Runners Spotlight: Cameron’s First Half Marathon

Runners Spotlight highlights different runners that have joined Run 1 More and tells of their own personal running journeys. Every journey is different and equally important no matter if the number of steps one takes is large or small. All that matters is that we take another step forward.

One of the greatest joys of being a runner is to get others to join the running cult! Cameron (age 27) recently ran his first half marathon, and we had the pleasure to talk to him both before his race and after. Here’s a little summary of our interview.

BEFORE:

Cameron decided to run a half marathon because he wanted to be healthier. He wasn’t enjoying his current habits and wanted to make a change. He had run cross-country in high school so he was familiar with running, but it had been a while since he last ran. While he works in a nice area where you can do a lot of walking, he never wanted to get to a place where walking a mile seemed “too far.” Thus, he got back into running with completing a half marathon as his first goal.

Surprisingly, the training was not as difficult as he thought it would be. The 12-mile training run was tough, but once he got through it, he felt more confident about his upcoming race day. Oddly enough, the hardest part of the training came from the much hated stretching. The next hardest part he faced was to start—the first couple of miles proved difficult mentally until he got locked in. He made sure to get good gear to help prepare him for his upcoming race as well. For his feet, he got a pair of Hoka Bondi’s which really helped to not get blisters and Adidas socks for support. He avoided cotton and got reflective Dri-FIT shorts. As for fuel, he got a running pouch for shorter runs and a running belt to hold gummy bears and water for longer runs. What helped the most was downloading and purchasing the app “Runkeeper” for a strict training plan to follow. Furthermore, the app gives the user stats for their runs which helped Cameron meet his goals and even exceed them!

For his first half marathon, he wanted to finish it and stay motivated so that he could move on to his next one. He also was looking forward to being around other runners again since his high school days. The course for his half marathon involved running across Grand Coulee Dam (Washington) which would prove to be a lovely sight to see and enjoy. Once he had finished his first half marathon, he planned to do another half marathon and a full marathon in the next year. 

Cameron’s advice is that you can do it. It does seem really hard, but if you stick with it and build healthy eating habits (eating and sleeping), then you can accomplish what you set out to do. If you stay consistent and hold yourself accountable, it’s almost easy. And finally, guilt is good. He felt really guilty if he had to rearrange his training schedule, so he made sure to always get it done. 

AFTER:

Once Cameron finished his first half marathon, he felt great knowing he accomplished it! He felt proud of himself because while it didn’t seem feasible at first, he stuck to his training, put in the work, and accomplished something that he had wanted to do for a while. He had been thinking about running a half marathon for a couple years, but due to inconsistent training, it kept getting pushed off. This became frustrating because he was doing more walking instead of running and felt unhealthy. Having a specific training plan and goal is what made a big difference. He didn’t want to cheat himself out of feeling healthy and preparing for the race so the plan kept him on track. It also helped having a race that he was registered and paid for, so there was no backing out.

After completing his first half marathon, he signed up for two more! In his daily life, he now feels less tired and groggy, more energy and motivation, and feels better physically. He’s checking into run clubs and adding a social element to the running. Furthermore, a fun byproduct is that he’s fitting into old clothes and finding small joys in unexpected areas. 

While he’s happy he accomplished his first half marathon, he admits that he did have some less than positive thoughts beforehand. The night before the race he thought, “I don’t want to do this.” Even the morning of the race, he came up with excuses such as, “it’s so early, it’s so cold, I forgot a jacket.” (He later learned that he could have borrowed a big garbage bag from the hotel and wore that until the race started–or even a few miles into the race–to stay warm.) Even during the race at about mile 7.5, he thought, “I’m done…I want to be sitting down and drinking water.” Luckily, he pushed that thought out of his head, ate some of his gummy bears, listened to music, and kept running. That determination led him to finish his race.

For anyone who wants to run but feels afraid, Cameron says he understands, but there’s really nothing to be terrified about. You just need to decide if you really want to do it, and then use the tools that are available to you and go for it. For him, his tools were getting better gear and a training plan that didn’t tax him mentally. Once you have decided that you do really want to do it, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and go out there and do it!