It seems like my whole family ran half marathons this weekend: My brother, his wife, my sister and my uncle.
My sister-in-law ran in 1:37 - she is incredibly fast! My brother was just below 2 hours. My sister had a niggle in her hip so she didn't make it in less than 2 hours as she had hoped, but just above. My uncle (who's 70) did it in 2:25.
I sat on my couch cheering them all on as I followed their progress on my computer.
On one hand it was great to see so many family members run and do so well. On the other hand it was kind of depressing to sit here on the couch and know that I wouldn't be able to do it. Not now, anyway.
But do I really want to run such long distances? I don't really know. I'm just envious of those who can... When does one know oneself well enough as a runner to know whether training for a HF would be fun and manageable or just dreadful?
And can I join the "fall on your face club", please? I fell on my bike today on my way home from work - I hurt my right hand (just a grazed palm) and my knee and elbow, but I'm alright and am ready to run tomorrow with my running club.
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PippiRuns
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I'm training now for a HM I've entered in October. It will be my first one , my predicted time so far after 3 weeks of training is 2hrs 30 mins. When I think about that, I think that's a LONG time to be running but on the other hand , I am really looking forward to it ,( cant wait to be honest ! ) and I'm really enjoying the training so far. I'm not really bothered about my finishing time , as long as I get over the finishing line I will be really happy !
If you want to do one , I would say, yes go for it . Why not ? Plus you've got a wealth of experience around you to help you . Good Luck in whatever you decide to do xxx
You are now a full member of our " Falling on Your Face Club " It happens to us all one time or another !
Then I can be envious of you too, PP! I'm sure you are going to get over the finishing line!
I'm not going to set (crazy) goals like that yet. I'm going to get comfortable with the 5k first and then probably aim for 10. If that is manageable and still enjoyable - then we'll talk about a HM.
Thanks RWD , I will at some point also have to think of what snacks I'm going to take so I can keep on running for that amount of time ! Lots of reading up to do on that one I think ! xxx
I feel...it just comes..whatever is meant..I really do! You will go on..with your club..on your own..your distance and times will evolve...you will know.where and how and when. Go with your instincts☺
Sorry about your fallx But..you are in the falling club now..yeay!
'When does one know oneself well enough as a runner to know whether training for a HF would be fun and manageable or just dreadful?' - great question, and one I wonder about too.
Welcome to the Falling Over Club, Iben. I can't say that I'm really pleased to welcome you because I know it hurts, but I couldn't think of a nicer person to join us!
As to HMs, I know what you mean. It is such a long way and would take so much time for training at the speed we go that it's just not realistic. I know I will never be fast, I've just left it too late for that, but I would love to get faster and also do a HM at some point. But that is something for the future. I need to get faster on my 5k and 10k runs first. If I ever get to 5k in 30 mins I might think about it. Maybe next year?
Until then I think we just need to rejoice in what we can do and just plug away getting the mileage in. I met up with some retired colleagues today who I hadn't seen for 6 months and they told me they'd never seen me so fit. Things like that make you realize how far we've come. I'm sure it's the same for you!
You're right. It is amazing how far we have come, considering where we were just a short time ago. My four family members have been running for 20-45 years. No wonder they can run a HM!
Have you thought of putting glue on the bottom of their running shoes? That should slow them down...
I jest, but Iben, how on earth can you be dismayed - look how far you have come! How long have they been running and how long have you been running? I expect it is hardly a fair comparison.
I also understand that training for anything is 'dreadful', the real question is it is the sort of dreadful you like :-).
And why were you on the couch instead of running? Huh?!
I'm managing 4.5k in half an hour, so haven't even managed 5k yet. I feel the same as you though. I'm not sure I'd want to run as far as a HM, but at the same time I see others and wish I could do it. I see you noted how long the others have been running for, there is some experience there and I'm sure they'd love to help you if you decide to take it up a notch.
I think it's a really personal question that you have to test out. I had signed up for one last year but then injury and recovery got in the way. I had fancied pushing my distances up again this year, but after a distance PB in February, I fell out of running for a bit. For myself, the most important thing for me is to still enjoy it. That way I'll keep this wonderful habit. If it gets too regimented or too much pressure, that's when I get disinterested. And then disappointed if you don't meet your target. I'm not writing it off completely, but perhaps after a third year of running under my belt. I think after we graduate it's very easy to get super ambitious, without taking the time to think of what we really want. You get to decide. And there is no wrong answer.
Ouch on the fall hope it feels better soon. I struggled for over a year to reach 5km then I found my feet and became a run/walker (it suits my heart rate perfectly). With that came the distances for me I wouldn't even of considered it before. My best HM time is 3:08 so I'm one of the ones in the last pen but I'm by no means back of the pack. The last runner came in at 4:10 in my last HM and there were loads of people there to cheer her through. Distance is a personal thing I think. I really enjoyed the two I've done but they take a lot out of me as my training gets over two hours for one run it starts to be difficult to fuel and recover. I am happy now to be taking a break from distance to work on speed and building Stregnth. As you get used to 5km your mind will start to give you hints about where you want to go, for me as soon as I found my running pace I just knew I wanted to be out there for longer as I relax a bit after 3km and then again after 7km. i have always loved training for an event, that's one thing I am missing at the moment finding a void to fill with no event to train for. I would say take it at a steady pace and don't feel pressured into anything see how you feel as your confidence grows, it's still early days, you never know you might be an ultra sort of person when your running personality shows thier face 😃.
I'm pretty sure I'm not an ultra sort of person, but you never know! And I sure you're right. If I just stick with it, I'll find out what kind of running that fits me.
Competitive running isn't for everyone. My first run of C25k was three years ago. I completed it within nine weeks and gradually increased my run distance, with ten miles (that's 16k to you Europeans) sliding under my belt within five months, so was well on the way to a HM. The following May I ran in a local 10k race, which reinforced my curmudgeonly feelings that l prefer running alone. Since then I have been fairly static, but content with my running. The occasional parkrun is fun, but having built my maximum distance up to 18k, l do not find the idea of a HM particularly appealing. l will probably run the distance one day, but on my own, l suspect.
Being able to comfortably run ten miles at the drop of a hat is my measure of my fitness, which, now l am in my sixties, is something l find satisfying and because of the actual experience of off road running, incredibly rewarding. lben (l fooled the spell checker with a lower case L) you can become whatever sort of runner you want to be. The important thing is to keep enjoying it. I know marathon training would become an unpleasant slog for me, whereas getting up towards HM distance is really not such hard work.
I think the worst things runners do is compare yourself to other runners. You are who you are you have started your journey recently while they are all seasoned runners. Just running and especially distance running takes time, if you want to run a half then you can but it won't be tomorrow. I am sure your family are equally proud of you to start running an d to get where you are.
If you do want to run a half, then do it follow a plan and take it nice and easy. Don't worry about times ,speed comes later.
Training for a HM can be as funny or as hardcore as you want; it depends on what your target is.
If you are just happy to finish it, no matter how long does it take, you can already consider training for it, taking it easy and having fun along the journey.
The secret to having fun while training, regardless to the distance, is simply to have realistic expectations. 😉
Hmmm - realistic expectations are good. So are high aspirations... Sometimes I just dream about being one of those runners who can keep going for ages at high speed, but I know it is not going to happen any day soon, I am very realistic. And enjoying my running immensely!
Hmm, am from a family of hard core runners too, so I see where you are coming from. At the moment, I am just quietly pleased to have proven that I can also perform this action on a small scale. I just remember very clearly a conversation with Dad about his running when he said that he always found the first eight to ten miles really hard, but then hit his stride and loved it. That thought is keeping my ambitions quite loy key for the time being! Am sure you will decide where you want to take your own goals. Good luck!
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