What’s your favorite race distance?
Often times I get asked what my favorite race distance is. Most don’t realize, but this is a very hard question to answer; especially for someone who regularly races the 5k to the marathon. For years, I struggled with the half marathon distance. I ran my first half marathon while training for my first full marathon—I hated it! My first half was a flat course in Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ. Around mile 8 or 9, I started getting very tired and by mile 10 I was struggling. I ended up running a 1:45:46; I didn’t know how I would be able to race double that distance and it made me afraid for the marathon. Now, here I am 13 years later, over 20 minutes faster and feeling good (some of the time!)
What has changed? I learned to respect the half marathon distance, and learned to love it in the process! It took me YEARS to learn how to run a half marathon. All of my other races predicted much faster half marathon times, but I just couldn’t deliver. Finally, in 2010 I ran 2 half marathons (back-to-back weekends) and PR’d in both with times in the 1:33 range. I finally had the confidence I needed as a runner to perform in this distance. I was finally performing at the level expected of me, I thought I reached my peak…
Here I am, 7 years later and another 10 minutes faster. I realized it takes more than confidence to run a half marathon well. I learned that I need to pace myself in the beginning. Patience is truly a virtue when running this distance. It takes an extreme amount of willpower to run the first few miles slower than you are capable and watch your competition create space between you. This is where the confidence comes back in. You need to have the confidence to know that when it is time to pick up the pace, that you can progressively go faster and close the aforementioned gap. Once you make your move, you need to be confident that you can keep that pace — and then some — for the remainder of the race. With 13.1 miles to cover, this can be a very daunting task.
This past spring, I ran the smartest, fastest half marathon of my life, 1:23:23. I paced myself in the beginning, was confident in my ability and then switched it to a gear I didn’t know existed for me. This race made me love the half marathon. The half marathon is a beautiful distance. You get to experience many levels of racing if you run it smart. In the beginning you feel comfortable, almost too comfortable; you may even be able to have a conversation. This pace allows you to take in the sights and sounds around you, allowing you to enjoy the race. During the middle, you may start going faster and feel more confident. At the end — if you’re lucky — you can get into that gear you didn’t know you had. This is when the “race” starts. This is where you get into “the hurt” and give it everything you have left. Before the Scranton Half Marathon this past spring, the race director very cornily said, “You’re just running a 5k with a 10 mile warm up.” Once I approached the 10 mile mark of that race, I thought about what the race director said and this is where I really switched gears. I gave it my all for those last 3.1 miles. In the words of John Mellencamp, “it hurt so good!”
Yesterday, I was tasked with running another half marathon. My last half marathon in May was an embarrassing display of going out too fast on untrained legs. Yesterday, I was presented with less than ideal, humid conditions. I changed my race plan almost every day leading up to the race, including the moments before the gun went off. I was not trying for a PR. My goal half is in 3 weeks, so the PR can wait until early October when I’m ready. Yesterday, I respected the distance while being mindful of the weather and my competition. I started slow. I picked up my pace in the next mile and kept it decently consistent for the remainder of the race. I experienced many runners “in the hurt” during the middle miles resulting from going out too fast on a humid day. I was happy to go out smart and finish faster than my goal time. All in all it was a good day at the races.
Getting back to my original question, “what is your favorite race distance?” At this moment in my life, I really do like the half marathon distance. It is a race that you need to train for, you need to be fast, smart, confident and patient all at the same time. It is easy to mess up this race by going out too fast. Weather conditions, can also take a huge toll when racing this distance. It may have taken me 13 years, but I have finally learned to love this 13.1 mile distance!
