Half Marathon Challenge

Skipping the couch to 5k program

I decided to run a half marathon using a 16 week training program I found online.

Why this challenge?

In January of 2023, I was at one of the highest weights I had been. I was really into my work and so I was constantly at my desk, snacking and all. My desk job, followed by my other hobbies which included also sitting on my ass all day, meant that I was not getting much physical activity in.

I had just started going back to the gym in November 2022, but my eating habits remained unhealthy. Rather than changing my eating patterns, because I love food, I decided to look for a workout challenge that would help me lose weight.

I wanted to get 10k steps a day because I learned that this was going to be helpful with losing weight, especially for someone who is seated so much throughout the day. I started tracking that with my Apple Watch but quickly realized that getting 10K steps was not so easy with my current lifestyle.

I decided to try and get into running again to speed up the amount of time it would take to get 10k steps as I was still not interested in putting a large amount of my time towards my health. A friend of mine messaged me only a couple of weeks into my attempts (not knowing I was trying to get into shape at the time) and told me about a half marathon race that he wanted me to sign up for.

I had never ran that much in my life even when I felt like I was in great shape. So, running a half marathon felt out of reach. Regardless of my initial thoughts, I told him I would do it. No matter my size or feelings, if there is a challenge in the midst, I was not turning it down. I signed up for the half marathon, and paid the fee the following week.

The race was scheduled for May 30 and it was around mid February when I signed up for the race. So then started, the half marathon challenge.

The Challenge

The challenge was straight forward. I would be doing 3 short runs throughout the week, and then one long run every Sunday. Each week, the short runs would stay similar, but the long runs would increase by a mile.

Before you Begin

As always, I did my prep work before starting the challenge.

Clothes

I was doing the challenge February so it was extremely cold. I decided to buy some additional clothes so that I would not freeze to death outside or get sick from the rain. I also did not own a pair of running shoes so I purchased a pair of the Saucony 2’s (such an amazing shoe!).

Tracking

I wanted to be able to track my distance so I downloaded the Nike Run Club app. The app not only allows you to track your distance, but it also helps you track your speed per mile as well. It also showed you the route you ran which became extremely helpful for longer runs.

Timing

Running takes a lot of time when you are doing long distances. I decided to run the same time each morning around 6:30 am. Any day I missed, I had to make up for in the evenings to compensate.

Entertainment

To make running the long distances fun, I decided to download some audiobooks, podcasts, and try different music genres. This made the runs more enjoyable and I could focus on my breathing and whatever I was listening to and tune out the idea of checking my phone to see how much further I had left to run!

Thoughts After Completing the Challenge

I really enjoyed this challenge. I had been a runner in the past, but nothing as crazy as a half marathon — 7K max.

The challenge gave me something to look forward to each morning with my runs as I was not just running just for the challenge, I started trying to aim for a certain pace and the pursuit of that pace made it all the more challenging yet exciting.

I got through many albums, audiobooks, and many different podcasts that I never thought I would listen to. I found enjoyment in focusing on my breath and it almost felt like a form of meditation when I was running to ensure that I could stay balanced to reach the long distances I wanted to reach.

I also really enjoyed running around and exploring new areas of DC. I ran many different routes and saw many different scenic areas during my runs.

Moving Forward

Running was amazing. It helped me control my breathing, allowed me to lose some pounds in the process, and also gave me something to look forward to each morning.

It is not the best thing to do if you want to gain muscle for myself, but it is something that I could see myself doing whenever I feel like it.

The next running challenge I would like to pursue is a paced 5K where I really test my speed and aim to run at a 6min/mile pace (currently probably around an 8/9min pace).