Interview with a first time Half Marathoner!

This is such a special blog post for me to write because not only have I known my wonderful friend, Lauren, since middle school but this is a post to celebrate her FIRST half marathon accomplishment! Lauren decided to register last spring for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in January 2022. She amazed me with her dedication to training from the moment we registered. She focused not only on the running but on nutrition and strength training as well. Below are some questions I asked her that I thought might help all of you when deciding to train for a half marathon!

What training plan did you follow?

"I used the Zen Labs half marathon training app (good for run/walk intervals) and supplemented it with circuit and strength training workouts.”

Did you complete all of the training runs and which distance did you find the most challenging?

“I think I did all but 2 the week before the race. I was feeling burnt out and stressed from the holidays and preparing for the trip and I realized that it was better to take a break and prioritize rest instead of pushing myself too hard to stick to the plan. The most challenging distance was the 10 mile run - I had never gone that far so it felt very daunting!”

Did you find the 13.1 distance challenging after training for it?

“No, it actually wasn’t as bad as I had built it up to be in my mind! Once I actually completed the 10 mile training run it felt like the half marathon was attainable, so I rode that confidence into the actual race.”

What is your favorite fuel for a long run?

“Honey stinger mini waffles are the gummy chews during the race. Before a long run, I would have a piece of toast with sunbather, honey and a sprinkle of flakey sea salt.”

What is your favorite running song?’

“Anything with a beat to keep my energy up! I would listen to the mint playlist on Spotify a lot.”

What are your running shoes of choice?

“ Brooks Adrenaline”

Was this your first runDisney race?"

“No, I had done 5ks at the park, but that was the only distance I had ever done. 13.1 was a big jump in distance!

What races do you have planned for the future?”

“I just registered for the virtual Springtime Surprise Challenge in Arpil!”

Congrats, Lauren! You are such an inspiration! Thank you for being such a great running buddy and I love the memories we made that weekend! I’m honored I got to share this experience with you!