This past weekend I ran the Richmond Half-Marathon. This was my first half-marathon. Thirteen miles always seemed like a daunting feat. With temperatures in the mid-30s and not a cloud in the sky, this past Saturday was the epitome of an ideal running day.

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Reason # 1: Once you get warmed up and your blood is pumping, this time of the year has perfect running weather.

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The race started at the intersection of Seventh and Broad Street. For those who aren’t familiar with Richmond, like myself, this is a long boulevard type street that stretches on for miles and is dotted with local restaurants and businesses. The atmosphere of the start line was jubilant. With adrenaline rushing through everybody’s veins, 34 degrees felt sunny and 75.

 

I was surrounded by thousands of other running enthusiasts. Being that I was in wave “E”, I was the fifth group to start the run. By the time I started the race, I had already met at least five people who were running their first half-marathon as well! This was reassuring. We wished each other luck and began at 7:40 a.m. This experience had already felt surreal.

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Reason # 2: This is “America’s Friendliest Marathon.” This is no joke. It is literally advertised on their website.

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It never occurred to me how real the concept of ‘race day adrenaline’ is. But, coming from a family of runners, they always emphasized that this would get me through the hardest parts of any race. Maybe this justifies why the first 4 miles flew by; but I was having the time of my life. Combined with the fact that there were so many upbeat runners who were willing to strike up conversations about pretty much anything. By mile five, I was still smiling ear to ear.

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Reason # 3: The distance is challenging, but very manageable once the adrenaline kicks in.

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At mile five and a half, you enter Bryan Park. This part of the run was the most challenging. It consisted of more hills than I had faced on this course thus far (still easier than training in Harrisonburg), as you’re pretty much just looping through this wooded park for 3 miles.

 

The hills were insane. Right when you thought you were about to hit the main road again, the trail would loop and you would be faced with yet another looming hill. To my luck, my (already fire) running playlist hooked me up with “Hangin’ Around” by the Counting Crows, and I was able to muster up enough energy to push my legs out of Bryan Park.

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Word of advice: hook yourself up with a fire playlist. You will thank yourself.

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Reason # 4: This course is diverse and each part offers different scenery. In other words, it’s pretty hard to get bored.

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Still curious? Find out more information about the course map here:

https://goo.gl/MQIGQP

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By the time I hit mile eight, we were in a residential neighborhood (Crestwood Road, Fauquier Ave and Brooke Road). This part was refreshing. This stretch was lined with tailgaters. They provided water stations, homemade goodies, and even had DJ booths set up. The positivity they radiated put the smile back on my face and helped remind me how exciting this experience was.

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And of course, my dad’s words of advice echoed through my ears as I grabbed a beer from an enthusiastic tailgater on mile eight. “Don’t try anything on race day that you’ve never tried while running before.” Well, I guess that one went out the door! (sorry dad).

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Reason # 5: All 13.1 miles have tailgaters lining the roads offering food, water and high spirits which is very encouraging.

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The next few miles were a mental battle. Part of me wanted to push and go harder, but another part of me (my calves) were screaming from the flatness of this course. This isn’t something that I was used to because I trained so frequent on the hilly terrain of Harrisonburg.

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Reason # 6: The course is VERY flat. After training in Harrisonburg this will feel like a breeze.

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After a few more water stations, I could get a grip and visualize what crossing the finish line would be like. Before I knew it, I had crossed mile 13 and only had a tenth of a mile left. This was pure downhill bliss bringing me right across the finish line, goofy smile on my face and all.

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Reason #7: When you cross the finish line, the view is rewarding. It makes you realize that every mile was worth it.

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This annual event is a tradition in Richmond and is going to become a tradition for me. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in the short 21 years of my existence. I will recommend this race to anybody. With a little bit of training and persistence, you will be thanking yourself as you cross the finish line.

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Reason # 8, 9, 10:

• Free bagels, pizza, beer and lots of other goodies at the post-race celebration.

• The shirts finishers receive are DOPE (see photo below).

• You have an excuse to flaunt your finisher metal around downtown Richmond (also, see photo below).

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Reflecting on my experience, I learned a lot about myself and running in general. This race taught me that if you put your mind to something, it is a lot easier to accomplish than you would expect. Being a half marathon finisher showed me how important mind over matter is.

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Reason # 11, 12, 13.1:

• Compared to a full marathon, training isn’t extraneous. It is time consuming and you will be sore, but I felt like it was manageable (even balancing 18 credits and an internship) especially for a college student.

• Recovery time is minimal. The race was on a Saturday, and I was fully recovered by Monday morning - with the help of a foam roller and Epson salts.

• This is a great way to explore another part of Virginia. I had never visited Richmond before and I fell in LOVE! It is such a diverse city with so much to offer.

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I’m hoping that I was able to convince you to sign up for the Richmond Half-Marathon next fall. Not fully convinced? Check out their website which is chock-full of useful information.

http://www.richmondmarathon.com/

 

 

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