I mentioned in December that I started training for my first half-marathon.
Invited by a couple of good friends, I accepted the challenge and decided to prove myself I could run faster and longer than my usual (exigent?) routine. So I undertook three months of self-managed training to arrive well-prepared to the race day. To be fair, my good friend Rafa (in the picture with me, on the right, he's the real runner) has been sharing some great training tips to step up my game.
It has been such an amazing set of emotions, training days and magical experience on the race day that I want to share it with you, see if it resonates (if you are a runner) or if I can create a sparkle to let you try in the future.
Commitment
It's true, half marathons are challenging and require dedication. But the "suffering" is outweighed by the immense satisfaction and numerous benefits that come with running this distance.
Is this type of race for you? Let me ask you this questions:
=> Are you keen to push your limits somehow and prove your mental and physical strength to yourself?
=> Do you want to improve your cardiovascular health, endurance, immune system and overall fitness?
=> Do you need to de-stress, clear your head, improve your mood and develop meditative focus?
=> Are you curious to start a journey of self-discovery, while increasing perseverance, discipline and mental fortitude?
If you answer yes to one or more, then you are ready to commit to the race day. It's about achieving goals, improving health and experiencing the joy of pushing your limits.
Pick date and location and register for your race. Check this calendar out to book your next race if interested!
Training
A well-structured training routine is your roadmap to success (and to avoid major health issues due to excessive efforts under dynamic stress, if unprepared).
What I have done:
I assessed my starting point: I was used to run twice a week by only 5/8km, and fast (4mins 30 secs per kilometer), not keen to do large distances because of knee and back problems
I made a plan, as I had to work on stretching my distance:
train for 12 weeks, running twice a week (people suggest to run 3/4 times a week but I both back issues and limited time to commit with the start-up, small kids and a back-problem)
increase Sunday runs to 12km, then 15km, then 18km then 21km over time (suggested by Rafa => stretch distance once or twice a week, normal to slow speed)
dedicate my mid-week run to shorter distances (as I was used to), but splitting the training in two parts: one fast 5km, and short 300/500m stretches at max speed (like 3:00mins/km) (=> speed work also suggested by Rafa)
more details on the training plan here; consider consulting a certified running coach for a personalized plan tailored to your needs and fitness level
I set my goal: finish the race with no injuries, and below 5mins 30secs/km average speed
Building my routine
I love running. It is a type of meditation for me: it is my space and my time to mentally relax (despite the efforts). I go with music and enjoy the scenery (and the emotional journey to my target).
Maybe it is the same for you, or maybe you do not really enjoy running but "you have to do it" to burn those excess calories or stay fit.
Here's the only rule I follow: I have to show up for my training: I put an alarm in my calendar and I go at the time I have decided no matter what. No excuses, no seeking inspiration, no waiting for the sun or perfect weather. I just decided I had to go training in those specific days and I went.
Gear
I used the HOKA Mach-X for training (back in the picture below) and the HOKA Rocket X2 (front) with a carbon plate for the race day.
I have been a Nike guys for years: the race-day Vaporfly is amazing, but this second version of Hoka Rocket is just there at the same level (top of the top) and more stable, while the Mach-X for training is superior to the Nike Pegasus or similar.
Feelings & emotions
The experience of preparing for, and then running, a half marathon is a roller-coaster of emotions and physical sensations. Here's my journey:
Training =>
Hard and long. Sometimes I felt great and some others I felt unprepared, tired and slow.
I had runs going from 4m 11sec per km for short runs (5km) and I was doing from 4:50 to 5:13 for longer stretches
I trained once under 32 C degrees and high humidity and I was about to collapse.
Solution: show up and train more, with no complaints.
The day before the race =>
Nerves and Excitement: in the hours leading up to the race, I felt a mix of nervousness (did I train enough? will I make it?) and excitement (I'm actually doing this!). Self-doubt is classic. But I also knew I was about to go into an epic day.
I went to bed early and organized my diet more mindfully than usual, with carbs before going to sleep. You will find many websites suggesting what to eat the day before. Do your own research and see what you may like, with just one fixed rule: have carbs.
I went to sleep early, much earlier than usual, and I could sleep well despite the excitement
Race Day =>
The race was in my city, Madrid. Iwoke up early, had a nice breakfast with fruit, yogurt and oatmeal, but also a half-bagel with avocado
I stretched, had a coffee and got ready. So exciting!
I got the the starting point with Rafa and two other friends, Ramiro and Luis. With 23.000 racers, you can imagine the atmosphere was electric. Adrenaline.
The Run =>
Rafa and I decided what strategy to implement: go faster first, then slow down with fatigue? Or run steady? We decided (=Rafa's wise experience) to go steady and hit the 5mins per km as our race average.
Consider that Rafa can do a marathon close to 4mins per km so that average speed was really for ME to cope with the effort :D
START!
We start running with so many people. Music, cheers, a big Avenue of Madrid all for us. Beautiful!
I and we all felt strong and energized in the beginning, enjoying the cheers of the crowd and the camaraderie with other runners. There is a bit of traffic to manage. As you never know what happens in life in general, somehow my Iphone smashed on the floor after a few hundred meters and got broken completely. No music for me during the race then (I had such a nice playlist ready). Ouch.
As we hit the middle section (after km 10), some fatigue started to set in. This is where training feels very useful: I stopped any self-doubt and decided that I knew I could do many more kilometers.
My kids and my wife came to see me and showed up with a sign saying "Go Nico", I loved it
Later: km 15/16 are probably the hardest, and we had to go up on a hill. Gosh, so hard. But you know what? My broken Iphone has been a blessing. We could chat with Rafa throughout the race and that made me much more present, much more open to enjoy the surroundings and much more keen to fight back the fatigue without any surprise. You know what? No more music for me during race days.
Final push: at km 20 the energy is gone (for me at least) but I wanted to keep up the pace. Until I really struggled to stay focused and I was about to slow-down, if it wasn't for Rafa keeping the right speed and pulling me ahead. There were so many people down on the floor at that point, unable to continue (or even with ambulances and oxygen => do your training well to stay fit!
As I saw the finish line in sight, I got a second wind of energy and determination to push through any remaining fatigue. Crossing the finish line is an incredible feeling of accomplishment and euphoria. All the hard work of training pays off in that moment.
Post-race =>
I finished with 1h 45mins and 19secs, what an achievement vs my own objective!!
this means that we kept the exact 5m 00secs speed per km, like a Swiss watch
In reality, we ended up running slightly more than the 21.097 meters of the half-marathon (as you go right and left during the race to avoid other runners) - and 21.3 km to be precise - so our speed was 4mins 57secs for the pure 21km, great
The sense of accomplishment is quite unique. What a nice feeling. My kids and wife came to hug me.
Big hug with Rafa too, we had such a nice chat and productive management of mental and physical effort - thank you my friend!
By the way, my legs were hard like stones and very sore hehe.
My take
It has been a great accomplishment for me. The end of the race is the culmination of months of relentless training and pushing my body to the limit. The emotions are a powerful mix of euphoria, pride, joy, pain, relief, gratitude. The experience left me with a newfound belief in my own potential. So I am ready to do more and will try to get as close as possible to the time of 1h and 40mins at the next round.
Berlin? Boston ? Valencia? New York? We shall see.
Thanks for reading so far and share your own thoughts with me: nico@pantar.ai
