Half-Marathon-Aversary
On January 29, 2021, I did something incredible and ran my first half marathon. What led me to even conceive of the idea of wanting to train and run a virtual half marathon during the pandemic? Well, after finding my feet outside of my apartment during the height of quarantine, running became everything for me.
Yes, it was a way to exercise and shed a little bit of that pandemic weight. Far beyond that, however, it became an outlet to release all the pent-up frustration, confusion, hopelessness, stress, loss, and sadness that the pandemic brought with it.
To make it extra special, Miami was my backdrop, so I cherished each sunrise and sunset that I witnessed throughout all my runs. After my birthday in December 2020, I started a virtual run challenge of my own called, “Run with Gratitude,” where I reflected on what I was grateful for during each run. I had the pleasure of running virtually with people around the world and felt such an amazing bond.
Shortly after that, I began to see fellow Miami runners post their registration for the Half and Full Miami Marathon on social media. Due to the pandemic, this was going to be a virtual race where you’d register to secure your shirt, medals, and gear, to run your distance between a three-week period of your choosing.
I was unsure if I even had enough time to train, but I felt that this was a perfect goal to focus on to distract me from everything. I registered and set my date for January 29th.
As a bonus, the race gave each runner a training guide to prepare themselves for their distance of a 5K, half, or full marathon. I became so disciplined and scheduled my time alongside the guide. I set aside rest days, iced my knees regularly, and religiously did my warmups before each run. This sounds crazy thinking about it now, but I even trained and ran my race while wearing a blue surgical face mask. I know, I was overly conscious but who wasn’t? All I can say is my lung capacity definitely improved.
On the day of my race, I remember finding it so funny how I woke up feeling nervous. For everyone else, it was just a regular Friday morning. If I were running this race outside of the pandemic, I could share these same nerves with thousands of people at the same time and place. Instead, it was just me waking up at 5am, wearing the race bib I printed myself, wearing my carefully selected outfit, and starting at an imaginary line with the moon and sun present at the exact same time. (That was incredible).
So yesterday, on the anniversary of my race, I decided to create a little video reel which I posted to Instagram. I felt it was important for me to reflect and create a visual memory of what that time meant to me. The race represented a renewal of faith within myself.
As an avid runner before the pandemic hit, I imagined running my first half marathon alongside a group of friends and a crowd cheering us every step of the way. Never would I think to believe I’d be running 13.1 miles by myself during a pandemic. That day, I proved to myself what I am truly capable of with a goal, hard work, and discipline. Through the solitude, I learned how to cheer for myself and run my own race.
