First Half-Marathon

So, today was a big day for me.  I ran my first half-marathon.  For you laymen, that’s 13.1 miles or 21.1 kilometers.

I’ve been on a coaching program from Nike+ which is an intermediate-level 5k program.  Today was the peak run of the program with a scheduled 10 mile run.  However, I decided to push myself to see how I’d do with a half-marathon.  After all, it’s only another 3.1 miles!  🙂

What helps to really keep me going is my music.  I turn on my iPhone 3GS, turn on the Steve Dahl Podcast, then set my workout run distance in the Nike+ app and just run.  When you have the half-marathon set it’s easy to just keep going and counting the miles go by.  Plus, having Steve to keep me motivated with his comedy is a pretty big bonus (which, I’m about two months behind on his podcasts but am trying to catch up).

So, set a half-marathon distance and just run.  Since I’m running around the three ponds in my subdivision, I’ll pass many of the other inhabitants as they’re either walking alone or with friends or pets.  I’ll also pass a few others who run and nod in passing as an understanding of good-luck to each other.  I also pass many kids playing in their yards or with families.  It’s an environment like this, so friendly and kind, that also helps to motivate one to run and keep going.  To know that you’re not really alone even if you don’t know the people you’re walking/running with.

Unfortunately tonight, Justin wasn’t able to run but he’s been starting to run which is great.  He’s able to have pretty good times for having just gotten back into running.  Good luck Justin and hope that we can get even paces while running!  🙂

Lastly for this post is the Purdue 5k coming up this Saturday.  I know that I’ll do good, but it’ll be a busy morning (race starts at 8:30am).  As of last weekend there were 1,155 participants signed up!  I hadn’t seen numbers from last year but that is a lot of people!  Should be an exciting event.  Justin, Mom and Dad will be there with me waiting at the finish line.  Hope to get some good pics to post afterwards.

As the only things that I’ve posted in recent history have either been vacations or running, I’m going to focus on that for this site.  Also, I’m going to think up a new tagline to go along with my new-found running fascination.

Until next time, thanks for visiting and get out there and run!