I did it! It took just shy of 3 hours (2:52) but I finished the half-marathon. Even better, I felt amazing during the run. It was so nice to run on dry pavement, with no worries about slipping or sliding in snow. The weather was perfect - not too hot (although it was starting to warm up towards the end) with a light breeze just when it was needed. And the scenery was amazing. The hardest part of the course had us running uphill, towards the mountains. While the uphill was tough, I took it slow and enjoyed the view.
I was glad the run went so well because my training didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped. I've never been one for winter outdoor running, so that was an adjustment for me. We've had some really cold days which made it hard to fit in the long runs. I didn't go into this feeling as prepared as I normally do. My goal was to bring it in under 3 hours. Some people go for a personal best (PB) but I'm just as good with not having a PW (personal worst). And I achieved that, so hurray! Slow and steady doesn't necessarily win the race but with persistence you can cross that finish line.
My biggest lesson from this run: I will never again complain about a summer run! I'm going to appreciate every nice day I get to run without spikes or layers of wool.
*This was one of the many signs people had posted along the way. My other favourites: Run faster - I just farted. Good job, total stranger! This seemed like a good idea four months ago, didn't it?
I was glad the run went so well because my training didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped. I've never been one for winter outdoor running, so that was an adjustment for me. We've had some really cold days which made it hard to fit in the long runs. I didn't go into this feeling as prepared as I normally do. My goal was to bring it in under 3 hours. Some people go for a personal best (PB) but I'm just as good with not having a PW (personal worst). And I achieved that, so hurray! Slow and steady doesn't necessarily win the race but with persistence you can cross that finish line.
My biggest lesson from this run: I will never again complain about a summer run! I'm going to appreciate every nice day I get to run without spikes or layers of wool.
*This was one of the many signs people had posted along the way. My other favourites: Run faster - I just farted. Good job, total stranger! This seemed like a good idea four months ago, didn't it?