Yesterday I decided I would try to run a HM today. I have a long weekend and figured the worst that could happen is I breakdown part way home and need the rest of the weekend to recover.
I usually go off too fast and deliberately reined it in today. My pacing was far better than my 10 mile run, but partly because I took a different route to avoid a huge downhill that becomes a huge climb on the return.
SIS Go Electrolyte powder in my bladder, a gel at 5k, a caffeine shot at half distance (my only pause, it was so hard to swallow), a gel at around 16.5k, some jelly babies on the cool down and SIS Rego shake for dessert.
It felt good - I can tell I’ve done a long run, but no niggled. 2:50:10, 8:03/k. Heart rate evenly between zones 3 and 4 and only a high 20s recovery time.
No crowds to cheer me on, just a mod playlist. No medal, just knowing I’ve done it is what I wanted. I feel so mellow and a real sense of satisfaction
Enjoy your next run x
Written by
Jay66UK
Half Marathon
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I completely winged it based on doing the same for 10 miles. I’m not dedicated enough (and lack the innate core strength) to do a full marathon without going through the full training and my life has other things in it.
I’ll do some more HMs over time, though, and have total respect for anyone who goes the full distance.
I hate doing anything apart from the actual running. I don’t even like fartleks etc. The training would do me in. Even I’m not daft enough to think I could just run 6+ hours without much better prep.
Congratulations to you Jay on completing your first half marathon, excellent, nice statistics about your run on that graph, 1,659 calories, that's a lot, on a 5K its usually around 300/400 depending on how fast you are running, also a good time for a first HM. 😊 🏃, once again, well done. 😊
Thanks, Al. My pace was fairly even and I had hoped to beat 3 hours, so I’m well chuffed. Half the run was in each of heart rate zones 3 and 4 which may explain the calories a little. Plus I’m still carrying a spare stone that I think of as extreme advanced carb loading.
Whoohoo! It gives me encouragement to know you completed your HM on your own, no crowds, no medal and feel good afterward. I have the same plan in 2 weeks time (I am following a training plan). As I was out running this morning, I was thinking about how running the longer distances without the crowds and atmosphere to push you along could be a lot harder....but the flip side is, it should be easier to rein it in and not go too fast and hit the wall...although if you do, you're on your own. Anyways, long way to say: Congrats and I hope to follow in your footsteps in 2 weeks 😊
I've done 3 on my own. I think the lack of atmosphere helps stop you pushing yourself too hard. There's no competition when you're running on your own. 😉
Wow that just brilliant Jay66 👏👏👏👍👍🥳🥳🏆. Here are my bows of utmost respect to you 🙇♀️ 🙇♀️. And a virtual medal from me too 🥇. Just brilliant and a run just by you for you. Couldn’t get better than that 🥳🥳
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Entered my first HM!
Booked my first HM!😳
First HM run complete 
First HM Distance Covered 😁
I may be a \"lurker\" nowadays, but I ran my first HM today!
