Life is one great adventure! As with most things in life, sometimes the hardest thing to do is to take that first step. Maybe you want to change careers, earn a degree, learn a new skill, break a bad habit or better yet, create a new habit that is healthy and rewarding. When it comes to running, that first step, that first 1-mile is the hardest!
Here’s how you go from running 1-mile to running a Half Marathon. (13.1miles).
Some people have physical disabilities and conditions that prevent them from running, but for the overwhelming majority of people, running is natural. The human baby goes from crawling, to walking and immediately into running! Toddlers love running. Running away from their parents, running in the house, running into the street. They love to go fast. I believe this is a natural, instinctual condition of the human spirit. We want to run.
At some point you were convinced, trained, disciplined not to run. Somewhere down the line maybe you accepted the lie that you are not a “runner”. That instinct to run was quelled and diminished. The desire to run was burnt out.
Now as an adult, something has sprung inside of you to run a 5K or Half Marathon or better yet, the Full Marathon (26.2miles). It has for me. I am going to complete a Full Marathon.
The hardest part is taking that first step, running that first mile. But once you do, 1 mile can easily domino into a half marathon. If you can do 1 mile you can do 13.1.
Here’s how it’s done.
When you complete a 1-mile run, mentally it’s not a big jump to run just 1 more.
You did it. You’ve completed 2-miles without stopping! Maybe it was difficult, but if you’ve already done 2, you can surely do 1 more. Even if it’s a struggle.
If you’re going to run 3-miles, might as well add on an additional 0.11 miles and get in an official 5K. Hell, might even sign up for your first race!
Now that you’ve done a 5K (3.1 miles). Surely your body can do a 4-miler. You have LESS THAN A MILE to go to complete a 4-miler. So go ahead and do it. Even if you walk a little, you can do 4-miles!
With 4-miles done, a friend says “Hey, let’s go for 5!” . You only have to add 1 more mile. What’s a mile? You can run 1-more! You ran 1-mile for the first time some weeks ago and you know it won’t be that hard, so you say yes to a 5 mile run.
You did it! You completed a 5-mile run. You are strong and you know what your body feels like adding miles in now. Odds are you’ve ran for almost an hour straight and it feels like a massive accomplishment.
Well, now that a 5-miler is under your belt. What’s 1.22 more miles to complete a 10K race? You can surely do 6.22 miles, even if you’re struggling on the last mile. You know you can do a 5K, what’s another 5K anyway? (Robert)
Now that you’ve ran a 10K it’s only 1.8 miles to get in an 8-mile run. At this point you’re easily now running for over an hour. Running is no longer “new” to you and you are planning your “long” runs that take you beyond an hour running. Might as well do 8-miles. I mean, you did get to the trail. Go for it.
From 8 miles you can make the expansion to 10-miles! It may take a few weeks, but really, what’s another 2-miles on the trail when you’ve already been running for so long. Going for 10 you may start to find yourself getting hungry, ask your friends about GU’s, Gels, and the like.
10 miles to Half Marathon. It’s only 5K more in distance! At this point, you’ve already run numerous 5K distances for fun or in races. If you can do 10, then adding another 5K may be difficult, but doable. Your body can handle it, your mind can fathom a 5K. Go for it!
I will be taking my “First Step” towards the Marathon on August 1st, 2022. My intent is to capture my journey to the Marathon and beyond in this blog. I have committed to two Marathons in 2022. The City of Oaks Marathon in Raleigh, NC on November 6th and the San Antonio Rock n’ Roll Marathon on December 4th.