Boxing Day hill nightmare!!!!

[Wonkyknee]

Signed up in a fit of madness for a Boxing Day 5 miler despite only being fit for a 5k- thought the festive spirit would get me round but then googled the race profile, rookie mistake! Ends in 2 miles plus of pure hills and I don't do hills! Hubby is doing it too but he's a pretty good runner so will be done before I reach my first hill! Really don't want to be last or walk the hill but if I have to worse things have happened to people. Why did I not pick a nice flat course???!! Which would have been challenging enough for me arghhhhh I'll try to attach profile to see if it's maybe not as bad as I imagine but looks steep to me for far too long in late stages of race!

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

It's is worth going to the back and trying a walk run pattern. That way you will walk and run up the hill and the increase of distance might not feel too bad. Try a 5min run 1 min walk or even a1:1 up the hills.

[Wonkyknee Graduate in reply to Realfoodieclub]

You're prob right foodie but I really wanted to run it,since graduating over a year ago I'm used to not walking now and find my legs tell me I can't start running again if I do slow to a walk,but at the same time I prob won't have a choice as I don't think I've the strength to do long hills.thx for your sensible advice !!!

[misswobble Graduate]

Ha ha, fools rush in! LOL You signed up to run hills so that's what you're gonna get. You'll be fine if you just go steadily for the first 2.5 k. Pick up the pace for the second half, and give it some welly on the final half km, if you can. If you go off too past in the first half of the race you'll be burned out by the finish, so don't be tempted to rush ahead

Good luck. Have a great time, it'll be a blast.

[Wonkyknee Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Cheers missW won't be making that mistake again lol the race motto is 'it's only a hill get over it' - my new motto that I will repeat 500 times a day from now to then

*goes off chanting......'it's only a hill....'

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Ooh brave! Especially after all that Christmas pud! Hope you enjoy it!

[Wonkyknee Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

Yes that wasn't well thought out at all! I'll have to have a late blowout on boxing evening with extra pud and wine

[c4ts Graduate]

I did a 10K recently which had quite a hill in it, I made the promise to myself that it was not going to beat me and just kept running up it (very slowly and had to tell myself off for getting bent over with the effort - not good for breathing etc). But possibly was a silly mistake because the people in front and behind walked up it, and I never got any closer to them and then got overtaken by the person behind later in the race - perhaps I had used more effort for no real reason. Don't be hard on yourself, you will succeed and it really does not matter where you finish. I came last!!

Have a great Boxing Day

[Wonkyknee Graduate in reply to c4ts]

Thanks all advice gratefully received! I think your prob right bout the walking using less energy, in a diff race I passed a woman who'd stopped to walk but once she got to the top of the hill she sailed past me n I nvr seen her again! Interesting strategy

[Rob_and_his_westie Graduate]

5 miles is 8k. If you've been running 5k for a while now then you will be able to get round. As for the hills? How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time..... Each little step brings you one step closer to the top. Each step is one less that you have to do to finish. Be positive and take it easy.

Oh and look at the bright side. Its a circular course. For every up, there's a down. And looking at the elevation profile you have the best thing possible in any race - a downhill finish!

[Wonkyknee Graduate in reply to Rob_and_his_westie]

Thx rob and your westie a walk up the hill followed by a sly downhill charge like I've been charging the whole way it is! Good advice. Still nervous though....

[Rob_and_his_westie Graduate in reply to Wonkyknee]

Of course! But the butterflies are part of the excitement of doing it!

One last thing. Make sure you warm up and don't stretch cold muscles.

Come on Wonkyknee!