Leicester Half Marathon / Marathon

[foxesfan1989]

Anyone doing it this year? I've signed up for the half marathon. What kind of times are people aiming for? And anyone got any marathon tips?

[Bellend Sebastian]

It's four blooming years since I did the half, and at the time I thought, this isn't so bad, I'll do it every year. Shame on me. Would love to do it again, but just don't have the time to train anymore.

My only tip would be getting a good idea of the time you want to get while training, then work out how quick you need to do each mile. You see so many folk haring off at the start and then they're walking 6 miles in. I find I run a bit quicker in an event than I do on my own, but not by loads

[glenny_fox]

I'm doing the half this year as a bid to get back into fitness. I'm going to be aiming for around the 2 hours 10 minutes mark, which isn't fast by any means but a realistic target.

Can't say I'm looking forward to it though

[foxesfan1989]

I'm doing the half this year as a bid to get back into fitness. I'm going to be aiming for around the 2 hours 10 minutes mark, which isn't fast by any means but a realistic target.

Can't say I'm looking forward to it though

My target is under 2:15 so we are on a pretty similar level!

[foxesfan1989]

It's four blooming years since I did the half, and at the time I thought, this isn't so bad, I'll do it every year. Shame on me. Would love to do it again, but just don't have the time to train anymore.

My only tip would be getting a good idea of the time you want to get while training, then work out how quick you need to do each mile. You see so many folk haring off at the start and then they're walking 6 miles in. I find I run a bit quicker in an event than I do on my own, but not by loads

Yeah I want to run the entire thing, do not want to walk any of it so i'm going to pace myself as best as possible.

[Bellend Sebastian]

Are you new to the running game or is this something you've been building up to?

[Nick]

Ahh, THE HELL OF THE MIDLANDS.

[FoxesAreBlue]

I'm in the full however I am absolutely resenting my running at the minute so may withdraw, going to see how I feel after the Great North Run next week.

Target Time was 3:30 but should I enter its now 3:45.

[foxesfan1989]

Are you new to the running game or is this something you've been building up to?

Pretty new I would say. I have been going the gym for nearly a year now and I'm in okay shape. But the running long distances has only started in the last month or so. I did over 6 miles yesterday in under an hour and felt pretty good afterwards, so hopefully in a months time the 13miles is something I can do!

I'm in the full however I am absolutely resenting my running at the minute so may withdraw, going to see how I feel after the Great North Run next week.

Target Time was 3:30 but should I enter its now 3:45.

That's an impressive target time! I could only do that after a LOT of training I reckon...or possibly not at all.

[danny.]

I was training for the full, but had been told by doctors to stop training for a while. Gonna get back into it again next month and will still get about 6 weeks of training in.

Gonna do the half instead, aiming for anything 1:2X (last half I did was very close to breaking 1:30, but not quite, grr!)

[foxesfan1989]

I was training for the full, but had been told by doctors to stop training for a while. Gonna get back into it again next month and will still get about 6 weeks of training in.

Gonna do the half instead, aiming for anything 1:2X (last half I did was very close to breaking 1:30, but not quite, grr!)

wowza, we have some fast people on this forum

[Bellend Sebastian]

Pretty new I would say. I have been going the gym for nearly a year now and I'm in okay shape. But the running long distances has only started in the last month or so. I did over 6 miles yesterday in under an hour and felt pretty good afterwards, so hopefully in a months time the 13miles is something I can do!

It's dangerous advice from someone not remotely qualified, but within reason I think that if you can run six miles you can run twice that without much difficulty. It doesn't mean you shouldn't make sure you build up gradually, though, because that how you avoid getting injured (which you probably know). By the time I did mine I was running three times a week - a short (about 3.5 miles), a medium (between 5 and 7) and a long (about 10 or 11), and although you won't find a half marathon training programme that light anywhere, I managed the actual run in just under 2 hours, which I was pretty pleased with.

There are lots of folk on here that know FAR more about all this than I do

[FoxesAreBlue]

That's an impressive target time! I could only do that after a LOT of training I reckon...or possibly not at all.

I think it's the amount of training that's doing my head in, I loved it at the start of my plan, but now I only go because I have to if that makes sense, training at the same frequency but a lot higher volume now.

Maybe jumped into this one with too much of an ambitios target a bit too quickly.

[James.]

I'm also completely unqualified to offer anything othe than spurious, anecdotal advice but if there's one thing I've learnt from half marathon training it's that long runs and a good weekly mileage total is crucial.

I have a 5km PB of around 22 minutes and a 10km PB of around 46 minutes which really should mean I do a half marathon in about 1:40ish max but the last one I did took me 1:49, primarily because after about 9 miles (and a couple of nasty hills) I was knackered. The reason being in training I did too many half-arsed 4-5 mile runs and not enough long runs (i.e. 10 miles or more). I also didn't bother doing any hill training.

So in summary, depending on your objectives, make sure your legs have a good amount of mileage in them going into the event and secondly, as painful as it is, try to get some hill training in (whether the actual race is flat or not) as this has huge benefits on leg strength, endurance and overall fitness.

[FoxesAreBlue]

In addition to what James. said, do some conditioning work too, squats, lunges, Romanian deadlifts, shoulder exercises and core exercises too - aim for the 8-10 rep range (so not too heavy, even just bodyweight can be effective here), three to four sets should see you right.

[foxesfan1989]

Cheers for the advice keep it coming. I'll try and find a good balance with training. The blisters aren't helping at the moment either, can't seem to prevent them!

[James.]

Cheers for the advice keep it coming. I'll try and find a good balance with training. The blisters aren't helping at the moment either, can't seem to prevent them!

Use Compeed. Get some decent running socks. Wear proper running shoes.

[danny.]

wowza, we have some fast people on this forum

well.. i just realised I have my months mixed up, and it's next month - not the month after, so will have more like 2 weeks training not 6, oops!

[danny.]

I'm also completely unqualified to offer anything othe than spurious, anecdotal advice but if there's one thing I've learnt from half marathon training it's that long runs and a good weekly mileage total is crucial.

I have a 5km PB of around 22 minutes and a 10km PB of around 46 minutes which really should mean I do a half marathon in about 1:40ish max but the last one I did took me 1:49, primarily because after about 9 miles (and a couple of nasty hills) I was knackered. The reason being in training I did too many half-arsed 4-5 mile runs and not enough long runs (i.e. 10 miles or more). I also didn't bother doing any hill training.

So in summary, depending on your objectives, make sure your legs have a good amount of mileage in them going into the event and secondly, as painful as it is, try to get some hill training in (whether the actual race is flat or not) as this has huge benefits on leg strength, endurance and overall fitness.

You can get a decent time without long training runs though. For the last HM I did, which I got just over 1:30 for, I didn't do any long runs, just lots of 5-6 milers and lots of speed, hill and track sessions. Then when it comes to the HM you just run slower than you have been training at. Probably awful advise, but worked for me!

As Andy says, the long runs are so boring. I was actually a bit glad when told not to do the full marathon and have a break from training as I was doing 2+ hour runs and they were SO boring.

[danny.]

The blisters aren't helping at the moment either, can't seem to prevent them!

Sounds like your shoes aren't fitting properly? Could be too tight or too lose, either can cause blisters. It might even be a simple thing like you don't have them laced up properly (seriously google lacing running shoes, there are 100s of ways to do it). Or just don't wear shoes!

[James.]

You can get a decent time without long training runs though. For the last HM I did, which I got just over 1:30 for, I didn't do any long runs, just lots of 5-6 milers and lots of speed, hill and track sessions. Then when it comes to the HM you just run slower than you have been training at. Probably awful advise, but worked for me!

As Andy says, the long runs are so boring. I was actually a bit glad when told not to do the full marathon and have a break from training as I was doing 2+ hour runs and they were SO boring.

Interesting. I guess some of it comes down to natural ability. From reading your posts you, along with others like Bluefoxtim and blue-army-andy, seem to have a certain amount of natural pace and fitness. On the other hand myself and probably others on here have to make up for a profound lack of ability with lots of miles of training. I've definitely noticed that in half marathons I've suffered towards the end which has to be lack of endurance from my legs simply not used to running for that amount of time. Alternatively maybe my race pace was too quick and I would have been ok if I'd gone a little slower - in that case more speed sessions could have helped.

Maybe someone else who knows more can help, I imagine the truth is somewhere in between, i.e. you have to mix up your training with long runs, speed sessions, etc. Something I probably don't do enough of.

Anyway just got back from a 5km, 22:23, quickest I've done for awhile.

[danny.]

Interesting. I guess some of it comes down to natural ability. From reading your posts you, along with others like Bluefoxtim and blue-army-andy, seem to have a certain amount of natural pace and fitness. On the other hand myself and probably others on here have to make up for a profound lack of ability with lots of miles of training. I've definitely noticed that in half marathons I've suffered towards the end which has to be lack of endurance from my legs simply not used to running for that amount of time. Alternatively maybe my race pace was too quick and I would have been ok if I'd gone a little slower - in that case more speed sessions could have helped.

Maybe someone else who knows more can help, I imagine the truth is somewhere in between, i.e. you have to mix up your training with long runs, speed sessions, etc. Something I probably don't do enough of.

Anyway just got back from a 5km, 22:23, quickest I've done for awhile.

I have no natural ability at all, I was the fat kid at school and came last in every race and cross country. I still put on weight really easy and was 17 stone last year and couldn't run more than 2 mins without stopping!

I think you are spot on about mixing it up, you need to do regular runs, speed, interval, hill and long. Most people just do regular and long. So maybe if you do speed, hills dn intervals in addition to regular you can get away moreso with skipping the long?

[Raj]

I am!!!

It'll be my 5th half marathon and 4th consecutive Leicester one.

Hoping to finally beat 1hr 50mins(i was a min out last year!)

Its the bloody New Walk ending that kills most people off!!!

[FoxesAreBlue]

I am!!!

It'll be my 5th half marathon and 4th consecutive Leicester one.

Hoping to finally beat 1hr 50mins(i was a min out last year!)

Its the bloody New Walk ending that kills most people off!!!

Done a couple of sessions on new walk specifically because I've headed it's a killer!

[SystonFox]

I'm running the full. My first ever. Less than 5 hours will do me