Half marathon training plan started

[lincolnoldie]

I reached 10 again last week and decided as I wasn't entering a race, I didn't want to do the last 2 weeks of the NRC 10km training plan. I find if I just go my own way I tend to do the same couple of runs repeat ly and there has been lots of talk about the 1/2 marathon plan so thought I would give it a go.

I am not sure how far I will get as we have 3 weeks in France at the beginning of September and our house is 200m up a hill, If I set off down hill I have to finish with over 1km running up hill which is no fun. Starting up hill means lots of up and down, most people would probably find this OK but when all my running at home is just North of Lincoln my legs do not understand hills.

In the garden this morning I thought the temperature seems OK I will go now before it gets too warm, the route I picked was in and out of the shade but it was still far to warm by the time I got home, I will have to make sure my next run is earlier in the day.

[Cmoi Marathon]

Why not walk any uphills that you're finding too much?

I live in mid-mountain France at 680m. Unless I start by going directly up into the forest on trails, all my possible routes home involve a minimum of 1k distance uphill with 40m elevation gain. So when I first started running I used to walk the final stretch back home.

While I wouldn't do that now, I'll still walk during runs where it's safer or more energy-efficient to do so.

[lincolnoldie in reply to Cmoi]

I think I should just think of the hills as a benefit and just get on with it rather than wimping out.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to lincolnoldie]

You never know, you might actually enjoy them! Btw, don't make the mistake of thinking that running downhill is the easier option. It isn't. Mixing both uphill and downhill, and walking where necessary, will hopefully make it fun.

[lincolnoldie in reply to Cmoi]

Thank you

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Good luck with the plan 🍀 Giving it a go is one of the best ways of reaching goals 🙂

Take the hills nice and slowly and you will be fine. And the great thing about running hills in training is that when you next run on the flat is feels easier.

Enjoy your time in France an let us know how you get on.

[lincolnoldie in reply to Irishprincess]

When we went last month I started full of enthusiasm but it soon disappeared so the runs were not as frequent as I would have liked so ended up running just 3 times in 4 weeks. I just need to be mire disciplined on our next visit.

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

I am surrounded by hills! On the HM plan I decided that one of the recovery runs would be a weekly hill run. I had to walk the peaks to start with, but I run them all now. A shortened stride helps, both up hill and down steeper hills. They are a gift for strength and fitness building.

[lincolnoldie in reply to Beachcomber66]

I will give it a go walking up the steeper bits and see what other routes I can find which have a mixture of up and down.

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to lincolnoldie]

A steady build up of strength and lung power is the key; enjoy it 🙂

[drl212]

Best of luck! Look forward to hearing your progress...

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Always exciting starting a new plan! Good luck. Keep posting and we can all help keep you on track 😊

I was just on holiday at the top of a hill! Mostly, I would run from the house, taking the downhill pretty steady as part of the easy start to my run. I would finish my run at the base of the hill and then slowly walk back up as a cool down. The exception was when my plan called for a hilly run, or when I had an easy recovery run and then I took the hill nice and slowly (very slowly).

Embrace the terrain, treat the hill with a little respect, adapt your paces/routes as required and enjoy the variation from your everyday runs 😎

[lincolnoldie]

Thank you, changing pace is one of those things I struggle with. My 10km time is double my 5km one and recovery runs tend to be the same pace. Forcing myself to run up hill may help me run at different paces.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to lincolnoldie]

If you follow the NRC HM plan, the speed interval runs will get you practising speed variation😊

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon]

I so sympathise with you! I live just north of Lincoln too and am currently at our 2nd home in France, which is just below the top of a hill in a very hilly area (and it’s been high 30s temperatures earlier this week)! I tend to run nowadays with a group in a nearby French village and unashamedly walk the steepest hills if I need to. Equally nobody says you have to run the whole of your half marathon training runs (unless it’s a speed run 😂) Good luck!

[lincolnoldie in reply to Sandie1961]

I am hoping by early September it won't be quite so hot, southern Normandy isn't know for its extremes in temperature as further south. I need to accept walking up the steepest hills isn't failure.

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon in reply to lincolnoldie]

Fingers crossed 🤞 Walking when you need to conserves energy and helps your breathing, so you can go faster when you start to run again. At least that’s my excuse!

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to lincolnoldie]

I need to accept walking up the steepest hills isn't failure.

It really, really isn't. It's exactly what ultra runners do on challenging terrain to conserve energy.

I'd encourage you try running at least some stretches, both uphill and downhill. Just don't expect your pace to be the same everywhere. If you're accustomed to using a watch for pacing, I'd suggest you ignore it, and concentrate on running by effort instead.

Are you talking about the Alpes Mancelles btw? I'm in the Massif Central.

[lincolnoldie in reply to Cmoi]

Believe it or not, our house is in Manche, it just happens to be on the edge of a ridge and one way just down hill and you can keep going down for several kms. I will find a way to slow down.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to lincolnoldie]

We're at 680m, 1km from the route départmentale, which rises from 530m to 1024m over 11.9km, so average 4.15% gradient. It's a bit bumpier around us and I prefer trails and tracks to roads, so I don't need to find a way to slow down, the hills do it for me!