3 Life Changing Things I Learned Running a Half Marathon

I love running outside. While I was training for the half marathon, I mostly ran outside. We would run around our block or along the busy streets of LA and sometimes I had to run in the gym at work. As I was running through a small Sacramento neighborhood, I looked around and realized how much I loved running outside. No matter what gym I go to, I have always felt claustrophobic and stuffy on a treadmill. When I run outside, I felt free and refreshed. I officially understand why my dad and other members of my family love running.

I have an amazingly supportive husband. We all know women are not the most tolerable people when they are under stress, especially the woman typing this. When said woman is on mile 8 of her first half marathon and all she wants to do is guzzle down a pile of chocolate chip pancakes, whoever is with her is in big trouble. Unfortunately for him, this poor person was my husband of two and half years. He encouraged and pushed me as hard as he could. I pushed right back. I snapped, cried, and whined. It was not a pretty sight. At the end of the race, Myke grabbed me and hugged me. I apologized and cried some more and he just held me and whispered, “Shh.” I am the luckiest girl in the whole world.

I’m stronger than I think. I felt very strong at the beginning of the race. I ran the first 5 miles with ease, and the 6th one wasn’t too bad. On the drive home I thought about my whole run. When I was finished running, I concentrated so much on how I didn’t complete the race in the time I wanted to (I finished at 3 hours and 7 seconds). I was so upset. I kept saying how disappointed I was and how I should have sucked it up and done better. I am extremely hard on myself. I look at what I didn’t do, as opposed to sitting there and thinking about the number one goal of the day: to FINISH a half marathon. There are people who have never even considered the idea of running a 5k, let alone a half marathon. I did something that I have been wanting to do for a while and I completed it in really good time. Myke keeps repeating this phrase and I always roll my eyes, you are a lot stronger than you think. I guess I am, I completed a half marathon.