Every runner is unique!!!
A short surf on the web will leave you with an abundance of noise and confusion. “This is the perfect way to run”, “land on your mid-foot for the best results”, “try to maintain neutral pronation at all times”, “shoulders back, head up and you’re good to go”. But you’re probably already familiar with this. What you may be less familiar with is the notion that there is no single “right” way to run. Every single runner, every single run and every single step – is unique.
Knowledge is power. And so is knowing that you are unique, and so is everybody else. Use this to motivate yourself. Not compare yourselves with others. Only you know your body. To what degree is the determining factor of whether you will ever wield its full potential.
Running a half marathon tests your mental strength as much as it does your physical fitness. Each part of the race has its own mental challenges, so you need to be ready for the head games that you might play with yourself as your body begins to tire.
March 19th 2023. It’s here. Today is the day. I had my outfit picked out, shoes ready to be tied, and my watch charged. I was feeling so many things. Kind of dazed, a little anxious and not so well that I was actually up and standing in the cold at 7:00am but also full of built up adrenaline.
The beginning was good. A little crowded which made it hard to navigate but I started out a bit slower than I expected. The first 10km went as planned, having steady pace in every kilometer. I was pleased and ready to achieve my goal (running a half marathon in 2 hours) but at the 11th km it's where the unexpected happened...I hit the wall. I am sure everyone heard of this phrase at some point. This is where the real race began. I had to think and remind myself a few times to put one foot in front of the other. I had to keep going, this is what I taught myself to do. Breathing deeply and making sure my posture was decent was a good distraction. Taking an isotonic gel mid-race full of carbohydrates also helped.
Sometimes it can feel like the path towards our goal is never ending. Always remember that anything worth doing is most likely difficult, and will probably take some time. Learn to enjoy the journey, and don’t let the success of others around you bring you down. We all hit a point where we think about giving up. In fact, it can happen many times over the course of a lifetime. Feelings of wanting to give up don’t equate to weakness or the inability to achieve a goal; they are totally normal. Remember what we said earlier: anything worth doing is difficult.
Look at it this way-just because you get down on yourself from time to time doesn’t mean you don’t have what it takes, it just means you’re human.
One of the most important things you can ever know on your path towards your goal is that failure only occurs if you allow it. In other words, failure can never exist unless we create it for ourselves. Mistakes aren’t failure, detours aren’t failure, feelings of giving up aren’t failure, taking longer than others to achieve your goal isn’t failure. Failure is only when you completely give up on something that means a lot to you, and turn your back on it forever. Failure is a choice.
Now I am extremely proud to say that I have finished my third half marathon race (21,1km) with a new PB: 2:09:57 (avg. pace 06:09).
Even though my dream has not come to reality YET (completing it under 2 hours) I feel accomplished...it's okay, I loved every second of the journey. The people cheering around, the coastal route, the runner's high...every detail of this unique day and experience. With hard work and determination we can achieve anything we set our minds to. One day our dreams will come true. Just be patient...and WORK HARD.
"Only the disciplined ones in life are free. If you're undisciplined, you're a slave to your moods and passions".
-Eliud Kipchoge-
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