Our NHEHS Staff-Parent team have been training hard over the summer to run the Ealing Half Marathon  on September 29th for The Log Cabin, a Northfields-based charity which does so much to support children and young children with disabilities and additional needs.

Much of long distance running is all  in the preparation – both physical and mental – so we asked our parents for their top tips for this special 13.1 mile annual race. We hope our tips are helpful and maybe inspire some more runners to join us next year!

1. Just go out and enjoy it. Every run is different depending on how you feel on the day, so if you have trained as well as you can for the race then everything should be fine and fall into place. And don’t set off too fast or those Ealing hills will catch you out later in the race! (Andrew Bennett, Parent Year 4 & 7)

2. It’s all about the playlist…..this is the time for guilty pleasures!  Absolutely anything goes.  Bon Jovi, Bruno Mars…… even a bit of Whitney at the 10k mark….. (Ben Bramhall, Parent Year 3 & 6)

3. A good night’s sleep is a must, plus good music to listen to. I recommend the new Oh Sees album to keep the pace up! (Piers Wisbey, Parent Year 4 & 6)

4. A few things have helped me as I’ve got older (hitting 40 this year). Using a heart rate monitor and really watching the heart rate rather than your pace is really helpful to keep you out of the anaerobic zone. (Mark Wheeler, Parent Year 4)

5. I think if you have never done a Half Marathon before, it would be a good idea to follow the Ealing Half Marathon Beginners Training plan. It’s very helpful even if you don’t do the whole thing. (Ann Laurence, Parent Year 11)

6. Enjoy the atmosphere and the fact most of us will see many friends, acquaintances and family on route. (Anis Suterwalla, Parent Year 11)

7. I also take a few sweets in my pocket for the second half of the race – basically anything I can negotiate from my daughters ‘sweet boxes’……usually Love Hearts or Refreshers! (Ben Bramhall, Parent Year 3 & 6)

8. Your mindset. After reading ‘Born to run’ by Christopher McDougall I’ve been trying to smile more than grimace and also to think ‘light steps’ to keep the legs ticking over. (Mark Wheeler, Parent Year 4)

9. Try and take some energy gels in the race.  1 every 30 minutes helps me.  Also take on board enough water. (Anis Suterwalla, Parent Year 11)

10. Wearing your NHEHS Ealing Half Marathon t-shirt will guarantee you amazing support all around the course. Last year it was brilliant to hear “Go Notting Hill” shouted from the crowds as we passed by – especially spurring us on up Kent Avenue and Greenford Avenue! (Sarah Bennett, Parent Year 4 & 7)