Now up to Half Marathons...

[EEPaul]

I haven't posted for a while, so time for a quick update. This year has seen me achieve an ambition I held since before COVID - to run a half marathon. One attempt got stopped by the pandemic lockdown and I had injuries that ruled me out of two more, but I finally completed my first HM - the Surrey Half - in March 2023.

It wasn't plain sailing. The weather forecast suggested it would be cold so I dressed accordingly, but it wasn't as cold as forecast and I overheated, needing help in the last kilometre to get me over the line, and I needed help from the event's (excellent) medical team after I finished.

I've since run two further HMs (Hackney and London's Big Half) and they were both on warm days so it was more about keeping cool than overheating. Across the three HMs, I achieved very similar times (all between 2h 2m and 2h 5m).

And I've run my first non-UK parkrun (ticking off another ambition). On my third trip to Singapore, I finally managed to join the East Coast parkrun - taking it easy to finish in a very sweaty 28 minutes.

And to think it all began with a creaky 58-year-old starting C25K one morning in May 2019....🙂

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Oh you started just after us, well done on getting to HM furthest I've done is 10 miles but aiming to reach HM distance by Easter, not a race though. I'm a lot slower it'll take me well over 3 hours at my current pace

[EEPaul Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

I've read that if you can get to 10 miles, adrenaline and determination will help you complete the final three miles in a HM. Personally, though, I liked the reassurance that I'd at least run a HM in training.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to EEPaul]

That's encouraging thanks, I'm currently building distance and will keep going

[RiceAndPeas]

As a creaky 59 year old who started C25k in September this is hugely inspiring. Some very impressive times for your first three HMs. 👏

[EEPaul Graduate10 in reply to RiceAndPeas]

Thank you, RiceAndPeas. The last four years have had their ups and downs. Some of the injuries were down to my legs getting used to the steady pounding - as a former cyclist I hadn't any previous wear and tear, but I think my legs are now a bit more resilient thanwhen I started out. Keep it it, and build up slowly to avoid some of the issues I had. Good luck with the C25K and beyond....

[RiceAndPeas in reply to EEPaul]

I'm a former TT cyclist so can really relate to what you say about the pounding running delivers. I find it very energy sapping.

[EEPaul Graduate10 in reply to RiceAndPeas]

I rode with Crewe Clarion Wh (mainly a TT cyclist too) in my youth, and then, after a move to London, Woolwich CC (sportives and the odd 10m TT) into my 50s. After four years of running, I can now gauge what's gentle and what's hard work - and hills are still tough whether you're on two wheels or two feet!

[RiceAndPeas]

Woolwich CC? Not far up the road from me, I rode for Bigfoot CC and was about to start racing for Elite Cycling when I had a bit of black ice based mishap. We probably appeared on a few of the same start sheets!

I like what you say about being able to gauge what's gentle and what's hard work now. I think I'm still trying to run too fast too often and end up feeling shattered much of the time. Hopefully I will learn before I pick up an injury.

[EEPaul Graduate10 in reply to RiceAndPeas]

I subscribe to a coaching service and their schedules err on the gentle side - 80% at gentle paces and only 20% at or near race pace (I don't burn out like I used to when I first started).

They also urged some heartrate monitoring - Maximum Aerobic Function or the Maffetone method - that trains your system to work increasingly efficiently so that you gradually have more capacity to perform at more intense levels when you need to. It was/is a bit frustrating at first, but the slower pace also reduced risks of injury.