Four weeks after achieving a major milestone—running my first sub-20-minute 5K and beating my younger brother in the process—I found myself making an impulsive decision. On a whim, I decided to run my first half marathon. At the time, I didn’t have a training plan, and the longest run I had ever completed was just 8 miles. However, I was in peak physical condition, averaging around 20 miles per week, and feeling confident. How hard could it be to run 13.1 miles in a race environment?
A Last-Minute Decision
I had been sharing my newfound passion for running with my co-workers, proudly recounting my recent success in the 5K, when one of them suggested that I sign up for a local half marathon happening that Saturday. It was already Thursday, which meant I had virtually no time to prepare. Still, the idea intrigued me. Maybe I was a long-distance runner after all. Without hesitation, I signed up and started thinking about my race strategy.
Setting My First Half Marathon Goal
At that point, I hadn’t discovered online race predictor calculators—something I now use regularly and will discuss in a future post—but I did have some training benchmarks to consider. My recent 5K time was 19:49, meaning I had averaged a 6:24 per mile pace. I had a consistent training base of 20 to 25 miles per week and had recently completed an 8-mile training run in 60 minutes (7:30 per mile). Based on these numbers, I estimated that I could maintain sub-8-minute miles for a half marathon. That put me at a goal time of 1 hour and 45 minutes, which seemed like a nice, round target.
Race Day in St. Charles
My co-worker had the same goal time, so we met on race morning in St. Charles, Illinois, on June 6, 2004. St. Charles is an affluent suburb about 40 miles west of Chicago, nestled in the Fox River Valley. The course was point-to-point, starting on the east side of town at a local mall and finishing on the west side, meaning we would have to climb out of the valley in the second half of the race. The elevation difference was about 100 feet—the equivalent of running up a ten-story building. Not an ideal situation for a first-time half marathoner with little to no preparation!
Pacing and Execution
As the race began, my co-worker stuck with me for about half a mile before falling behind. Since this was before I owned a Garmin running watch, I relied on the mile markers to gauge my pace. Unfortunately, I don’t have my exact mile splits, but I do know that every mile was under 8 minutes, and I never felt like I was pushing too hard. Since this was my first half marathon, I focused on enjoying the experience rather than pushing for an all-out effort.
The toughest part came in the second half of the race, as we climbed out of the river valley. Despite the uphill challenge, I managed to maintain my pace. The best part? After reaching the highest elevation point around mile 12, the final mile took us back downhill toward the finish in downtown St. Charles. That last stretch made for a fast and exhilarating finish!
Crossing the Finish Line
I crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 41 minutes, and 37 seconds, averaging 7:45 per mile—well ahead of my 1:45 goal. I was ecstatic! At that moment, I knew I was a long-distance runner. The experience left me hungry for more, and soon after, I signed up for another half marathon in September. This time, I found a 12-week training plan from Runner’s World and committed to improving my time.
Looking Back at my First Half Marathon
This race was a defining moment in my running journey. It taught me that with dedication, natural fitness, and a little courage, we are capable of more than we realize. I’ve since run many more half marathons (and full marathons), but this first experience remains special. If you’re considering taking on your first half marathon—whether planned or on a whim—just go for it. You might surprise yourself!
Stay tuned for more insights on race predictor tools, training plans, and lessons learned along the way!
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