Things I learned from my third half marathon…

So many thoughts go through my mind during and just after a 13.1 run. What started as fun post after my first half marathon, I have now done one of these after each one. I can’t stop now! Here goes…. And if you missed my post yesterday, here is my race recap…

• Your third half marathon is every bit as exciting as your first and second half marathons.

• You will find a strength in you that you forget exists. You can go much farther than you think you can. For me, a half marathon is every bit mental as it is physical.

• You don’t care that you have to get up at 3:45am to eat breakfast and get ready.

• You will park a mile away (maybe even more!) to find a parking spot that will be easy to get out of afterwards.

• Despite having run the same course before, there is nothing boring about it.

• When a friend is running her first marathon, you remember exactly how your first one felt and you enjoy sharing their excitement.

• When you keep ahead of the 3:00 pace group for most of the way, you feel like a rock star. When they pass you and you just cannot catch back up to them, you feel defeated but keep moving onward the best you can.

• When you think you can’t go one more mile, you can and DO.

• You run your own race. You don’t worry about how fast you’re going compared to anyone else (except the pace group once they pass you….) and you know that you’re not in it to beat anyone, except that voice in your head.

• You will forever remember your exact finish time for your previous half marathons and will analyze your times during your run.

• First half marathon or third half marathon, the sense of accomplishment you feel when you finish is like no other.

• You will cry. You can’t help it, the tears will flow, and you just let it happen.

• Making a half marathon playlist will be the best decision ever. I highly recommend it.

• You know that no matter how much it hurts, you can fight your way through and cross that finish line a winner, no matter what your time is. Even after your done, the pain is outweighed by the thought of doing it again!

• You will love your third half marathon medal just as much as your first.

• You are already thinking about your fourth half marathon which is in 2 months and your fifth half marathon which is 9 months.

• When other people look at you like you’re nuts for doing not one, but three half marathons in one year, you just smile.

• Only you know the exact feeling of beating your previous time for the same race by a little over 8 minutes. And although you momentarily beat yourself up for not finishing just 3 minutes sooner, you remember what a great job you did and that you have a new PR!

• You know that whatever it is you are running for, is just as bit as important as why everyone else out there is running.

• You dream of traveling to do another Rock N’ roll event in the same year to earn that Rock Encore medal. If only…

• Things I learned from my first half marathon
• Things I learned from my second half marathon

Share your favorite memory from a half marathon or race!