Back then I thought it was odd that she jumped right into a half marathon without ever having run as much as a 5k race. However, as years went by and I've met more runners (and started this blog), I've realized that's the way a lot of people started out.
I on the other hand was much more cautious with my running journey. As you may recall, I had been running the Disney 5K races for several years (way before I started blogging). I ran these to be with my family and to just have fun. It was all the "racing" I ever desired to do because I didn't think I would be able to do anything further. As you may also recall, Disney only gave out the rubber medallions for the 5K races back then. The year my sister ran the Princess half marathon and earned the Princess medal ( a REAL medal), was the year I decided I wanted to earn a REAL Disney medal as well.
I could never run a half marathon, so the Princess race was totally out for me. I had a friend that did the Tower of Terror 13K as a relay race. Even though at the time I didn't know exactly how far a 6.5 K was, I knew it wasn't that far and thought I could run that far for a "real" Disney medal! So that was my plan. Except, now that race no longer existed.
Back then the Disney 10K races did not exist, so my only hope of earning that "real" Disney medal was to run the Princess Half Marathon, so I started training!
My first REAL race that I ran for time (and received a REAL medal for), was the Monster Mile. The race was literally only one mile and the field was a mix of adults and kids, and adults running with their kids. As we began I remember getting passed by all these little runners. This was so long ago so I don't remember all the details but I think I may have walked a few seconds at the half way point. I ended up finishing in 10 minutes flat. I was neither excited nor disappointed because I had no idea what an average time for a one mile race was.
I then went on to race a 5K where I was pretty proud of my effort seeing it was my first time "racing" a 5K and it was a pretty hilly course.
Don't think I went right to a 10K then. Oh no! I raced a 7K and then a few months later I ran an 8K before running my first 10K (which was a trail race and not a good course for my first one). I ended up PR-ing at my second 10K by 12 minutes!
After the 10K, I still couldn't commit to a half marathon, so I ran a half marathon relay (and loved it)!
In typical Meranda fashion you would think that I would have done a 10 miler race before running the half marathon, but according to my records, I didn't. I guess after having proved to myself I could run the half of the half, I was ready for the real thing!
Please note: I did do longer training runs for my half marathon, the races listed are just the distances I raced during that time.
So that is how my running journey started with baby steps and took me to where I could run a full marathon. Did you run smaller distances and work your way up or did you just go out for the "Big Race" as your first one? -M
We'll be linking up with the gals from TOTR.