by Tracy Eke | The Belbin Team, 04 Mar 2024
Running a half marathon is something runners all over the globe undertake for a personal challenge and sense of achievement once completed, and to raise money for numerous charities. A member of the Belbin team took part in the annual local half marathon here in Cambridge and that got us thinking about how different Team Roles might approach running a half marathon.
Why not run it backwards, wearing trainers full of jelly. Bet no one has thought of doing it that way before.
What is going to be the best way to get round to achieve the target time? Are blisters an acceptable trade-off for wearing those newer, lighter trainers? Would running tights or shorts be preferable? Do we know what the weather is going to be like? What is the most reliable source for checking the forecast? So many variables, need more thinking time.
Can I finish reading up on the best strategies for achieving a parkrun PB before we move onto half marathons? It's fascinating stuff - never knew that the amount of REM sleep you get the night before could make such a difference to speed and endurance over 5k. I now need to find out all about tips for better sleep...
Tying shoe laces on each trainer in exactly the same way is crucial – for aesthetics, comfort, support and reliability. Those laces need to be exactly the same length, threaded the same way and lying flat against the foot. If it takes fifty attempts, so be it! Oh, has the race started?
I'm not expecting a PB or anything, not now I've lent my running trainers to my friend, after they lost theirs. I'll be OK running in my boots.
It’s only a half marathon, let’s get it done! Then we can train for a full marathon!
Got this in the bag! Got some top-quality running kit by going around sports shops where my mates work and promising to share plenty of pictures of their donated kit on social media. If I take it easy and avoid any puddles, I'll be able to flog these fancy Nike trainers afterwards too!
So I've got Jim arranging transport on the day there and back, Helen as photographer to capture pictures for the running club magazine, and Chris booking a table at a nearby cafe for post-run coffee and cake. I'm exhausted after all that delegating – just hope I've enough energy left to run!
I couldn't have constructed a better training plan in preparation for this run. The stages, the timelines, what each section contained. The perfect preparation process. I'm delighted that I've been able to follow it to the letter. I just hope they don't make any last- minute changes to the start time, or my planning will all be for nothing!
Remember we are all a wonderful mix of all these nine Belbin Team Roles - this is just for a bit of fun!