Twelve weeks of training ahead, to get me into shape to complete the 13.1 miles.

Day 1
Starting weight 14-12
Target race weight 14-0

10 mins easy, 8 mins threshold pace, repeat twice

A friend at work has allowed me to use his garmin for the duration of my training, which I think will prove to be very useful. Took a bit of getting used to, as I sped up and slowed down to try to reach a certain pace. I soon realised it was best to run for a little while and see what pace I was doing and then adjust accordingly.

I was a little unsure about the pace to run the threshold bit, assuming I should try my HM pace of 9 minute miles (mm). I did the first 10 minutes at 10mm pace and then sped up to just below 9mm for the first quicker bit. The problem was, when I slowed down after 18 minutes the slow 2nd 10 minutes, although at 9.45 mm, didn't really seem much slower and I wonder whether I should have deliberately widened the gap between the 2 paces.

So, in the last 8 minutes, I decided to really push it and increase to 8 mm, which was tough but I certainly felt I benefitted more. With hindsight, maybe it should have been 10.5mm,8mm,10.5mm,8mm. Oh well, no harm done I guess.

Only real negative was my left hamstring felt a bit tight 10 minutes in. I didn't really stretch very well. I won't make that mistake again and hope that it'll be fine on Wednesday/Thursday when I'm due to do my 2nd run.

Rust, you may want to ask someone like CY for a more running specific perspective on this, but from a cycling perspective, doing threshold intervals without a good level of base miles is asking for injury. Threshold training is HARD.
In cycling, I wouldn't do any intervals until I'd got at least 500 base miles in to get my muscles adapted to the new season. I guess in running the equivalent would be to get 100 to 150 miles under your belt before you start really taxing your system with intervals.

Not meaning to be negative, but just be careful. Don't get too keen too early and injure yourself. 12 weeks is plenty of time. Spend 6 weeks building up the miles and getting a good base, then do a month of intervals and long steady runs and a couple of weeks of short speed work and tapering.

Also re stretching. Be careful with static stretching when your muscles are cold. take your time and don't rush them (or use some dynamic stretching exercises). Make sure you stretch at the end of the run though - that's when you'll get the most benefit from it and the least chance of injury.

Does your training plan have timings on there for each run? If not then I would advise binning it and finding a more suitable one.

As unc.si says training unsuited to your fitness and/or based on an unrealistic goal will greatly increase your chances of injury.

The plan indicates the pace you should run at in terms of percentage of maximum heart rate, with a description of breathlessness for each level, ie you can maintain a conversation with ease, you can only manage a few words at a time etc.

It then asks you to run at these different levels, although not specific speeds. Perhaps my training program should be more tailored to a specific time. Mine seems a bit more general. It targets below 2 hours, although suggests that students have managed 1.30 using this training program.

I do like the program, as I'm happy that I'll be able to do all of the runs and that it will be suitably testing, but without any experience, I really don't know what's for the best.

To make use of the Garmin it would be better to use a plan with paces indicated.

As a rough guide the short repeat runs would be 8min/miles. Medium distance tempo runs would be 9min/miles, Long runs would be 10min/miles.

Day 2

10 mins easy, 2 x 5 mins continous hills (45 secs up, 45 down), 10 mins easy

At the weekend I managed to find 2 lanes next to each other with steep hills. Did a quick jog up which took me 40 seconds, so thought that would be ideal for this session.

I started with a nice slow jog there, wondering whether I could fit 4 reps into a 5 min session. Oh how naive! Managed the first 2 climbs and only managed 3 quarters of the 3rd before walking to the top. Gave myself a 2 minute rest and had another bash. This time I managed 1 complete set and only 2 half ones. Boy, was that tough. There was no danger of me jogging back at anything other than recovery pace.

Very hard session that, much harder than I expected, but feel good now that I've finished it. Just hope it will gradually get easier over the coming weeks.

Hamstring tightness completely gone today, which I was very pleased about. I did manage to stretch before and after this time. I've now got 2 days to recover before my longer run on Saturday, which I'm determined to do slowly, so that I've plenty of energy for next week.

Good luck with this, I use Runkeeper on my Ipone and it tells you your pace every half a mile.

After packing in football and weighing 14.10 as well..... I started to jog just under 4 months ago, and was averaging 10 min miles, max i did in 1st month was 6 mile, which i could not move after.

Though i did a run every 2/3 days and now I have got upto 51min for 6 miles and hopefully can average 8.30 miles soon for a 7.2 mile run i do, my weight is down to 13.6.. without changing my diet to much.

I would like to do a half Marathon though dont want to commit to anything.

Sounds like your running has worked out really well for you. I'd love to be able to get my pace up to the pace you're running at over a longish distance.

I think I entered the half marathon as I knew it would make me train and I'd therefore guarantee 12 weeks of training. The other good thing is I have friends entering so there's no way I can back out.

Yes, My mate is doing the a half Marathon in Manchester in September, so its good to out with him, also go running with a few other people.. What I normally do is small one's then a big one every Thursday.. Takes a good month to get some sort of fitness, I hated running and never really trained that much. I cancelled the gym and did this and I love it, though you need some good routes to make it interesting.

Yes, fortunately I live on the coast in Dorset, so there's plenty of nice scenery. My main route goes mainly along the coast giving me lovely views out to sea. Can't beat breathing in the sea air.

Good luck Rust - I'm doing my second half marathon in September, last one I didn't start training until about 5 weeks before so my time was rubbish - 2:51. This year I'm aiming for 2:15.

My training this time involves fewer long runs and more shorter faster runs to get my speed up. Just the one long run a week on a Sunday.

Thanks Cheryl, good luck to you as well. I'm basically doing the same as you. Two shorter faster ones during the week and a long one at the weekend.

Best of luck with it. I followed a programme similar to this when I trained for a half marathon (some while ago), and it was tough going, especially the speed sessions. I used a book called 'Running Is Easy' by Bruce Tulloh.

Got me through the half marathon (Harrow) in 1:40 in the end. Stick with it!

Day 3

60 mins easy

I get the feeling that I did this run all wrong. Really need to listen to the advice given to me. I planned to run at 10 minute miles for the whole run (6.7 miles), which would have seen me finish in 67 minutes at a comfortable pace.

I started out at that pace for the first 2 miles and watched my pace gradually increase to 9.5 mile pace, which felt comfortable, so that seemed fine. After that the course gets a little hilly for the next mile or so. In the past, I've tended to struggle with that bit, but I coped with it surprising well. Got to the approx 3.5 mile mark and got a second wind and felt really strong. Unfortunately, I decided to up the pace and was running at 8 minute miles for the next couple of miles. I got to roughly 5.5 miles and I was gone. I slowed right down to 10 minute mile pace for the last couple of miles, although did manage a fast finish for the last 200 metres or so. Completely wrong tactics. I should be finishing with energy left in the tank. My time was just under 61 minutes.

As a result, I feel a little tired this morning. My legs ache a bit and I'm not sure whether I'll have recovered enough to do my planned training tomorrow. Still, I can easily change to Tuesday and Thursday for my shorter runs and try to be more sensible with my long run next weekend.

At the moment, breaking the 2 hour mark for the half marathon seems a long way off. It's tempting to just train and complete the half marathon at any pace, but that seems such a kop out.

Had an interesting conversation with a friend yesteday afternoon. He's run a couple of half marathons. In his first one he decided to start right at the front and was amazed as everyone sprinted to the first corner. The worrying thing is these guys probably keep up that pace for the whole race. Yep, I'll make sure I'm a lot back, so I can think about my own race.

You MUST do the long runs slowly. If you dont it is practically pointless doing them at all.

As far as starting at the front goes, that is utter lunacy. The guys were not sprinting at the front, thats the pace they run at. I would suggest you start plum last and take your time passing people. That way you will be forced into a slow early mile which prevents you going off too quickly and you will spend the entire race passing people which is great for your morale. Starting too far forward does 2 things, you set off too quickly and also become a bit depressed later in the race as people pass you. I start last a lot and i finish in the top half of the field most of the time, no shame in being sensible.

Do not spend the long run staring at the garmin constantly. The pace is a half decent guide but little more. Instead just press the lap button every mile and try to ensure those mile splits are all OVER 10:00 (for the long run). If you are a bit more pace obsessed try every mile mile and go for 5:00-5:15 instead.

It seems to me you are following a sensible plan for your speed/fitness but in order for the plan to work you have to allow it to by following it rather than doing your own thing and trusting it rather than constantly testing your speed to see where you are at.

Thanks CY. Sensible advice. I especially like the starting at the back idea and being forced to start slowly.

I did realise that the guys at the front run at that pace, but my friend obviously didn't. I'm always amazed when I work out how quickly the top guys run each mile in a marathon. It's under 5 minutes a mile. I've often thought, when looking at their times, that I'd struggle to keep their pace up for 400 metres and yet these guys are running that for 26.2 miles.

Still feeling the effects slightly today. Not helped by being out in the sun a lot at the weekend. I'm planning to rest today and do my first run of the week tomorrow. I can now see how it's important to conserve energy for the faster paced runs in midweek. By working hard at these my fitness/stamina levels will hopefully improve and everything else falls into place.

Week 2, Day 1
Starting weight 14-12
Current weight 15-0
Target race weight 14-0

10 mins easy, 10 mins threshold pace, repeat twice

After not really pushing myself at this run last week, I wanted to make sure there was a definite pace difference between the slow and fast pace. So, I did the first 10 minutes at between 10.5 and 11 minute mile pace, then increase to between 7.5 and 8 minute pace for the threshold pace. The fast bits really hurt. I only managed 8 minutes for the first rep. For the second rep I got to 6.5 minutes and then had to slow down for 3 minutes before doing the last 2.5 minutes fast again.

The trouble is it's very hilly in my area and it was going up a hill each time which finished me off. Did I do the right thing pushing myself so hard on the faster bits or should I have throttled back a bit to ensure I made the 10 minutes?

I also gained 2 pounds this week which was a bit annoying. However, I've only got myself to blame. It was my birthday last weekend and lets say I over-indulged a little.

Week 2, Day 2

10 mins easy, 2 x 7 mins continous hills (45 secs up, 45 down), 10 mins easy

Tuesday session took too much out of me and I didn't feel in any shape to complete the session. Would have been happy to have done it on Friday but unfortunately had other commitments. Felt bad at missing it out and I hope I can complete the rest of the program.

Week 2, Day 3

70 minutes easy

After struggling to date, I was determined to get this one right today. I left my garmin at home, so I wouldn't be tempted to constantly check my speed. I just went out with the thought of taking it easy. The run went brilliantly. I felt really strong all the way through and had plenty of energy left at the end. I ran 7.2 miles in 73 minutes, which was just the pace I was hoping for.

Looking forward to my run on Monday now. I've got a 7 minute easy, 7 minute threshold x 3. I think the right pace is 10 minute miles and 8.5 minute miles, but I'm going to try to focus on the effort going in to gauge the correct speed.

Not sure how Rust got on in the end, but my training went well.

I ran the Birmingham half-marathon this morning and smashed my PB: 1:46:10 1:34:34

Well happy with that

Well done SOBD - that is a massive improvement.

Tired legs tomorrow - have a swim or gentle massage.

Thanks paisleypark, I'll ask the wife about the second option

Andy (Stick) did it as well. 2h 09m, despite a few beers with me yesterday!!

I'm pretty sure I couldn't face it after a few beers the day before, so fair play.

Great time SOBD

I really enjoyed my first half. I think I could really get hooked on them. The first few miles were fantastic. The camaradarie, everyone trying to achieve their own personal goal.

I was a bit late turning up, unfortunately, which meant I had to start at the back. I think that actually did me a favour though, as it meant I did the first couple of miles fairly slowly. I was really confused after my training as to what time to aim for. I had originally set a target of breaking 2 hours but this was before I'd really starting any training so had sort of picked the number out of the air.

Half way through the training, I wasn't sure if I'd even be able to do the 13.1 miles and had then decided to just get round at any pace. But, the last month of training went well, so I decided I might give the 2 hours a shot.

Anyway, 2 miles down at a slowish pace, feeling good, I upped the pace and managed a 9 and half minute mile, then kept increasing the pace doing the next 4 in just under 9 minutes mile pace. The outcome of which was that half way round I was on target.

Between 8 and 10 miles, the course was primarily uphill with some quite steep stretches. I wasn't able to keep the same pace up, but figured I could make up the time in the last 3 miles. So, I got to 10 miles with an outside chance. Unfortunately I overdid it. Nothing left in the tank. The next 2 miles were very tough and the last mile was a killer. Kept feeling feint and I'm not sure how I got to the finishing line.

My time in the end was 2:09. A little disappointing, but a great feeling crossing the line. I think if I'd paced myself better, I'd have got a 2:05. It was a great experience and I learnt a lot.

I think the next time I train for a half, I'll try to put in a few more longer runs, even going up to the distance and beyond. I definitely ran out of stamina during the race. My gel didn't seem to work at all. I misjudged where the next water station was and decided to down the gel and then take the water on after. Unfortunately it was a good mile before I hit the station and I could feel the gel sitting in my stomach. I actually felt quite sick later on. Still, another lesson learnt.

I've entered to do a 10k at the end of November and the Bath half in March. I'm currently doing a more sensible training plan, where I can actually complete each run. I'm targeting sub 50 minutes and then I'm going to crack the 2hours barrier in March.