Before
Saturday I ran my first half marathon with my dear friend Claire Connelly in Cincinnati. It was the culmination of a couple of months of long distance training, and a year of transitioning into the natural running technique. It wasn’t the most beautiful run- we ran through several industrial sections of town, and the day was gray and misty but I ran with a smile. Partially because of the clips Claire read me the night before from “Born to Run” that talked about how character plays into running success, as well as my own surprise at my own ability. I averaged 10min/mi the first six miles, and 8 min/mile the last seven, ending with a time of 2:01. I ended strong, and felt good throughout. My calves and left buttock were definitely tight (and probably would have cramped up if I ran too many more miles) but other than that, my knees felt great and my spirit soared. I’m so glad I got to share my first marathon with Claire. She’ll ever be tied to my identity as a runner!

After