On Sunday, July 31st, I completed my 3rd half marathon. This time around, I took my training pretty seriously. I hired a personal trainer, whom I worked out with twice a week at 6:30AM sharp! This new schedule took a lot of getting used to, but I ended up really enjoying it. There is something awesome about waking up when the rest of the world is still quiet to get things done and get your thoughts together for the approaching day. I learned that despite the fact that it is very difficult to get out of bed when it is still dark outside, it is totally worth it! I managed to not only improve my physical fitness, but I became a much more organized person because I was able to do a few chores every day before I started my work day.
I did a combination of cardio exercises, running and strength training to prepare for the half marathon. My trainer taught me a bunch of fun exercises to get myself in shape. My personal favorite was the side run because you can flap your arms like a chicken when you do it. It definitely promises for some funny looks from people on the Embarcadero. I finished the 1st half of the San Francisco Half Marathon in 2 hours 13 minutes. My goal for next time is going to be to finish in 2 hours. This is going to take a lot of work and I am really going to have to strengthen my muscles and improve my running on inclines.
Stay tuned for my next half marathon story!