it’s been a while

[Gentlydoesnt]

sorry ain’t been on for around a month or so, unfortunately my left knee began giving me some issues whilst running ( a lot of discomfort in the area directly to the left of the knee cap ). So I basically had to cut the running distance down quite considerably, I was up to around 10 miles of anyone remembers last time I posted. And for the last few weeks I’ve been cutting it down to 3 miles and around that to see if it’s over use. On Monday of this week I went for a 4 mile run at a leisurely pace and the knee seemed to be stronger. I didn’t push it and felt better about running once more. To be honest the day it started I had planned to go further than I’ve been before and around 1 mile in problems started so I had to turn around which was pretty depressing to be honest. Today though the weather was really cold and windy, I do like to run in cold weather more than hot and my leg felt stronger than it has for a month and I managed to crack the half marathon distance which seemed a long way indeed. Took me 2 hours and 14 mins but it was rewarding to actually achieve that. I’ll be resting up for 2 days now . All the best.

I did feel pretty elated about reaching that milestone after 6 months of beginning at the C25K programme.

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Great work Gentlydoesnt! HM after 6 months since starting C25k is incredible. Your pace was good too. I am pleased to award you your shiny HM badge!

Keep an eye on that knee. Longer distances flush out little weaknesses that shorter runs overlook! Strengthening is definitely more important as we run further. Hope you are having a good evening, maybe watching some football and having a little glass of something to celebrate🏆🍺👍

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Congratulations!!! A half marathon is definitely something to feel pleased about. As BC says, keep an eye on that knee, especially with longer distances. Rest days, cutback weeks, strength work and stretching all become even more important as distance increases. It's easy to think we're approaching invincibility as we are able to increase our running load, but - as your knee issue has shown - this is rarely true 😅

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Congratulations on your Half Marathon - in a great time too! Hope the knee stays good as well!🙂

[Gentlydoesnt Half Marathon]

thanks , I forgot to take any drink and only 8 jelly babies to save weight and was pretty dry when I finished it!! , I don’t know how people manage carrying water for such a long time I guess in races it’s all there for you to grab!.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

Well done on your first HM.

Personally I'd never rely on others to provide me with water. It's easy enough to carry smaller amounts in soft flasks stuffed into pockets/flipbelt/waistbag. A hydration pack, which is my preference anyway, works when you need to carry 1 litre+.

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

I agree Cmoi . I always carry my own water in a belt. I’ve been in a few races when they’ve run out.

[Gentlydoesnt Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

What belt do you use?, I’m presuming the water isn’t in a 500ml bottle but I may be wrong.

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

This one. It doesn't budge, feels comfortable and the amount of liquid (Tailwind) does me for HM distance. It has a decent sized pocket too for phone, key, etc.

amazon.co.uk/Lava-Activ-Hyd...

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Yes, me too, for distances longer than 10K-ish, or if it's particularly hot. I use a Keto powder in my back pack, no sugary jelly babies for me - it's magic stuff and I don't notice the weight carried like that.

[Gentlydoesnt Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

If you can give me an idea of what you use perhaps. I bought an elastic belt thing from Lidls last month but I usually just put my door keys and jelly babies in that as there isn’t that much room.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

I've got a 10 litre Decathlon own-brand hydration pack with 1 litre water bladder, picked up ridiculously cheaply in the sale in 2021. Current models here: decathlon.co.uk/accessories...

I'd strongly advise you to try before you buy if you can, because what suits some people won't suit others. Also, don't expect a hydration pack to sit like a backpack. It's not supposed to.

Almost all my running wear is trail clothing, as it has proper pockets rather than stupid little key flaps, and extra storage for soft flasks, snacks, etc . See here: decathlon.co.uk/search?Ntt=...

My "flipbelts" are cheapy copies, but I don't find them particularly comfortable for running. I tend to use them for walks on holiday when I need to carry a few bits but don't want to take a bag or wear running gear.

Bumbags, whether on elastic or fixed waistbands, don't work for me when running, I find they concentrate the weight in one place and bounce around too much.

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Gentlydoesnt]

I spent some time on Amazon, and got a hydration pack, like Cmoi, very cheap. It isn't particularly good, no pockets on the front but for the price is was excellent. I only use it occasionally. I think it was meant for cycling, but I was more interested in price...

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Well done on your first HM 👏 Always a special moment. Hope the knee is ok now?

[Gentlydoesnt Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Seems to not be as bad as it was I haven’t been out since the half a couple of days back , will see tomorrow .

[RiceAndPeas Marathon]

Congratulations, that is a big milestine ticked off, after only 6 months too. Your progress is very impressive!

I use a Naked band to carry my water bottles, gels etc. Salomon make a good one too.