If you like to be physically fit, you probably made a conscious decision at some point to join a gym & experiment with their weights and workout classes. Not a bad call at all but I decided to take it to another level. I decided that because I hate to run, I will train for a half marathon!
What, that doesn’t make sense? I know, I know, but from my research, running is a great way to jumpstart your cardiovascular system, it’s a good aerobic activity and let’s face it: completing a 13 mile race would be a huge challenge & accomplishment. Thus my training began!
Training for a race requires dedication because it is really time consuming. You have to plan your meals as well as your workout schedule ahead of time (are you a morning runner? Do you have time to squeeze in a run on your lunch break or will it have to wait for the evening? If you run in the evenings, will that hinder you from any other after-work activities you may have planned?). www.active.com has several tools that can be useful when finding a training schedule that fits your life schedule. However when you find a schedule, it’s very important to stay on track with it and to plan ahead (I’ll explain why later on).
The next step would be to find a race that suits your needs or personality. I enjoy supporting charities and I like to run on flat surfaces, like a treadmill. Most races support a charity and for those that don’t, some charities will allow you to fundraise on their behalf. So my focus was to find a flat location to run the half marathon. I visited www.halfmarathons.net to research upcoming races. Also being a native Floridian with Caribbean roots, I wanted a warmer climate. Enter stage right, the ING Miami Half Marathon on January 25th!
The race itself was a magical event. As a dancer I’ve performed in jam-packed arenas, in front of Grammy Award winners & well-known actors. It doesn’t compare to being with 15,000 strangers at 6:15am who are all equally pumped to run for a cause!
It took me almost a half hour to begin the race because of the turnout. There was a wonderful Emcee that had the DJ spinning hype tunes to get your blood and adrenaline flowing. It was dark when it started and around the 3rd mile, the sun rose. It was a beautiful course, which was also an important choosing factor for me because I tend to get bored easily if I’m running without any visual or audio stimulation. We ran across the McCarthur Causeway by the cruise ships & (obviously) over the water. The course continued by Star Island where the Gloria Estefans, Madonnas & JLo's live, and into Miami Beach along Ocean Drive by Versace's House. The course then took several other scenic turns before heading back across another bridge into the city and through 2 more celebrity-filled islands.
Though I picked the perfect flat course to suit my needs, at mile 7 I realized that I had forgotten my NECESSARY foot inserts in another pair of sneakers and tried not to freak out. It took several inner monologues, lots of prayer & relying on my iPod & rest-stop cheerleaders to get me to push through the remaining 6 miles.
After the race, my boyfriend & I went for a celebratory smoothie when I sat down I realized my back was in excruciating pain! Shortly thereafter, my knees hurt too. See, earlier in this article I mentioned the importance of keeping track of your training schedule which was something I was lackadaisical about. I would run with my running group but I wouldn’t always push myself the way I should have in order to increase my mileage experience. If I didn’t plan ahead, I would sometimes skip workouts for a later date, thus altering the original plan. It is also important to wear the proper shoes & foot supports necessary because running can obviously take a toll on your feet. When you’re training, you are training your body to prepare for the long distance; you have to remain diligent in this process.
After my congratulatory dinner for running the entire 13.1 race, I spent the evening with an ice pack and awakened the next day feeling brand new –and pain free! I have a newfound appreciation for running and am even planning to run another race in March! Now that I know the basics for running race for the first time, here are some “Dos & Don’ts” for you to remember:
DON'T...
1. go running on a whim. It takes at least 14 weeks to train for a half marathon.
2. forget your foot inserts that support your feet while running nor change your shoes. You need the extra support and if you are accustomed to running in a good (& hopefully highly recommended) pair of shoes, you don’t want to change that regimen. You will feel better in the end, trust me!
3. party it up in South Beach 2 nights before the big day! It stays in your system (take my word for it).
DO…
1. your research! Decide on a race/location/charity that suits your needs.
2. train adequately. You want to be injury-free, don’t you?
3. get the right gear & wear layers. Your body temperature will rise even if it is cold outside.
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