{"id":53131,"date":"2008-01-01T23:55:32","date_gmt":"2008-01-02T05:55:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelhyatt.com\/?p=91"},"modified":"2008-01-01T23:55:32","modified_gmt":"2008-01-02T05:55:32","slug":"so-you-want-to-run-a-half-marathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/so-you-want-to-run-a-half-marathon\/","title":{"rendered":"So You Want to Run a Half Marathon?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Admittedly, I am a novice runner. I\u2019ve been running just a little over a year. So what could I possibly have to say about training for a half marathon? A couple of things.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of \u00a9iStockphoto.com\/amygdala_imagery<\/div>\n

For starters, my lack of experience is precisely what qualifies me to speak on the topic. When I got started, most of the advice I received was from veteran runners. They knew a lot about running\u2014as a veteran runner. But apparently they had forgotten what it was like to be a beginner. I still remember.<\/p>\n

Second, I am not your typically annoying, just-made-a-new-year\u2019s-resolution-and-want-to-enroll-all-my-friends-in-my-new-hobby kind of runner. I have had a year for the novelty to wear off. I\u2019m still annoying, but, hopefully, it\u2019s been tempered by some<\/em> experience.<\/p>\n

So if you\u2019re considering running in a half marathon, here\u2019s what I recommend:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Make a decision.<\/strong> This is where any journey begins. You have to decide<\/em> to do something different. No one can make this decision for you. Until you make the decision to lose weight, get in shape, or start exercising, nothing else will happen.<\/li>\n
  2. Sign-up for a race.<\/strong> This will give you a concrete goal. It makes the training relevant. It also puts a stake in the ground and says, \u201cI\u2019m going to do this.\u201d It might be a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon, or a full marathon. The important thing is to sign up. Once that happens, you are committed.<\/li>\n
  3. Go public with it.<\/strong> Once you tell your family, friends, and business associates, it\u2019s difficult to go back. The alternative is go forward and do what you said you were going to do. I did this last year on my blog, and it almost guaranteed that I would be successful. There was no way I was going to go back on my word.<\/li>\n
  4. Tie the decision to your identity.<\/strong> Some people say to themselves, \u201cI\u2019m just not a runner\u201d (or a jogger, or a walker). And because they chose to define themselves this way, their behavior follows. Something shifted in my own psyche when I started defining myself as a runner. I remember writing on my About page that \u201cI enjoy running.\u201d As a result, I actually started enjoying running. One of the great things about being human is that we get to define who we are what we will become. We don\u2019t have to let our own internal files\u2014or other\u2019s\u2014define us.<\/li>\n
  5. Buy some new running shoes.<\/strong> Numerous people have written to say that they have decided to take up running. Almost always, the very next sentence is that they have just bought a new pair of running shoes. I think investing<\/em> in yourself like this also makes it more difficult to turn back. You have something at stake. And, if you\u2019re like me, you like to try the new shoes out and see if they make a difference.<\/li>\n
  6. Adopt a strategy.<\/strong> I think it is virtually impossible to succeed without a plan. If you just get up in the morning without a plan, chances are, you\u2019ll do nothing. Instead, I try to plan out my running in order to get ready for the next race. The are wonderful resources on the Internet. MarathonRookie.com<\/a> is a fantastic resource. You might also want to read my previous articles<\/a> on running, exercise, and goal setting.<\/li>\n
  7. Plan the night before.<\/strong> I learned this tip from Bill Phillips, author of Body for Life<\/a><\/em>. It has been the key to my running success this past year. If you wait until the alarm clock goes off in the morning, you\u2019re hosed. Nine times out of ten, you\u2019ll roll over with a vague commitment to \u201crun tomorrow.\u201d However, if you know exactly how far you are going to run and how far, you have a much better chance of actually doing it.<\/li>\n
  8. Get started.<\/strong> The best way to start running is to … start running. There\u2019s no substitute for putting on your shoes and hitting the trail. I remember when I started running last year, the first few weeks were the most difficult. I was out of shape and sore. Sometimes, I couldn\u2019t wait to be through with my run. But after about six weeks, something happened. I actually started looking forward to running. I especially love how I feel immediately after running. In fact, my energy stays up for most of the day. But it all comes down to getting started.<\/li>\n
  9. Listen to your body.<\/strong> When I first started running, I actually walked most of the time. I only ran a little. Then, as I gained strength, I would run a little more. Eventually, I could run the whole time. (This is a method I learned from Jeff Galloway<\/a>.) But even now there are days when I have to walk part of the way. I just accept this as part of the journey. I listen to my body and work with it instead of against it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I contend that almost anyone can walk or run a half marathon with three to four months to prepare. (Amazingly, that\u2019s exactly how much time you have between now and the Big-D Texas Marathon & Half Marathon<\/a> in Dallas on April 6 and the Country Music Marathon & Half Marathon<\/a> in Nashville on April 26.) Forgot about setting records. Your first goal is just to finish\u2014and enjoy the experience. With these recommendations, you can do so.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Admittedly, I am a novice runner. I\u2019ve been running just a little over a year. So what could I possibly have to say about training for a half marathon? 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