My Journey to the 2013 Gold Coast Half Marathon

I started training for the half marathon 12 weeks out from the race. I used Run With Life's 12 Week Half Marathon training plan. I built on the momentum of getting my PB at Run for the Kids and kept up my long runs weekly until it was time for my plan to begin.  

I felt abit apprehensive and nervous about the training, I knew I'd be stepping out of my comfort zone completely, doing longer runs that I'd ever done before, keeping my nutrition in check and making sure I followed a plan correctly.


Looking back now, training was the most enjoyable part of it all! Of course race day was fantastic and the relief and elation I felt after finally achieving my goal was great but being a very structured, organised person, I absolutely loved following the plan and seeing myself improve each week - nothing motivates more than results!
My training was made so much more fun as my plan included running crew sessions so I was constantly in a social environment with other runners who motivated and challenged me. There was one lady in particular who is in our running crew who competes in triathlons and did her first Ironman last year - she was especially motivating for me and our running was at a similar level so we'd often have abit of friendly competition during the sessions. She definitely helped push me that bit harder.
I was also very lucky to able to get regular advice and feedback from crew the coaches; Mel and Bec - both who have completed many half marathons and run full marathons - small things you might not think about like what worked for them in terms of what to use for fuel during the race, small tips to improve my technique, aid recovery after a long or intense run etc.

Even my long runs would start off with the crew on a Saturday morning and I would continue on if I was required to run for longer - this made getting up early on the weekends for 1 hour + runs that much easier, I never missed a session.

Training never got tedious or boring and I never felt I was over training as the plan included a maximum of 3 running days per week mixed with strength training, correct nutrition and sufficient rest time. I know my outlook on nutrition completely changed - I was eating to fuel my body for my runs, no longer for enjoyment or based on emotions. It feels great to have let go of some of those demons which still haunted me. Correct nutrition in turn meant I was seeing the results I wanted in my running and also saw results in my body composition - big bonus!

As much as I loved the training, there was sometimes when it pretty much sucked as well! Running in winter is difficult at the best of times - freezing cold mornings, running in the dark, 2 hour runs in POURING rain with shoes filled with water and rain in your eyes...sound like fun? I wouldn't change those experiences for the world though because they made me so much stronger mentally and I guess physically too. Not such a princess when it comes to rain now, that's for sure!

I totally sucked at stretching and foam rolling/regular massages, I know I'm not alone there but I well and truly learnt my lesson there, I felt the consequences of it in the latter weeks of training, pulling up with super tight calves after every run - I was constantly epsom salt-bathing, icing, popping magnesium and ended up getting compression socks which I wore on race day. But more about race day in my next post!

So that's about the gist of my experience of training for my first half marathon. Love, love, LOVED it! And getting ready to do it all again - I've just registered for the half marathon at the Melbourne Marathon Festival. Can't wait!