Just over a week ago, I took the train into Reading and ran back along the A329 to home, which google maps told me was 8 miles, but turned out to be 6.5. As I left the station, the wide pavement with its gentle downhill slope inspired my legs to move a little too fast, and I bounced like Tigger through the first couple of miles, occasionally thinking to myself how much fun this was. I didn’t even have my headphones in.
I wasn’t looking forward to the uphill section past the shops in Earley, but it was all so interesting that I powered up the slope and only near the top did I start to wonder if I had taken on too much. I still had a long way to go, especially as I still had 8 miles in my head and RunKeeper was only showing that I’d done about 3.
I passed Earley station with only the fleeting thought that I could give up and get the train home; the thought lingered a little longer at Winnersh Triangle, but by the time I reached Winnersh I could see Sainsburys and knew that I was back on familiar territory and less than two miles from home. Unfortunately the rest was both boring and uphill, so any thought of adding on an extra mile and a half jaunt to bring the total up to my target of 8 miles was quickly abandoned and I just headed for home and two showers.
I was so disappointed at the distance that I didn’t go out again for nearly a week. My longest run so far has been 7.5 miles, also on a hot day, and I have completely failed my target to run 8 miles by May. I’m still aiming for a half marathon in February but starting to wonder if that’s remotely possible, as it’s taken months just to add two miles to my distance. Not sure my legs can do it. Or my mind.
One of the things that put me off tackling a half marathon (when I was up to 10k distances) was the amount of time the training took.
Definitely a mental thing, I think that’s one reason 10k runs are so popular. Maybe plan to do a few more of those first?
Having finally made it to 10k+ (a whole 600 meters plus) I am wondering too how on earth to take it to the next level… Lots of druken chat about a half marathon in November but that feels very out of reach!
I think a few more sounds like a good plan 🙂
Believe.
Honestly. If you can run 8 miles – which I reckon you can – then you can do a half marathon. There’s no subsititute for a target, so if you’re looking at spring, enter something now. Reading perhaps? Or Brighton? The worst thing that can happen is you don’t run it. You’re right that it’s so much in the head, but I think you’ll be surprised how much oomph you get on the day. In all my training for my first half marathon, I never went under 2 hours for my longest run. I ran loads faster in the race itself without even really thinking about it as the crowds push you along. I reckon you’ll surprise yourself. I reckon you already are.
There’s a half right on my doorstep.
I walked all round the cheshire show yesterday and didn’t need to ice my foot afterwards, so I just did the shred as an experiment and it feels mostly ok. This is progress 🙂
Spoke too soon and back on the ice 🙁