I’ve got a place for the Oxford half in the autumn and also the Blenheim half. I’m so unfit after the exhaustion and stress of moving that I can’t imagine managing the Oxford Town & Gown 10k in May, let alone two halfs.
EDIT: thank you so much everyone for your encouragement and faith in me. It’s been a stressful three or four weeks so the stress had to come out somewhere. I knew my lovely running family would help me get some perspective. You are all lovely 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Flick, those half marathons are quite a bit away yet in the Autumn, plenty of time to recover from moving home to where you are now, even May for the Oxford 10k is still two months away, have a few days off running altogether and once you resume take all your runs slow and steady.
Thank you 😊
You'll be fine x
I agree with AlMorr take a couple of days to rest and recuperate (try and get some quality sleep), take a deep breath and start again. Don’t worry about the half’s, they’re too far away. For now just work towards the T&G. You’ve done the distance before you’re muscles will remember once you get a regular run going.
Hope you love your new home💐/ area. Some gentle exploring to do?
Yeah, I’ve done 10k races before so I don’t know why I’m being a wuss. I’m actually sleeping really well in the new house. The energy in the previous house was hyper and disruptive,, and I didn’t sleep the whole time we lived there, but this one is calm. I think one of my problems is having to adjust to flat running after hills: my pace has dropped by up to 90 seconds a kilometre and I feel like I’m running in large boots ☹️X
Oh and yes love the house andcarea
Hi AnnieW55, AlMorr here, I noticed you quoted me by typing AlMorr in light green which means I could directly get to my own homepage, I have an Android Smartphone and was wondering how I can direct people on to any site.
Errrr? Sorry I’m not quite but almost non-tech. (Sorting predictive text takes me ages 😂).
When referencing someone, like I did with you, just type the @ symbol and their name without a gap (a pop up gives you names to pick from). This then shows up as blue in your reply and posts an alert to the named person. Hope that helps, it’s as tech as I get.
Hi AlMorr!
If you type a web address into a post or reply Health Unlocked will automatically post it as a link that people can tap to visit the website.
If you would like to copy a web address from your phone browser and paste it into a Health Unlocked post or comment:
Press down on the address bar at the top of the web browser and a window should pop up with options CUT COPY PASTE. Select COPY. Go to your post or comment on Health Unlocked, press down onto the text input box (where you type your post or comment), and a window should pop up saying PASTE SELECT ALL. Tap PASTE and the web address will appear in your post or comment.
You will be great. There’s nothing to fear but fear itself, remember that😀😃
Yep. Feel the fear and do it anyway 😀
Thank you x
Fabulous, you’re going to be fabulous Flick, give yourself a break, you’ll feel much better for it,
funnily enough I do the cambridge town & gown (September) , and the Cambridge half, (March- 3rd - just done 🤪)
You’re a dark blue, I’m a light blue!
Mx
I take heart from your example 😊 x
I think you may have forgotten something... you’re awesome, remember?
You’ll be ready for those runs... plenty of time.
Thank you for the faith in me x
You can do this! No problem. Just not right now maybe ... but that's ok cos you don't have to run them right now. For now you just have to settle and explore and rest after all the stress of the last few weeks 
I got an email today to say I didn't get a place 
Maybe in the second round next week ....
Thank you ❤️ I hope you get that place. I suspect they might have chosen me to have more older runners, and I did apply when the ballot opened x
You're a nutter Flick! Welcome to the clubhouse!
Haha I knew you would understand x😂
You’ll be OK Flick, you’re made of stern stuff 😊x
Thank you Tec x
See you at the Town and Gown? 😊
Yes I’ve entered. Finding it hard raising money as am entered for four races currently and can’t keep asking people
Are you raising money for all of them Flick?
Yes, but a minimum for some. I thought you had to raise money as a condition of entering- I’ve got my target for the stroke association 15k in April
It’s certainly not for the Town & Gown, it’s optional. I did the Oxford Half last year and Charity raising was optional but this year it was a ballot and if you missed out you had charity raising as an entry option.
I got through the ballot as I’m a local club member but not sure if I’m doing it yet 🤔
Send me your just giving link please Flick x
That’s good. It’s not that I don’t want to raise money, but I can’t keep asking the same people. Mind you, when I did Blenheim Rotary Macmillan Cancer Care, they were touchingly and genuinely grateful and thanked every runner for raising money
Oh I loved the Oxford half last year. Enjoy!
But you’re half my age 😳 oh I’m just being silly. The move has stressed me out x
I'm sure you'll feel 'at home' once you join the crowds 😁
Yeah, I’m just stressing. Better now than nearer the time 😊
Flick! You don't have to do them now. You will rest and recover, and you will sleep in your lovely new house, and you will get used to running on the flat, and you will train, and you will be ready for them and you will smash 'em!
See? No worries xx
I would imagine with the base level you have built up over your time spent running you could take a month off and still get up and run a 10k (maybe not a PB). I wouldn't recommend it but all those hours and miles pounding the streets or trails will count on your side. It may feel a little tougher for a couple of weeks but you'll soon be hitting your stride.
Thank you, that makes total sense and is very reassuring x
Flick, you'll be golden! the stress will subside, go for a run!😊x
Haha yes I will x
I have nothing to add to all these sweet comments, but I will say:
Lucky you!!! I am so envious of you to be running in these amazing events!!!!! I'm sure you will be fabulous and have a great time. And I really look forward to seeing how you get on 😊😊💗
Aw thanks lovely x
What would you have responded with if we'd suggested you were incapable and cancel the places quick and get a refund? I suspect you would have told us all to bog off!!
Just get your shoes on and go for a run and stop worrying.
I would have considered it and worried that experienced people thought I was risking my health. It would have given me a nasty day or two then, once the stress had faded a bit, I would have listened to my intuition - but because my intuition has taken a back seat to stress and fatigue, Ive come to you lovely people for support and advice and perspective and a sounding board x
Flick this is so exciting! I am envious of you getting in for the half and I will come and cheer you on in Blenheim. But they are both 6 months away. That is a reassuring amount of time to get your pace and strength and training well under way. Blenheim is beautiful too and will give you those hills back! 🤣 I find I get more annoyed with myself if I get a slower pace when I run elsewhere and it's flat. I guess we get used to what we train on! The Town and Gown is a fun atmosphere but it's still 10k even flat lol! You are doing the races I did last year.....
Next year it'll be the Marathon! 😘🏃♀️ xx
Claire thank you so much for your kind and reassuring response. I really wanted to do the Blenheim half last year but didn’t think I was ready, so I did the 10k instead. I then did another 10k race there because I love the venue so much.
Now I’m living in Abingdon I’m finding my pace is up to 2mins/km slower than it was in Chippy,but it’s early days - we’ve only been here mustbover two weeks - so I hope I’m going to close the gap. I have calf pain again forthe first time in months as my legs adjust from hill running.
Thanks again. You’ve made me feel a lot better x
the HM's are a way off, so you have plenty time. I'd try not to worry. You'll be fine
Thank you x
Well, I just got a place in the second round of the ballot! It's the week before the Great South Run which I have been toying with doing - even provisionally booked a hotel. There are some pretty bad reviews of Oxford, but it's so close to home compared to GSR. Decisions, decisions. I have til Monday to decide 🤔
I have to do Oxford. It’s my spiritual home where I lived for many decades. I had to leave and now am priced our of the market. I love the city, so beautiful, so to run there will be amazing so I don’t really care if the race has bad press 😊 x
I'm leaning the same way. I've never lived there, but it feels more like home than Southsea. A lot of the criticism stems from the high cost I think - people then expect such a lot in return. But again, the costs of travelling further and staying overnight would far outweigh the cost of Oxford entry!
Completed my first half marathon 2 hrs 16 mins..
Is 8 months enough time to train for a half marathon?
Half marathon training
First Half Marathon Done! 
