The Half Marathon support Thread

RayCun · 24-07-2010 07:14AM

hunnymonster trained for her first marathon in a similar timeframe, but she doesn't recommend it. There's a selection bias on boards - we only see the people who have completed marathons and kept going, not the people who dropped out before or after swearing 'never again'

elvis jones · 24-07-2010 09:34AM

If you are already at a good fitness level you COULD do it in 16 weeks i think. But i couldn't even think of something like that.

I started last Oct and have missed 7 weeks already with injury and this was my body adapting to this new pounding i was giving it. Overall my body was able to run BUT my legs just couldn't keep up with the mileage i was putting on them in a short time.

I started and did a 10KM with no problems, then i upped the mileage and along came the shin splints and stopped me in my tracks for a few weeks. I got them sorted and off i went again and up to half marathon. Then my achilles started to act up and now i'm off the road for 3 to 6 weeks and i see it as another stepping stone in my body getting ready for the big one.

It will take me about 18 months to get to the marathon finish line, never mind 18 weeks. But in that time my body will have gotten a lot stronger as will my mind. I'll have covered almost 1000 miles on the road and lost 3 stone to boot.

If you haven't had an injury before it can hit you badly but i see it as a chance to work on my cycling and general fitness on the cross trainer as well.

Iceage your friend needs to listen to his body and see that there is more than 1 marathon in this country and others are 26.2 ( we hope after the 5 miler;)) as well.

Also for those focusing on Sept 18, if the time frame is too tight with work etc go for another one, Galway in Oct, Waterford in Dec. The challenge is to run "a" half marathon and not a specific one in the specific time frame. Stretch out your training and it will help your body and mind with those extra miles on the legs.

iceage · 24-07-2010 10:21AM

Cheers guy I'll make sure to pass this on to him. Hes gonna be off the road for a couple of weeks at least. Sounds crazy but to have suffered this injury now, rather than half way through or worse still the week before the Marathon might be a blessing(a painful one) in disguise. Definately a learning experience for him.

Safe training to all of you.

elvis jones · 24-07-2010 10:41AM

iceage wrote: »

Cheers guy I'll make sure to pass this on to him. Hes gonna be off the road for a couple of weeks at least. Sounds crazy but to have suffered this injury now, rather than half way through or worse still the week before the Marathon might be a blessing(a painful one) in disguise. Definately a learning experience for him.

Safe training to all of you.

I wonder if the physio gave him any advice on any other forms of exercise. I can swim, cycle and cross train so when i do go back running i shouldn't have lost too much of my fitness.

BeepBeep67 · 24-07-2010 11:01AM

If anyone is interested here's a nice little article from Runner's World about how to select a tune up race in advance of your target race.
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/racing/time-for-a-tune-up/4350.html

Tipsygypsy · 24-07-2010 01:45PM

Sorry to hear that Elvis, but you seem to have a pretty positive attitude despite the dissapointment, good for you, hopefully you'll heal fast and be back running before you know it.

As for the 16 week training for a Marathon - if you're talking from scratch that seems completely mental to me. Why rush it? Theres any number of marathons throughout the year - I dont understand why someone would risk injury by pushing themselves so hard. That said, Im a sensible mommy type now. I did plenty of things that the rest of the world thought were completely ridiculous and insane before I got all grown up and responsible-like.

As for my half marathon training, so far so good, had a hiccup at the start of the week where one bad run sucked away my motivation for a few days but Im back on track now - tomorrow is 7 miles lsr, and funnily enough Im looking forward to it. I drove my planned route today when I was out and about and the turnabout point seems awfully far away, but not unmanageable. I'll be back on tomorrow evening exhausted!

Everyone have a great weekend and greats LSR's.

yungwan · 24-07-2010 07:14PM

Completed my 6 miles this afternoon.

Three days running in a row is of course not recommended and i understand why now. My body was so tired around the 4 mile mark I was afraid i wouldnt finish.

But I did and Im tired now but happy

Heading for a nap now to prepare myself for the major *issup I plan tonight! ANd I can do so guilt free now! lol

Getting a little fed up with the fact that my pace is not getting any better. I know all you seasoned runners are going to roll your eyes and say "not another person saying their slow" but i feel I should be getting better at this point. For eg my 6 miles today was only 1 minute faster than my 6 miles in the mini marathon at start of June. and i have been running "proper" for about 4 months.

can anyone recommend some speed training for me to help?

Anyway Im off I dont plan to see any of ye til Tuesday, so there! :P

Enjoy the weekends!

RayCun · 24-07-2010 07:31PM

Bear in mind that the mini-marathon was a race, and you'll usually run faster in a race.
If you want to run faster, add some intervals/strides/fartlek to some of your runs. All of them are variations on "go faster for sections of a normal run". So if you're out for a 3 mile run, pick a section of it and run faster - faster than you could go for the whole 3 miles, but as fast as you can go for a shorter distance.
But bear in mind that running faster isn't your main goal right now, don't push yourself so much that you put your training in jeopardy

DULLAHAN2 · 25-07-2010 08:04PM

Can someone tell me when the closing date for the half marathon entry is please

fungirl1 · 25-07-2010 10:25PM

I was right...waaay too hungover to run today:D just as well that I ran yesterday before I did the damage!! ran 11.5km in 1:08 - happy enough with that for this week...have decided I need to focus on getting up the miles and less on the speed (not that there is much of that!! )
weights tomorrow and am going to cycle to and from work tomorrow to make up for missing out on my xtraining at the weekend...

Dow99 · 25-07-2010 10:51PM

Didnt do anything myself today after my 16km on Friday. My legs still feel a little bit tired today so I will probably ease back into it with a nice 5km tomorrow.
I usually play 5 a side on Monday but I'm thinking of knocking that on the head until after the 19th of Sept. It's high paced and I always pick up a few knocks and bruises and I need to recover for at least a couple of days after a game but I feel it's not allowing me to train properly for the half marathon, although I do love my 5 aside and at 31 I feel that I want to play as much football as I can before I can no longer! What do you folks reckon?

RayCun · 26-07-2010 08:20AM

DULLAHAN2 wrote: »

Can someone tell me when the closing date for the half marathon entry is please

The Dublin race series half-marathon? Closing date is September 1st.

peanuthead · 26-07-2010 08:26PM

Can anyone tell me ... I really don't feel like doing a run today - will 60mins of aerobics at the gym be okay?

Its about 35-40 mins of jumping about once you take all the warming up and cooling down out of it.

iceage · 26-07-2010 10:47PM

Short/gentle 3 miler recovery with a mate this evening..very warm.

dolliemix · 27-07-2010 10:12AM

I'm back from three week holiday and just catching up on this thread in order to get motivated to start all over again. I had got as far as Week 4 on the HH Half Marathon Training program before I left. The plan was to start it again when I got home but to be honest I'm not sure I'd be able to run 3 miles at the moment. While the holiday wasn't completely unhealthy,I didn't do any running so I'd like to start off slow. I'm hoping all the walking and steps I climbed up and back from temples and shrines has kept me fittish. I also did some sightseeing by bicycle in 35 degrees heat which was challenging!

Delighted to see there is a Half Marathon in December so I think I'll aim for that. Sorry to hear about your injury but hopefully you'll be back on track soon and we can aim for Waterford together.

For the moment I'm going to begin with the HH 15 k Novice plan, which should have me up to 15/10 miles by middle/ end of October. I'll work on a plan from there to get me up to Half Marathon for December.

Well everyone on your progress and your times at the 5 mile race for those of you who did it!

Tipsygypsy · 27-07-2010 09:10PM

Welcome back Dolliemix! If its any help to you I had to stop running for just under 3 weeks coming up to the Dublin WMM, I thought I wouldnt be able to get back into it, but it only took a week to get back to where I was. At the time my farthest run had been a little over 4 miles - I did 3 runs the first week - run 1 was 1 mile, run 2 was 2 miles, and run 3 was 3 miles - the following week I was able to start back exactly where I had left off. I didnt want to rush in because it had been a dodgy foot and I didnt want to do more harm but I was amazed at how quickly I got back to where I had been - I think you will be too. Good luck with it!

Training still going to plan, 7 miler went well, much better than I expected. Went out for my 4 mile run tonight, really enjoyed it. Things will be all over the place for the next couple of weeks since Im on Hols but hoping to stick to the plan (ish).

fungirl1 · 27-07-2010 10:47PM

Tipsy also ran 7.9km this evening - home from work with a few hills thrown in for fun...and it was grand...other than the elastic on my running shorts decided to die and i was tugging them up the whole way home:D...its not to be recommended to be honest. I am off on my hols on Saturday - am going to do my LSR before I go and hopefully will get my runs in during the week. Am kinda worried about the West Cork hills tho...they are a killer...then I think I will do my LSR the following week when i get back to Dublin again...full of good intentions...we will have to wait and see...

fungirl1 · 27-07-2010 10:49PM

dolliemix wrote: »

I'm back from three week holiday and just catching up on this thread in order to get motivated to start all over again. I had got as far as Week 4 on the HH Half Marathon Training program before I left. The plan was to start it again when I got home but to be honest I'm not sure I'd be able to run 3 miles at the moment. While the holiday wasn't completely unhealthy,I didn't do any running so I'd like to start off slow. I'm hoping all the walking and steps I climbed up and back from temples and shrines has kept me fittish. I also did some sightseeing by bicycle in 35 degrees heat which was challenging!

Delighted to see there is a Half Marathon in December so I think I'll aim for that. Sorry to hear about your injury but hopefully you'll be back on track soon and we can aim for Waterford together.

For the moment I'm going to begin with the HH 15 k Novice plan, which should have me up to 15/10 miles by middle/ end of October. I'll work on a plan from there to get me up to Half Marathon for December.

Well everyone on your progress and your times at the 5 mile race for those of you who did it!

Welcome back Dollie! best of luck in getting back into it - take it handy to begin with I am sure you will be fine...good luck!

2nd Row Donkey · 28-07-2010 03:31PM

Tipsygypsy wrote: »

Welcome back Dolliemix! If its any help to you I had to stop running for just under 3 weeks coming up to the Dublin WMM, I thought I wouldnt be able to get back into it, but it only took a week to get back to where I was. At the time my farthest run had been a little over 4 miles - I did 3 runs the first week - run 1 was 1 mile, run 2 was 2 miles, and run 3 was 3 miles - the following week I was able to start back exactly where I had left off. I didnt want to rush in because it had been a dodgy foot and I didnt want to do more harm but I was amazed at how quickly I got back to where I had been - I think you will be too. Good luck with it!

Training still going to plan, 7 miler went well, much better than I expected. Went out for my 4 mile run tonight, really enjoyed it. Things will be all over the place for the next couple of weeks since Im on Hols but hoping to stick to the plan (ish).

This is very true. Even if you have been out of the mix for a while, it should come back to you quicker then you think if you take a staggered aprroach like tipsygipsy suggested.

dolliemix · 28-07-2010 03:34PM

Thanks everyone!

I got out this morning and managed 25 mins so I'm happy with that. I'll take it easy this week. Two more runs of 25-30 mins and then I'll start the HH 10 mile novice program. It looks a bit gentler than the Half Marathon one! And I'm not doing the Half till December so don't want to peak too soon!

the drifter · 28-07-2010 04:11PM

I soooo dont want too do 4.5 miles this evening!!

2nd Row Donkey · 28-07-2010 05:13PM

why not?

Here's what i do when I feel like not running.

Go home.
Put on all running gear
Lie on couch
Watch 1 hour of 'no-brain required' TV
Drinks lots of water while watching TV
Feel better
Go running!

Do NOT eact anything!

rasher_m · 29-07-2010 12:31AM

Hi there,

I'm training for the 10 miler in August and I seen this thread and it looks encouraging!
I have run a few 10 km races at a moderate pace (57 mins) but no longer get any buzz from them so decided to broaden my horizons.
I'm not following any one training plan, just making sure I get the long run in at a suitable distance for the race schedule.

iceage · 29-07-2010 02:29PM

Injured. Went out for a steady 10K last night, bunched muscles in my right calf at about 5K stopped me dead in my tracks..had to limp 5K home. (Reminder to self, bring a phone when training if only for emergancy) Not impressed with myself, I was winding it up a bit when it happened. RICE for the first time ever when I got home, have never had the need before for the usual aches and pains.

Iceing really seemed to help, very stiff and tight there today so a few days off I reckon.

rainbow kirby · 29-07-2010 02:32PM

Might be worthwhile going to the physio and getting it checked out.

iceage · 29-07-2010 03:17PM

I'm registered for the Boston Scientific HM on 15th Aug. Hmmm.:D

2nd Row Donkey · 29-07-2010 03:35PM

Ouch.

Was thinking the same re: mobile phone for emergencies.

Wonder what the smallest possible mobile phone size is... something tiny that i could slip inside the top of my sock or something. I'd hate to carry it around all the time though.. already got an mp3 player, a key, a water bootle and a spar battery for mps3 player

fungirl1 · 29-07-2010 08:20PM

2nd row..you are not travelling light for sure..if I am going for a long run (anything over 10km) i stuff €20 in my ipod armbad..that way if I got injured i could get a taxi home and €20 is not hard to carry - easier than a phone...havent had to use it yet thank goodness..mind u not much use in the country or in Pheonix park:rolleyes:...just back from 4.1m run did it in 38:45 - which I was very please with..mind u am a bit wrecked now..shower food and bed me thinks..

2nd Row Donkey · 30-07-2010 12:27PM

Yeah fungirl, I think its time I invested in an ipod armbar thing or similar. beats holding the mp3 player by hand and it doubles up as somewhere for a key/cash etc.

I have my half marathon tomorrow (actually its closer to 14miles)
Its the breffni challange run - Cavan to Arva .. its advertised as 20km but its actually 22km as I measured last year afterwards!

Wish me luck!

peanuthead · 30-07-2010 02:41PM

One good thing about being a woman - the bra acts as a great hiding place for the key!!

The Half Marathon support Thread

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