Another 13.1 in the books

Malibu Moves

I completed my second half marathon! And I did it in two hours and 15 minutes which is comparable to my first half marathon. So I’m neither slower or faster. The Malibu Moves half marathon (along with the 10K & 5K) support wildfire and disaster relief, a cause I wanted to support after we experienced pretty devastating fires here in LA this year.

Here’s what I learned about myself while training and completing this half marathon.

• Training: For my first half marathon, I was nervous and thought that I needed at least 5 months to train. However, I couldn’t run for several months after I finished because I was completely burnt out. This time around, I trained for 3 months, and don’t feel worn out at all. Training is everything, but over-pushing your body takes a major toll.

• Nutrition: Running 13.1 miles can be grueling on your body. Nutrition can either help fuel you or hurt you. I stuck to a pretty structured diet filled with protein and lots of vegetables. Personally, I have a hard time eating 3 big meals a day, so I had to pack in the protein during my 2 primary meal times. Additionally, I kept alcohol at bay so I didn’t experience any major setbacks (i.e debilitating hangovers).

• Cross-training: I supplemented my run training with HIIT and pilates classes with some yoga sprinkled in. Running longer distances can lead to muscle loss. Keeping up with my muscle strength, especially in the lower body, was key for me to break that 13 mile marker. I did a lot of weighted glute bridges, deadlifts, and lagree pilates to help keep my body strong. Also, fun fact - lower body strength equals longevity.

Overall, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of completing a tough race. The euphoria you feel is so energizing, and you really feel like you can do anything. I’m already starting to think about my next half marathon, and maybe I’ll even run a full.