5 week countdown to Roding Valley Half Marathon

The Roding Valley Half Marathon, my first “competitive” event of 2010 looms closer taking place on 28 February. I’ve never run further than 10km previously, and to this day still haven’t run past the 12.5km mark, so yet to know if I’m able to last the extra 9.5km that I’ve not run previously.

I do keep asking myself why? Why? Why am I doing this? A discipline which I’m least equipped to participate in yet entering distance events. Apart from the usual peer pressure, I honestly think it will go some way to improving fitness for the tri season ahead. A bit of early year stimulus can’t hurt, can it?

Whilst I’m reasonably confident I can complete the distance, I’m not sure my knees will feel the same level of elation as the rest of me having crossed the line. Currently, both require the added comfort and support of elasticised Tubigrip style knee supports, which whilst running feel OK, but without them the vulnerability kicks in.

On the occasion that the pain kicks in, it feels like the knee follows through so to speak and continues to bend against the joint. In fact that’s what may be happening. It happens most when I’m swimming and I realise that I’ve kicked too hard at the knee joint, a bad sign in itself because good technique suggests the leg should be straight from the thigh down to the ankle, I’ll have to work on that. It also happened when I’m running. Nonetheless, the thought of it alone makes me cringe. If anyone knows the technical name for that condition, let me know…

In any case, I’ll press on with the training. Aiming for a sub 2 hour time, which according to my calculations should be attainable if I manage a constant slow pace of around 10.5km/h. Training currently consists of a couple of lunchtime runs each at around 7.5km and averaging 12km/h and a longer weekend run where I’m looking to increase the distance each week until the event, current distance 12.5 km at a steady pace.

If anyone has any good tips for quickly building up to half marathon distance in 4-5 weeks, feel free to comment below and share the advice. Gawd knows I could do with it.

For now, happy training…

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