Commentary: Completing my first half marathon

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tabitha Lee
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  RAF Mildenhall is hosting a Race to Remember Half Marathon on Sept. 8, and as running a half marathon gives you a great sense of accomplishment, I would encourage everyone to do at least one.

My first half marathon was the Nike+ Run to the Beat Half Marathon on Sept. 25, 2011, in London. I had always wanted to run one simply to say "I did," and my teammates and I ran to raise money for the Teen Cancer Trust.

My eight teammates and I started our 12 week training program in June. At first it was two to four mile runs, but as the weeks progressed, we ran more miles.

Training was hard and it took up several hours of my time especially on Saturdays. Some weekends, we would run 10 miles and it would take me more than two hours to complete.

Sometimes it was hard to make myself get out the door to run, but after every run I completed, I felt great. In addition to this "runner's high," I notice after the first couple of weeks I was more motivated and had more energy. Also, by week 10 I knocked about one minute off of my mile and a half run time.

The day of the race, I made a rookie mistake. I forgot my headphones. I had practiced for 12 weeks with music and now I had to run the race without my MP3 player. Luckily for me, it was Run to the Beat and there were live music stations every mile to keep me going.

I finished the race in just under three hours. That day, my goal was to finish the race, and I did just that. This time my goal is to finish in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes. Running gets addictive when you start making personal records because you want to push yourself to do better.

Senior Airman Christen Jefferson, 100th Force Support Squadron, is leading a runners club designed to help beginners complete their first half marathon. Pre-training and conditioning will begin June 11, followed by a 10-week training program starting June 25. For more information on the training program, contact Jefferson at DSN 238-2349.

If you are to unable attend the runners club, but are still interested in training for the Run to Remember Half Marathon, the RAF Mildenhall Health and Wellness Center has devised a 12-week running program and a 14-week walk/run program. They also have an advanced runner's program available for experienced runners who are looking to improve personal records.

For more information on these running programs, contact the HAWC at DSN 238-7161. Information about the Race to Remember Half Marathon, is available at the North Side Fitness Center at DSN 238-2349.