Check out these feet:
Those are the feet of a half-marathoner—me!
This morning I ran the first and only MMAC (Maria, Marc, Ana Christian) Half Marathon. Up at 5 and running at 6:30 a.m.
Marc planned a half-marathon out and back and we each ran at our own pace just like it were a race. Turns out we all run a pretty similar pace, though, so Marc, Christian, and I all essentially finished at the same time.
When I left my apartment this morning there was a chill in the air. Biking to the train station ended up being quite cold! Once we got running, though, it was truly the perfect running weather—cool, not humid, and not too sunny.
My legs felt great until around mile 12 when my knees started to feel the impact of all the running I’d done. I think I might need to order a new pair of shoes for long-runs + the actual marathon only. I think my knees would really appreciate some extra cushioning.
I carried my Camelbak full of water, but didn’t even finish it all since the temperature was much cooler than what I’ve been training in lately. I also stopped into a convenience store around mile 1 and grabbed a bag of gummy candies to fuel up with at miles 4.5 and 9. I need to look into a different kind of fuel, though… the gummies were hard to chew + run (Maybe I’m just not coordinated enough?) at the same time.
Any fuel suggestions—I don’t have access to any fancy stuff, so I’m talking candy, etc.—?
I crossed the “finish line” at 2:13:33. This was my first half marathon and a new personal distance record for me, so I didn’t have any expectations. Basically, I just wanted to run my ass off, have a good time, and not experience any hip pain. <—It was a huge success and probably my best run EVER.
We waited for Ana to finish and headed to McDonalds to pound breakfast sandwiches as our reward.
I had an egg McMuffin, orange juice, and hash brown. I went back and ordered another hash brown and an apple pie. Totally worth those 13 miles for this. 
Had a feeling it was going to be a good run today when I saw Mount Fuji peeking her head out above the clouds. She likes to hide in the summertime, so it felt like a bit of good luck that she chose to show herself today.
There you have it folks, I’m a half-marathoner! Only 8 more weeks until I’ll hopefully become a full marathoner.
haha, gumbuddies.
For long runs I have a big scoop or two of peanut butter before hand (or three!). It seems to last a long time. And a banana, but I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s a superstition of mine.
marc recently posted..My little EP3 Custom Strap
I began to cramp badly just as we reached the turn-around point. BLARGH! I was surprised that I wasn’t too far behind you guys though.
Definitely happy at the outcome!
At SWEN (near Sun to Moon), you can get energy gels if that’s something you want to look into for your next long distance run. Other than that, Marc and I snack on peanut butter and bananas beforehand. I will try gummy bears and jellybeans next time. (This was once recommended to me because gummy bears and jellybeans are small and light.)
Ana recently posted..Shadow of the Colossus
congrats on the 13.1!! That is an awesome time and what perfect weather conditions for it too!!! So happy for you!
Melissa @ TryingToHeal recently posted..Changes to Make
So happy for you!!! Looking forward to read about the marathon experience!
That’s an amazing time for your first half marathon!! Great job!!
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