Skip to main content

My Half Marathon Memoir

202 miles of running, 191 days of training and 1 great pair of Brooks later, I ran 13.1 consecutive miles in 2 hours and 20 minutes. Here's how and why.

Running a half marathon was the first item on my 30 Before 30 list and for a good reason. I knew it would be the hardest overall: time commitment, physical excursion and a equally hard mental battle. Let me say first and foremost, I'm not a natural runner-whatever that is. I don't wake up and look forward to running. That runner's high/groove/plateau everyone talks about, I think I've experienced it twice-once for sure. But there is a great sense of accomplishment with running for me at the end. To look down at my Garmin watch (get one of these over using your phone if you're serious about training; they're more accurate) and know I've just ran 8, 9, 10 miles seemed impossible to me a year ago. When running a 5K seemed like the longest distance I could fight through and now being able to do an additional 10 miles on top of that, now that's an accomplishment worth celebrating.

Race day was April 30th in Nashville. I completed a Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series Race. Here are some observations specific to my race experience.

Coming down Broadway at the beginning of the race. 
Oh Boy The Weather - As race day approached, the forecast looked bad. Potential severe and hot weather prompted many emails to participants warning about emergency route plans and the consumption of extra salt at aid stations. My inner control freak was having a meltdown. And while it poured for a short period of time Saturday morning which delayed the start by about 30 minutes, the rain and heat held off throughout the race. It was actually pretty perfect conditions.


How was the course? - As I'm sure it's the same in most races, this Nashville race had pros and cons. While many had cautioned this race course was particularly hilly, I found it to be what I would expect for Nashville. I trained in Chattanooga; I had covered my fair share of hills. Being a R'n'R Series Race, there were stages setup throughout the race course with live music. That was a nice touch and distraction at times. The aid stations were ample and well placed; the crowds along the race were supportive and creative with their signage; and the course snaked through some beautiful neighborhoods and major downtown spots like the honky tonks on Broadway and finishing at the Titans Stadium. A major con about this race is it's huge! Thousands of runners and as a newbie, I did not work the corral system correctly. I began way too far back and zigzagged constantly through slower runners and those walking the race for about the first 6 miles. It got better the longer I went, but it was still very frustrating at moments. And because of the size of the race, it was also insane at the finish line. Trying to find my supporters in the crowd, enjoying my moment at the finish and even retrieving my medal was difficult. A smaller race might be better as a first race but alas, I'll never know. Here's a video of my start and finish. 

Thank you to all my supporters! To Becky and Joe for traveling to Nashville and cheering me on, your kindness and friendship is such a blessing. To friends, family and colleagues who kindly offered encouragement, asked me how training was going or offered advice based on your own experience, I am so appreciative. And last to my husband, you're the best cheerleader and supporter a gal could ask for. Thank you for putting up with my constant exhaustion and all the encouraging words. You are truly my person.
Joe, Becky, Chance and me after the big race. 

Mom, Dane, Ben, Nasera, Becky and Sharon, thank you for running with me along the way. You all are rock stars!


The question that everyone has asked since I've completed the race has been if I'll keep it up, if I'll run another half. And the answer to that is I don't know. While I really enjoyed the actual race experience and exceeded all of my goals (1. Finish 2. Finish under 2:30 3. Run the entire race. No walking. 4. Don't get hurt), I'm just not sure. But if you're contemplating doing a half, I have no hesitation in telling you to go for it. Whether you develop a passion for running or not, the accomplishment in itself is worth every mile you put it. Now go for a run!



For insight on my training plan, gear recommendations and route suggestions, revisit my post from halfway through my training.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 Months to Knit Socks

I  knew knitting would be hard; I never imagined it would take me 10 months to finally knit a pair of socks. Back in October, I began the initial steps of learning to knit. Like most current wannabe knitters with zero knitting experience, I started with a compilation of Youtube videos and online tutorials to find out what were the basics of knitting I would need to know before diving into my desired project: socks. The basics of knitting are to learn how to cast on, cast off, a knit stitch and a purl stitch. You'll also have to learn for more dynamic projects like socks how to increase and decrease your stitch count. Knitting patterns contain a lot of jargon and abbreviations that are not always explained so there was a lot of looking up terms. This Knitting Basics webpage from Better Homes and Gardens is very helpful for learning the basics and for identifying all the knitting slang. From my experience in the very beginning, you'll need to practice your cast on, cast of...
Post a Comment
Read more

There's Always Drama in Penguins

They waddle; they look like they're consistently in formal attire; and there are a few that call Chattanooga home. I'm not talking about paunch ballroom dancers but penguins. As a Chattanoogan, I'm very lucky to have the incredible Tennessee Aquarium in my backyard. And on my first and subsequent visits, the penguin exhibit is hands down my favorite. But, here's the funny thing - I hate birds! Now before I hear from all you bird lovers out there, I'm sure there are plenty of wonderful things you could share about birds but a. you're not going to change my mind and b. I'm not going to like anything that has pooped on my head more times than I can count. It's like they know I don't like them and target me. However, the penguin is one of only two birds that I like because they can't actually fly and are darn cute. Hummingbirds also get a pass. Luckily, the Tennessee Aquarium has a backstage pass option that can get you behind the scenes look th...
1 comment
Read more

Let's Sketch and Chat - A Story We Can Share

Unusual - that really wasn't the right word the more I thought about it.  With an original list item of attending an unusual arts performance, I think I was having a "She's All That" flashback moment and thinking I might attend something like this just for the oddity. But when I really thought about this opportunity, I realized that what I wanted more was to be involved rather than a spectator in an arts centered experience that a. I wouldn't normally put myself in and b. something I could actually walk away from feeling that the content mattered versus a weird guy in his underwear and some chanting (just watch the video). My unexpected art experience ended up being an adventure in visual art and discussion. Want to know my artistic ability? Scan some kindergarten classrooms and what you'll find is probably better than what I can produce. While visual art was not something I was naturally gifted in nor an area I felt interested in developing a skill set, ...
Post a Comment
Read more