13.1 Miles of Lessons: What I Got Wrong Training for My First Half Marathon

13.1 miles. It’s not superhuman — millions of people do it every year. But for me, finishing my first half marathon was a genuinely big deal. And not because I crushed it. I didn’t. I finished well below the average time, my knee was a question mark the whole way, the weather was absolutely miserable, and I almost needed an emergency bathroom stop at mile nine. In this episode, I’m breaking down everything — the good, the bad, and the embarrassing. We talk training mistakes (I definitely violated the 10% rule), fueling experiments that almost went sideways, the mental war of the final three miles, and what I’d do differently if I could start over. This isn’t a story about being elite. It’s a story about being a regular person who signed up for something hard and showed up anyway. If you’re thinking about doing your first half — or any race — this one’s for you. In this episode:•      Why I crammed my training into 8 weeks (and paid for it)•      The honey and banana pre-run fueling strategy that actually worked•      What happened when I almost didn’t make it to a bathroom at mile 6•      How race energy is completely different from solo training runs•      The mental trick that got me through the final 5K•      My official finish time and what I’m taking into the next race Key Takeaway: Give yourself more time than you think you need, train in conditions that match race day, practice your nutrition, and don’t skip the mental prep!Until Next Time: Just Keep Running