I did it. I get to now say, “I am half crazy,” but only for a short time. Every runner knows that as soon as one goal is accomplished there is another one to follow. I am already plotting out what I want to run next! While I don’t see a full marathon in the horizon for at least another year (or two), I do want to share some of what worked for me in my FIRST half marathon. I don’t know if my approach to the race over the course of the last year could work for everyone, but it just might. It is important to find your “strong” in what makes you comfortable first before tackling a race like a half marathon. I have done a couple of 5ks and shaved time off of each one, but I found myself wanting more. I am not talking about a 10k more; I wanted to go big, BIG. So, at the beginning of the year I took a risk and found a small, local half marathon and decided that I would train and make it happen. And, that I did. Yes, I should have stuck to my training plan better but I now know what to correct for next time. There are many things I took notes on, but here are my top 13 lessons learned from my race yesterday!
1. Rest and nutrition aren’t just for race day
I am so glad that I did my homework way in advance and
learned this in the weeks leading up to the race. I quickly picked up that I would
have to get my act together with my nutrition and rest to make it to the finish
line alive. With juggling school this semester, it has been hard for me to get
to bed at decent times, but I did the best I could to get sufficient zzz’s which is vital for muscle
recovery. Nutrition has never been an issue for me but I had to find out a good
balance with carbs and protein. I think every runner’s body is different and
taking care of yourself by getting enough rest and eating well will go a long
way when training and running a big race, whatever that race may before you.
2. Recruit support and accountability
I was a little shy to tell people about my race for
different reasons, so I didn’t talk about it too much. But, there were a few
who remembered and they were there to cheer me on. It made a grand difference to
have cheerleaders at three different mile stops and at the finish line. I will
never forget that. Thank you!
3.
Don’t be
consumed with a PR
Since this was my first half marathon, I didn’t know what to
expect beyond what I had read and heard from friends. I knew that I wouldn’t be
a top finisher and I was ok with that. I also knew that I didn’t want any
injuries which meant I would have to keep a slower pace than what I could do on
shorter runs. I was ok with that too. I just wanted to cross the finish line
smiling! Oh, and I didn’t want to be the last person… serious fear. I did say
that I would have been happy to finish in 2:30-2:45 and I was thrilled to have
come in just some seconds after 2:28! “Trust your training and go,” was one of
my mantras and it helped me beat my expected time. Enjoy your “firsts,” there
are plenty of races in the future to work on PRs and other goals.
4. Prepare your mental game in advance
It is true that running is more in your head than in your
body. I just heard about recent research that shows that it is your mind that
can tell your body that you’re exhausted before you actually are to that point.
Yikes! The brain has a lot of power. In the last few weeks, I read Bible
verses, held onto words, and remembered phrases that I put into my “mantra bank”
to pull from on race day. The first six miles were easy, but around mile seven
I started to get a little tired and these mantras were golden to have on
demand. Among several others I told myself, “one more mile,” “run with endurance,”
“Too far to quit now,” and “How bad do you want this?” You can psyche yourself
up pretty good when you already know what to tell yourself when in doubt!
5. Be kind to others on the route
There were a few runners that were already on their way back
to the finish line when I wasn’t even at the halfway point. They kindly looked
me in the eyes, and several others, in crossing and said, “Great job! Keep going!”
Aside from excellent sportsmanship, their words were encouraging for the next
few miles. I returned the favor to others on my way back to the finish line and
it felt so good to make someone else smile. J
6. Energy runs out FAST
Never have I experienced
depleted energy so quickly like I did during the race. I am SO glad I packed
two energy supplements for the way, a GU Gel and a pack of Sports Beans. I had
a Sports Beans pack thirty minutes before the start too. Next time, I will
definitely add a third supplement because I struggled towards the end a bit. I ate
the Beans at mile five and had the GU at mile 7ish. I definitely needed one
more boost around mile 10-11. You have to listen to your body and determine what you
need! I know better for next time.
7. Slow your roll
In the first six miles I wanted to go faster than I did. I felt
good, had my breathing under control, and thought I could pick up the pace
significantly. However, I knew better. I had to remind myself that I still had
a good stretch to go and that I would burn out too quickly if I didn’t slow
myself down a bit. Thank goodness I did take it back a notch! Having a watch to
monitor my pace was key, but you can easily do the same with a phone and app if
that’s how you train. I think I would have burned out too quickly had I relied
on my “intuition” to keep my pace.
8. Give thanks along the way
There are plenty of people that wake up early to help makes
races happen. From the water stop volunteers to the cops that make sure we don’t
get run over at intersections, many people are involved to help you get across
the finish line. A simple, “thank you!” as you pass by goes a long way. They didn’t
have to be there for you, but they chose to anyway.
9. Be “all there”
I didn’t run with
music for a reason. I wanted to hear the footsteps of the other runners around
me and soak in every little moment of what was going on in my first BIG
race. I am so glad I did. I heard friends encouraging each other along the way and random runners singing whatever was on their playlists at the time. It was hard towards the end to run to my own "beat" when I could have had an up-tempo
song to energize me, but I kept myself in the “moment.” Whatever that looks
like for you, don’t miss the opportunity to be all there.
10. Don’t stop after the race
Post-race recovery is super important for the health of your
muscles and to help you recover from a grueling run. I felt dizzy after
crossing the finish line so I didn’t keep walking to help my muscles come down.
I had to sit down for a few minutes, but next time I will definitely keep
walking. I ate the goodies they had available (fruit, bread, peanut butter,
etc.) and chugged a Gatorade on my way back home. I sucked it up and took two
ice baths too, one immediately after I got home and the other a few hours
later. I put frozen veggies on my sore spots (knees and left ankle), foam
rolled a few times, and I feel GREAT today. I did a thirty minute yoga sequence which also
helped with the soreness and tension in my muscles. I am going to monitor the
minor aches tomorrow (two days post-race) as I slowly get back into the swing
of things to make sure that I don’t overlook any serious possible injuries. Listen
to your body and take care of yourself immediately after the race!
11. Cross training helps get you to the finish
line
Little did I know that doing Camp Gladiator in the last
several months would help prepare me to run with endurance. Getting up at 6am
for workouts during the week has been difficult in the last couple of months
with long, crazy semester nights but my cross training days with CG carried me
through in the end. I finished strong, CG strong! I can’t wait to kick it up a
notch and see how much better I can do next time around. Find a cross training
schedule that works well for you!
12. Stick to what is “tried and true”
I read over and over again that races aren’t meant for
trying anything new. I was tempted to wear a new outfit, but I am sure glad I
didn’t. I stuck to wearing something I had run in before, including shoes. The
only new things I sported on race day was a pair of more cushioned socks, a
new hat to keep the sun out of my eyes, and a watch that my hubs got me as an
early birthday present. I had no wardrobe malfunctions or chaffing issues, or
any other related horrors to tell about. Whew! I also ate something pre-race
that I was used to: a banana and peanut butter toast, and drank about 20oz of
water, and a little black coffee. Your stomach is sensitive and you don’t want
to aggravate it to the point of affecting your run.
13. Have fun!
You will run better
races than others. No matter what, enjoy the miles and be proud that you had
the courage to get out there and challenge yourself!
I’d love to hear from you! What are some of your stories
and/or tips from races? What have you learned to do and what not to do?
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