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Personal Narrative: 7 Things I Learned From My Short Half Marathon

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7 Things I Learned from my Short Half Marathon

Half marathons are a blast—from the cheering spectators, fellow runners during the race and the runner’s high, free food and massage that follows the race—it’s an awesome experience. Of course there is the ugly side: the chafing, the nasty Johns near the end of the course, and the disappointment when discovering that you ran, but not the full 13.1 miles (21 K) that you signed up for. For me, that moment came after my first official half marathon race; nevertheless, it was a good foundational experience for me to build on as a recreational athlete.

1. Self-Efficacy
Funny story on how I got into long distance running: one morning I decided to go for a run on the beach—barefoot of course. More than …show more content…

Having plan that was structured yet varied helped me to reach my goals and stick to my program because it was personalized for me.

4. Shoes and Gait Do Matter
After running 13.1 miles barefoot, I really appreciated my running shoes. Be sure to select shoes that support your feet—whether you are a pronator, supinator, neutral, or somewhere in the middle. If you need help, go to a specialized running shoe store in your area and get advice from the experts. Also make sure the shoes give you the support you need for your heels and fit well around your toes. While breaking in those new kicks, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make sure you make contact with the ground mid-foot and are not over-striding for your fitness level. Have a running buddy check your body mechanics. For example, if your feet, knees, and hips are not aligned, you could have some muscular imbalances that could contribute to knee or hip pain and problems later and it may be necessary to hire a personal trainer (for designing a training program for those needs) or see a physical therapist (for your joint problems and

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