First Half Marathon Training

Let me emphasize the “first” when I say First Half Marathon Training. Eight weeks ago, my boyfriend and I decided we wanted to run in our first half marathon. Neither of us are “runners,” but we are/were athletes. I’m not here to tell you about how fun the running became; I’ll tell you that running will always be a bit frustrating and boring to me.  Eight weeks ago, I didn’t understand how people could say it could ever be therapeutic, thrilling or fun.  But I did know that I wanted to challenge myself physically, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do this thing.  After a week or two in, I quickly realized the training was very mental for me. Getting 13.1 under my belt was definitely doable, but it would just take patience and one step at a time. Training is coming to an end, and I learned that I honestly started to enjoy a good 5-miler on an overcast day, and that’s something I never imaged that I’d ever say.

Having a set training regimen helped immensely.  We found what I thought to be an aggressive 8-week training schedule published online by Dartmouth.  I convinced myself that if Dartmouth said this is what you had to do to prepare for running 13.1 miles, this is was what I had to do…like our own little scientific formula. Every Tuesday and Thursday, my boyfriend and I would hold each other accountable to our “easy” runs and carve out time on Sundays for the long distance runs. 

As the weeks went by and we increased our mileage, I found myself running longer distances than I ever had before.  There were good and bad runs (I learned that hills can seriously break you and running outside really IS more exciting), but I completed each run, per our scientific formula, and I took it step by step up through the end of our schedule.

Now at the end of my training, I decided on a quick list of half marathon training essentials I really had to have. Have you run a half (or full!) marathon?  Are you running your first soon like us?  I’d love to hear what you have to add to the list. And since the big race is this Saturday (be on the lookout for my inevitable race bib pic), any last-minute tips are appreciated too!  Send some good vibes to Music City as we take on our first 13.1.  Cheers, Kat