The reason for my level of self-doubt was not humility. Nope. It was the fact that I had adopted the worst kind of training regime ever. The ʻdonʼt train until the last minuteʼ regime. This is not advice I would wish to pass on to anyone else.
Please do train very hard! Iʼm a keen runner anyway so I knew it was possible, but it was tough, as I donʼt normally run more than about 4 or 5 miles, and this was a whopping 13 miles! Iʼd been running twice a week as part of my regular fitness regime until a couple of weeks before the half- marathon. But if youʼre taking this seriously, youʼd be running every other day or so and doing one long run every week, as well as some swimming and cycling to up your cardio fitness level. I ran a half marathon a year ago and trained in a sustained and sensible fashion. This time, I most definitely ran it on a wing and a prayer.
The race in question was the Reading Half Marathon, and it is a great course. There are a few hills, but nothing too demanding. You start and finish at the Madejski stadium, and run a pretty route through the town centre, past houses, parks and lots of supportive locals with flags and cheers. Although the chap I saw drinking a can of special brew at 11am as I hit mile 6 was a little off-putting! The facilities are great at the beginning and end, but you are one of 18,000 people trying to prep for a race at the same time, so go to the loo early.
I ended up having to take a wee behind a bush with about 40 other women near the start line, and then use a petrol station toilet along the route (I slightly over-did the hydration, for fear of being dehydrated, so took water at every opportunity). I normally rate how good the workout is as part of these reviews. I think itʼs pretty obvious that 21kilometers is demanding! The blisters and thigh pain made me a little wobbly the next day, but overall, the more training youʼve done, the less it burns after the race.
Something that made me laugh...
Best bit - The sense of camaraderie amongst the runners. And the finish line, because you get to do a lap of Reading football stadium....and itʼs over.
Worst bit - Pretty much everything up to the halfway point, because you feel like there is still such a long way to go!
Good for - Proving you can do it, raising some money for charity, and achieving something
Score - 7/10
Main bits of advice for anyone considering doing a half marathon. .
1) Train! I did a half marathon about a year ago, and itʼs much easier if you follow a proper training schedule of a few shorter runs and one long one every week, building on the distance and varying the type of course as you get closer to the race. .
2) Get yourself a rocking playlist and pump up the volume. In the tough bits, itʼs all youʼve got. .
3) Invest in good trainers and run in them for all your long runs before the race. NEVER WEAR NEW GEAR ON THE BIG DAY. .
4) Buy cool running gear - youʼre more likely to train if you donʼt look like youʼre wearing your dadʼs old pajamas. Sport is not an excuse to look scruffy and ridiculous. .
5) Experiment with what to eat before a run, so you know how much fuel you need to get through it. I prefer to run on an empty stomach, but 13 miles is a long way, so I have a smoothie and carry the running gel food with me for when I flag halfway. .
6) Hydrate (and this includes your skin - chafing is not a good look) but not too much, then youʼll need to pee the whole time. .
7) Get a good buddy to train with. You donʼt have to actually run together, as some people prefer to go it alone, but it does help to have someone to get psyched with at the start line, and discuss your training with as you get closer to the big day.
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