Intro to 13.1 Training: Find Your "Why"

I started running in college because my best friend was an avid runner and she was always begging me to go on runs with her. I am so gracious for her patience because becoming an enjoyable running partner was a long, slow process for me. Now I'm training for my first half marathon, a distance I never dreamed I'd run, while my best friend sits back and says, "I told you so." Stick around for the next 6 weeks as I blog about some of the most vital components of my training. From nutrition to running gear, I'll share my 13.1 journey. The story starts with my "why" and the importance of finding yours before you set your next running goal.

Running has been a vital component of "finding myself" in my 20's. It taught me to enjoy spending time alone (I'm an extrovert, so this was hard for me), to fuel my body with wholesome foods, and, most importantly, to prioritize personal health. Personal health encompasses my mind and body. I need an outlet for the typical self-induced stress that comes along with being type-A (I took the test and it says I'm type AB, but no one believes me). Add on the occasional work- and relationship-related stresses of life and I'm a breathing disaster. Running gives me a chance to ground myself in reality. I truly spend time thinking about what's bothering me, praying for guidance in navigating life, and jamming to T-Swift. No matter the distance, I come out of a run mentally and physically rebooted.

I truly spend time thinking about what's bothering me, praying for guidance in navigating life, and jamming to T-Swift.

But recently, my why has been more goal-oriented. For whatever reason, simply conquering a distance that my college-self never believed I could tackle was enough to get me started on a half-marathon training plan. It helps me draw parallels to my career, where I am in need of constant reminder that hard work pays off. "If I can put in the work to run 13.1 miles, I can put in the effort required to develop the new product, teach people about it, ignore the haters (while singing "Shake It Off"), convince the investors, fix the bugs, and start all over with the next-best-thing...right?!"

My main goal these days: Get into the best physical shape of my life in preparation for growing a tiny human. I want to give my future babies the most healthy start to their lives. I also selfishly want fast labors. While there's no guarantee that either of those things will result from running half marathons, the doc says it's a great start!

What's your why? What is going to make the early mornings easy, the meal-prepping worth it, the blisters painless, and the mid-run cursing tolerable? I'll tell you the best training advice I've ever had: Do it for you.

I'll tell you the best training advice I've ever had: Do it for you.

Stay tuned for more on my training schedule, fueling advice, overcoming the hump, running gear must-haves, and more! Each week for the next 6 weeks, I will shed light on what I've done to prepare for 13.1!