Lessons learned from my first half-marathon

So I ran my first half-marathon today! No really I did. This girl, ME, who in the past has said "I don't understand why anyone would ever run, let alone PAY to run" paid a registration of $75 months ago and then trained my tail off to RUN! What?!?! AND I lived to tell about it!

So tell about it I shall. Like forever and ever, over and over, and over again I will totally be that girl that's like, "oh yeah when I ran my first half-marathon........" anytime I can slip it into a conversation. Then surely there will be some girl in the room that's all like "I don't understand why anyone would ever run, let alone PAY to run" and I'll be like "oh girl let me tell you I said that too but really let me tell you about running!" I will probably always try and recruit people for running from here on out but don't worry I won't do it talking like a valley girl that's just something I do in my head while writing. I don't know why, maybe I am still on my runner's high. 

Yeah I am definitely still experiencing the runner's high but a friend of mine running her first half-marathon next month asked me to let her know what I learned today and so I was careful to pay attention to all the little things as I was experiencing them and high or not I will share what I learned:

First and foremost the night before you will prep like you are the a Navy Seal team ready for your next deployment. I know this because while my husband was listening to my sister-in-law and I go on and on and on about our preparations he gently said, "I am not trying to take away from what ya'll are doing but you do realize you are not preparing for battle right?" We laughed and rolled our eyes because to us we might as well have been. He told us we were crazy. 

This brings me to my next point, everyone (spouse included) in your life is going to start thinking your are crazy! Take a step back and look at your life and it's hard not to agree a little, the pre-runner you would totally judge you. So while you are training make sure you find runners and talk to them about all your weird running tendencies, you will never feel more understood. In fact watching the waiting area on race day is like watching a big weirdo family reunion, take time to look around while waiting, the people watching is pretty amazing. Strangers everywhere have found their crazy kindred spirits and it's kind of magical, they are all so different and yet they are talking the same language.

Soak in the magic while you can because there are a lot less magical things to come. 

Once the race starts you stop loving everyone and just start seeing liars everywhere. You'll lose your cool and start singing Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire in your head to the beat of your own run. People that claim to be in the correct pacing area will suddenly be walking SLOWLY in front of you and no matter how much you try not to you will start to hate them a little and if looks could kill (not that they could see considering you are staring at the back of their heads) they'd all be dead. If you want to walk/run be my guest but PLEASE do not start ahead of people that are claiming to be a particular pace when you clearly aren't. We all run at different speeds and that's ok but own your speed and be proud of it. 

Something we all should NOT be proud of however is what we smell like. I mean WOW! Runners might not smell terribly individually but yowzers do we stink as a group! I feel like we all owe the residents of Tampa an apology for the swarm of stank that ran through that town today. I am pretty sure the residents eyes are still tearing up if they've been brave enough to step outside. The men especially sitnk, no offense but some of ya'll were killing me. I was downwind of a few that quite literally smelt like big sweaty italian heroes with lots of onion, like if the sandwiches themselves had pores and dripped submarine dressing rather than sweat, that's what these men smelt like. What's that about? Let me tell you what I won't be craving again for a LONGWHILE. So if you can learn to run without breathing I definitely recommend doing that and don't even get me started on those runners that may or may not have been carrying a load. 

Speaking of  loads, let me warn you there is not a thing on this planet that can prepare you for a porta potty on race day! Like nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, NOTHING! Not even if you lived in a dumpster and road there in a garbage truck. Nuff said on that subject.

All of these nasty things were running through my head in the first few miles which could have completely dominated my race but that's why I love running, at about mile 4 I shift out of my head and completely into the moment, from that point forward life if good! I have a hard time shifting like that in my everyday life and running I just don't. On a good run I feel blessed with every breath and today was a good run! The scenery was beautiful and I was feeling good. If you get in your head while you are running I would highly recommend doing everything you can to stay in the moment and out of your head! I pay attention to my breathing, the beat of my music, the air against my face, the feeling of the ground under my feet. anything but the fact that this seems like this will never end.

I have no valid advice other than, train your plan and then enjoy your race! Stay in the moment and out of your head!

P.S. - I used to think that any girl that wore their hair in anything other than a ponytail was just trying to be cute, after trying to comb out my hair that could only be described as ungroomed maltesish matte I would have to say they know something I don't. Who knew? Maybe I will prepare better next time or go full on GI Jane.