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....🙂
Written by
EEPaul
Graduate10
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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
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.
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....
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!
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.
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.
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Half marathon goal!! 😬
My first half-marathon!!
My first half marathon!
Gosport Half Marathon
Half marathon sort of training
