Oxford HM 2019 it is!,

Thanks for the advice on my last post everyone.

This won't be till a year October, so I will have been running for two years by then. It has a very generous cut off time of 3.5 hours and a flat as a pancake route. I can currently do 10k in 1hr 35 minutes or thereabouts, in warm conditions, up and down hill, elevation gain averaging 150 metres, so I should be fine.

Should I aim for this only, or enter another earlier in the year? Taking into consideration that I'm an older runner (71).

Am I asking silly questions? This is new to me.

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Awesome, good choice

If I were you, I'd play it by ear. Enjoy your training, and if something comes up that you like the look of, and you feel good, go for it!!

[Hidden in reply to roseabi]

Thank you, good plan. It's all very exciting

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Hidden]

It certainly is!

[MikeJones68 Half Marathon]

Nice one, Flick! A HM!! And I've still not done a Park Run!

[Hidden in reply to MikeJones68]

Thanks Mike. and i still haven't done a park run either, though I have the Blenheim 10k in September, which I'm stressing about like mad as I'm worried about needing a wee or not memorising the route - though with the route thing I guess I just follow everyone else ... I'm bound to be last anyway x

[MikeJones68 Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

I think you underestimate your ability x

[Hidden in reply to MikeJones68]

Bless you, hank you, that's actually really encouraging. I am very slow though, but I'm hoping running withy others will speed me up a bit

[MikeJones68 Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

I think you'll be surprised how far up the field you finish

[Hidden in reply to MikeJones68]

LOL, i think I will! I'm glad you have faith in me. My daughter is doing it too, but she's a lot faster than me. Seriously, your encouragement means a lot. I dont get much from Mr I Dont snore because he comes from a sporty physically active family who keep going with limbs hanging off. He says he's proud of my running but I do go on about it! Thank goodness for these forums where everybody else is going on about it too

[MikeJones68 Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Oh yes. I have the same issue!

[Tasha99 Marathon in reply to Hidden]

You’ll be fine! There are marshals to tell you which way to go. Although I have similar anxiety about loo prior to racing 😂 It’s a girl thing for sure. There will be plenty of people slower than you Flick - people who’ve next run before at all and are walking 👌🏽

[Hidden in reply to Tasha99]

Oh, thank you, that’s all reassuring😀

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Do you usually need a wee during a 10k 🤷‍♀️ Finding the lav immediately before the start is the name of the game 😁

[Tasha99 Marathon in reply to misswobble]

But aren’t there queues on these big races?

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Tasha99]

If it’s a big race there will be lots of lavs

Serried ranks of em 🙂

[misswobble Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Don’t worry about everything! 🙂

[Hidden in reply to misswobble]

I want to worry, it’s half the fun😊then the worries get ticked off one st a time

[Hidden in reply to Tasha99]

There were loads when my daughter did Oxford town and gown 10k

[Hidden in reply to misswobble]

Yes obviously, and probably using it ten times to be sure 😂 and no of course I won’t need a wee, I’m just stressing 😉

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Thought so 😁. If I need a loo and there’s one handy, but unofficial, I’ve got quite bold at asking to use it She who dares .... 💪😁

[Hidden in reply to misswobble]

Atta girl 😊

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Hidden]

I once needed a loo at the start of a race where we’d been bussed to the start on a drab industrial estate It was on a Sunday morning. No lav at all as it was back at the muster station. So I spotted a guy in the doorway of some nearby offices and asked him. Yeah o’course. I was busy chatting to him not realising they'd called folks to the start. I heard my name being bellowed so hot footed it to the back of the pack. Except that I was actually at the front ☺️ All the elite males gathered in a tight bunch. Well I didn’t know 🤷‍♀️ My first race 😁. They had a good laugh at me 😁

[Hidden in reply to misswobble]

That would sooo be me! 😂

[Hidden in reply to misswobble]

When I went to London to watch the boat race one year, the ladies in the nearest pub was chockablock so I marched into the gents and used a cubicle, to the horror of several men caught by a woman with their apparatus out.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Hidden]

I’m not that bold 😎

[Hidden in reply to misswobble]

then you weren't that desperate!

[Sadie-runs Half Marathon]

Oh that’s exciting, Flick, and sounds well within your capabilities! As for other races, could doing a 5 or 10k help in preparing you for race conditions? ie running with other people? I don’t have experience, but I think that is what I would like to try before doing a HM. xxx

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

Thanks Sadie I think you are right, that sounds a really good idea. I have the 10k race at Blenheim this September. It will be my first public outing, as we don't have park run here. It's apparently a tough course, though I don't think it's any hillier than my normal longer runs, so it should give me some idea of how I perform running with others. If we can get back to Oxford then I will certainly do park runs. I shall also look out for other local 10k runs over the next few months. xxx

[Sadie-runs Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

That sounds perfect! I have yet to make my race debut, but I am building up to park run (waiting for temps to drop, I am really rubbish in the heat!)

Your hilly running routes will stand you in good stead for any course I reckon! Looking forward to following you in your HM training. 👏👏👏

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

thank you I'm doing a virtual challenge to run 50 miles in August, so that should focus me too. Who am i kidding! I want the medal and the compression top! I ran 44 miles this month, so it's only another 6 and i'm determined to do it. actually virtual runs look a lot of fun, and you get bling!!!!

Look forward to hearing about park run. I've never done one. My daughter did and she said she set a steady pace, and that helped.

[Tasha99 Marathon]

Wow go you! I wish I was brave enough to book one but I don’t want to commit to HM yet 😂

[Hidden in reply to Tasha99]

It’s over a year away and I haven’t booked it yet or I would have to do it this October, which WOULD be precipitate 🙂

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Wonderful news Flick, well done! It's great to have a target and I think you will love working towards this. What an inspiring lady you are! Good luck😀x

[Hidden in reply to Sandraj39]

Oh that’s really kind, thank you 🙂xxx

[misswobble Marathon]

Park run is no challenge at all if you don’t want it to be. Runners - or indeed non runners - of every ability are there taking part, getting round come hell or high water. It’s not a race! It’s a body of people, and dogs, moving forward en-masse. Great it is but nothing to fear all. In fact, it’s the very opposite 😃. It’s FUN

[Hidden in reply to misswobble]

Since I can’t get to one, it’s academic 😊

[Whatsapp Half Marathon]

Personally I don't do that many 'races'. But I like to have one in the calendar to motivate me. I like to see my weekly runs as training runs, and having an event to aim for keeps that focus. However, if I did too many 'races' I would get fed up with them.

So plan to do as many as you want. Too many and it becomes a bit of a production line, too few and you may just lack a bit of spark.

[Hidden in reply to Whatsapp]

Thanks. I don’t think I’m in danger of doing too many since expense and not being able to drive are restrictions. I’m looking forward to Blenheim as that’s my first and my daughter will be running too.

I like the idea of your weekly runs being training runs.

[Whatsapp Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. I realised that if I missed one of my weekly runs then no big deal, but to miss training, well...

[Hidden]

It’s good to sometimes have that focus

[Ripcurlrana71 Half Marathon 10 Miles]

Brilliant Flick! 💪🏼

[Hidden in reply to Ripcurlrana71]

Thank you 😊❤️

[TedG Half Marathon]

Way to go Flick. As roseabi said, if something comes up beforehand and you feel up to it then why not. You’ve got over a year to go yet so plenty of time to consider your options 😊

Enjoy the journey 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🤗

[Hidden in reply to TedG]

Thank you Ted. It's so exciting! I've been following your own journey with interest. x

[ClareO65 Half Marathon]

I’m doing the Oxford half this year 😳 I am currently up to 15K so a bit of training to go to get those miles in my legs. I’m looking forward to it now. Will let you know how it goes!

[Hidden in reply to ClareO65]

Is that the BHF one at the end of September? I’m doing the 10k. Good luck, you will be great.

[ClareO65 Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

No- the Virgin one in October. Good luck with the 10K 👍🏻

[Hidden in reply to ClareO65]

Thank you

[Clairecandothis Marathon Half Marathon]

Flick there is no way you are 71! Wow. Looking good.

Running wise I reckon you will be ready before next year..... I was aiming for a 10k and ended up doing the half! But have fun training and gaining confidence that you will do it. X

[Hidden in reply to Clairecandothis]

Thanks Claire, you are my inspiration for HM x