I’ve finally gotten to the part of my half marathon training where my long runs are really – long runs (for me). I have never run further than a 10K or 6.1 miles until this weekend! When I saw that my half marathon training schedule listed a long run of 6.5 miles, I was immediately excited!

I’m the type of person that gets a kick out of “firsts”. It’s the little things – like the first time I travel to a new place, the first time I try a new beer, and now the first time I ran 6.5 miles. This training program that I’m following is perfect for me because every other week I’ll add another mile or two to my run – all will be “firsts” for me. Not only are “firsts” fun for me, but they also motivate me. I believe that anything that motivates a runner is beneficial to that runner.

Now about my run: For the first 3.25 miles, I ran pretty steadily and fairly quickly. I think I averaged about 9 minutes per mile. The last part of the 3.25 miles was uphill. My goal was always to be able to the library and I can happily report that I met my goal this weekend. Then, I ran (and walked intermittently) for the next 3.25.

When I made it home, I felt great!!! The next day I was a little worried that I’d be sore, but I guess I stretched the right muscles (Thanks Runner’s World!). I could also tell that my workouts during the week are paying off – I felt stronger and could run longer than I usually can during my weekend runs. Anyhow, I’m making the slow trek towards 13.1 miles – adding a few miles at a time.