Lumbering from the couch to a half-marathon

Ficheall

I've been persuaded to enter a half-marathon in just under 4 months.
I'm quite lazy and do no exercise, bar walking everywhere. I'm 27, a little bit overweight and my diet leaves something to be desired, so I thought this would be a good goal to encourage me to embetter myself.
This morning I ran about a mile in about 7 minutes and it didn't kill me, but I didn't feel up to doing a second circuit on my first outing, so I just went home instead.

While I know eating healthier and exercising is worthwhile in its own right, is running a half-marathon an unachievable goal?

RayCun

Rather than run a mile hard and have to stop afterwards, run a mile easy and do a second one afterwards. Follow a training plan to get you to the half marathon, something like this. If those distances are too long, build up to them with a 5k or 10k training plan.

RoyMcC

Ficheall it's a very achievable goal but you need to dedicate yourself to the task. Follow the programme that Ray has linked and you'll get there.

Forget about pace. Initially you may have to do a bit of walking to get 3-4 miles in. That is fine. (I'd try to avoid doing one-mile circuits, it's too easy to capitulate at the end of a lap).

Do all the running days in the programme, slow as you like. The pace will come given time. The in-between stretch/cross days are optional really.

Have a look at your diet, cut down any alcohol intake. You'll surprise yourself.

Good luck.