1:29:59

So that's the number that is driving my winter running at the moment!

1:29:59

It's been a while since I have done a stand alone half marathon, maybe 4 or 5 years. The last half I actually did was at the end of a half ironman last year where I ran a 1:41:59. Running through winter is something I love to do. We have loads of nice places to run near home - Wyre Forest, Malvern Mountains, Nature Reserves, commons and the countryside.  So I thought what better way to motivate myself to get the winter miles in than enter a half marathon.  For some reason I had decided I would love to do a half again, I am blaming my sister who raced at the Birmingham Half where I went to spectate and thought "ooh this looks like fun!"

This was the last half marathon I ran,
I obviously didn't try hard enough as I am still smiling in the last 100m!

So my good friend Stu started on the case of finding half marathons for me around February or March time. After trawling the internet, finding lovely half marathons in cities such as Berlin and Munich, I settled on the grand location of Watford! Pay day came, the race was entered, and now it was time to set a goal. For this I turned to my friend and training partner Jacqui and our conversation went a little something like this.

Me: "Jac I've entered a half marathon"
Jac: "Which one?"
Me: "Watford"
Jac: "Fab, I'll help you with your training."
Me: "Great. I want to run a good time."
Jac: "What time do you want to do?"
Me: "1:29:59.....or less"
Jac: {pause} "Oh. That's quite fast."
Me: "No I think it will be fine.  How hard can it be?"
Jac: "It's sub 7 minute miles"
Me: "No it's like two 10ks at 45 minutes, that would be OK."
Jac: "It's quicker than that, it's longer than two 10ks"
Me: "Oh. So how quick would I have to run the two 10ks?"
Jac: "More like 43 minutes."
Me: "Oh, that's quite fast."
Jac: "Yep"
Me: "What does that work out at per mile?"
Jac: "About 6:49 minute mile pace."
Me: "Oh. That's very fast" {feeling slightly deflated}
Jac: "Yep. You could always have a range instead of one specific time."
{Pause}
Me: "No, I want to do 1:29:59"
Jac: "Great, well lets get cracking...."

And with that both Jacqui and Stu have helped me with my run training to help get me started. Who'd have thought running could be so fun! Tempo runs, progressive runs, negative split runs, interval runs, hill runs, fartlek runs....the list goes on! Best of all I am really enjoying it!

My first cross country in years....another run & still smiling

If I'm totally honest, my first thought was actually, if I can't break 1 hour 30, I'll forget the long runs and just enjoy some Christmas films and put my feet up instead. But actually I love a challenge. Hitting my target is, quite possibly, a bit out of reach, but thinking big and working hard is something I'm very good at.

I'm definitely not a natural runner. Do you ever ask someone a question hoping that their answer will fill you with confidence and positivity? After a good run session the other week I said to Chris "What do I look like as a runner?". His response was "heavy." Haha! Not the response I was hoping for but I know what he means, I am heavy on my feet and sometimes I sink a bit into my stride. So that's lead me to concentrate a bit more on my core strength and read up on run technique. It's amazing after 20 years of running that you still continue to learn more!

So now I've said it out loud (or written it in black and white), it makes the goal a little bit more real (and scary!).  I'm also very much hoping to change my own perception of myself as a runner and actually start believing that I can and will run well.  So 13.1 miles of pain, here I come. If you have any training tips of advice to help me along the way they would be greatly received.

Bring it on!