What a journey it’s been to get here, with so many emotions. A half marathon has been on my bucket list for many years now. I actually got into the Vancouver SeaWheeze lottery for 2020 and then … well, covid happened.

And for the past several years, I’ve been dealing with severe pain and a long trek to my diagnosis and excision surgery for having Stage 3 Endometriosis. So running and this goal of doing a half marathon had to take a back seat in order to focus on my health.

Less than 7 months ago I had excision surgery. I spent 6 weeks in full recovery and a few months after that taking it easy still. My first run was in June. I wanted a goal to work towards and this was it.

This past month has been incredibly difficult, with a sense of feeling lost in a few areas of my life. I really wasn’t sure if I would’ve been able to race today. In addition to struggling with my mental health, I’ve had a quick drop in weight (which means a drop in strength), and my training block was screwed up for probably the last 6 weeks or so.

But if you know me, you know I am not a quitter. I do not give up. I give everything my absolute all. While I was nervous that I wasn’t as prepared as I could’ve been, and had many moments of serious doubt, I know that I am resilient and have worked hard to get to this point, so it was in God’s hands (and my little feet) now.

I really couldn’t have done it today without my village. It makes me emotional thinking about all of the wonderful people in my life. I had 4 separate groups of friends that were on the route to cheer me on and give me the boost that I needed, and countless more kind messages and incredible support. How did I ever get so lucky? If your village isn’t there to cheer you on, lift you up when you’re feeling low, and pushing you to constantly be the best version of yourself – then you should look for a new village. I have been so so blessed with mine.

Special shout out to Erin, Emily + Selena, Lem + Colin, Kelly, Ren + Der + Nora + Wellsy + Kirty.

I had 3 goals for this race
1) Just finish
2) Not shit myself (I’ve seen the videos online, I’m not naive enough to think that it couldn’t happen to me)
3) Complete the race in a sub 3

I managed to complete all 3 goals! With a bonus of PR’s for my 10k, 15k, and 10 mile times.

Here is your reminder that you can do HARD THINGS & to lean on YOUR people. Humans are resilient, and so are you.

Lastly, if you are getting into running, here are my pieces of advice. Fueling is so important, carbs are your friend. Figure out what works for you before, during and after your runs. NOTHING new on race day (this includes electrolytes on the course if you haven’t had them before). Sleep and rest are just as important, as well as strength training. I recommend following a training plan for your race, but listen to your body, especially us women! Most plans don’t take into consideration our monthly hormonal changes. A day off today could mean saving you a week or month off later. Zone 2 training is gold. It may feel slow but trust the process. Do not skip out on warming up (pre) and longer stretches (post). Regular maintenance like Chiro and Physio will help you stay strong and injury free.
HAVE FUN!!! Running is about you, moving your body, no matter the time or pace. There are sooo many wonderful run clubs in every city. The running community is amazing!
Until the next race, which I already have booked 🙂

With Love,
Murs ❤