-1 Day to My First Half Marathon

I’m sitting on the train, taking me to the place where tomorrow I’ll run my first half marathon.

It’s a four-hour-long trip, so I have some time to collect my thoughts and think about this event.

I’m very excited, for several reasons.

First, it’s an occasion to spend some time with good friends — attending them too — and this adds tremendous value to the experience, as we can share these moments together.

Second, it’s the first time I’m joining a competitive race and at this distance. I have not any placement objective but I’m running against time — so against myself — as I want to finish it under the 2 hours.

It’s an objective within my reach, last long training on 15 Km I did was with a pace 17 seconds below the bottom pace — 5:40 to finish in 1:59:00 — so I’m quite confident I can handle it.

Besides I have a special weapon: a playlist (I love running while listening music) specifically assembled to follow the strategy I want to pursue: it starts slow (Jamiroquai, Chemical Brothers) then it becomes more rock (Pearl Jam, Faith No More), then slows a bit (Depeche Mode, Steven Wilson) and then grows again (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Korn, Deftones, Senser), arriving to final sprint (Metallica, Alter Bridge, Iron Maiden and Slayer).

Moreover, the race environment is completely different — definitely more exciting than running alone during training — so I hope to have an additional squeeze of energy from this.

And this brings me to the third point: I really trained, in a dedicated way, to prepare for this race and this affected a little my usual attitude of free training, but the effects are great and repays all the efforts.

After all, if you want to improve, you have to condition your body to leave your comfort zone when necessary and push harder.

My only regret is I’m not still able to keep a constant pace but I have to check my watch constantly, adjusting it and it’s a bit annoying, something I’ll have to work on in the future.

The train is entering the station…time to go and live this adventure.

How did it end? Well, that will be another story!