Last January Alex and I set out to become runners. We decided this losing weight thing had to be stepped up a notch. We set a goal to complete a 1/2 marathon by the end of June. We had to train for training since we had never run before. Our goal was to be comfortable running 4 miles by the time our 10 week training schedule began. We ran our first race to gain experience in March for St. Patrick's Day. It was snowing. We flew to San Francisco to run Bay to Breakers for a little more experience. This time it was 80 degrees. There were 60,000+ participants (not all fully clothed) and the course was approximately 7.4 miles. We learned how to navigate not only more distance but more crowds. I also learned I needed to stay ahead of my migraines.
We stuck to our training schedule. There were ups and downs. It really is a process. Some days are great and others suck. Running out and back is a lot harder mentally than running a loop. Figuring out the right music is key. Understanding tempo and listening to your body is another trick I still haven't totally figured out. In the end, we both made it to race day. June 27th we completed the inaugural Seattle Rock 'n Roll 1/2 Marathon. We have already committed to our next one in Vegas on December 6th. We both had some difficulty walking but couldn't be more excited we finished and are ready to do another! This time we will likely change our training approach. We now have a time to beat and hope to set PR's at our next race. And what's even more fun is we have convinced a few other close friends and running partners to come along!
There is a pretty funny video up on the Seattle website where you can watch both of us cross the finish line.
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