Half marathon training is getting hard, but it's worth it

There are seven weeks left to prepare for the SMH Half Marathon, and I’m beginning to feel it.

I ran eight kilometres the other day, as part of the Medibank half marathon beginner training program I’ve been doing. And unlike the eight-kilometre run the week before, it was hard.

Despite being told not to compare myself to other runners, it’s hard to not be in awe of their achievements.
Photo: James Alcock

Every kilometre felt tough. I wasn’t enjoying it; there was no runner's high, my playlist is getting stale and I’ve run the same route too many times.

As an inexperienced runner, I know I need to stick to the program so I don’t injure myself and so I can actually make it across the finish line on May 20.

I’m fairly new to running, as I’ve written previously, so getting to the finish line is my main goal - personal best times are not part of that equation.

However, it’s hard not to feel like a rank amateur when I talk to friends and colleagues who can run 20 kilometres at a pace of 5.12km a minute, or others who run to work on a daily basis. Getting overtaken by a 10-year-old on the St Peters parkrun one Saturday was also particularly galling.

A runner friend said I should never compare myself to other runners but it’s hard to not be in awe of the achievements of others, and more than once I’ve wondered whether I can make it to the finish line if I’m struggling to run eight kilometres.

More than once during that run, I thought about stopping. Just making it a four-kilometre run, or five. I could just do eight kilometres another day, right?

But then I thought despite the fact my friends are all faster than me and can run further, I’ve improved too.

When I decided to run the half marathon at the start of the year, I couldn’t run for more than five minutes straight. Now I can run for more than 50 minutes, and while it’s a struggle sometimes that’s no mean feat.

While I won’t be running the half marathon in under two hours, I am also getting faster. And despite my struggle in the latest run, my first eight-kilometre run was thrilling.

All these things ran through my head as I ran, and when I got just over halfway I decided I could do it.

I ran all eight kilometres, and it was hard, but I did it. I’m one step closer to the finish line, I’m getting better, and that’s the main thing.

Entries are open for the SMH Half Marathon via the race website.