What my Half Marathon Taught me about "Finishing"

This week there's been a big debate and lots of discussion about "finishing." During my Peloton workout today the instructor made the comment "we are never finished" to which I immediately replied aloud, "oh no ma'am, I am!" I think both with her and in society, there's a good mix of well-meaning encouragement and toxic positivity (fueled by the grind mindset) that's creating a stir and angst for individuals as we draw near to the close of 2022.

Today was my last day of work before the New Year holiday and I breathed a big sigh of relief at the close of the work day. I felt exhausted and realized I'd spent the last three days pushing myself to complete tasks "before the end of the year" that had been on my professional and personal to-do lists for weeks. And while I checked off many of those boxes, there were some things I just didn't complete. This left me with the hard reality we conveniently forget that there's always more work to do. Which is why I'm pausing now to pen this article that I first concepted while on vacation last week but thankfully decided against initiating because that time was to be used for rest and my computers are now left at home during my personal travel.

In October I completed my fourth half marathon. It was by far the hardest one I'd ever attempted but here's what I learned.

Plan for obstacles and challenges, but don't overextend yourself

My training schedule was plagued with travel for work and personal. In fact, I spent 42 of my 90 day training schedule away from home. I was aware of most of the travel so I tried to account for it by starting a week early to give myself grace if I fell behind on miles during any given week. Because some of the travel took place internationally, I could do my best to pack my workout gear and research the hotel's fitness options, but ultimately, my runs were subject to availability of machines, pedestrian thoroughfares, and my body's ability to adjust to the new time zone and the demands of my time. Some weeks were easier than others. I focused on movement whenever possible, even if it were just walks. I did my best to get my long runs in on the weekend no matter how many runs I missed on the weekend. I just did the best I could when I could.

You won't achieve every milestone

In the weeks before the race, I ultimately finished 11 miles total although my training plan called for 12 miles. I knew that my body was still recovering from a mild cold along with my travel, and I opted to do what I could and let my body rest with minimal runs. Was it frustrating to not cross that 12 mile run (and some others) off the list in the weeks preceding the race? Absolutely! However, I chose to prioritize being healthy for the big day and other personal events across my calendar that were equally important.

Companionship will get you further than Comparisons

Two weeks before my race, I had my quarterly check-up with my rheumatologist. As usual, I was advocating (petitioning) him to consider reducing my medication dosage and to persuade him, I mentioned my race. He was impressed, telling me that most of his patients with my diagnosis can typically only run 5 miles. Since by then I'd completed double that amount, I began to feel really good. I am proud of myself for all the hard work I've done my to have my health progress over the last year, but by the time I hit mile one on race day, mentally, I started to tell myself, I'd be lucky if I hit five miles. Cue the entrance of my best friend who stayed with me the entire rest of the race. She solidified the truth of the expression "together we go far," staying positive and doing the heavy lifting of monitoring our run/walk intervals. She was patient and thanks to her our pace was actually faster than any of my training runs.

Adjust your expectations if necessary

At the 10K mark, we made a decision on whether that was the end of our journey for the day or if we would keep going.?We decided our time on the course wasn't complete. We chose to ignore time goals (including previous personal records for the same race) and the fact that we were being looped by fellow runners (including people we know) and just took it literally one step and mile at a time.?In the past, I'd been able to muster enough energy to complete the last half to quarter of a mile with a consistent run and final sprint to the finish line. This year, I'm not even sure I was able to jog through the final 1/10 of a mile but I did run across at some point and my final time did register.

While it was a hit to my ego initially, the bigger picture became clear that we'd accomplished what at the start of the morning seemed unlikely.

The right people will be there to celebrate you

As we crossed the finish line, the announcer called our names and the crowd cheered. While these spectators didn't know us personally, they understood the significance of the achievement and gave us recognition for our accomplishment. They, along with the other strangers who held signs, offered snacks, performed music and cheered us on along the way, reminded me that there are people who are viewing your journey that are rooting and standing by to support you when you need it.

Celebrate Yourself

After walking to my car, I saw my favorite local mural. I'm not one to take a lot of selfies, but I wanted to memorialize this moment in time for myself of how I overcame (self-induced) adversity and didn't give up. Later that day, I continued the celebration as I munched on a cookie that I'd pre-emptively purchased the day before from my favorite women/minority-owned bakery. It tasted just as sweet as it would have if I'd finished at any other time - whether faster or slower, the deliciousness was in my self-recognition.

Looking back on the race, it's very similar to the last few years we've all experienced. For the rest of 2022 and in the next year I hope when you set goals, you give yourself space and grace to define and celebrate how you "finish" your charted course.

Yours in ambition and rest,

LaMecia