On Sunday I ran my first Half Marathon 13.1 Miles, I trained about 10 weeks for this marathon and played kick ball at the same time so sometimes I had my challenges getting my runs in. My journey started Sat morning with a car ride to Myrtle Beach from Atlanta. I rode with two of my kickball team mates which made it even easier since we already had a bond from being on the same team. Myrtle Beach here we come!

Hey I had to get comfortable, LOL! After navigation getting us lost for about an hour we finally arrived in Myrtle Beach around 3:30 p.m. at the expo to pick up our race bibs. While picking up our bibs we saw fellow Black Girl Run members and our kickball team mates.

Finally were headed to our rooms and to dinner to meet the rest of the BGR ladies at Hard Rock Cafe.

So dinner is done and it bed time, I have got a big race in the morning. Oh wait we have to take pics of our race gear before we hit the sheets!

Rise & shine its 6:00 a.m. and its race day! I wasn’t to excited till I woke up, Beast Mode On! Yes I am crunk and ready for this race but first a few pics and I can’t forget to take my pain killers from my foot injury I occurred while training for my half marathon (heck no I wasn’t going to let that stop me).

So I’m here I cant believe this day has finally arrived, as I stand at the 6:00 minute mile mark which I have no business standing at, I need to be way back in the 12:00 minute mile mark but hey I know they will be passing me up so let take a pic and get ready for this race.

As I waited for the race to start my nerves were bad and I knew I needed to get my Nano 7 ready, I’ve got a long journey ahead of me. There goes the gun and I’m off! I hit my start button and I started my race down the strip to the unknown watching the sea of ladies run past me I felt my self get a little emotional, I couldn’t believe I was doing it! My nano spoke to me and told me I had just completed one mile, I thought in my head, “you have got to be kidding me that feel like three miles”! This is when I knew I was in for a challenging race. Everything was great and I paced myself until I reached mile four and could feel my foot starting to give me problems already, this is not good :-(. So as I struggled I decided to do the best I can and finish the rest even if I had to walk most of it. So I ran for a few miles and then would walk about a half a mile, and then run a little more. This technique seemed to work for me until I got to mile ten, my body was tightening up on the right side. My quads were killing me, and my calves from running on my toes for most of the race. I decided to walk at mile ten and then run the rest of the way, when I got to mile eleven the plan was to run all the way to the finish line. I can do this I run 5K’s 3 days a week right, reality check Genae you just ran 11 miles so right now you can’t LOL! I did a really good stretch before I started running mile eleven, I got about a half a mile and started walking again, I was beat and felt defeated but I wasn’t giving up. I walked and ran until I hit that last mile, here I come! I mustered up all the energy I had left in me and sprinted that last mile to the finish line. I saw so many of my BGR sisters rooting me on as I ran through the finish, I did it I’m finished! I thought I might cry when I was done but I didn’t instead I was about to fall out from trying to catch my breath. I received my medal and now it was time to celebrate, picture time!
I finshed my race in 2 hours and 40 mins, not to bad since my practice time was 3 hours.

Next time I would like to finish within 2 hours and 30 mins



What an awesome feeling and experience! My name is Genae and I am a Half Marathoner & a Black Girl that RUNS!
OK so now Ive got the bug im thinking of a Mini Triathalon in my future :-).
Tips
The best advice I can give anyone for a race:
- Try to find a workout buddy that has similar goals, you will inspire each other and push each other at the same time.
- Make sure you get fitted for the proper running shoes at a professional running store
- Stay Hydrated
- Make sure you cross train, its important you add strength training to the mix
- Never wear or try anything new on race day, train in what you plan to wear on that day
- Pace yourself
- The most important advice I can give is run your race no one else’s
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