Couch to Half Marathon in 5 months: I started c... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Couch to Half Marathon in 5 months

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate
48 Replies

I started c25k in October and on Sunday completed the Cambridge Half Marathon. I'm a slow plodder and took over 3 hours to complete it with a bit of speed walking around miles 8-10 but it's done! I carry a lot of extra weight and it was a hot day I'm proud and wanted to share with you all that anything is possible as long as you believe and in my case keep to a training plan !

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Sallyal profile image
Sallyal
Graduate
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48 Replies
Beek profile image
BeekGraduate

WELL DONE YOU, SALLYAL! Such a lovely smile! Bet you are really pleased with yourself after all that hard work! Bet you enjoyed that tipple! I'm really pleased for you and it has given me the nudge to get on with doing something too! Inspirational!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Beek

Glad I could be of help! As it happens I couldn't drink it and ended up throwing it away!

Thank you

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate

Well done! I think we can all appreciate just how hard it is, and what it takes to achieve such a feat. You should feel justifiably proud. Good lass!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to misswobble

Thank you, I do feel proud and wore my medal everywhere for 24 hours!

Tinyrun profile image
TinyrunGraduate in reply to Sallyal

Well done indeedy. You should wear it to bed. Fantastic achievement.

ChrisL profile image
ChrisLGraduate

Well done Sallyal. I bet that beer tasted good afterwards!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to ChrisL

Thank you, it was a freebie, isotonic non alcoholic drink, loved the thought of it but my stomach wasn't interested after having been jiggled around for such a long time!

ChrisL profile image
ChrisLGraduate in reply to Sallyal

They are making isotonic no alcoholic drinks that look like beer????? How can that be legal?

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Graduate in reply to Sallyal

Did it taste like beer?

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Graduate

3 Hours!!! - would be very proud of that . A half marathon is 21 Klms so that is an average of less than 9 minutes per klm over that long distance!!!!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Bazza1234

Aaaah Bazza you missed the "more than" in front of the 3 hours!! My aim was always to be in before the cut off of 3 hours 30 minutes and there were always a couple of people behind me, but I wasn't racing them just or ing it to myself!

Bazza1234 profile image
Bazza1234Graduate in reply to Sallyal

Don't confuse me with the facts - I've already made up my mind!!! :) GREAT effort!!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Bazza1234

Thank you... 3:17 and proud!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Bazza1234

Have you read, courage to start, by john (the penguin) Bingham Highly recommended

swanscot profile image
swanscotGraduate

Congratulations on your first Half Marathon, Sallyal.

It looks like you're enjoying that pint, after running on a hot day.

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to swanscot

You ran too I think? You made me chuckle with the word "first" in your sentence...like I might fancy doing it again!

Hennith profile image
HennithGraduate

Wow, that is seriously impressive! Very well done Sallyal!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Hennith

Thank you :)

no-excuse profile image
no-excuseGraduate

Wow that's fantastic-how inspiring! So you should be proud x

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to no-excuse

Thank you, you can look up my graduation post to read why I started to run if you're interested in my story!

Congratulations, what a fantastic achievement you must be so pleased and proud

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to

Thank you I am, but the blisters are painful today!

Shed79 profile image
Shed79Graduate

Well Done, That is really impressive!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Shed79

Thank you, it was a lovely feeling to have people shouting my name and cheering me on!

Lovefood1984 profile image
Lovefood1984Graduate

You've given me hope I still have time to do plenty training for the GNR in September, just need to stick to my training plan :) well done!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Lovefood1984

That's loads of time! I started on January 1st upping my distance every week, had only run 10 miles twice and 11.5 once, would have felt more confident having done that distance more times and got used to running with duels and taking water on board while running. Good luck!

Lovefood1984 profile image
Lovefood1984Graduate in reply to Sallyal

I have a water bottle but on short runs you don't need one so I'm sure there will be much practicing as my distances increase with that and fuel types. I'm more worried about the fuel as I increase, I climbed Ben Nevis a couple of years ago and an hour in the fiancé pointed out I was struggling and needed fuel which I denied and didn't fancy so he made me eat half a snickers and boy did I need it! 10mins later and I felt great! :)

Windswept1 profile image
Windswept1Graduate

Brilliant. Well done. given me inspiration!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Windswept1

Thank you, my graduation post tells you a bit more about what got me startd!

Rockette profile image
Rockette

That's brilliant ! Well done , & so you should be proud ! What a achievement . !

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Rockette

Thank you. It's been a whirlwind journey, and yes feels amazing to know I did it.

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Graduate

woop woop...what an amazing achievement...well done and in such a short time, thats fabulous!!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to ju-ju-

Thank you. I have just finished listening to, "running like a girl" on audible books. Highly recommended.

Windswept1 profile image
Windswept1Graduate in reply to Sallyal

Just bought the paperback copy of the book following recommendation of someone else on the forum.

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Windswept1

I hope you enjoy it! I have listened to parts of it a number of times, and could hear her voice in my head as I was running on Sunday!

A very well deserved achievement. Best wishes.

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to

Thank you, have realised so much of this is is about the battle between you're head telling you to stop and knowing your body can carry on!

Oldgirl profile image
OldgirlGraduate

Wow that's amazing Sally that must be one of the quickest Couch to 1/2M I've seen on here, very well done. :)

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Oldgirl

It wasn't my plan! I was gifted the place in the HM on the 1st January and my aim was to finish within the time limit! I had publicly committed to bringing a medal to work on Monday and couldn't bear to give my children the message that it was Ok to give up when things get tough(and boy was it tough!!) .

Thank you

runningnotwalking profile image
runningnotwalkingGraduate

Congratulations and enjoy that beer - well deserved :)

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to runningnotwalking

Thank you!

aliboo70 profile image
aliboo70

Well done! Hope you enjoyed that well deserved beer! CONGRATULATIONS on a fantastic achievement :) Gives me something to aim for!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to aliboo70

My advice would include..choose a flat race, and I'm not a fan of courses with loops (this was 2 loops) as I saw loads of people finishing when I had to do it all again!! Thank you

Chris14 profile image
Chris14Graduate

Well done, what a fantastic achievement !!

Sallyal profile image
SallyalGraduate in reply to Chris14

Thanks Chris - you're almost there!!

carole01 profile image
carole01Graduate

Respect! Big time! So wish I could to do that too one day but still unsure of the correct journey. A big whoop whoop to you! :)

moger profile image
mogerGraduate

had a great day doing it myself well done

I am Sooooooo impressed. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

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