This is (yet another) follow up post from my half marathon. Yes, like everyone else I feel the urge to analyse my half marathon experience, as much for myself as for others.

Here goes!

Things I learnt from a half-marathon

1. It’s honestly more mental than physical. Sometimes all I had to do was tell myself “Yes you ARE going to run another ten kms” to discover it was possible.

2. There’s more to running than just running. Eating, shoes, etc. It all takes time and thought.

3. You have to be organised. If you don’t plan to run the week will get the better of you and you won’t run

4. It takes up time. Not just time running, but prepping, changing, stretching, dealing with aching legs the rest of the day “Hmmm, 10pm. What can I tick off my to do list?

5. There will be a lot of opportunities to quit. Sore legs, aches and pains, family members in hospital, shift work, bad weather, sickness, you name it and it will happen in the months before your race.

6. They say eating after a half is fun. Ha. Ha. Everything I ate afterwards for most of the day just tasted weird and not enjoyable

7. It’s so much fun to finally run with people when you’ve been training alone

8. You realise how crazy people are. I spent the first 7km laughing at all these running-obsessed people… until I became one in lap 2.

9. Running is fun. Starting running may not be. Finishing may not be… but the actual running, is.

10. There are more important things in life, but being able to run is a gift. I’m so glad I could use it!