My First Time: Tackling the Half Marathon

I DID IT! I ran my very first half marathon! 

This past Saturday, I ran the Zooma Women's Race Series half marathon in Annapolis. I drove to MD Friday night, stayed in the O'Callaghan Hotel and woke up early to get to the race for the 7am start. I was so fortunate to have my friend Mel and her friend Wendy (who also ran her first half) to get me to the start on time and not be completely lost. It was so incredible to see so many women of all shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels all working towards the same goal. 

The course was nice but hill-ier than I expected. It was also incredibly hot and humid, but I managed a good average time (9:45/mile) and finished in 2:07:45. The only bummer was that the course was marked wrong and either they a) set the course wrong or b) didn't mark it and runners missed where they were supposed to go. So the race was .25 mile short. While I wish it had been a 'full' half, it doesn't take away how accomplished I feel.

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed running in a race atmosphere. While I didn't have a specific time goal, I did have a 'number' I wanted to finish in (how could I not?!)... and while I also was running just to finish, I did find myself getting quite competitive during the race, being sure to stay ahead of the 2:10 pacer the entire time.

Overall, I am incredibly proud of how well I did. I often set fitness goals and fail to finish them; this was one I truly followed through with and performed well. Running this race has really motivated me to continue setting and reaching my fitness goals, event though it is often a challenge. I already signed up to run another race in August: The Charles Street 12 Mile Run in Baltimore, MD! 

I truly believe my training allowed me to focus and perform well. Here's what helped me the most to prep:

• LONG RUNS: I will never be able to explain how important this is. While my weekly training mileage was not always where it should have been, I NEVER skipped my long run on Saturdays. I never increased long run mileage by more than a mile per week. So it’s a commitment to train for a long distance, but it is necessary
• A great playlist: Have a go to song or two for when it's really tough. Favorites: C'Mon by Ke$ha (don't hate), Wait  by Chris Brown (great beat to push your pace), DoTA by Basshunter
• Pre-Race meal: the day of the race is not the time to figure out what works. Once you start getting up there in mileage and need substantial pre-race food (~8 miles+), find the right mix of carbs to get you through. For me, its 2 pieces of toast, peanut butter and a half of a banana- remember, everyone is different.
• Hydrate during the race: but not too much. There were times when I felt like if I had more water, it would have been sloshing around, so I ran past. Cytomax actually helped me a lot during the race. It was just the right amount of sugar for a little boost.

This week, I am taking it pretty easy. My fitness activity was pretty intense pre-race and I believe its important to let your body rest. That being said, I am going to cut back on running for a bit. Aside from resting, I also believe it is important to challenge your body in order to see results. 

For the past few months, I have been giving more some attention to weight training in addition to running. I have been lifting a lot heavier and focusing on working my muscles instead of lifting just to lift. So I am going to shift focus for a bit and try a more weight/strength training focus for the next few months.

I will  be following Jamie Eason’s 12 week Live Fit Series starting in Phase 1. Phase 1 starts with only 4 workouts a week with each focusing on different muscle groups. I am used to working out 5-6 times a week so I think this is a great transition to get the rest I need and to start working my body in a different way. I will keep you posted with results along the way! 

For more race re-caps head to the following blogs: 

Eat on the Run

Carrots n Cake 

The Baier Necessities 

 

Feel free to ask me any questions about the race, prep and training!