It's no secret: I wasn't exactly looking forward to my first half-marathon.
A week before the race in early October, I found out my best friend, who had signed up for the annual run in Oxford with me, needed to pull out due to work. The night before the race, I tossed and turned knowing that the challenge was no longer months or weeks ahead, but mere hours.
But on the morning of October 15, I joined more than 13,000 other people to run just over 13 miles. It was the first time I'd gone that distance. When I crossed the finish line, breathless and drenched in sweat, the reality sunk in — the race I'd spent 12 weeks training for was over. And I managed it in just over two hours, which was exactly what I'd been aiming for.
While I still think everyone should think twice before signing up for a long-distance race, I'm surprised to say I wouldn't rule out doing one again. That said, if I do, I'd keep in mind a few mistakes I made during training and the race itself as well as a couple of things I'm glad I did to set myself up for success.