When I first read The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod in February of 2023 I gawked at the thought of running everyday. For context, Hal writes about how moving your body in the morning helps 1. Keep you healthy and 2. Wakes your mind and body by increasing blood flow. Hal used running as his method of exercise in the morning, so I followed suit.

Living in Boston at the time, running outside didn’t even feel like an option with how cold the winters could get. But, I was dedicated to change my habits, and the only way to do so was by putting myself in uncomfortable situations. I started with 2 miles, and usually would never go above 3 for about a month. I hated running, but I did love the feeling of the idea of a healthier mind from the benefits of running.

Fast forward to this past Saturday. October 14, 2023 where I ran my first half-marathon. Even a month ago I didn’t think it was possible this soon in my running journey. For the purpose of this blog I want to focus on my run, splits, and my biggest lessons learned for when I run an official race.

https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xD05C0485dE86a302C3Ab52f38C480F104cDEb2E4/0

First, I want to share a list of excuses that come to mind that could’ve stopped me from running 13.1 yesterday. A list that would’ve given me a totally acceptable reason to quit.

1. Cold ~55 degrees and cloudy

2. Rain - It started raining on mile 3. I could’ve stopped after being wet and cold

3. Lack of sleep - I planned on being in bed at 10pm, but didn’t fall asleep until midnight and woke up feeling tired

4. Cramps - Cramping in my right hamstring hit in mile 7. Left hamstring during mile 9. Calves were feeling weak from mile 5 but didn’t cramp until mile 10.

   This equates to 6 miles (~50 min) of dealing with physical pain of cramps and mentally battling myself to keep running.

5. One headphone broken - One of my headphones broke and could only hear music in my left ear.

6. Not a real race - No one to appease but myself. I had no fans, no one with me to keep me pushing. I was only competing against myself. If I quit on mile 8 nobody would’ve known….

It’s cliche but the only way to train yourself for longer runs is by doing longer runs, but technique on how to do so was a huge lesson during this journey.

1. Run slow

   Go at a slow pace. Some people like to rush their runs, and therefore try to run super hard to get it out of the way. This is NOT sustainable. Enjoy your run, listen to music or a podcast and enjoy the time you get to yourself. It will be better if you get done with your run and you feel like you could’ve ran longer than feel like you need an oxygen tank (hint: there’s a little bit of reverse psychology in this method as well)

2. Marginally increase your distance

   If you run 2 miles comfortably, try to go for 2.5 or 3 once every 2 weeks. This will slowly get you comfortable with longer distances. Write down a distance that feels impossible and slowly work your way up to it. Celebrate small wins, and consistency.

As you can tell with the splits below that I started out very fast. Sub 8min/mile pace. Looking back at it, I was feeling great during these first few miles. However, you can tell after mile 6/7 I started to really slow down. My right hamstring cramped up terribly, but I was so determined to finish the 13.1 that I just had to slow my pace dramatically in order to keep moving. A lesson to keep tabs on for future races.

By mile 12 you can see my pace sped back up to a pace similar to my first 5 miles. I was in so much pain that I 1. Wanted to get done with my run and 2. wanted to finish strong. The mental strength I was able to prove to myself to get through miles 9-13.1 is something I look forward to build on in my future training.

Lastly, I was able to to keep my pace at 8:16/mile which was surprising to myself as I usually hover around 8min/mile when I do my usual “runs for fun.” To keep this pace when trying to achieve a milestone was a huge win for me.

subscriber-edition://0xD05C0485dE86a302C3Ab52f38C480F104cDEb2E4?tokenId=1&size=small

1. Start slower

   I was very excited to get past the finish line that I was in fact “hauling ass” at the beginning. Here’s how I plan to control my speed in the beginning of long runs:

   1. Be lighter on my feet by taking shorter strides. This will put less stress on my hamstrings and calves earlier in my runs and keep them fresher for those later miles. Pain is inevitable for such long distances, but the later the pain arises the longer distance you’ll be able to achieve.

   2. Reverse Pace: Do not let myself run below 8 min/mile pace. This could help me track the energy "I’m exerting in the moment

2. Sleep

   I made the mistake of doing this run on a Saturday morning as my roommate was going to a concert. So yes, I was kept up until about midnight with an alarm set for 6:30am. Not ideal, but no one to blame for myself as this was last minute. In the future I will make sure to get a longer and better sleep which will help my body feel fresher in the morning.

3. Pack electrolytes

   Part of my cramping was due to no fluids or snacks during my run. When I do sign up for a race I will definitely be packing a mix of electrolytes, and possibly a small snack like beef jerky to give my body the needed fuel to stay fresh in those later miles.

4. Preparing the body days in advance

   This 13.1 mile venture was a bit last minute. I decided to do it at about 4:30 pm the day prior, so my preparation was a bit last minute. I lifted twice on friday. Chest in the morning, then Biceps and Triceps that evening. So, my body wasn't well rested.

   I did eat a good dinner of ground chicken, vegetables, and sweet potatoes at around 8pm. Not too late but in the future I would even want this to be earlier so your body has more time to digest as this will help quality of sleep.

5. Importance of Breakfast

   I had an apple and peanut butter about 30 minutes before my run. I personally don’t like to stuff myself before working out, and especially before runs. But, in the future I think having a larger breakfast consisting of fruit, yogurt, and a light carb would help give my body the necessary energy.

I care more about achieving my own goals than doing it for the medal at a real race. I don’t say this often, but I’m extremely proud of myself today. Nobody can take this achievement away from me.

I don’t plan to stop running. I will let my body recover and enjoy shorter runs, but I’m looking forward to training my body correctly for a real race, where I can stay fresh, strong, and fast for 13.1 miles.

When I first read The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod in February of 2023 I gawked at the thought of running everyday. For context, Hal writes about how moving your body in the morning helps 1. Keep you healthy and 2. Wakes your mind and body by increasing blood flow. Hal used running as his method of exercise in the morning, so I followed suit.

Living in Boston at the time, running outside didn’t even feel like an option with how cold the winters could get. But, I was dedicated to change my habits, and the only way to do so was by putting myself in uncomfortable situations. I started with 2 miles, and usually would never go above 3 for about a month. I hated running, but I did love the feeling of the idea of a healthier mind from the benefits of running.

Fast forward to this past Saturday. October 14, 2023 where I ran my first half-marathon. Even a month ago I didn’t think it was possible this soon in my running journey. For the purpose of this blog I want to focus on my run, splits, and my biggest lessons learned for when I run an official race.

https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xD05C0485dE86a302C3Ab52f38C480F104cDEb2E4/0

First, I want to share a list of excuses that come to mind that could’ve stopped me from running 13.1 yesterday. A list that would’ve given me a totally acceptable reason to quit.

1. Cold ~55 degrees and cloudy

2. Rain - It started raining on mile 3. I could’ve stopped after being wet and cold

3. Lack of sleep - I planned on being in bed at 10pm, but didn’t fall asleep until midnight and woke up feeling tired

4. Cramps - Cramping in my right hamstring hit in mile 7. Left hamstring during mile 9. Calves were feeling weak from mile 5 but didn’t cramp until mile 10.

   This equates to 6 miles (~50 min) of dealing with physical pain of cramps and mentally battling myself to keep running.

5. One headphone broken - One of my headphones broke and could only hear music in my left ear.

6. Not a real race - No one to appease but myself. I had no fans, no one with me to keep me pushing. I was only competing against myself. If I quit on mile 8 nobody would’ve known….

It’s cliche but the only way to train yourself for longer runs is by doing longer runs, but technique on how to do so was a huge lesson during this journey.

1. Run slow

   Go at a slow pace. Some people like to rush their runs, and therefore try to run super hard to get it out of the way. This is NOT sustainable. Enjoy your run, listen to music or a podcast and enjoy the time you get to yourself. It will be better if you get done with your run and you feel like you could’ve ran longer than feel like you need an oxygen tank (hint: there’s a little bit of reverse psychology in this method as well)

2. Marginally increase your distance

   If you run 2 miles comfortably, try to go for 2.5 or 3 once every 2 weeks. This will slowly get you comfortable with longer distances. Write down a distance that feels impossible and slowly work your way up to it. Celebrate small wins, and consistency.

As you can tell with the splits below that I started out very fast. Sub 8min/mile pace. Looking back at it, I was feeling great during these first few miles. However, you can tell after mile 6/7 I started to really slow down. My right hamstring cramped up terribly, but I was so determined to finish the 13.1 that I just had to slow my pace dramatically in order to keep moving. A lesson to keep tabs on for future races.

By mile 12 you can see my pace sped back up to a pace similar to my first 5 miles. I was in so much pain that I 1. Wanted to get done with my run and 2. wanted to finish strong. The mental strength I was able to prove to myself to get through miles 9-13.1 is something I look forward to build on in my future training.

Lastly, I was able to to keep my pace at 8:16/mile which was surprising to myself as I usually hover around 8min/mile when I do my usual “runs for fun.” To keep this pace when trying to achieve a milestone was a huge win for me.

subscriber-edition://0xD05C0485dE86a302C3Ab52f38C480F104cDEb2E4?tokenId=1&size=small

1. Start slower

   I was very excited to get past the finish line that I was in fact “hauling ass” at the beginning. Here’s how I plan to control my speed in the beginning of long runs:

   1. Be lighter on my feet by taking shorter strides. This will put less stress on my hamstrings and calves earlier in my runs and keep them fresher for those later miles. Pain is inevitable for such long distances, but the later the pain arises the longer distance you’ll be able to achieve.

   2. Reverse Pace: Do not let myself run below 8 min/mile pace. This could help me track the energy "I’m exerting in the moment

2. Sleep

   I made the mistake of doing this run on a Saturday morning as my roommate was going to a concert. So yes, I was kept up until about midnight with an alarm set for 6:30am. Not ideal, but no one to blame for myself as this was last minute. In the future I will make sure to get a longer and better sleep which will help my body feel fresher in the morning.

3. Pack electrolytes

   Part of my cramping was due to no fluids or snacks during my run. When I do sign up for a race I will definitely be packing a mix of electrolytes, and possibly a small snack like beef jerky to give my body the needed fuel to stay fresh in those later miles.

4. Preparing the body days in advance

   This 13.1 mile venture was a bit last minute. I decided to do it at about 4:30 pm the day prior, so my preparation was a bit last minute. I lifted twice on friday. Chest in the morning, then Biceps and Triceps that evening. So, my body wasn't well rested.

   I did eat a good dinner of ground chicken, vegetables, and sweet potatoes at around 8pm. Not too late but in the future I would even want this to be earlier so your body has more time to digest as this will help quality of sleep.

5. Importance of Breakfast

   I had an apple and peanut butter about 30 minutes before my run. I personally don’t like to stuff myself before working out, and especially before runs. But, in the future I think having a larger breakfast consisting of fruit, yogurt, and a light carb would help give my body the necessary energy.

I care more about achieving my own goals than doing it for the medal at a real race. I don’t say this often, but I’m extremely proud of myself today. Nobody can take this achievement away from me.

I don’t plan to stop running. I will let my body recover and enjoy shorter runs, but I’m looking forward to training my body correctly for a real race, where I can stay fresh, strong, and fast for 13.1 miles.