2016 Half Marathon Planning

If my social media timelines are anything to go by, everyone is now planning their half marathons for 2016. Which one is good ?, which ones are hilly ?, is it on my training plan for the marathon ?(whichever marathon that might be). All these are very important factors to take into account - along with - is anyone else doing it ?
For some it's which one for the year, for others, it's which one per month, and for us it's which ones can we make.

So here's our current list of half marathons in date order that you might want to consider, where if nothing else, you'll know that we will be there to see you achieve !

DISCOUNT - the 2XU Surrey Half - 13th March 2016
I will draw your special attention to this March the 13th and the special offer we have got for you from the 2XU Surrey Half Marathon of a 20% discount before the end of January.
Use the code SSP20 here: http://bit.ly/Surrey-Half-Marathon-entry 

It's a perfectly timed spring race - just after the cold spell of winter lifts at the start of march, on totally closed roads in the Surrey countryside, starting and finishing at the Woking Sports centre - ensuring that there are plenty of facilities on hand for every eventuality.
And so far - it's always been sunny....

February	Race Name	Race Website	Start Time	Notes
Sun-07/02/2016	Watford Half	http://bit.ly/watford-half-entry	10:30	In the countryside north of Watford, closed roads from Cissbury Park
Sun-14/02/2016	Worthing Half Marathon	http://bit.ly/worthing-half-2016	09:00	New Race for 2016 - Closed roads - pancake flat
Sun-21/02/2016	Hampton Court Half Marathon	http://bit.ly/Hampton-Court-Half-Entry	08:30	Very flat race along the river to Kingston and Back
Sun-28/02/2016	Run The Streets - Kingston Half	http://bit.ly/Kingston-Half	08:00	A New Race in Kingston
March				.
Sun-06/03/2016	Berkhamsted Half Marathon	http://bit.ly/Berkhampstead-Half	10:00	A lovely race around the Berkshire countryside
Sun-06/03/2016	Steyning Stinger	http://bit.ly/Stinger-2016	08:30 Marathon 9:00 Half Marathon	The toughest off road Half Marathon we know. Plus finishers breakfast and Free Race Photos
Sun-13/03/2016	The 2XU Surrey Half (Woking) Marathon	http://bit.ly/Surrey-Half-Marathon-entry	9:00	Use Discount code SSP20 before the end of January
Sun-13/03/2016	Colchester Half	http://bit.ly/Colchester-Half	09:00	Hilly Start through town and out to the countryside for a flat run home
Sun-20/03/2016	Brentwood Half	http://bit.ly/Brentwood-Half	10:00	Gentle undulations around Essex
Sun-20/03/2016	Fleet Half Marathon	http://bit.ly/Fleet-Half-Marathon	10:30	A popular race - always sold out early
Sun-20/03/2016	Hastings Half Marathon	http://bit.ly/Hastings-Half	10:30	Half the course up, and then half the course down for a finish on the seafront
April				.
Sun-03/04/2016	Paddock Wood	http://bit.ly/Paddock-Wood-Half	09:30	Flat as it comes around the Kent countryside
Sun-03/04/2016	Richmond 13.1 Half	http://bit.ly/Richmond-Half	8:30am	A beautiful days running along the river from Richmond
Sun-03/04/2016	Bournemouth Bay	http://bit.ly/BHF-Bournemouth-Bay-Run	10:00	Bournemouths perfect spring running festival
Sun-24/04/2016	Southampton Half Marathon	http://bit.ly/southampton-half	8.30am 10k 10am half marthon	Southamptons second year - a brilliant tour of the city
May				.
Sun-01/05/2016	Ranelagh Half	http://bit.ly/Ranelagh-Half	08:30	One of the top London Club half marathons
Sun-01/05/2016	3Forts Challenge	http://bit.ly/3-Forts-Challenge	10:00	A Marathon or Half around the south downs - harder than most
Sun-08/05/2016	Seaford Half	http://bit.ly/Seaford-Half	09:00	A great challenge over the South Downs and Seaford Head
Sun-22/05/2016	The Windsor Trail Half Marathon	http://bit.ly/Windsor-Trail-Half	08:30	A lovely river run around Windsor and Maidenhead

And if that list is not enough for you - remember to look after yourself, and get yourself patched up by our friends at Mitchell and Elle at Studio57 in Hove, where you can also do that preventative analysis of your running at their Stride UK facility - and work out why your knees keep niggling you... and then do something about it.

Personally, this spring for a change I'm doing the highly recommended "couch to carpet plan", which involves thinking about doing sit-ups as a core strength exercise instead of sitting on the couch. I also need to do some pre-conditioning of my calfs and achilles tendons - because they both go bang when I start training again. This mostly consists of me stopping on the stairs half way up to do calf raises, and then forgetting what I was going upstairs for.

All this will take months, so if you're a member of the SSP Strava group - that's why you've not seen me doing much. Feel free to join us here - there's a lot of you crashing about and getting fit which is very good to see https://www.strava.com/clubs/116842 and I hope to see you on there soon.
I see a few are doing an early morning 1mile run to get the body going - very well done to you on that too !

I hope you had a great weekend thinking about your race plans - I hope the above list helps you get you entered and we will see you there !

until next time
Anthony
p.s. did I mention the 20% off the 2XU Surrey Half Marathon ? SSP20