Am so proud to have completed my 1st HM today, the Salomon Serpent Trail HM in Hampshire/West Sussex.
Having gone too quickly from no running (but other exercise) to doing too much in March-Apr, I suffered from shin splints made worse by my doing my first race -10k at beg of May.
Thanks to this forum (lots of advice all round) and also runsmartonline (help with running form esp) I managed to run my HM today! Without any calf niggles. I honestly would not have done it without the help.
I've had a cold and felt a bit under the weather this week so haven't felt that well prepared and haven't kept up my strength work or any cross training.
I found the 1st half v tough, had trouble finding my rhythm (probably went out too quickly and found it tricky running with others all going different speeds). By halfway I'd settled into a rhythm (being near the back I had plenty of space!), and it got easier (!) at least until the last few km. But then I knew I could do it and push through!
I was so glad for the advice to just aim to finish as it was my first HM, which took the pressure off myself. In fact I managed a time I was proud of (although I had no idea of a realistic target time)
2:40:35
I've already signed up for a 2nd one in Oct, a couple of weeks off before starting that training!
Written by
chickensrun
Half Marathon
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Congratulations on completing your first Half Marathon, well done. It won't be long before you see the magic words HALF MARATHON next to your username, now go and celebrate your wonderful achievement 🏃🏾 👍 🎓
Ooh my goodness 👏👏🏃♀️💥Well huge congratulations to you!!!
You should be very proud!
Tough getting back to your training after shin splints..Awch !
I always find the first half of longer runs tough.. but haven't had the experience yet of running in a race... Mine coming up soon,so taking on board your experience!
You must have given it your all to push through on those last couple of K's!!
That's a very respectful time for your first..
I hope I can get anywhere near that on my first 🙌
Well you can't be feeling too bad if you've already signed up for another 🤣
I found help on here and v useful advice on handling an injury and knowing how much you can do when, on runsmartonline.Also I forgot to say I've been run-walk-running since then which has made it doable!
Huge congratulations! That's a great time for a trail HM - I hope you feel very proud! The advice is always 'to run your own race, at your own pace', but it's so hard not to be influenced by those around you isn't it.
Congratulations and well done! And a proper real-life event too👍
Despite our best intentions it’s usually hard to resist running along with others during a race, but it sounds as if you broke through that and ran your own race.
The last few K’s are hard and we really have to rely on our mental stamina I think, but great job, you should be very proud 💪
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Ran my first half marathon and first trail run!
1st ever Half Marathon
1st ever half marathon 
Half marathon 1st November
Barnstaple Half Marathon
