First Half Marathon Demolished

13miles to hell and back. I guess that’s why #13 is associated to the satan

One of my fitness goals for this year was to sign-up for a long distance running event. I thought why not start with the Half Marathon which isn’t too crazy like a full Marathon but it’s more than a challenge compared to a 10k. This Sunday I ran my first ever Half Marathon at the Shape Women’s Half Marathon in Central Park.

I’ve been running on and off since September of last year, completing a few 5k and 10k races. However, New York’s winter can be pretty brutal which meant my outdoor running went out the window. I despise running on the treadmill so I tried to get a good run at the park in frigid temperatures but all in vain. I know now from my experience that the key to completing a Half Marathon or a Marathon efficiently is consistency and discipline in your diet and training. I struggled to keep up with it and had to run the race with little to no training.

One week before my race I had cold feet. I was second guessing myself, thanks to my incredible friends who encouraged and pushed me to just show up on race day and run as many miles as I could.

On the race day, I woke at 6AM and looked outside my window it was cloudy with a forecast of 50% chance of rain. I talked myself into skipping the race and getting back into bed but my conscience wouldn’t allow it. I kept telling myself you don’t have to win the race, you don’t have to aim for best PR but all you have to do is cross that finish line. So, I got my running gear on and went to the park to meet my friends at the start. Everything was all a blur at the start because it was freezing cold (~39F) and I was nervous. I began to stretch, do some warm up exercises and got ready for my race. The blow horn went off and thousands of women started running, walking, some chatted and clicked selfies. I started running as well and only 1.7miles into the race I had severe cramps in my legs. Oh boy! I knew not training better was going to be costly for me. Right then and there I wanted to pull out of the race yet I managed to complete the race. How you ask?

Here goes, these are the lessons I learnt during my race..

1. Slow and steady wins the race. Seriously, this isn’t a sprint it’s called a Half Marathon for a reason. Keep a consistent pace and cadence, now is not the time to show off your inner Usain Bolt.
2. Mind over matter. At the 10 mile mark my legs were begging me to stop. I was running towards the Harlem Hill but my legs were screaming ‘Abort mission!’. You have to control your thoughts, get into a meditative state of mind and stay focused. Think about the end goal - the finish line.
3. Hydrate well but don’t over do it. My muscles were cramping and I needed to hydrate myself. There are hydration stations at every mile but that doesn’t mean you drink up at every stop, if you do you’ll end up making that restroom pitstop which breaks the momentum. Hydrate adequately to help you keep moving.
4. Music for the soul. If there was anything I had prepared in advance for, it was my running playlist on Spotify. I made sure I had a good collection to keep me motivated and inspired.
5. Invest in a good pair of running shoes. I cannot emphasis this anymore. Do yourself a favor and buy those expensive shoes from Jack Rabbit or New York Running Company where they conduct gait analysis and check for pronation of your feet. Those are worth every penny and your knees will thank you.
6. Focus on yourself. Your ego is going to take a beating when you see people younger, older, shorter, taller, fatter or thinner pass by you. It will hit you where it hurts. But don’t let that affect you and do not compete with the person who is running next to you just focus on your pace and your end goal - the finish line
7. Walk the uphills. Nobody is going to give you extra credit for running through the entire course of the race. Remember this is your first half marathon, don’t kill yourself on the uphill. Walk it and reserve your energy for the flat surface or downhill.
8. Never give up. Half Marathon is not for everyone because it is a challenge to be honest. Everything is going to start hurting even the muscles in places you didn’t know could hurt will hurt and how! DO NOT GIVE UP. Think about the end goal and keep running towards it.
9. Relax and enjoy the run. Don’t tense up or worry about the number of miles remaining. Take one mile at a time.
10. Crossing the finish line. The last mile is probably the hardest and the best part of the race. You will be too tired that you might want to pass out but suddenly you’ll realize your heart rate is up and you have the adrenaline rush to cruise to the finish when the crowds cheer you on. You will feel a sense of accomplishment like no other.
11. After you cross the finish line. Don’t sit down at the nearest park bench you find but continue to run at a slower pace or walk a few mins before you stop to stretch.
12. Stretch and recover. Stretch your legs, hamstring, quads and back this will help you walk around without looking like a cripple and you can ease into recovery mode.
13. Celebrate your success and be proud of your accomplishments.

Hope you find this helpful and inspires you to sign-up for a race near you.