So I ran my 2nd Half today on what was described as a flat route but really, really isn't! It had a steep hill, even by Blenheim standards and this was placed at mile 11! I'm dissapointed with my time as I wanted to run it quicker than my first one but I still came in at 2hrs.30, this after falling over a speedbump in the road too! 🙈🤣 Only me guys! That was at the beginning lol but I also set out with a 2hr15 pacer and I aimed too fast. Lesson learnt. I was ready to fully stop at 8 miles in.... but I slowed right down and after convincing myself I had to keep going I ran the rest of the run, just a lot slower!
I didn't train as much for this maybe...... I also thought I'd done it before so I can do it again, which is true, but 21k is a respectful distance and I maybe forgot that!
This run I certainly didn't finish thinking yay lets run a marathon, but that is what is next for me in October. So time to start serious training. Follow my plan full of intervals, slow runs, speed runs and running for an amount of time rather than to a distance.
And I will remember to go slow and steady in any of my next runs!! (Silly girl, I knew better!) 🏃♀️
Written by
Clairecandothis
Marathon
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Congratulations on your 2nd HM Claire!! That is no small feat. It is hard to pace yourself when everyone around you is pushing forward. I usually try to stick to my watch pace, and it’s still hard to do. Best you learned this lesson now rather than the full marathon where the stakes are much higher! 🙂👍🏼👊💪
Well done on completing your HM in what sounds to me like a great time! I sympathise with the speed bump issue - even with lots of warnings during GSR I almost came a cropper 😂. In the same race I started too fast and was knackered before the end was in sight 😂. My first HM next weekend and start slow is to be my mantra for the first few miles!!!
It is so ironic..... I run over mud and logs in Blenheim but I fall over a speedbump! It was at the very beginning of the run and I saw two cute kids waving. Next time I will ignore everything but the road lol.
I basically ran my fastest pace ever for the first hour and then I just couldn't keep it up. I almost gave up but slowed down to slower than my usual pace and then finished a similar time to my previous half. If I had just run my pace maybe I would have been quicker overall?!
Good luck for your half. I loved my first one, it was slow and steady and I just wanted to finish! You will be great. 😊
That sounds so, so familiar. I did the same at GSR. But well done for finishing and still making a good time. I've never done 10 miles faster than my GSR time, even with steady running (though in a race I might), but that's the sort of question that is constantly in my mind when I'm running. I am trying hard to believe that there is no such thing as banked time, that a steady - or even increasing - pace is better.
My main goal for this weekend is to enjoy it. I have an almost clinical plan to keep pace reigned in, but I suspect on the day my biggest gremlin will be insisting that I can go faster, it will be better; he will be constantly calculating and recalculating time. Although I've said I want to come in inside 2h30m, I know he will be trying to persuade me that 2h20m sounds so much better! He is the devil I have to beat. Repeat to self: 2h 30m and enjoy
Congrats! It's a good lesson to learn - as it's hard to rein back at the start when you are full of beans! Once you start building up your long runs then jumping from a 30km+ training run to a marathon event will not seem impossible. You have bags of time to get there, and you will!
Thank you. I think I just forgot to respect the distance! I will definitely be following my Marathon plan now! I like the idea of following a plan again too..... 30k+ seems daunting lol but I know it will be acheivable. I just need to get back to chasing distance not time!
Thank you. I was probably running nearer your pace for my first bit lol! You should give it a go if you fancy it? You could do both distance with speed!
Well done. Its hard sometimes with these events as there is so much build up to get it right on the day. Any other training run you wouldn't give it another thought. All part of the learning curve and a HM is a respectful distance whether you enjoyed it or not. So don't be too hard on yourself.
Thank you. I think it has just motivated me to start a training plan now. I obviously followed 0to5k and then I used Ju ju's 5 to 10k. I then just somehow got up to a half by just running slower and longer lol but I didn't have a plan as such. So now I feel I should start properly! I have an intermediate marathon plan and it includes cross training and slow runs as well as intervals and zone running. Hopefully this will all work! I do like a plan! And the Marathon is a huge distance! But small increases!
Sounds a bit of a tough one! But you did it brilliantly, even with an extra speedbump glitch 😄 And a whole season of training to follow during the most beautiful weather, perfect! You'll be more than ready in October 😊
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