3 Things I learnt from my first Half Marathon.

Last weekend, I raced in the Gold Coast Half Marathon—my first time tackling both the distance and a large event. It was such an awesome experience overall, and the atmosphere was insane.

Now that I've had over a week to reflect, here are my top three takeaways I learned from the race:

1. No Shortcuts - Hydration and fueling really do matter.

While I learned this throughout training, especially on the long runs, it was hammered home during the race. My race-day hydration and fueling plan worked perfectly, thanks to expert advice from my mate Andrew (Andrew Hall Dietician) and conversations with more experienced runners, as well as my coach from Start Running Stay Running, Carl. Knowing exactly what food to eat pre-race, the timing and number of gels mid-race, and how to stay hydrated gave me the confidence to focus on other things, like my second point…

2. The game plan - Race strategy definitely helps.

As a bit of a long distance rookie with a disrupted prep due to injury, I was nervous leading up to the race, unsure how to pace myself to both current fitness and ability, as well as not hindering the recovery of the foot niggle (a now healed tear with some lingering plantar fasciitis for those interested). My coach, Carl, gave me great advice: feel like you always have another gear for most of the race, then bring it home in the last few kilometers. This simple race strategy, just like my fueling plan, boosted my confidence and helped me give it my best shot.

3. Positive mindset

This is crucial both during training and on race day. Things don't always go as planned—I got injured 8 weeks out from the race. On race day, I reminded myself that it's just a running race. Focusing on hydration, fueling, and race strategy helped me maintain a positive mindset. I stayed focused on what I could control: my effort. So, I decided to give it a red-hot go and just enjoy it.

Overall, I did better than I had expected and really enjoyed the whole experience. I'm already looking forward to more events. Who knows, maybe a full marathon is on the horizon 🤷‍♂️😉.