GRcade

Mini E wrote:I think you're underestimating the role of adrenaline on the day and your mental strength.

This, but I would also recommend to go slower than you think is right for the first 5k, really pace yourself ready for the last 3rd.

I went for a run in Wednesday morning and it didn't feel horribly cold when I set off even though I could see my breath but after about a km my throat was raw and I had to really slow down. T'was grim.

Mini E wrote:I think you're underestimating the role of adrenaline on the day and your mental strength.

My willpower is normally pretty good, once I get out on the road. It's often weak when it comes to decided whether to run or not - hence my lazy October - but when I can't be arsed and say I'll only do a short run, I do tend to actually increase the distance as I am running. I normally find the beginning of the run to be the hardest as, well, my warm up routine is pretty lacking. I finish work at 4:30 and it's dark by 5:30 so I often just go straight after getting home.

The other thing I worry about is hydration and nutrition. You're meant to practice with this during training, but even when I run 12km I never drink or eat mid-race. Hope I don't get cramp or the gooseberry fools.

I'm not familiar with running long distance, but if pace isn't an issue can you not just treat it like a casual jog and go nice and slow to guarantee you'll make it?

I've managed to get under 8 min mile average 3 times in a row now over the 4.7 miles I do on my lunch break. The last one was 7.43 average which is really good for me anyway, but especially so as the bridge is basically 2 big hills with a little flat bit in the middle. It's be interested to see what i could do on my old flat route now.

I think if you take it easy in the first half then you shouldn't have too much trouble finishing. You have put in a lot of miles even if they haven't been long runs, and adrenaline Will get you from 10k to the finish.

Just be sure to stop or walk if you feel an injury coming. I injured myself in a half marathon by lack of training and it meant cancelling a marathon 3 months later and I gave up running until recently. Looking back I know I was pushing too hard in that half and I simply hadn't done the miles beforehand, but I think if I had slowed down I could have got to the end without injury in a similar time, as I was limping for the last 3 miles.

Ad7 wrote:I've managed to get under 8 min mile average 3 times in a row now over the 4.7 miles I do on my lunch break. The last one was 7.43 average which is really good for me anyway, but especially so as the bridge is basically 2 big hills with a little flat bit in the middle. It's be interested to see what i could do on my old flat route now.

Good progress!
I was at a similar 8min pace for 5mile runs, but that was on flat. Now I've only been running trails and i'm happy getting under 9min. It's crazy how much slower it can be.

Yesterday was fun. I tried a new route in the evening but took a wrong turn and ended up in a farm. Fog was so bad that I couldn't see anything and eventually reached a dead end and had to turn back. Then I tried to take a short cut but actually was heading the opposite way to where I thought I was going. My 5 mile run turned into 9.5!

Edit: Oh yeah, signed up for a 62k ultra in April!
The furthest I've run (since HM 6yrs ago) is 16k so lots of work to do but I've got a training plan which I'm going to modify and use.

Just on my way to the half marathon now. If I don't survive, I just want you all to know that you all have BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS and are DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for my untimely death.

Excellent news either way. Keep us posted. Break a leg. (gl gl)

No sign of Parksey

RIP in peace

Serves him right for doing a half marathon at midnight

Did my first 5K parkrun, got 30:22 - Hampstead Heath is hilly though.

Cyburn2 wrote:Did my first 5K parkrun, got 30:22 - Hampstead Heath is hilly though.

Were you on the A course or B course? Hampstead Heath used to be my local parkrun before I moved over to New York. Pretty course but definitely challenging (particularly the B course). 30:22 is good going for Hampstead Heath IMO

Snowcannon wrote:

Cyburn2 wrote:Did my first 5K parkrun, got 30:22 - Hampstead Heath is hilly though.

Were you on the A course or B course? Hampstead Heath used to be my local parkrun before I moved over to New York. Pretty course but definitely challenging (particularly the B course). 30:22 is good going for Hampstead Heath IMO

B course, some other cross country run was going to happen on A course I think.

Cyburn2 wrote:

Snowcannon wrote:

Cyburn2 wrote:Did my first 5K parkrun, got 30:22 - Hampstead Heath is hilly though.

Were you on the A course or B course? Hampstead Heath used to be my local parkrun before I moved over to New York. Pretty course but definitely challenging (particularly the B course). 30:22 is good going for Hampstead Heath IMO

B course, some other cross country run was going to happen on A course I think.

Yes that last hill is nasty. First time i did it i got a bit of a shock when i thought i was done with the uphill only to see another even steeper hill right at the end

Someone did parkrun in a time faster than the 5k world record yesterday!

Amazing even if it was canicross i.e. dog-assisted

Managed to run an 'easy' half marathon. Furthest I've run in years and despite not going fast and most of it being muddy I still beat my old PB by a couple of minutes.

Next time I need to eat more than 1 banana for breakfast, I really struggled with the last couple of miles. Somehow need to be able to do 3x this distance by April, which is gonna be much harder than I thought.

People who say that running in the rain is refreshing are talking horse gooseberry fool. I should have gone to the gym that was a miserable affair.

strawberry float running in the rain, it's for splits.

I went over the bridge today and found out what it's like to run in 50mph winds

Was alright at first but half way over at the highest point it was blowing side on and I was leaning at about 20 degrees to the left just to move forwards. Was getting pushed all over the shop, won't be doing that again in a hurry.

I had to stop halfway through this morning's run to clear a fallen tree from the road. Rain > Wind