This fall completed the 3^rd annual Green Events 13’ers Half Marathon Challenge. Runners who finished all three of the Green Events’ Half Marathons during the year automatically become members of the exclusive club and receive a 13’ers sweatshirt at the end of the year. This year, 37 runners completed the challenge and are anxiously awaiting their commemorative sweatshirt to arrive in the mail.

When race day rolls around it can actually be a fun and enjoyable experience. You usually don’t have to set the alarm clock for 3 am like you do to get to the starting line of many marathons or longer races. The race itself does not take all day, a few hours in the morning and then you are off to breakfast/brunch, mowing the lawn or if you had the opportunity to travel you can go explore the area. Lastly, in most cases (if you trained well and are not injured) you will still be able to function after the race. Likely,  you will still be able to walk around, get out of bed the next day, and maybe feel some sweet satisfaction soreness from finishing the race at the goal you wanted.

The half marathon has been one of the most popular and fastest growing race distances in the U.S. for the past decade. For many runners this is the “perfect distance” race to train for and enjoy on race day.

Let’s face it, life is busy and many of us just don’t have the time or desire to commit to the training schedule for a marathon or longer distance. Half Marathon training can more easily fit into one’s schedule whether you are a newer runner working towards completing the distance for the first time or a more seasoned runner looking to improve your time or check off another race on the bucket list.

Despite the above-mentioned reasons why half marathons are the perfect distance, it certainly does not mean they are easy. Half Marathons are difficult and just because it’s a half does not mean it is easy or “half as hard”. Finishing a half marathon is always a big deal, “those last 3 miles will getcha”! Training takes consistency for months leading up to the race to build up mileage, strength, and speed. There are early morning workouts, evening group runs, track and tempo runs, weekend long runs, days you don’t feel like running and days your running partner doesn’t feel like running. Surviving all of this and just getting to race day is an accomplishment in itself. The race should be the fun part.