Ok everyone I have officially completed my first Rock and Roll 1/2 marathon!!!

As most of you know, I am not a long distance runner. I decided to sign up for the marathon back in June with my mom and figured with all the pain we go through at CrossFit might at as well try a 1/2 marathon!

I started training with just CrossFit Endurance Training. I have never done a conventional training program, so I was going to put Crossfit Endurance to the test.

I trained with traditional CrossFit 6 times a week and endurance 3 to 4 times a week. I have never ran over 8 miles in my life (nor did I have a desire to), so I thought Endurance would be perfect.

In the 4 months leading up to the race I ran 13 miles once, and averaged 6:30 to 7 minute miles the whole time in August. After that run the farthest I ever went was 3 miles at a time.

As Sunday approached, I had no idea what to expect…. I had gotten the flu the week before and I did not know how my body would hold up or if it would for 13 miles.

The day before the race I decided to do a WOD and an hour of cardio and run stairs, (maybe not the brightest to all you runners out there) but I really wanted to stick to my normal CrossFit routine.

On race day I felt great, the weather was perfect; no smog and the route was beautiful. The first 7 miles I stayed with my mom, we had a great pace and we were both feeling good. Then, my mom slowed a bit and in order to stay in POSE form I had to run at a faster pace or I would cramp.

I went on ahead and with no IPOD (and for those of you that know me and the importance music has to me) this is HUGE …. and I maintained 6 to 6:45 pace the whole time. As I approached mile 12 I decided to pick up the pace and get her done! So I finished my last mile in 5:43 and as I ran over the red carpet I wanted to scream TIME!!!

This experience really proved that my strength in CrossFit and my Endurance training really paid off!! I was not sore the next day and I didn’t even get a blister (I ran in my nike frees). It also taught me that my CrossFit Sioux Falls family’s support really pushed me to another level; I wanted to make you guys proud so when it hurt I pushed, when my mind said stop my body said NO!! So I thank all of you for your words of encouragement day in and day out, and especially leading up to the race!!!

The best part of the marathon was being able to run it with my mom!! She trained CrossFit and CrossFit Endurance all on her own, and she did and amazing job! The feeling of running with her across the finish line was monumental!!!

CrossFitters … go out of your BOX (no pun intended) and prove to yourself that you can do something you never thought you could!

This entry was posted on November 3, 2010 at 2:03 pm and is filed under Crossfit Philosophy, Lifestyle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.