Should I do a Half Marathon? An Amateur Runner’s Journey
I’ve never done any race before in my life, but I’d like to try something new and to have a healthier lifestyle. Maybe I should do a half marathon? Am I capable? I’m not athletic at all.. how should I train? What should I expect? Can I really do it?
If you are reading this article right now, you’re probably asking the questions above in your head — Maybe you’re still deciding whether you should do it or not? Maybe a coworker told you about a marathon he/she is training for, and deep down you really want to try it, but you are afraid to commit since you’ve never done it before? Maybe you are completely aware that you are not the most athletic person, and you do want to have a healthier lifestyle and cut some weight, but you are doubting yourself whether you are actually capable of training and running the race? Or maybe you are just bored with your daily life and you are yearning a bit of adventure and extra challenge to get out of your comfort zone, so you are thinking of running a half marathon?
Believe me, I had the exact same questions 8 months ago.
Towards the end of 2018, as I was turning 25, I had this urge in my stomach that I wanted to take on a new challenge, to get out of my comfort zone, and to achieve something I’ve never tried before. I was getting a bit bored with my post-college single life, doing 9–5 job, and not doing something meaningful… There is an outdoor trail behind my apartment, where I had been jogging every now and then. One day, it just came to my mind, why don’t I try doing a half marathon?! I thought, I’ve been doing short jogs from time to time anyway, so might as well commit myself a little extra and push myself to achieve a goal.
I’ve always been that fat non-athletic kid in the class growing up, always got picked as the last 5 people during soccer practice, always one of the slowest runners, and I just never thought of myself as an athletic person. But as I got older, I started to realize the real importance of exercising regularly, living a healthy life, and optimizing my physical appearances. I started going to the gym every now and then, eat salad & fruit somewhat regularly, do some more outdoor activities, and cut down some sweets. But I was still not satisfied with my method. I knew I needed an extra push to get the results that I wanted, so that’s why I decided to train for a half marathon.
But the same question haunted me for the next 8 months since I registered for the race — can I, an amateur, non-athletic guy, actually do a 13.1-mile race?
The short answer is, YES I CAN (because I actually did it!).
Here are 10 things I have learned the past 8 months about myself, some struggles I have encountered, challenges I managed to overcame, tips & tricks, do’s & dont’s, and basically what was going through my mind & body the whole entire 8-month training period, all the way leading to crossing the finish line on race day!
1. One step at a time
When I first started training in December 2018, I could barely run 1 mile. But as I continued running the next 8 months, I could actually feel the change of my stamina. My body was getting used to the distance, and my legs were getting stronger. I slowly increased my distance, all the way to 10 miles 2 weeks before race day.
Training is a process.
Don’t expect to run long distance from the very beginning. Be patient, and keep going at it regularly. You will slowly build your confidence along the way, and your body will increase its own physical capacity as running becomes more like a habit instead of a once-in-a-while activity for you. Remember, just keep running one step at a time.
2. You DON’T have to run every day.
Some people think that “training for a race” means “running rigorously every day with an ambitious schedule and strict diet”.
NOPE. THEY ARE WRONG.
Remember, your body needs to rest. Running too often is not going to do you any good, you will end up staying stagnant with your running distance, and you’ll eventually burn out.
The first month I trained, I ran short distance (1–2 miles) 4–5 times a week, which I think was actually good at that point because I was improving my stamina and breath control.
The second to the fourth month, I started to increase my distance. My goal was to hit the 5-mile mark in March (4th month of training). I reduced my running frequency a bit to 3–4 times a week during this time, while gradually increasing the distance every week or so. I ran slow the entire time, no need to run fast.
The major roadblock I stumbled upon was right after I hit that 5-mile mark in March. The entire month of April and early-mid May, I stayed stagnant. I struggled to increase my distance and stamina. I probably ran up to 6 miles once at most. And when I say ‘ran’, there were a lot of ‘walks’ there. I didn’t know what I did wrong, and self-doubt started to crawl in with only ~3 months left until race day. Can I do it? What have I been doing wrong?
After consulting with some people, I finally figured out that it’s because I ran too often, and I didn’t stretch enough prior & after each run. I didn’t give my body the proper heal period it needed. I adjusted my running frequency to 1-3 times per week, with some strength training in between. Not long after, I was able to break that 5-mile wall and gradually increased my distance all the way to 10 miles mid-July, 2 weeks before race day on July 28.
3. Marathon is NOT a sprint. Athleticism does not matter.
One thing that you always have to remember and keep telling yourself is that a marathon is NOT a sprint. You don’t have to be fast, and you CAN walk during the race. Slow and steady is the way to go.
Therefore, athleticism doesn’t really matter here. You don’t need six-pack abs or muscular legs to run a half marathon. Would having a fit lean body help? Of course. But don’t doubt yourself if you are like me with some fat in your belly, narrow thigh gap, and 34” jeans size. You can definitely still do it! Training and consistency is the key to succeed and get the best outcome out of the whole experience.
4. Use your brain to beat your legs
After a month or two of running, you will start to realize that your legs will easily give up mid-run. This is normal. A lot of times during runs, I felt that I was doing fine with my breath and the rest of my body, but my legs were screaming to stop.
When this happens, use your brain to beat your legs, in order to achieve that distance you have in mind. One thing that has astonished me multiple times during my training was that when I set my mind and focus, the body will eventually listen and follow. Sometimes it also helps if you say it out verbally (to yourself, no need to scream) as you run, “It’s all mental game. Not giving up. One step at a time.”
5. Eat normal. No diet.
A lot of other amateur runners I have interacted with during my training were doing diet while they train to lose some extra weight. This is NOT good for your body. I know because I tried doing it for a bit, and it did not work out — I wasn’t able to stay in my prime condition to improve my stamina and increase my running distance.
Assuming you are serious about committing to this half marathon by training regularly & doing some strength training on a weekly basis, keep in mind that your body is going through a rapid change of pace. It’s undergoing a faster metabolism process, and it burns more calories overall. It needs carbohydrate, protein, and fat to keep up with your training. Even if it is not a hardcore training, don’t forget that what you are doing is new to what your body was used to before you started training. So give your body the proper nutrition. Let it heal by eating food that you actually enjoy (yes to pizza and grilled cheese!). Believe me, you would still lose weight, but in a lot healthier way.
Now, of course, you don’t want to stuff your face with pleasure eating all the time. Don’t always “reward” yourself with a copious amount of food every time you run that day. Be reasonable. The last thing you want to do is stop training because you feel heavier with each day passing by.
The last week before race day, make sure you get abundant sleep hours and eat a lot of carbohydrates, some sugar, but not too much dairy. Dairy is hard to process in your body, and will eventually tire you quickly & make you feel bloated (remember that episode from The Office where Michael Scott had a big bowl of spaghetti carbonara before running?). Carbohydrate & sugar is a lot easier to process, and it will give you the energy you need on race day.
6. Strength training & stretching really helps
In between my weekly runs, I did some light strength training. Most of it involved pull-ups, push-ups, chest press, light yoga (from YouTube beginner yoga tutorials), and some crunches. Nothing hardcore… I did 3 sets of 10 per exercise, so I usually spent about 1 hour in the gym.
I found strength training to have really helped me with my stamina when I ran. Again, nothing hardcore, but be consistent.
Do not forget to stretch. The more stretch you do, the better. Do it before running, after running, and in-between days. Foam rolling your legs also help a lot, it heals the soreness quickly so you can run further.
7. Consistency is the key. BUT, it’s okay to slack sometimes
I know how hard it is to be consistent when it comes to exercising. With your 8–5 job, long commute + traffic, family matters, hanging out with friends, running errands, NETFLIX, and being out of town, being consistent with your running & strength training can be extremely challenging. And sometimes, we’re just lazy, to be honest… I’ve been there.
It’s okay to slack every now and then, but my piece of advice is to try “make it up” with something else. Let’s say you’re supposed to do a 4-mile run on Saturday, but you just don’t feel like running outside and you end up staying home. Try making it up by doing something that makes you feel a bit better — maybe do some stretching, or do a few push-ups, or even just eat some healthy salad. Trust me, this would make you feel A LOT better as you Netflix & chill at home for the rest of the night. Relax & enjoy the night, gather your energy, and push yourself the next day.
8. Positive mind = victory
I’m pretty sure there is a more scientific research to this, but I’m just going to write my experience here as to how I think. There have been too many times when I had to run in the evening after a not-so-good or okay day at work. My mind was clouded with many looping thoughts as I started to run. Most of the times, I ended up being tired so quickly & was not able to achieve the distance I had set up originally. My whole body just decided to shut down.
On the other hand, there have been a handful of times when I was very productive at work during the day, attended a lot of meetings, got things done, and drained all my social energy for the day. But, I felt good at the end of the day. My mind was clear and I wasn’t stressed out, even though my body was tired. When I ran in the evening, I would actually overshoot the original distance I had planned!
So what does this tell you? Our mind is way more powerful than our body. A positive mind will help you tremendously during your runs. Try to stay positive during the day, and don’t sweat the small stuff. You will surprise yourself how powerful your mind can be.
9. Do it for yourself
When I decided to sign up for a half-marathon, it was purely to challenge myself to achieve something I’ve never done before, while using it the opportunity to have a healthier lifestyle. I guess I was having that quarter-life crisis (I was turning 25 in January 2019), one might say…
If you are going to commit to a race, do it for yourself. Don’t do it just because your friend asks you to accompany him/her, or to show off your accomplishment in social media, or to just lose weight. Do it because YOU have a bigger goal in mind. The whole training process would be so much more enjoyable because you will always have a goal in mind. You got a boost of confidence and self-assurance throughout the process.
Moreover, when you cross that finish line, you will feel like you’re on top of the world — like you can conquer anything coming your way from that moment on. You have proved yourself what you are capable of, even when you were struggling along the way. Believe me, it will all be worth it.
10. Just Do It! And enjoy doing it
Throughout my half marathon experience, I have learned to “Just Do It” (yes, I stole that from Nike). For someone who takes time to make decisions, like to plan everything carefully, and occasionally self-doubting in commitments (a.k.a me), I think there is so much good to this unreversible-impromptu-spur-of-the moment notion.
I have learned that by just doing it one at a time, I actually made progress & defeated my doubts. I remember there were times when I questioned if I was doing this half marathon training right because I didn’t see any improvement or many times when I just didn’t want to run because I didn’t “feel like it”. But I just did it anyway — I changed to my running outfit, put my running shoes on, strapped my phone onto my arm, put on my earphones (wireless is the way to go), and just started to jog slowly… Looking back, I believe these moments were actually the ones that made a real positive impact, not just for the sake of race training, but also to my own self character improvement.
All in all, I will do another half marathon in a heartbeat. In fact, I’m currently in the process of finding one for next year.
So should you do a half marathon? HELL YES.
As long as you keep your focus & dedication, it will be such a positive & enjoyable experience. And you don’t even need to be athletic to be able to succeed. Consistency, persistence, and pushing yourself are the keys.
I ended up losing some weight too along the way. Not much, but that wasn’t my original intention anyway, so it was definitely a nice bonus.
But the most important thing, I feel really good about myself after going through the whole experience — that I can push myself out of my comfort zone, that it has given me a boost of confidence, and that running becomes a healthy habit for me.
Good luck with your half marathon, and I would love to hear your stories! Remember, one step at a time.
