Half Way There!
02/03/2026 in Running Posts
Over the past few days I have been asked by a few readers to write an article providing tips based on my experiences in half marathons. So get your pencils out and be ready to take notes because the half marathon is the best race out there and here’s why:
- You don’t need the lengthy recovery time as you would in a full marathon.
- Your long training run is only 10 miles.
- It’s the most bang for your buck. The average half marathon is $55 and you get to run for 13.1 miles of fun.
- There is a medal waiting for you at the finish line.
- And most importantly, many half marathons serve beer at the end.
Yes, it’s my favorite distance. The finish medals are fun but placing in a half marathon is quite another story. I competed in 10 half marathons during 2011, placed twice and came close a few times. Too many runners over train and arrive at the starting line all banged up. Obviously this is not an ideal situation and you must trust yourself enough to know that
completing a ten mile training run very slowly is enough to accomplish your goal in this race. Diet is everything leading up to the big day. Eat sensibly the night before just as if you were not racing at all. But load up on carbs and they will be sitting in your stomach the next morning. Carbohydrate intake IS important immediately before and during the race. I like to chew a couple Clif Shot Blocks with some G2 Gatorade thirty minutes before I start then resort to gels at miles 3, 6, 9 and 11. Try to drink diet sports drinks before a race because the regular versions are very thick and can make you nauseous when mixed with gels or Shot Blocks. I found this out the hard way and had to buy new shoes the next day.
When you hear that gun go off to begin the race, start out slightly slower than you think you should. Try to enjoy the first couple miles, listen to music and hopefully take in the scenery, knowing that in an hour you’re going to want to cram some spectator’s cowbell somewhere only a doctor can retrieve it. If this is your first half marathon you need to set your goal very low. FINISH the race. That’s all. Nothing more. This is new territory and a learning experience the first few times.
Hydration is VERY important. I can not stress this enough. Suppose you feel you don’t need any water at the first aid station. Drink it anyway. Once you start to get thirsty or dehydrated, it is most likely too late and you will suffer all the way to the finish, if you make it. Every station should be used to hydrate and walk for a short time. WALK? Yes, I said walk. As a wise man once said, “It’s better to get the water IN you than ON you.” If you must trot a little when you are drinking, fold the cup together at the top in order to create a sippy cup. This will allow a small opening to drink water without splashing it all over you. In an effort to recover lost time, I pick up my pace when I spot a water station. If I can maintain my 10k pace once my target is in view, it’s easier to offset the time I spend walking, drinking and recovering. It also doesn’t hurt to pour a cup of water over your head each time to keep yourself cool. Most races are well stocked and you will not be depriving others of precious H2O.
Mile ten is the toughest stretch for most half marathoner’s . The remaining 5k seems as though it should be a 
walk in the park but it is usually the longest 3 miles of my life. This is when your mental might can bring you to the finish by playing tricks in your head. Tell yourself that you deserve a walk break if you just make it to mile 11. There is usually an aid station there, but if there is no aid station, keep running and make the same deal when addressing mile 12. At that point I can assure you that you will not want to stop. ”It’s only one more mile to the end” you tell yourself and before you know it, you spot that magnificent finish line filled with balloons, reporters and a ticker tape parade just for you. Well, maybe not, but it sure will feel like it. Congratulations.
In my observation over the years I have noticed that there are two primary catagories of runners. There are veterans who started as far back as middle school and continue to “run like the wind”. Some have grown older or had injuries, but they still manage to drag themselves out of bed at 4 a.m. and start down that “all too familiar” route. If you are one of these people I give you my wholehearted respect. Then there are the rest of us that comprise the majority. We have come from places in our lives we are constantly in the process of trying to purge from our self perceptions. It seems with every step that hits the ground we are leaving a part of us, that we would prefer to forget completely, even farther in the distance. Some of us had terrible habits while others battled their weight much of their lives. Mom is trying
to regain her fitness level after having children and the awkward kid in high school is older now, but found a sport where he can take pride in his efforts. Even some that have succeeded and become indistinguishable from the lifetime runners. No matter if you are the aforementioned veteran or the majority I speak of, there is one glaring similarity that can not go unnoticed. This is character. You have all found the ability to do the things people said you couldn’t do. But more importantly, the knowledge that you broke through barriers that you may have thought were unattainable. The veteran is pushing that extra 10% and feeling like his stomach is going to stage a very embarrassing protest at the finish line. The newbie has finally abandoned the poor choices and decided t
o take personal responsibility for his health and appearance. From winner to last place, this strength becomes incorporated into our very being as we face everyday challenges. There will always be setbacks and obstacles, but the important thing is that we stay focused and take another step forward. It doesn’t matter where you are on that metaphorical road to a healthier life or trying to be the overall winner of the race, we have all built character in times of weakness through running. So I say to you all, keep pushing forward, keep focused and keep evolving.
1. “The Abominable Snowman” - This winter you are going to see people that run in the standard light jacket and tights combination. Then there are the runners that apparently fear the cold so badly that they wear enough layers not only to shelter them from it, but also to protect them from any passing Buick that carelessly meanders off the road into their path. Is this really running? I thought the whole point was to warm up while you were running rather than looking like you are taking “One small step for man”.
3. “The Blankman” - These are the men and women that dress in racing outfits that look so much like superhero suits that they probably didn’t register for the race with their true identity. I love racing with these people because I know that if a group of street toughs tries to mug me in the middle of mile 2, the poor man’s X Men will be there to save me. If only these people had super speed. Much of the time these are the same people that inspired the saying used by this blog, “It’s not how fast you are, it’s how fast you look.” So, the next time you run across Spider-man’s velocity challenged little brother, fear not! He probably just looks faster than you.
5. “The Halloweenie” - I have to say I really don’t have a problem with people who feel the need to dress up in crazy costumes and run a race. If you want to run 26.2 miles dressed as the Eiffel Tower, you’re a better man than I.
