Two weeks until my first ever half marathon not been running a year yet!
So today I headed out on a long run on my own managed 11.6 miles but it was hell! Every step was hard every mile a real struggle! I even had cramp in my foot for the first time ever! I used usual gels and water for fuel.
Why was it so awful?
My legs were heavy my hips and bum hurt! I stopped to walk a few times for a a few seconds just to get through!
I know my pace looks ok but it doesn’t refelect how awful it was!!
Feel so worried I won’t be able to finish a half now without walking!!
Only thing I didn’t do was eat, as I wasn’t planning on long run today so didn’t get up early enough to eat. Could that have made it that much more difficult?
Thanks for reading and sorry for moaning but I know you guys will understand and give me some great advice!!
Lisa
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Lisaloopy9
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Why is walking so bad? I do it all the time mid run, mid race, whatever 🤷♀️
I would not run that far on empty. Porridge would be my go-to pre run breakfast or white toast and peanut butter
We all have crap runs. Yours was today.
You’ve not been running long and are embarking on a long race. Cut yourself some slack. Push too hard and you could end up on the injury couch. Walk when you need to and don’t worry it 🙂
Listen to MissWobble she talks sense (although I do often run that far on empty, fuelled by body fat but I am used to doing it).
Cut yourself some slack and have walk breaks without worrying (we won't tell your running club 😉). There is no reason to run the whole thing and walking breaks don't make much difference on time.
Could just have been 'one of those runs'. You know what they say a bad dress rehearsal makes for a good performance. You will do this and you will enjoy - if not at the time then in retrospect. I'm sure you'll be back telling us how great it was though!
Lisa, what program are you following? I'm at your level, as in, l will be doing my first HM very soon but I've got no pain/strain issues whatsoever. Also, l will either run the whole distance or not do it at all.
Ah, because l drilled it into my head that it's running only, or nothing. Don't ask, it's easier to convince a mule to dance the Charlton than me to change my mind after all this time.
On the plus side l've spent so much time training that a HM distance, all steady running, no stopping, doesn't seem harrowing at all. Full marathon all running? I don't think I've got that in me. Not yet, anyway.
However, I fully get and support why people run/walk the distance and even Hal Higdon, whose program I've been following, suggests that option. Injury due overtraining is my top concern but I'm one of those who go 'hard way or no way', unfortunately....
We'll see, if l get crippled again l may reconsider.
I think hard way or no way must be a man thing. A woman will do hook or by crook 😃
On my first race I saw elite men packing in after a few seconds as they knew it was impossible for them to win. I kept going and won a tenner 💪👍🏃♀️😁
I think injury does colour our future prospects. I got a serious shin splint and thought the game was up. Fortunately it mended and I was back on the road. It took months, and you do a lot of thinking on the dreaded injury couch. If only I’d gone steady 🙄 Mind you I might be a lot older than you 😁
No program really!? Just advice from running club and research I’ve done on the internet!! Lol one long run per week one fast 5k and hill work and one 10k or so nice conversational pace?!
Gonna need all the luck in the world to do this I think!!
Instead of running next Sunday, i used the perfect weather (no rain, light breeze, 9C) and completed my HM this morning. As I promised: no stopping-no walking-only running.
Still all miles on the legs - you will be fine and remember the adrenaline and other runners and crowd support all help on the day. As others have said, we all get these odd runs occasionally. Could be you need to fuel up, could be your body is fighting something off, who knows? Have faith in the training you've done. Good luck!🙂
..also, don't know what your usual run pace is like but I always dropped my pace a little when increasing distance for the first time. If your goal is to run continuously (which I do too) you may find this helps. Good luck.
I you want to run all of it and that's your goal and then go for it. I wouldn't worry to much we all have bad days not enough food or sleep etc. On the day you will be excited and pumped up for the race if not a little nervous which is normal.
You shouldn't need that many gels as your body can store about 2hrs and with the pace above your not going to much over that.
And don't worry that others in your running club don't walk we are all different!
You didn't fuel before you set out and if you normally do then that could have made a difference. As others have said, if you need to walk, okay, although I do understand that to some it feels like cheating. The other thing is that your pace is speedy - would you consider slowing down a bit to run it all?
Hey, you did 11.6 miles though! Well done, and good luck for the race
As the others have commented, bad runs happen from time to time - try to forget about it and move forward, don't dwell on it. Eat something next time
I think that running the whole distance is something to shoot for rather than something to worry about while you're training for your first half. Even elite runners stop and take breaks during training runs. The thing to remember on the day is not to get carried away and start off too quickly at the beginning of the race. Start slowly so you keep some energy in reserve for the final miles. Looking at your stats there (aside from the first couple of km, where it looks as though you were running up and down a hill?) you started off quicker and finished a bit slower. I suppose this could reflect that you were having a bad run and feeling tired at the end because of that. But still, maybe try practising starting off at a slow, slow pace (like 7 m/km slow) and build up verrrrry gradually. If you start to struggle try dropping your pace again, and set yourself little goals - like I'll carry on running until that next lamp post - when you get there you may well find you can pick up your pace again. And try speeding up at the end, just for the last little bit - visualise a sprint to the finishing arch to pick up your medal, and give it all you've got!
As others have said chalk it up to a bad run. One bad run doesn't make you a failure. It's just a part of the process.
As for fuel I did all my runs before breakfast, as I usually do, even the 10 mile long runs. In fact the only time I eat before a run is on race day itself. And that's only because they are later in the day. It's personal choice, but it probably played on your mind
I had a couple of rubbish longer runs when I was training for my half marathon. In my case I think my legs were tired from the constant training particularly nearer the event. Have you had any cut back weeks where you have a shorter run to allow the legs to recover?
I also never run on an empty stomach and that may well contribute to feeling tired.
Either way don't be disheartened. With this mileage on your legs you will achieve your half marathon. Go out there, believe in yourself and achieve!
Don’t let it phase you. My last long run before my first HM was an absolute disaster but the real thing was fine. Take it as a sign - when the dress rehearsal falls apart, you know it’s gonna be alright on the night. Rest up, eat well, give yourself a break - and then GO GET ‘EM! xxx
I walked a little to refuel on both of my HMs, from km 16 onwards. When you are running at the same speed that you can walk, it is better to walk a little and recover. There's no shame in it and you still finish what is a very long distance.
I wouldn't be able to run 18 k with no food inside me, I'm not surprised you had problems. I need food for any run, and take dates or other fuel and water fro anything over 10k. I learned my lesson when I came over all woozy at 16 k on a quite lane in the middle of nowhere and realized that nobody knew I was there.
Hang on a mo'... you weren't planning a long run... but you achieved one!
(But actually I reckon the best advice is what you've already done for yourself: have a jolly good moan about a disagreeable run, so much easier to let go of it and move on after that)
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