As so many of us continue to be affected by COVID restrictions, we have a few ‘events’ to keep your motivation in tip-top condition!!!
WINTER SPEED challenge (over on the Bridge to 10k forum)
roseabi is running this challenge from Nov 23rd to Dec 20th - if you would like to join there’s more info here healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...
2020 DISTANCE challenge here on Marathon
Running from Dec 21st to the end of the year (more details on this very soon) - let’s say goodbye to 2020 in style!!!
NEW SPRING 2021 Half Marathon group
Yes, we’re starting a new Half Marathon group!!! The camaraderie of training and completing a HM in a virtual group has proved more relevant than ever in these challenging times!
★ Anyone can join the group (we do recommend that people have run 10K before embarking on a half marathon plan) - whether it’s your first half marathon or your 101st, whether you plan to run solo or in an official event, whether you’re part way through a plan or not yet started.
★ Following your own plan (with your own target HM date) we will share info, ideas and experiences, with a good helping of the support that HU is famous for!!!
★ From New Year, roseabi and I plan to write weekly posts to help keep us all motivated, encouraged and informed! Your input to these posts and discussions will be invaluable, but in the meantime do let us know how you are getting on (or ask any questions) either in a post of your own or in the weekly chat posts.
★ We recognise that anyone training for their first HM may be looking for help choosing a training plan. There are a plethora of plans freely available but the key is to choose one that will suit your lifestyle. Take a look at this post which will help you get started healthunlocked.com/marathon...
★ Let us know in the comments below if you are interested in joining this new HM group and we’ll start a new list of HUHMers (and set up a Strava club for anyone interested in following progress on Strava) 😊
Keep an eye out for more posts on the Distance challenge and the HM group - if you follow myself and roseabi, you should get a notification whenever we write a new post.
Happy running everyone!!!
Marathon team xxx
November 19th, 2020
Written by
linda9389
Administrator
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It most certainly counts! I suspect there will be very few events early spring, several of the big ones have already moved their dates back to late spring. I imagine there will be several HU entries to LLHM 😊
Hello !! I’m up for half marathon ! I’m on week 2 of a 21 week Garmin plan for Jeff Galloway as coach. So that puts my target date for HM race around end March. Gulp ! I’ve only recently passed the 10k mark (twice !) so a bit of a newby. 😶
Yey !! It’s so easy I almost can’t remember how I did it !! I did it through Garmin connect app - just look at the Garmin coach bit and see what happens ! I think there’s a way of searching different plans but there are some default ones aswell - when you choose one they ask you some basic questions about your average speed, currently weekly distance and how long you want to set the plan up for - and you can choose different coaches - check out their mini intro videos for their different approaches. And hey presto - you have your plan which syncs with the watch....
Perfect! I joined the first HM group as a total newbie to distance running (as did many others); if you have no official event date to work towards you can take your time and get to that magic distance in one piece and have fun on the way! Good to have you onboard 😊
Count me in. I'm also signed up to London Landmarks in May. Though my running buddy is trying to persuade me to double up and do Edinburgh the week after too. 🤔
Yes please to the Spring HM group! Waiting to hear from Cambridge Half, apparently an announcement is imminent. It should be March, suspect it's pushed back, but I need a target for Spring!
Excellent - welcome aboard! If you're just starting the build up from 10k check out the pinned posts - lots of useful info there. Let us know how it's going and don't hesitate to ask questions if you have any 😊
Fab, thank you! I've also set up a training plan with Garmin as advised by Juliet202 above ☺️ in theory I should be running a HM at the end of April 😳 we shall see but I'll definitely try my best! Really looking forward to this challenge 👍🏃♀️💪
Good idea; maybe I can gather some more bling to add to my pile (2 medals!!). One tiny bit of benefit from social distancing is that I might not get a repeat of last winter's chest infections which stopped two HM plans in their tracks. Will keep trying!
Excellent - welcome aboard! If you're just starting to build up to this distance for the first time, check out the pinned posts - lots of useful info there. Let us know how it's going and don't hesitate to ask questions if you have any 😊
Hi linda please can you add me to the Spring HM group too, I'm hoping to do my 1st HM by the end of the year after my two failed attempts in the Autumn group. I'd love to be part of the group (it really helped last time) and hopefully do another in the Spring
Oh gosh, I'm sorry to hear that, you must have had a really rough time. Hopefully this will give you something to look forward to as we put 2020 behind us. Welcome to the group 😊
Count me in please Linda...not sure how it's going to work along with my low HR training as after 2 months I'm still having to walk plenty of times on most runs and haven't managed over 6K as by then my ****ing Garmin is going off every 30 seconds but there's plenty of time to figure it out 🤷♀️
I have a love/hate relationship with zone 3 training, the odd run where I don't have to walk has kept me persevering but it's very slow going and often 1 step forward then 2 back...I regularly remind myself that patience is a virtue!
Brilliant! I'm hoping to try some low(er) HR training this time too so we can curse together!!! I had heard a rumour that patience is a virtue ... I'm not convinced though 😂
I wasn’t really planning on training for another HM until getting ready for Bath - which of course isn’t going ahead until September 2021 now - but I’m a sucker for a group, so may I jump on board just for fun please Linda? Who knows, there may be another virtual medal to be won - and I do love my bling! 🏅
It’s the NSPCC. I have e-mailed a few times and they said they would send info soon, so fingers crossed. But that was ages ago. Also wondering whether to try the Big Half, which is five weeks before. Surely one of these has to go ahead and it doubles my chance of not being injured when the date comes around.
Yes please linda, Id love to join, perfect timing for me, I’m just embarking on building towards my very first HM, sometime, anytime next year. Thank you for the inspiration to come over from the bridge. 🤗
Excellent - welcome aboard! If you've no set date then you have the luxury of being able to take your time! 😊 Check out the pinned posts for more information, let us know how it's going and do ask questions if you have any queries. Most of all, have fun!!!
Excellent - welcome aboard! Check out the pinned posts for more information if you need it, let us know how it's going and do ask questions if you have any queries. Most of all, have fun and we'll do our best as a group to keep you on track!!!
I’m up for a Spring HM! Having completed my first one as part of the Autumn group this year I’m aiming for a Spring, Summer and Autumn one next year, so that would be perfect.
Great to have you on board!!! Shame about LLHM - would you consider a charity place (when I did it two years ago the minimum fundraising amount was very achievable)?
Hi, count me in please. 🙋♀️I've had a half marathon on my to do list since September, but life has got in the way. I've just come out of two weeks self isolation and I've set a goal to achieve it before the end of 2020. I've even contemplated going for it on Christmas day, on the grounds that it will take my mind off not seeing my wonderful family.
I've never entered an event and I'm usually a solitary runner, even before covid, but I love the camaraderie of the online forum and I'm so looking forward to the spring! 🤞🌈
I’m in for Spring HM! My event is on 28th Feb, an early one so I’ve technically already started training, but really enjoyed being part of the group last time!
Funny, I was just saying to OH that I feel a bit directionless now! Another HM sounds like just the thing and we are now moving into my favourite months for running (I know - I'm weird ! 🙃) Where do I sign....?✒️📄🙂x
Umm. I *think* I'd like to be part of the Spring HM group please, albeit with no target event in mind.
Although I ran my first HM distance five weeks ago, completely unplanned, it feels a million miles away as we got locked down again 12 days later, with exercise limited to 1 hour daily within one km radius of home.
So I'm joining in the hope that lockdown will be lifted by January and that the weather will be favourable! Cold is OK, proper snow would complicate things...
Brilliant, we'd love to have you! Hopefully January will see the start of better times all round. No need for a target event, a 21.1k goal is all you need to join the group 😊
Could I sign up for the Spring HM group please? I can't believe it's me that's asking, last time I did a real life 10k event I came last 😅 but I really need a challenge to keep me going through the winter.
You most certainly can join the group - a very warm welcome to you. A HM is a great goal to keep you running through the winter. Take a look at the pinned posts here for lots of useful information on building up your distance. Remember 10k is still 10k however fast you run - you ran just as far as everyone else and for even longer than them!
Absolutely - a very warm welcome to you! If you've no set date then you have the luxury of being able to take your time and a HM is a great and very achievable goal! 😊. Take a look at some of the pinned posts, there's lots of helpful info there. Keep posting to let us know how you're getting on - either in your own posts or as part of our weekly chat post. Have fun!
Thanks! No HM event planned at the monent, I just need a target on my way to a planned autumn Tallinn marathon in Estonia. 👍 I might sign-up for a spring event if the Covid situation change for the better.
Last week I wasn't sure about putting my name down for this but today I've been out and done 11.75k my longest run so far. That's the 4th week in a row I've done a 10k+ run so I feel I have more of a chance now 😊🏃♀️I'd really like to to get to 10 miles by the early February as that'll be 12 months since starting my running journey. Not sure off it'll happen but fingers crossed 🤞 And after that who knows I may be able to squeeze a few more miles 😉🤔
Woohoo! Brilliant. If you're at 11.75 already, you should have absolutely no problem hitting 10 miles by Feb. that will be superb progress in a year 😊. From 10 miles to HM is just another hop - you can do it 👍 Welcome to the group!!!
Thankyou Linda. At the moment I don't really have a huge desire to do a HM but I remember saying exactly the same about 10k 🤣.I just can't think in miles when I'm running they just seem too long!
I've just been trying to write my own plan for the next few weeks. I was thinking of trying to increase my long run by 0.5k each week does that sound a sensible target? So far I've been running twice per week a 5k and the long run. I will try during December running 3 times a week works for me.
Yes that sounds OK. Maybe put a cut back week in every fourth week, where your long run is say 8 to 10k. Another approach would be to only run a long run every two weeks, increasing by 1k each time. Again, build in cutback weeks. It really depends how you find it once the long run increases. You can always change approach part way through if you want 😊
Yes please! I'm doing the Agri5nations challenge in January too so this will be an excellent way to start adding kms to that group (running for Wales)!
Hi, I've just done bridge to 10k & have been thinking about what next - a half marathon seems to be the next logical step. I don't have any specific event that I am targeting.
I was considering using James Dunne's training plan as it focusses quite a lot on strength and conditioning to avoid possible injury:
Hi. Welcome to the group! A half marathon is a really satisfying goal and very achievable if you are running 10k already. I haven't used this plan, but it looks well measured. If you are currently only running three times a week then I would stick with that routine and drop one of the weekly runs in the plan - increasing your mileage volume by too much may well lead to injury. If you meet his three prerequisites then I think you're good to go!!! His plan assumes you have a 'race' and actually takes you beyond HM distance (at a training pace) before the end of the plan. I would suggest you keep checking in with yourself and if you notice any niggles or tightness then maybe add in an extra cut back week before carrying on with the plan (especially as you don't have a fixed event date to work to). Good luck and enjoy!!!
@linda9389 Please can you sign me up for the HM group! I'm not sure yet if I will make the full distance by spring (because of not being always able to commit to runs longer than an hour on the weekend) but I would really like to start on a plan, extend beyond 10k and get tips from those running similar distances without the pressure of a full M! And who knows, maybe by Spring I'll be feeling more confident I can squeeze it in. Would that be ok?
Fabulous! Welcome to the group. You will find lots of info in the pinned posts and more to come from the New Year. Several people in the group are aiming for a May half marathon, and you too may hit your Half Marathon by late spring if you want to. No pressure. See how it goes and enjoy the journey 😊
Hi Linda and RoseAbi, I'd like to join the group now. November 30th"s achievement for me was the magic 10k in 1:11:31! Looking forward to the challenge and participating in the camaraderie & sharing in this group 👌😎
Hi there! A very warm welcone to this forum and to the spring HM goup. Take a look at the pinned posts for lots of info on extending your distance. As you're new to 10k, do be sure to find a plan that doesn't increase your weekly mileage too quickly from your current base. Regularly 'check in' with your body to be sure to spot any niggles early and take appropriate action - we want to keep you off the IC, especially as distances increase 😊. Do ask questions and let us know how you're getting on, either in the weekly chat posts or in posts if your own. Most of all though, have fun!!!
I am not sure I qualify. I have not been running as much since I graduated 5k in August, longest distance so far is 6k. I was planning to reactivate my running following Juju's 10k plan (starting tomorrow) and follow by trying to train for a half marathon in late Spring. My running budy and I will be in the same country again from February and plan to train together for the half marathon.
I would love to be in the group even though I might have to start the training some weeks after it starts (Once I have finished the 10k plan).
Hi and a very warm welcome to this forum! To be honest, I think a spring half marathon is an ambitious challenge for someone who is currently running 6k. Too ambitious? well that's an altogether different question 😀. Dream big, but remain aware. We recommend that you should be comfortable running 10k before starting a half marathon plan, and that plan will usually take at least 12 weeks, so late spring is a bit tight, but not impossible. Give it a shot; join the group, see how you go, listen carefully to your body and never be afraid to adjust the plan if it becomes too much. Take a look at the pinned posts on how to prepare for a half marathon and you'll be good to start once you've finished your 10k plan! I'll add you to the list now, good luck and have fun!
Absolutely! Everyone will be at different stages (I'm currently on the IC and will have to go back to short runs when i can get going again) and we can all gain inspiration and support form each other wherever we are at!!!
Can I join the spring HM group please? I'm thinking of joining to chat about running and pick up some tips on the way.
My target is the Bath HM in September and I'm aiming to do it in under 2 hours. I've power walked an HM (in under 3 hours) and I completed a virtual HM on Strava in August (still waiting for the medal) but I've never actually run in a "real" HM. My current PB (set last month) is 2 hours 7 minutes so, I think I should comfortably reach my target in the 9 months I have to get ready.
Might add in some other events on the way, I really don't know atm.
Hi , welcome!!! I will add you to the half marathon group. Do you have a specific event in mind or maybe would just like to build to HM distance? The latest group post can be found here healthunlocked.com/marathon... That post also has links to all the previous posts. Following roseabi and myself should ensure you receive notification of any new posts. Let us know how your training is going, how far you are into it, by commenting on the latest posts.
Hi, Must have missed these HUHM posts first time around! Belatedly now working towards HM, having done my first 10 miler 31 Jan. Please add me to the group if not too late. All best, Joe
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