Towards the end of last year with winter crawling in, darker nights and work feeling all encompassing, by the time I finally gave into a cold with sinuses from hell; it would take all of my rapidly dwindling willpower to force myself out of bed in the morning to do anything physical. I'd given up trying to make into London to go to the gym in the morning; a 5.30am alarm coupled with lugging around shower stuff and a change of clothes is too much for me right now BUT I can manage running. Clothes on top of trainers stacked outside my bedroom door in preparation for the morning. All I have to do is crawl out of bed to the hall, pull my running gear on and make it outside.
I started to really get into in December. The first few weeks building up to 3 miles was just constant pain but after that it was easier and despite a ranging cold I was able to limp through 5 miles on Boxing Day with my brothers and Boyfriend in Yorkshire feeling like my lungs might burst. Over the holidays, despite getting very little sleep I had got used to getting up later and staying up later and I knew unless there was something to motivate me, I would struggle with the sleep deprivation. So instead of waiting for a bedding in period to get me by, I chose a flat half marathon in North London for 10 weeks time.
Now I have 10 weeks to train and it's been a week since I signed up. My endurance never has been particularly strong; coupled with short legs means I have a very slow pace; I also know I'd spiral in a wave of depression if I became injured so I have decided to focus on achieving the distance and after a bit of searching decided I the Runners World Half-Marathon guide for beginners - here - is probably best suited to me.
I don't really care what time I complete it in just as long as I do. The target means I get up in the morning and I keep getting up in the morning instead of rolling over to snuggle Jack moaning that it's too cold outside to face the weather. It's early days and as I said just one week in; I've set my running days as Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday with a long run on the Sunday. This week that has meant two 4 mile runs and two 3 mile runs. Cross training is on Wednesdays and Fridays although I have managed to do any apart from some core work on Friday which has left my sides aching so much it hurts to move. I didn't realise how unfit I had become so quickly!
Next week my aim is to complete my runs, ending in a 6 mile distance on the Sunday. All the other runs are shorter so I'll attempt some core work when I get back from then and try to take my gym kit into London so I can do cross-training on the bicycle or rowing machine for other two days cross training days.
Has anyone else signed up to a half marathon ? Or considering it ?
