I normally hang out in the Bridge to 10K Forum as my running is normally in or around 5K-10k. Last year I entered a Half Marathon, but due to getting ill a few weeks before the run I gave my race number to someone else. Anyway I would not have been properly prepared by a long stretch. I'm entering that same run again this year which will be on the 26th of August. I'm running with a running club now and doing long slow runs on Sunday mornings as well as track training and parkrun. I just ran a 10K on Sunday in 1:01:16, pity i did not break the hour but next time I will. A couple of weeks ago I ran 15K without any breaks. I still have a lot of work to put into training and plan to get comfortable up to about 18K.
So as far as I am concerned my first ever attempt at a Half Marathon training properly starts now. 17 weeks to go. Wish me luck. It's my 2023 goal.
Written by
damienair
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
👍 Of course I will wish you luck Damien on your training to run your first Half Marathon on 26th August, one thing you must not do is to drink coffee just before the race😂, I am sure your running club will help and advise you regarding your training for that run.
good Luck!!! I ran one HM once and decided it’s not for me. Didn’t do enough training - got too excited cos it was a lovely summer and I enjoyed every run and I just kept going further and further each time instead of doing it properly and then one day I just went out ran the whole distance.
I’m not a fast runner and it took me 3hr 18 mins but I ran all the way and since then I have suffered with bursitis/ GTPS. That was 4 years ago and I’ve not managed further than 10k since nor do I really want to.
I’m sure you will be much more sensible than me - I’d only done 2 x 12k, 1 x 14k, a 16k, and 18k then “ Bu**er it let’s do the lot!!” On a really hot August day at midday. What a fool!!!! And all that in the space of about 4 weeks. I could kick myself ( If my hip didn’t hurt so much 😂😂)
Good luck for your HM and I’m sure you will train sensibly over the next 4 months.
Thanks. Yes I’ll build it up gradually and mix up my running. I’m not sure I’ll do much more. Definitely would not attempt anything further than a Half Marathon. I think one HM per year and 5K and 10K runs after that.
Welcome Damien! How exciting 🤗 You have a great base on which to build and I’m sure you will enjoy the training.
This post might be useful as it contains loads of information about running a HM but obviously if you have any questions or just want to share news about your runs then you know where to come 🙂
Exciting journey Damien and it sounds like you are already well on the way! 👍😃 Good luck with your training plan and I look forward to following your posts on here too!🙂
Welcome Damien. Great to see you here. Good to have so much time in hand; if the niggles don’t get us covid might!! Looking forward to your run reports.🙂
That’s exciting Damien. Watching your incredible progress on Strava, I have no doubt at all that you’ll not only achieve your HM goal, but you’ll smash it! Have fun, and of course tell us how you’re getting on. 😀
Wishing you best of luck with the training - sounds like you are going to be really well prepared for your half marathon . Looking forward to reading your training updates AND your race report in August!!!Good luck 🏃♂️
Nice one damienair, good time too. I'll be following you progress as I'm hoping to do one in November/December to coincide with my 68th birthday 😁Which training plan are you following?
Hi, I am not doing any training plan. I joined my local running club in February and they do interval training on Tuesday nights, Tempo runs on the track on Thursday nights and I will be doing parkrun on Saturday mornings. On Sunday mornings they meet up at 7:55 to do a long slow run. Some will go on to do Half Marathons and Marathon training. So I stick with a little group to run the long run. That should hopefully help with my training.
I've started with a club too, it's been very good and very similar to your set up. Because I'm still in my first year of running I'm still on rest days in between run so because I do parkrun don't do the long Sunday run. My planned half marathon won't be until November/December so I intend sticking to the 3 runs a week with a recovery run, 5k parkrun and a longer run, adding an extra 1k on every 2 or 3 weeks. I'm not sure if it'll work but seems feasible with the 10% rule.Good luck with your training and HM 😁
So lovely to read my man. You're heading forwards and it's lovely to see. Steady away and keep building mate. The club you attend and the mix of runs will be great preparation for you. Go well and enjoy every little bit of all of it on your way to HM 👏👏👏
You'll burn about 1500-1800 Calories doing it, depending on your weight. That's almost a full day's food intake.
This means unless you're used to doing it you'll need to take some snacks with you, and you'll need some fluids too, especially in warmer weather. (A litre minimum.)
Common problems include getting rubber legs immediately after stopping. This is most likely from depleting the glycogen stores in those muscles. Snacks will help. I usually start taking in something sugary about the 9km mark. You'll need the snacks less once your metabolism gets used to burning fats.
For longer distances it's important that you're able to use the gluteus group of muscles. If they're not helping out, the hamstring muscles will get overused, leading to problems like pain behind the knees. One simple trick is to lower the height of your pelvis by very slightly "sitting down" whilst running. It only takes a tiny amount, but it changes the mechanics a lot. If you have a sore bum after a run, you'll know you've used your glutes.
All that said, I set out on Friday with the intention of doing 10km, felt really good about things and continued on to do a HM, finishing right in front of the local chip shop just in time to pick up my booked order. No fluids and no snacks. However, I've done that distance something like fifteen times before!
As soon as I got home I wolfed down the cod and chips before even changing out of my sopping wet kit, and washed it down with a couple of pints of water with rehydration tablets in it.
That's a great way to enjoy guilt free Cod and Chips. What would you recommend as sugary snacks whilst running? I am very nervous about taking energy gels.
I don’t like the texture of jelly babies so use fruit pastilles and dried apricots damienair . Also misswobble has a recipe for power bars which are full of energy. UTS mixes up tailwind as he doesn’t like solids when running. Keep trying different things and see what works for you. .
Go you... you are going absolutely love that first HM...and the team here and all the runners will support you every step of the way.
Plenty of time to make sure you are really prepared for it... my only advice would be , do not be afraid to tweak any training to suit you... the plans are not written in stone and you have to find out what works. There are really experienced folk on here who are so good at helping with that.
I will be running on Sunday 27th August... luckily only 10 K ...phew !🤣
Hey well done for making the commitment to do one. I'm sure you'll love your first one, I certainly did! Having only just my very first one a few weeks ago, I'd say you will be absolutely fine with the time you have to train. I intended to follow a strict training plan but actually in the end I didn't, I just made sure I was mixing up my runs . Still doing ParkRun , long runs, intervals, strength training and yoga.Look forward to hearing how you get on with training and then the race itself! 🎖️🎖️
Welcome to this forum Damien! We have a shiny 10 mile badge ready and waiting for you - you're almost there! You have loads of time to get to 21.1k. Enjoy it and do let us know how it's going 😊
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Just started my Half Marathon training!
Hackney Half Marathon Training 
My first (solo) half marathon 😁🥳🤸🏼♀️
My first half marathon distance