People around me all know that I love a challenge and that I love setting new goals to keep me motivated for the future. Moving to a new city where I knew little to no people was going to be tough so I knew I needed something to help fill the void to keep me focused. So I took to my bucket list and figured it was about time I ticked something off the list. Little did I know that it would be to complete the Great North Run, one of the worlds biggest half marathons! When I told everyone I know they all laughed, responding "Elisa, you can't even run for 2 minutes without getting tired!" So here I am, 6 months later after completing the run and I wanted to share with you how I went from novice runner to finishing the Great North Run in 2hrs 40minutes. Grab a cuppa, It's going to be a long one...
March: Maximum Miles Ran = 0
It was roughly 1 month since my place was confirmed for the Great North Run and I figured that I should probably start training. I wanted to take this seriously as I have always hated running for years and could never get into it. What a bright idea this was(!) So I put on my gym gear and laced up my trainers and decided to take myself on a 'slow but gentle' jog up to the top of the road and back, feeling energised and full of optimism. I ended up walking the majority of it and retching in a bush. I began to think that I had made a terrible mistake. What have I done?! After dramatically moaning that I thought I was visualising death by running, I took to good old Google for some running advice for newbies...
April: Maximum Miles Ran = 1.5ish
Google was good, it pointed me in the direction of something called the Couch to 5k (roughly 3 miles) which is basically a beginners running programme for people like me who struggle to run or a minute to achieve a comfortable 5km in 8 weeks. This seemed like the way forward for me, I made a chart with all my coloured pens so I could tick off when I had done each run and it really seemed to work for me. One key thing I will point out is that I did this on a treadmill in the gym. Because this was an interval based training programme, I was so self-conscious that people would judge me on the streets when I would be walking. I stuck to the gym which really worked for me at this time, with runs taking no longer than 25 mins at a time always opting for the treadmill by the TV to help with the boredom.
May: Maximum Miles Ran = 3
I felt like I was getting somewhere with this beginners programme, I began to turn the speed up on my treadmill and before I knew it, I had completed a 5km run on the treadmill at the end of the month! I was so over the moon but I still felt like it was a small dent in the amount of work I had to do to get to 13.1 miles...
June: Maximum Miles Ran = 4
June was a funny one for me, I had a lot going on and found that I was skipping runs and struggling to stay motivated to keep going. So I kind of got into a routine on my treadmill of doing 3 mile runs probably either once or twice a week and trying to get into a comfortable pace, I did push myself one day and got to 4 miles but this was the most I had done. Towards the end of the month I got an email 'reminding me' that I had 100 days to go until my half marathon... The fear began to sink in again, I couldn't keep doing my 3 mile runs on a treadmill. It was starting to get very boring and I had to try and up my game.
July: Maximum Miles Ran = 4
I decided to abandon the gym classes and took myself outside! For me, this was the biggest game changer. The first run that I did was awful, I forgot my pacing and just went too fast for my own good. Later that week I decided to try again, slowed myself down and just took myself off doing 3/4 mile runs trying to get to know my new city and the more residential areas around me. However, at the end of the month I had a wake up call...
August: Maximum Miles Ran = 6ish (10km at least)
There really wasn't long to go. I had got so comfortable doing these 3/4 mile runs and got stuck in a rut, feeling like I wasn't progressing and struggling to push myself to go further. At the end of July, on my way to work, I saw a sign explaining that the road would be closed on the 5th of August for a race. I got to work and had a quick Google of what the race was, it was a 10km race through York. Half an hour later I had signed up to run it!
The day arrive and I had no expectations, I did 4 miles comfortably 3 days before and I was shitting bricks. I set off on my 10k and decided that I was going to try and stick with the 1hr 15min pacemaker. This did not last; the energy around me of the crowds and the adrenaline of the other runners only motivated me to keep going. By the 1st KM I was way past the pace maker and thought to myself 'that was easy, only 9 more KM to go'. By 5KM I had been through the city centre, past York Minster and was making my way towards York Dungeons where one of the marshals proudly announced 'you are half way there!'. All though relieved, I was getting tired. By 7KM, the furthest I had ever ran, I began to notice the energy around me drop, the crowds weren't there any more and other runners began to walk which was terrible for my motivation. I decided to use other runners as markers to try and keep up with them and attempt to sing along to my music as well as high five any child I saw giving out sweets or water. It was a tough few KM but before I knew it I was on my last one and I just found the energy to push myself even further towards the end. While those around me were slowly struggling to the finish I decided to sprint, I could hear the crowds cheering me on and was just visualising that bottle of water I was craving so bad! I did it, and I got my text through with my time not too long after crossing the finish line. 1hr 8minutes. I cried. You honestly couldn't tell if it was tears or sweat dripping down my face I was so relieved. I knew I had beaten 1hr 15mins but I didn't think I did it that fast! It was the motivation I needed though, I also knew that as it was getting tougher towards the end I would have needed to slow down if it was the case with my half marathon. Did I mention that on this day it was only 35 days to go?
It happened again... August was another busy month and I got comfortable doing my 3/4/5 mile runs leading in to September. I had a plan and life just got in the way for me to stick to it. The Sunday before the race I had planned to push myself to go for 8 miles, by mile 4 I was light headed, dizzy and dehydrated. I quit. It was the first time since March I had ever quit a run. I felt defeated and truly awful. It was my last opportunity for me to push myself and I couldn't make it. Going into race week I had serious doubts about my bodies capability to run, so I had to do what I could. I began healthy carb loading, and opted for stretching and yoga classes at my gym instead of my usual barbell or HIIT so I could save all my energy for the Sunday. Confidence started to grow again as I was receiving more sponsors for my chosen charity, I began to remind myself why I am doing this. It wasn't going to be about the speed, I just wanted to finish and cross the finish line, even if I crawled. Saturday night I stretched for a good half an hour in front of the TV which for me was a great way to prepare for the day ahead, I took myself off for an early night.
Sunday 9th September "Race Day"
It was here, I was at the start line behind a good 50,000 people but I was still there and rearing to go. I was in good spirits; the crowds were good, my running belt was lined with jelly babies and I had already drank a litre of water before 10:30am. The atmosphere was insane; everyone was in positive spirits and just ready to get going. After the gun went off it took me a good 40 minutes to get over the start line due to the sheer amount of people taking part. People immediately started to speed past me, but I didn't feel threatened, I wanted to stick to my pace and I knew that they would burn out too soon and I would catch them up later on. I decided to break down my run into chunks, in our pre-race magazine we were told of all the locations of where there would be charity cheering points and entertainment along the run as well as water stations so used this information to my advantage.
By mile 6 I was more motivated than every and seemed to get through the next 2 miles surprisingly quickly. But then I could see the atmosphere around me change, people were slowing down and walking and before I knew it we were all slowing down to a walking pace, a runner had collapsed and the crowd formed a human chain to divert runners. It was quite sobering that people were putting themselves through 13.1 miles on a fairly humid day to do good for others, but also how the people of the North East come together as a community to help those in need. The event was tough for me to get back into, after walking it was hard to find my pace again and I could tell I was getting tired. Miles 9 to 12 were the hardest miles I had ever ran in my life. People around me were dropping like flies and it was tough to watch. I had to keep reminding myself why I was doing this, I turned my music up and went at a slow, gentle jog- nothing too much but just enough that I was still running.
They say that the last mile is the longest mile of your life, for me it was my favourite. I took out my headphones and listened to all the cheers, all the kids trying to pronounce my name, and to just soak in all the energy. I also used this as my chance to not only encourage myself but people who were running with me, reminding them how great they have been and that they don't have far to go. Talking to people as we were finishing, strangers becoming friends. Before I knew it I crossed the line and I felt both a sense of relief and a sense of sadness. I was sad that it was over, but also relief that I could stop as I knew I was exhausted. I began to get quite snappy and short tempered because I was shattered and I needed fuel. By the time I got home I cried and had a good 12 hour sleep. Achievement Unlocked. Fundraising Achieved. Target Complete. Please enjoy this picture of my dog with my medal...
Now that's my story of how I ran my half marathon; to cut it short, yes it is do able to go from 0-13.1 in 6 months, but for the life of me I do not recommend you do it the way I did! Some stuff I did do which I wouldn't change would be:
-Do a Couch to 5k style plan to get you up and running (pun intended)
-Take part in a race before your main one as part of your training. This gives you a feel of what the energy will be like, however I would take part in on at least 2-3 months before the race day. It will give you the motivation and time to up your miles!
-Stretch for atleast half an hour the night before the race, take 2 minutes on each stretch. I promise you, this is worth it!
-Always hydrate before running. I tried to aim to get at least 1.5 litres in before every run (I trained in the evenings) and at right. Everyone is different so it is all about working out what is right for you.
-Get off the treadmill and run outside; it's more realistic if you are running an outdoor race and the conditions are so different. You get less bored outside to!
-Get a good playlist. I made sure my playlist was something exciting and varied with different songs that I love from multiple different artists and genres.
-Train in the gear you plan on running the race in; this includes your trainers, underwear, even the headphones and device holder you plan on using to make sure everything is comfortable.
-Make sure you book a day off work after your run. You will be exhausted and you need to take the time to relax properly, not go and get a filling at the dentist like I did... I was so miserable!
It was roughly 1 month since my place was confirmed for the Great North Run and I figured that I should probably start training. I wanted to take this seriously as I have always hated running for years and could never get into it. What a bright idea this was(!) So I put on my gym gear and laced up my trainers and decided to take myself on a 'slow but gentle' jog up to the top of the road and back, feeling energised and full of optimism. I ended up walking the majority of it and retching in a bush. I began to think that I had made a terrible mistake. What have I done?! After dramatically moaning that I thought I was visualising death by running, I took to good old Google for some running advice for newbies...
April: Maximum Miles Ran = 1.5ish
Google was good, it pointed me in the direction of something called the Couch to 5k (roughly 3 miles) which is basically a beginners running programme for people like me who struggle to run or a minute to achieve a comfortable 5km in 8 weeks. This seemed like the way forward for me, I made a chart with all my coloured pens so I could tick off when I had done each run and it really seemed to work for me. One key thing I will point out is that I did this on a treadmill in the gym. Because this was an interval based training programme, I was so self-conscious that people would judge me on the streets when I would be walking. I stuck to the gym which really worked for me at this time, with runs taking no longer than 25 mins at a time always opting for the treadmill by the TV to help with the boredom.
May: Maximum Miles Ran = 3
I felt like I was getting somewhere with this beginners programme, I began to turn the speed up on my treadmill and before I knew it, I had completed a 5km run on the treadmill at the end of the month! I was so over the moon but I still felt like it was a small dent in the amount of work I had to do to get to 13.1 miles...
June: Maximum Miles Ran = 4
June was a funny one for me, I had a lot going on and found that I was skipping runs and struggling to stay motivated to keep going. So I kind of got into a routine on my treadmill of doing 3 mile runs probably either once or twice a week and trying to get into a comfortable pace, I did push myself one day and got to 4 miles but this was the most I had done. Towards the end of the month I got an email 'reminding me' that I had 100 days to go until my half marathon... The fear began to sink in again, I couldn't keep doing my 3 mile runs on a treadmill. It was starting to get very boring and I had to try and up my game.
July: Maximum Miles Ran = 4
I decided to abandon the gym classes and took myself outside! For me, this was the biggest game changer. The first run that I did was awful, I forgot my pacing and just went too fast for my own good. Later that week I decided to try again, slowed myself down and just took myself off doing 3/4 mile runs trying to get to know my new city and the more residential areas around me. However, at the end of the month I had a wake up call...
August: Maximum Miles Ran = 6ish (10km at least)
There really wasn't long to go. I had got so comfortable doing these 3/4 mile runs and got stuck in a rut, feeling like I wasn't progressing and struggling to push myself to go further. At the end of July, on my way to work, I saw a sign explaining that the road would be closed on the 5th of August for a race. I got to work and had a quick Google of what the race was, it was a 10km race through York. Half an hour later I had signed up to run it!
The day arrive and I had no expectations, I did 4 miles comfortably 3 days before and I was shitting bricks. I set off on my 10k and decided that I was going to try and stick with the 1hr 15min pacemaker. This did not last; the energy around me of the crowds and the adrenaline of the other runners only motivated me to keep going. By the 1st KM I was way past the pace maker and thought to myself 'that was easy, only 9 more KM to go'. By 5KM I had been through the city centre, past York Minster and was making my way towards York Dungeons where one of the marshals proudly announced 'you are half way there!'. All though relieved, I was getting tired. By 7KM, the furthest I had ever ran, I began to notice the energy around me drop, the crowds weren't there any more and other runners began to walk which was terrible for my motivation. I decided to use other runners as markers to try and keep up with them and attempt to sing along to my music as well as high five any child I saw giving out sweets or water. It was a tough few KM but before I knew it I was on my last one and I just found the energy to push myself even further towards the end. While those around me were slowly struggling to the finish I decided to sprint, I could hear the crowds cheering me on and was just visualising that bottle of water I was craving so bad! I did it, and I got my text through with my time not too long after crossing the finish line. 1hr 8minutes. I cried. You honestly couldn't tell if it was tears or sweat dripping down my face I was so relieved. I knew I had beaten 1hr 15mins but I didn't think I did it that fast! It was the motivation I needed though, I also knew that as it was getting tougher towards the end I would have needed to slow down if it was the case with my half marathon. Did I mention that on this day it was only 35 days to go?
It happened again... August was another busy month and I got comfortable doing my 3/4/5 mile runs leading in to September. I had a plan and life just got in the way for me to stick to it. The Sunday before the race I had planned to push myself to go for 8 miles, by mile 4 I was light headed, dizzy and dehydrated. I quit. It was the first time since March I had ever quit a run. I felt defeated and truly awful. It was my last opportunity for me to push myself and I couldn't make it. Going into race week I had serious doubts about my bodies capability to run, so I had to do what I could. I began healthy carb loading, and opted for stretching and yoga classes at my gym instead of my usual barbell or HIIT so I could save all my energy for the Sunday. Confidence started to grow again as I was receiving more sponsors for my chosen charity, I began to remind myself why I am doing this. It wasn't going to be about the speed, I just wanted to finish and cross the finish line, even if I crawled. Saturday night I stretched for a good half an hour in front of the TV which for me was a great way to prepare for the day ahead, I took myself off for an early night.
Sunday 9th September "Race Day"
It was here, I was at the start line behind a good 50,000 people but I was still there and rearing to go. I was in good spirits; the crowds were good, my running belt was lined with jelly babies and I had already drank a litre of water before 10:30am. The atmosphere was insane; everyone was in positive spirits and just ready to get going. After the gun went off it took me a good 40 minutes to get over the start line due to the sheer amount of people taking part. People immediately started to speed past me, but I didn't feel threatened, I wanted to stick to my pace and I knew that they would burn out too soon and I would catch them up later on. I decided to break down my run into chunks, in our pre-race magazine we were told of all the locations of where there would be charity cheering points and entertainment along the run as well as water stations so used this information to my advantage.
By mile 6 I was more motivated than every and seemed to get through the next 2 miles surprisingly quickly. But then I could see the atmosphere around me change, people were slowing down and walking and before I knew it we were all slowing down to a walking pace, a runner had collapsed and the crowd formed a human chain to divert runners. It was quite sobering that people were putting themselves through 13.1 miles on a fairly humid day to do good for others, but also how the people of the North East come together as a community to help those in need. The event was tough for me to get back into, after walking it was hard to find my pace again and I could tell I was getting tired. Miles 9 to 12 were the hardest miles I had ever ran in my life. People around me were dropping like flies and it was tough to watch. I had to keep reminding myself why I was doing this, I turned my music up and went at a slow, gentle jog- nothing too much but just enough that I was still running.
They say that the last mile is the longest mile of your life, for me it was my favourite. I took out my headphones and listened to all the cheers, all the kids trying to pronounce my name, and to just soak in all the energy. I also used this as my chance to not only encourage myself but people who were running with me, reminding them how great they have been and that they don't have far to go. Talking to people as we were finishing, strangers becoming friends. Before I knew it I crossed the line and I felt both a sense of relief and a sense of sadness. I was sad that it was over, but also relief that I could stop as I knew I was exhausted. I began to get quite snappy and short tempered because I was shattered and I needed fuel. By the time I got home I cried and had a good 12 hour sleep. Achievement Unlocked. Fundraising Achieved. Target Complete. Please enjoy this picture of my dog with my medal...
Now that's my story of how I ran my half marathon; to cut it short, yes it is do able to go from 0-13.1 in 6 months, but for the life of me I do not recommend you do it the way I did! Some stuff I did do which I wouldn't change would be:
-Do a Couch to 5k style plan to get you up and running (pun intended)
-Take part in a race before your main one as part of your training. This gives you a feel of what the energy will be like, however I would take part in on at least 2-3 months before the race day. It will give you the motivation and time to up your miles!
-Stretch for atleast half an hour the night before the race, take 2 minutes on each stretch. I promise you, this is worth it!
-Always hydrate before running. I tried to aim to get at least 1.5 litres in before every run (I trained in the evenings) and at right. Everyone is different so it is all about working out what is right for you.
-Get off the treadmill and run outside; it's more realistic if you are running an outdoor race and the conditions are so different. You get less bored outside to!
-Get a good playlist. I made sure my playlist was something exciting and varied with different songs that I love from multiple different artists and genres.
-Train in the gear you plan on running the race in; this includes your trainers, underwear, even the headphones and device holder you plan on using to make sure everything is comfortable.
-Make sure you book a day off work after your run. You will be exhausted and you need to take the time to relax properly, not go and get a filling at the dentist like I did... I was so miserable!
Elisa :-) x
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