Half Marathon Plan: Starts on Monday! Another CSV, and HILLS!!!! 💥

[roseabi]

Hi all,

I'm away this long weekend, so this will be my last post from me on this subject until Monday, when I will be starting my plan!!! Hope the weather has improved by then 🙄. Still, whatever the weather it's good practice - you never know what it's going to be like on the day!

💥Above is a reminder of the 7-Day plan (this version with speed runs on Saturdays), or follow this link for more details:

docs.google.com/spreadsheet...

★ linda9389 has already started her 9-day cycle plan, which she has kindly shared here:

docs.google.com/spreadsheet...

★ On Monday (Dec 3rd) I will be starting my version of the 9-day cycle plan, which can be seen here:

docs.google.com/spreadsheet...

Looking forward to it 😊😊😊

★ I have generated a new CSV for upload to Google Calendar - Weeks 2-5 of the 7-Day Plan. A link to download it can be found at the bottom of the CSV post here:

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

Many thanks again to LoungeLizaard for your input!

💥HILLS!!!

I have not included hill workouts in this plan, but I wanted to make a few points about them here:

★ Hill workouts such as 'hill repeats' (run up, jog down) are a great way of working on strength and stamina.

★ Ideally, if you have signed up for a hilly half marathon, you should train on hills. If your half is flat, don't worry about it. If your town is hilly - lucky you!!

★ If you want to improve your hill-running skills, make sure you run DOWN the hills as well as up them! If you Google downhill running technique you will find a lot of confusing advice. My suggestion: practice 😊

★ As some of you know, I have signed up for the Hastings Half Marathon, and yes, it's a hilly one! So I'm currently plotting plenty of hilly routes... 😊😊😊

hastings-half.co.uk/

Anyway - TO ANYONE STARTING ANY HALF MARATHON PLAN ON MONDAY:

Good luck and have funnnnnn!!!! (and GO LINDA!! 😊)

roseabi xx

Check out the 'Pinned Post of Posts' for all related info.:

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Mentioned in this post: linda9389 and LoungeLizaard

[Jay66UK Half Marathon]

Thanks so much roseabi. My plan is to run a very slightly tweaked version of your plan to fit around some work commitments (and to run on one of the Christmas days, cos I can!) and to take this as far as I can, mindful of weather and realising I might reach my current limits.

I’m a big believer in “Do or do not, there is no try”, but also of avoiding injury!

Good luck everyone else taking this path.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Jay66UK]

I admit to being thoroughly pessimistic about my running opportunities over Christmas 😊

[MutleyShuffle Half Marathon]

Thank you for this roseabi 😊 I'm glad you mentioned hills - as you know I'm planning on doing the Hastings Half too so I have put hill sessions on two out of four weeks of my plan, but I will be running hills on a lot of my other runs too, so hope to get lots of practice. Funny I avoided hills as much as I could when doing C25K, as I found they sapped my energy - never dreamed then that I would be tackling Hastings Hilly Half!! 😁

I will be starting the plan on Monday too! Go us! 🤗

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to MutleyShuffle]

I avoided windy weather when I was doing C25K - not sure how I managed that!

Yay hills - go us!!!!! 😊😊😊

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon]

Hi roseabi, Even though I am not aiming at a HM in March or even in 2019 or even at all, I have so appreciated all your helpful advice. Dare I ask if you also have a full time job, long commute and family commitments!? Whatever the case, thank you so much. I have now added in burpees to my exercises among other things, I really like burps (am I odd?!), always have. I became accustomed to them when I was having a Joe Wicks HIIT phase. Thank you for your timely reminder. For quite a while I thought rest from running meant just strength and nothing aerobic. I have learnt so much on these forums. Thank you again! 🌸🌺🌻🍫Flowers and chocolate for you! 😊

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Ooh! Ta very much 😊😊😊

I work at home, and I happen to have some free time at the moment - so it's all good!

Do you know what? I rather like burpees too...

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Oops! I see I missed changing burps to burpees the second time I used the word in my last message! I wonder whether I could change some setting or other so typing replies on these forums isn't subject to auto changing the word I mean into to what 'this .. whatever it is' thinks I should type. Just to be clear, I do not like burps, but I do like burpees! Good to hear that someone else likes them too.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

I just assumed it was an affectionate nickname 😊

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

But anyway, burps can be pretty nice too 😄

[Bluebirdrunner]

Good luck Roseabi 🍀and everyone taking on this HM challenge!

I'm sure you will all be amazing with such a great training program and all the support of the forums!

GO YOU!😊xxx

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thanks, BB 💗

[Whatsapp Half Marathon]

Good luck with you training. I start mine a few days later (and finish a couple of weeks earlier). You posts and advice have been invaluable in getting my own plan fleshed out, thinking about cross training and varying my run types.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Whatsapp]

Thanks Whatsapp!! I am so happy to read this!!!! xx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Have a great weekend Roseabi

I've had a great week. Really enjoying the variety in this 9 day cycle. Adding in stuff on the non-running days is all new for me, so hopefully will be helping pretty soon. So far I haven't felt tired in any of the runs, yet my legs and bum feel like they've been working for sure. My head is having to work overtime to keep up with the different paces, but if I can get the hang of that, it will take away one of the major sources of 'anxiety' I experienced during the GSR - so I'm really going to persevere with that.

Thanks for everything Roseabi - it has really livened up my approach to getting to 24th March. I can't wait for everyone else to get started too. It's very exciting

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

That's AWESOME!! Thank you, Linda!!!!! 💗💥

[Macmac Marathon]

Even if your half is flat, there are still benefits in running hills. It’s a good way to increase power/speed when you get back on the flat! 😉

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Macmac]

Sure! But if you don't have hills nearby, it's not something you need to worry about 😊 Although there's always stairs... 😄

[Macmac Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Yes true 😀. Certainly not something to worry over!! I do go out of my way to find some each week as it helps me anyway. A great plan you have put together! Good luck all and have a great weekend 😊

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Macmac]

Cheers Macmac!!! You too 😊😊😊

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon]

Thanks for all your many very helpful posts and replies roseabi ! ❤️

Looking forward to getting started on my own version of the plan with you on Monday. Even got sent my alternative strength exercises from my Sports Therapist today, so I’ve no excuses now! 😃😃

Although the Chester HM is detailed as “flat”, on describing the course to my husband we realised it starts with a hill. So I may need to carefully checkout a few hills too...😂

Have a great long weekend, wherever you are spending it. 😊❤️

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to mountaindreamer]

Yay, a hill 😊😊😊

Thanks MD! And sounds fab - looking forward to hearing more about those exercises!!

Good luck and have fun xx

[Alissum Half Marathon]

Thank you once again for all your hard work.

I started the 7day, Sunday long run plan this week. Wont be able to do the full plan as my half marathon is on the 10th March.

Did a tempo run this afternoon. As there wasn't a distance mentioned I googled. Google came up with a 20 minute run which I dId. I hope this was correct?

Hoping to do some hill training with a friend one evening next week.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Alissum]

Yay!

I suggested 10 mins warm up, then 30 mins tempo, and 10 mins cool down:

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

[Alissum Half Marathon]

Hi, I hadn't seen your post on the different runs. I'll know for next time 😀 . Twenty minutes was enough for me today running at a faster pace. I've had a rotten virus for two weeks which floored me. Feeling better today but I'm having to build up my running again.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Alissum]

Oh, that worked out pretty well then! 😊Glad to hear you're on the mend xx

[Pete1w]

Love running up hills. Hate running down em.......