5.08.2009

What I learned from my first Half-Marathon

Running on Race Day - I think this was around Mile 6??

Some general observations and life lessons picked up during my 3.5 month journey to running 13.1 miles:

1) Hard work pays off. (I really needed to learn this lesson.)

2) Rest days are just as important as the days where you push yourself. We need rest to nurse injuries and just to give ourselves a break.

3) Running with a friend (or two!) is a million times better than running alone. They push you, you push them, and you have someone to share the pain with.

4) Have a plan and follow it. It takes out all the guess work, and you know exactly what you need to do each day.

5) Having the proper equipment to succeed is absolutely necessary! (getting the right shoes made my pain go away and stay away.)

6) When someone asks you to do something crazy, say YES. (I never would have attempted this on my own - but thanks to Mer asking me to participate, I accomplished something truly awesome!)

7) We have the potential to do so much more than we think we can. (I thought this was a crazy quest - turns out I am fully capable of running 13.1 miles!)

8) Spandex, when used in the correct setting, can be your best friend. No thigh chafing here!

9) Morning workouts suck. (I have confirmed that working out in the morning does not work well for me.)

10) Regular exercise improves your mood, your health and your psyche. (Although I never lost much weight, I definitely reshaped my body. I was also in a great mood more often than not.)

11) Advil is a miracle drug.

12) Runners come in all shapes and sizes - there are plenty of us out there pounding the pavement that are not shaped like upright gazelles. Don't let your size stop you from running.

13) If you plan on running to lose weight, you need to change your diet, too. On average, you burn 100 calories for every mile you run. So, while you are toning your body and getting muscle definition, you aren't shedding calories at a crazy rate. Running alone will probably not shed much weight off you.

14) Running in the rain is pretty awesome.

15) You perform a lot better in a race than you do on a normal run at home. Running with others is fun and exciting!

That's all I got for now.......

But truly, race day was awesome. The Grandover Resort was lovely - the indoor pool and hot tub were a fantastic distraction the afternoon before the race. Olive Garden did not disappoint for our carbtastic dinner the night before. The race itself was great. The course was rolling, but not crazy hilly. It was a fantastic first experience for a half marathon. I can't believe I did it, but I did. Huge thanks to Lauren and Meredith for being awesome training partners. I am so proud of us!

1 comment:

Marissa said...

Congrats! You look awesome. As a former runner I think you are crazy BUT you inspired me nonetheless. :)