Your first half marathon

There is a lot of advice online for those running their first marathon, but not much about your first half-marathon.

For me, a half marathon is the most favorite distance, which is why today I would like to share with you not only my experience but also my knowledge. I want you to remember your first half marathon as a fun experience. 

My experience.

I had been preparing to run a half marathon for a very long time; back then, there were no races where I lived, and I knew that I would run alone without support, and it would be a lot of laps in the park where I usually ran every day. It was a significant decision for me; at that time, I had been running for more than four years and decided I was ready for my first 13.1 miles. It was challenging to choose the perfect day. I remember that it was hot in summer, and there were many other activities I was involved. Then autumn came, and days got dark early; for our climate, it meant that winter was almost there. I did not have many days until the snow was going to cover my running trails, so one day in late October, I went for my usual four mile run and decided that today was the day, and I just ran my first half marathon that day. On the next day, winter came to the town. I was so proud of myself that I could run so many miles. Of course, this experience is not like the one I had when I ran my first official half marathon in the race. This experience is still part of my running story when the girl from a small town just ran her first half marathon in late October by herself without water, nutrition, and even proper athletic clothes. 

I learned later about many things which are supposed to make your races easier, but my first time was not a race, so I did not make any mistakes. Later, when I ran my first official half marathon race, I made all the mistakes you can imagine, and I want to point out that in my life, I have already run many half marathons and made mistakes not only at first. So, every race is a place where we can learn a lot about ourselves. You will learn about yourself during your running and racing life, but for now, I want to help you avoid the most common mistakes and enjoy your very first half marathon. 

Let’s talk about the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. I don’t need food. 

As I said earlier, a half marathon is very energy intensive, whether you run fast or slow. If you run fast, then a half marathon is the distance that almost all is mad at glycolysis, which means that the body needs fast energy; if you run for a long time, it takes a lot of time, and for this, the body also needs energy. In conclusion, you need food/energy/sugar to have a fun race, not a sad one.

2. I will not take food with me.

 If you do not want to take gels with you and use what race provides, this is not a bad strategy. In this case, you need to find out in advance which brand is using the race and try this brand during your usual runs before the race day. The main rule is not to eat or drink anything new during the race unless you want to spend it in the toilet.

3. I will buy new uniforms and shoes specifically for the race so that I will look good.

This is an excellent idea; everyone wants beautiful, memorable photos, but remember that the rule here is the same as about food: DO NOT TRY ANYTHING NEW DURING THE RACE. Be sure to try your new equipment before the race day. It is the best strategy to run in new shoes several times before the race. From my experience, only new socks can be exceptions. I recommend buying a new sock for the race, but only the same brand and size you already have. 

4. I’ll start running my race as fast as I can.

Pace planning for a half marathon must be done wisely. As I wrote earlier, a half marathon is a tricky distance. If you start too fast, you can spend all your energy too early.

If you know your PR for the 10k, then the pace for the half marathon should be a little slower. If you can calculate your approximate pace, try to start a little slower, and accelerate after 10 km. Let’s say I run 10 km in 40 minutes and 6.26 minutes per mile, which means that I can run a half marathon at about a pace of 6.46-57 minutes per kilometer, which is somewhere in 1.28-1.31. So, in general, you need to take your 10K race pace and add 15–30 seconds per mile. 

You can use your heart rate if you don’t know your race pace and have never run a 10k race. So it is better to stay below your threshold heart rate. You can find your zones in your watches apps or calculate them using information from the internet. It is always better to start your race slow and keep your HR low for the race’s first half. 

General tips. 

1. Knew the course. 

Most importantly, study the course profile to know where the ascent starts, how long it will be, and the same with the descents. Learn all the aid stations and consider if there are enough stations for you on the course or if you need to bring an extra water bottle. We are all different; someone runs very fast, so these people might need to bring a water bottle because they do not want to lost time at aid stations. Someone runs slower; in this case, people might need to bring a water bottle because it is not enough aid stations for them on a course. 

2. Do not overdress. 

It can be chilly in the mornings, but in most cases, you will warm up as you run. 

Fewer clothes and lighter clothes will help you not spend much energy on cooling down while running. I use two strategies. First, when it is chilly in the morning and getting warmer during the day. If it is your case, so take some warm layers to the start, which one you can donate at the start. Second, if it is chilly in the morning and during the day. In this case, I usually wear a light windbreaker that I can put into my shorts pocket or a running waist belt if needed.

3. Meals the day before the race. 

When we speak about food, it becomes super complicated because everything about food is very individual for every person. Most likely, other people’s experiences will not work for you, so it’s time to start collecting your experiences. 

Eating something before a race that will help load the body with carbohydrates, like pasta, is classic. I recommend, from my experience, avoiding white sauces and seafood with pasta. Eating pasta simply with tomatoes is best, especially in unfamiliar places. I don’t like to eat in the evening before race day, as I feel heavy in the morning, so my lunch the day before is usually no later than 3 pm.

4. Breakfasts. 

Some runners like drink coffee, and some don’t. Some runners like to eat a full breakfast, and some don’t. Breakfasts before races are something you will need to determine for yourself. A banana for breakfast and an electrolyte drink always work for me. Sometimes I can drink coffee, but usually only before ultras. Coffee makes my stomach very sensitive, and usually, it doesn’t work together with speed. 

5. Sleep before the race. 

Often on the night before a race, it is difficult to fall asleep. Because you can be too excited or anxious, or both. Therefore, it is essential to sleep well the night before the night before the race. If the race is on Sunday, try to get a good sleep from Friday to Saturday because it may be challenging to do it from Saturday to Sunday. When you can’t fall asleep the night before the start, you often start to worry that you can’t fall asleep, which only increases your anxiety. If you can’t sleep, relax. Anxiety about the quality of your sleep is not helpful this time at all. 

6. Explore new places. 

Often if we travel to a race in a new place, we want to explore the area before the race, we end up walking more than we would like, and our legs get exhausted. The day before the race, it is better to relax and spend it calmly, not to walk a lot.

7. Nutrition plan.

At the first time it can be complicated how much gels you need. You will figure it out during the time. I recommend take one every 30-45 minutes, before aid station because in most cases you will need water after you took a gel. 

Otherwise, the most important thing is to listen to your body. Don’t run through pain and injury. And learn to enjoy any race, even if it doesn’t go according to your plan. After all, the most important thing is that we all love running because running brings us happiness.