Chester Half Marathon

[Duddles]

This is perhaps the wrong section to post in, but as a graduate of Couch to 5k (a couple of times), as with all graduates it should be our task to encourage others starting off what at first seems the impossible journey of Couch5k.

The mantra of "If I can do it, anyone can do it"

So, at the age of nearly 73, I have been sort of training for a half marathon. Entry was a Christmas present from by daughter, over 40 years my junior, and we will be COMPETING against each other (and her husband) as is our nature.

I tried to train following a Runners World plan - looking for a 2.10 or 2.15 finish. The problem is I rarely managed the Looooonnnnnggg weekend runs. The longest I have managed to run continuously is 65 minutes.

Therefore I suspect there may be a lot of Jeffing going on, with the Jeff bit being as close to racewalking as my lovely long legs can manage.

So I post, wondering is there anyone else on this site doing the Chester Half Marathon?

[Goforitmama Graduate]

I’m not in the HM. Wish you all the best. ‘Upright and Smiling at the Finish Line’ is a good goal. You can do this Duddles. Good luck 🏃😃

You walk as fast as some of us run, so running or fast walking it won’t matter.

Go for it!

[Jelly-bean16 Graduate]

Quite a way off that stage yet. From what I saw of the London Marathon walking is fine. It’ll be a great experience. Good luck!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations to you Duddles for entering the Chester Half Marathon, you are exactly the same age as me, I'll be 73 next week, I have just this morning completed all my "runiversary reruns" of C25K by running run 3 of week 9 in around a pace of 37 minutes 5K.

May go on to the Stepping Stones Podcasts with Laura but not in a month of Sundays would I consider running like you are going to do a Half Marathon, MAYBE and it's a big maybe I might consider running a 10K, but that all depends on how I get on with those Stepping Stones Podcasts, I do keep ridgidly to the instructions for those runs like I did with C25K, coming up to the anniversary of my graduation last year which was the 18th June, good luck for your Chester Half Marathon 🏃 😊

[Duddles Graduate]

Thanks - Well done on keeping going. Couch to 5k is probably more than enough for us at our age, though I have to say so far, I have been very lucky to be able to keep going.

I followed a Runner's World programme (except for the long runs at the week end) and that was running at a really slow pace for 45 minutes, 55 minutes and 65 minutes. That brought results in that I can now comfortably do a 5k at about 30 minutes, a much higher pace than the RW programme.

However, I have not taken training seriously enough, and the longest run I have done is about six miles. I know that I can comfortably walk a half marathon, so when the training got hard, the coward's way out was to think, "it's OK, I can walk it" So the big miles have not been done.

I Jeffed a hilly half marathon distance the other day in 2.30, running down the hills and walking the up bits, so I think I may be right at the back of the field. I am only doing this as it is a Christmas present from my daughter - I like the challenge - but I guess it is perhaps a step too far. At my (our) age I do wonder will I survive it. I will have to damp down my competitive urges just to make sure I get back in one piece.

It's also good to know there is someone out there a few weeks older than me still flying the flag. If you can keep going, so can I!