In September I ran my first half marathon. What an experience! Along with 22,000 other runners we took to the streets of Copenhagen and were cheered on by friends, family, and spectators at nearly every corner.

A little over half way through I began to feel my thighs - really feel them - so at each opportunity to take a sip of water or saft I would walk briefly. This helped me reset and I felt even more powerful when I began to run again.

Also, an obvious reminder to anyone running a half to make sure to properly and adequately hydrate after the event. I thought I had but in the middle of the night I woke up feeling a strong headache and as if my legs were very very sore. I thought I might need to venture to the 7/11 (the only place open in the middle of the night) but I remembered this awesome product I was introduced to by my brother. Nuun is an “electrolyte enhanced drink tab is gluten free, dairy + soy free, safe for clean sport, and made from plant based ingredients.” A total win for my sugar conscious, plant-based pals!

All in all, I felt proud of myself for trying something new and ultimately, finishing in under two and a half hours. My goal is always to finish the race so I met my goal and was happily surprised with a relatively good time.

If you are wanting to train for a half I recommend starting exactly where you are and slowly but surely increasing your mileage as well as amount of time you run. There are some great training guides that can help you along. Check out the guide from Nike, PopSuguar or this one from Free People. Choose the one that is most appealing to you and be honest with your fitness level. There is no shame in where you start, the key is that you start!

If you are interested in running a half marathon in the U.S., check out this link that contains all of the coolest halfs around the country. You never know what it will do for you so why not give it a shot?

You won’t regret it!

If you have done a half before, did you enjoy it? Did it inspire you to go for the whole or were you satisfied with the half!?

xo

My First Half Marathon