep on plodding along and don't move on till I've ticked them all off. If you're not planning for an event but doing the plan for some structure (like me) that works well.

I wish you the very best with your plan, and hops you enjoy it as much as I have.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Thank you 😊 I'm in no hurry but although walking and running with a neighbour I've realised that plodding on on my own is what I really enjoy, I'll do all runs of each week but they'll take longer than 7 days

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Me too, I'm a solo runner through and through. I think it comes from being less fast (I don't like that word SLOW!)

Thus last week has taken me more than two weeks already and tere's still one to go. That's what I like about the plan, it's so flexible and CB never tells you you're no good, he just keeps encouraging. I did a Garmin Connect plan, they told me I wasn't up for it and should try a shorter distance GRRRR!!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Ha ha ha, I did a Garmin plan once and there was a lot of must do better, and the set days wore me out, I'm glad you are enjoying this plan, I will do a mixture of very not fast and jeffing for the longer runs and see what works best for me. I'm lookin Ng forwa d to the speed runs though as they definitely made me faster last time

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

I can't say the speed runs have had really any effect at all for me....I'm going to phone the hospital and see if they will increase my Levo, I still have symptoms, I want MORE!! ha ha I feel like a junkie!

[RunBrianRun Graduate10]

Good luck with the plan Sola. As you say it should be more doable this time. Looking forward to reading your updates. Good luck digging up that garlic. I’ve been trying to dig out bamboo from my mum’s garden, it’s wretched stuff but I now have a pick axe and stump killer so it’ll take a pounding next week when I’m up there. Good exercise too 💪😂

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to RunBrianRun]

I'd love some bamboo but only have a small garden

[RunBrianRun Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

My mum’s garden is small but the previous owner decided to plant the bamboo directly into the ground instead of in a pot. It has spread acrosss the garden now. She also had Ivy that has gone completely wild too. Trust me you don’t want bamboo or Ivy in your garden.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to RunBrianRun]

😀I've got ivy, but maybe I'll just look at bamboo and yearn,

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to RunBrianRun]

We have bamboo and pampas grass in our garden. I’ve been trying to dig both out for ages but the pampas grass is such a prolific seeder and forms thick, matted roots that it’s a nightmare to get out. Sending sympathy your way!!

[RunBrianRun Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thank you MU, It’s a real battle isn’t it. I’m not sure I’ll ever get rid of it completely as there’s a few awkward spots that are hard to reach, but I’ll get most of it and keep an eye out for new shoots. Pampas grass sounds terrible. I remember it being all the rage in the 70s.

[Health2020 Graduate10]

Amazing and inspirational. Well done you.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Health2020]

Thank you