Half Marathon Tips for Novice Runners

I must say that I'm more of a sport and yoga person, so when I decided to run the Bath Half, this was going to be my first competitive run. I learned quite a lot about what ideas are good and bad and thought I'd share them with you.

1. Start training EARLY. By early, I mean at least 12 weeks in advance of the race if you are already at a good level of fitness. If not, you're probably looking at about 20 weeks. Building up stamina is extremely important and will be extremely beneficial on race day. Build up the distance gradually - five to ten minutes each week is probably best.
2. Vary your training. Do 2 shorter runs a week followed by one long run, and maybe add some speed work in there as well. Also, add cross training to your plan. During training, I was playing rugby, going to the gym and doing occasional weights which probably helped maintain my overall fitness and didn't make me get bored of just running!
3. Don't worry if you miss a week. Missing runs because of injury or work commitments is definitely not the end of the world. Your fitness levels are very unlikely to decrease just because you skipped a run or two, and especially where injuries are concerned, it is important to take the training at your own pace. 
4. Food. Make sure that you're eating enough carbs to support your running - your muscles will thank you! On the days before the race, be a pig and eat more carbs than usual to develop a good reserve of glycogen for the race. More carbs, less meat is the way to go on these days. I personally ate bowls of pasta and porridge which seemed to do the trick. On the day of the race, get up early and have breakfast, as no one likes running on a full stomach. I made sure that mine was mostly carbohydrates (plus the obligatory peanut butter...I have a problem!) 
5. During the race. Try and enjoy it! Pace yourself and don't start off too fast. I promise that the adrenaline and crowds will spur you on to keep on running, and the feeling at the finish line is extremely rewarding! Listen to your body and don't push yourself too hard. Most importantly, do not compare yourself to anyone else - It's you and your time that matters, not anyone else's.
6. Afterwards. Get some liquid and a high calorie snack (mars bars or bananas are perfect) down straight away. This will prevent any nasty dizziness or faintness.