Half Marathon Done!

I've written about running a ton in the past (click on the "Running" category link on your right), but I finally did it....I ran a half marathon.

My official time clocked in at 2 hours, 8 minutes, and 19 seconds.  Not a world record, city record, or course record by any means, but was still a significant accomplishment for myself......My average pace worked out to about 9:48 min/mile...

So, now that I'm done with the race, and my body has recovered, I thought that I'd share some lessons that I picked up along the way..

1) Registration is powerful - For years, I wanted to run a half marathon, but it didn't happen. I found excuses, told myself that I didn't have the dedictation, energy, or time, and allowed myeslf to fail.  Until I paid the $55 registration fee put the date in my planner.  All of a sudden, I found time, energy, and the will to train.

2) Find a plan - Ok, I'm registered, do I suddenly run 13.1 miles?  Of course not....since I had never run this far before, I decided to find a training plan online.  Find a plan, stick to it. 

Here are some links to get you started:

Hal Higdon - Official Coach of the Chicago Marathon
Runner's World Magazine

There are a million plans online, so find one that works with your schedule, and try to stick to it.  I used the Hal Higdon "novice" plan, and it gently brought me from running 3 miles to 10.

3) Listen to yourself - At first, I'd find ways to trick myself into believing that I was sore, so I couldn't work out.  Eventually, you need to find a way to differentiate between fake pain and actual pain.  Don't run if you are hurt....take time to rest.

4) Explore your city - Probably works better in the summertime, but I did the majority of my running in either Chicago or Tampa.  Unless weather forced me indoors, I preferred to run outside. 

In Chicago, I explored the Lake Michigan Coast, figuring out where the coldest drinking fountains are (no question....the ones near the Recreation Drive tennis courts), the best way to avoid mosquitos (don't run at night), and where the coolest boats are (Montrose Harbour). 

In Tampa, I ran along Tampa Bay, following BayShore Ave.  The sightseeing wasn't as scenic as Chicago, but sometimes I'd see some cool boats or pelicans. 


5) Have Fun With It - Running a half marathon is tough work.  From an evolutionary standpoint, the human body isn't designed to run long distances (yes, i just made that up, but it works..sue me).  Most people don't wake up and decide to run 13.1 miles, so if you are going to do it....then might as well have fun with it.  Load up your ipod with some cool tunes and enjoy the day. 

or, if you are a geek like me, load up your ipod with some good audiobooks, and get some "reading" done during your training.  I listened to the following books during my training:

- Shantaram -
- Team of Rivals -
- Snuff - (by the writer of Fight Club)

and at the finish of the race, I'm halfway through The Tin Roof Blowdown.  so yes, you can multitask and get some reading done while running.

6) Enjoy it - On race day, realize that you have trained for 3 months for this day.  So, line up with your number, and soak in the feeling.   If you need to walk, walk.  Stop and get water and gatoraid.  Talk to your fellow runners.   When its over, grab a great celebratory meal (just not at Old Town's Flat Top Grill - link), and bask in the glory of your race.


Looking back, I probably made a ton of mistakes along the way, but I know that I'm in much better shape now that back in May when I started training. 

Last point....your time is just a number that you will beat the next time out.  That being said, what's the best race that you've run in?  My next half marathon will probably be in the Jan-March timeframe, so any suggestions???  I'm not locked into Chicago, and ideally, I'd like to travel for it...and see a new city in the process...