My First Half Marathon Experience – 8 Tricks that Helped Me Last Through the Run
A couple of years back, I believed that I have a running limit. I believed that there is a limit to how far I can run. I did understand that with time I’ll get better at running but I thought this ‘better’ would probably be in terms of how I feel when I run. However, in terms of a running distance, I believed that I have a limit and I was more than happy to abide by it.
My running limit, as I believed, was 10K.
Therefore, for 3 whole years, I trained while keeping 10K runs in mind. I didn’t try to push 10K to 11K because I thought it would be for the best if I just adhered to my limit.
Then this year, because of several factors aligning, an opportunity of running a half marathon with Mr B arrived. The opportunity was tremendously tempting – it was a local run (so most of the running path was familiar to me), it was a community run (and that mean plenty of parkrunners from my area were participating as well) and I was getting to run with Mr B (which I simply love!). I couldn’t refuse and signed myself up for Harrow Half 2019.
On the 15th of September, I ran my first half marathon. That’s 21 km. 10K + 10K + 1K. That’s double of what I considered as my running limit and more.
My first half marathon. 21 km. Double of my running limit and more.
21 km. Double of my running limit and more.
Doesn’t matter however many times I say it, it doesn’t sink in that I was able to break my limit and go beyond and even beyond. Having no athletic inclination or ability even in my peak youth, I’m a half marathoner while hitting middle age.
Not going to lie, I am extremely proud of myself. This first half marathon experience is the reason why 2019 would be a year to remember for me (along with the fact that 2019 was also the year of Miss B’s first triathlon and Mr B’s first marathon; but this blog isn’t about them, it’s about me!)
I’ve boasted about my half marathon adventure to family and friends but due to being super busy during this last quarter of 2019 (actually I have been super busy with a myriad of engagements the entire of 2019), I haven’t been able to share my experience with you. Well, better late than never!
I also hope that if you are planning to run a 21K run in the future and are nervous about it, my first half marathon experience blog post might help you to ease your nerves and simply enjoy the run.
My First Half marathon Experience – 8 Tricks that Helped me Last Through the Run
1. I followed the exact same morning routine that I followed for all of my practice long runs.
I am a sucker for a routine every day of the year, more so on a run/gym day. For the half marathon morning, I followed the routine that I had lived through more than a dozen times before.
I woke up around 6.30 am and drank about a quarter litre of water and went about with my morning chores for the day. I had porridge for breakfast which has become my absolute staple as running breakfast. So much so that on occasions I didn’t or couldn’t have porridge, I felt that I was running low on fuel and hence kept feeling uneasy.
I mostly have my porridge with a serving of fruit compote. This is such an easy thing to cook – I just mix chopped fruits with sugar and simmer them together for about 5 minutes. That’s it, I’m done! On my half-marathon day, I prepared blueberry compote and licked every last bit of it!
2.I arrived early at the venue
Harrow Half was to start at 9 am and being a local run, I wasn’t expecting it to be crowded and yet I reached the venue before 8 am.
For every race, I prefer reaching a tad early than a tad late. Reaching a race venue a little early ensures that I don’t have to go through my pre-run routine in a rush. I can calmly collect my bib (if I need to) or visit toilets or do an elaborate warm-up routine.
On the day of Harrow Half marathon, Mr B & I collected our bibs and then roamed around a bit to admire the vast grounds of the historic Harrow School. We did a gentle stretching routine followed by our customary banana break 15 minutes before the race.
I had a few more minutes to spend so utilised them by clicking race venue pictures!
3. I started the race (perhaps) too fast and hence started enjoying it even more (maybe)
I had trained myself to run as slow as I can for the first 3-5 km of the race and pick up pace only after that. I like easing into runs and I feel that my body is better able to deal with long runs when I start slow and steady.
But that’s not what happened on race day. As soon as the whistle blew, runners around me rushed off. Blame it on the adrenaline rush, I dashed off too.
It wouldn’t have been so bad had I been running any other half marathon. But Harrow Half is infamous for the steep incline it challenges runners within the first couple of kilometres. So I was slamming my feet hard and fast while running up a steep hill in the first 5 minutes of the race.
I exhausted quickly but the initial surge of energy kept pushing me forward. I felt sort of bliss as if I am powered by some mysterious ‘wind beneath my wings.’
Though in hindsight, I certainly shouldn’t have done that.
4. I chatted almost nonstop with my running buddy
I know that some people prefer running solo because they like the idea of being alone with their thoughts. But I like running with a partner. If I cannot find anybody to run with, I prefer running while listening to music or a podcast. Basically, I like chatter during my runs.
As Mr B and I ran together at this half marathon, there was no dearth of chatter. We talked about the weather, Miss B, Brexit and our next vacation. Basically everything far and wide.
Not only chatting kept boredom away, but it also helped me forget my exhaustion levels at times.
5. Music stations added spring to my steps
As I mentioned earlier, I love listening to music while running. However, I wasn’t listening to my playlist during this half marathon on the account of running with Mr B.
Luckily the Harrow Half course had a couple of music stations which made me extremely happy each time I passed them. There was a band playing steel pans on the way and it sounded magical.
Special thanks to the family who was blasting music for runners from their window! You guys spent your Sunday in curating a playlist to cheer up runners. Seriously, you are amazing! It was around the 15 km mark; I was parched and was struggling to even jog when I heard you play “Hit the road Jack!” That song gave me such a boost; I remember clapping to the beat of the song, smiling and picking up my pace.
6. Half marathon got a whole lot of tougher towards the end
3 km running distance is easy peasy for me. I can do it wherever and whenever.
However, the last 3 km of half marathon got extremely hard for me. Not only my legs were shutting down, but my mind was shutting down too. I wasn’t able to think of any motivational thought, I felt as if I have just gone blank.
Add to it the fact that not only Harrow Half starts with a steep incline, it ends with a steep incline too. I might have given up if not for good cop/bad cop strategy from Mr B. He would coax me one moment saying something like ‘why are you making grunting sounds, you seriously can’t be this tired!’ and then motivate me the next moment by saying ‘it’s amazing that you have been running all along without break and shown such perseverance!’
Mr B kept talking me through and finally dragged me across the finish line, what a hero he is!
7. Support of strangers and family made it even special (sob sob)
I met dozens of random strangers on the way who were cheering for us and even screaming for us. And for a first time half marathoner like me, every bit of support matters. I felt thankful that these people took time out of their schedules to come and cheer for us in the streets.
Harrow parkrun community was there too. Someone shouted “Go parkrun” at us and it soon became a game. Every time we would cross a fellow parkruner, we would shout “Go parkrun” as well. Mike Lepps from Harrow parkrun was kind enough to click a few candid pictures of Mr B and me.
Miss B ran along with us on the pavement for the last km. She smothered me with kisses soon after the run and said she was proud of me. My mum and dad came running to us and hugged us tightly.
For a while, I was overwhelmed with the realization that I had indeed completed a half marathon and was moved with so much love around me. I burst into tears and couldn’t stop crying. It was probably the most bizarre and surreal that I’ve felt in a long time.
8. For this is (not) the end…hear my heart burst again
Of course, I’ve signed myself for another half marathon for spring 2020 – The Vitality Big Half. It’s like once I tasted blood running the 21K, I want to keep challenging myself to do it whenever I possibly can. And March is a good month for running long distance in London; it is just the sort of cold that makes running enjoyable.
I’ll be travelling and eating desserts in December because, well, it is December. Come January, I’ll bring the focus back on running and train for two months straight to beat my own half marathon time.
Are you planning to participate in a half marathon? Wondering what to eat, what to wear and how to train? Interested in some time-tested advice on running your first half marathon? Drop me a comment below and I’ll be happy to share with you all that I know!
Read more from my running journey here –
Fitness Resolutions for Mothers Like Me
you are seriously amazing