Is this a challenge too far??????

[Runningfit67]

A friend of mine is trying to persuade me to sign up for the great north run ( cut off time is 9pm tonight). I can run 10k having followed the 10 k running plan but, having looked at the half marathon training schedule I’m not sure I have the distance in me. My friend did it last year and she recommends repeating each week twice making it into a 26 week running plan. I would appreciate any feedback. In reality how hard is a half marathon.

[SlowLoris]

In reality it’s just a long run. A friend in my running club told me that once I got comfortable with my regular long run being 10 miles it would be quite achievable to do a half.

My advice is sign up to it. Don’t worry about a plan yet. Just keep enjoying your runs and increase your long run a little bit each week.

Start the plan on schedule and trust it. The taper weeks work the magic for race day.

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

I had just typed a reply to you with a link to the Race and Marathon Support group and then realised you were already here!

You have plenty of time, of course you can do it. You can either follow a structured training plan, lots of them around or do your own thing by adding 1K each week to your long run. The admins here run various Half Marathon Groups and we’re currently in the spring group for those with spring HM’s but I’m sure there will be a summer group starting too.

The only thing I’d stay to you at this stage is that you have to want to do it for yourself and not for your friend. Don’t let her pressurise you and make sure you really want to do it for you.

[Runningfit67 in reply to Irishprincess]

To be honest running a half marathon up to this weekend had never entered my head but, then again running 5K never entered my head until 2 years ago .I now have a love hate relationship with running !!!!I was looking for an excuse for buying some new running shoes. Maybe I have one now.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

You certainly can achieve it if you want it Runningfit, and you have plenty of time to get there. Believe me, if I can, so can you! 😀

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

As everyone says, you can definitely do this so long as just a little part of you is excited by the idea. No worries if 90% of you thinks you can't do it (we all felt like that too) - we know you've got loads of time. Get that entry in and let the excitement build!

[Runningfit67 in reply to linda9389]

I’ve just completed the online entry form 😂😂😂

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Runningfit67]

Yay! There's loads of advice in the latest pinned Spring Half Marathon group posts (and links to all the earlier posts can be found at the bottom of that post). I'm sure there must be some race reports on here too for GNR - just try the search facility.

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

Plenty of time to train it'll be a great experience! !😊xxx

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Look, I am a 68 year old who wasn’t even running two years ago. I got up to HM distance last year and have done a number of 10 mile plus runs. It is a bit like C25k, but I found 5k to 10k easier that C25k, 10k to 10 miles was easier still, and HM distance was just a Park Run further ! If you want to do it and stick to a plan, you will get there ...my name is in the ballot too!! Hopefully see you there 👍

[Deals1 Metric Marathon]

Yep. Pleased u went for it and entered. Plenty of time to get ready for it. 60000 runners they reckon this year.

I'm in the ballot too 😱😊

[tiggs1 Marathon]

Good luck to everyone in the ballot, I am also in it and would love to have others from here on the course even if I don’t get a place

[Runningfit67]

Thanks for all the advice. I’ve just got to wait until Friday to find out. I am a florist so at least this week I won’t have time to think what have I done well, not until Saturday.