Walk us through race day. Where was it, at what time of day, how were you feeling, and did anything not go to plan?

30mph winds and torrential rain were not in my race day plan, but they were in the weather forecast. After speaking to a few marathon runners in the week leading up to the race as the forecast worsened, the advice was consistent - there isn’t much you can do about running in the rain besides wearing a hat. So, at 6am on race day, I woke up with 12 of my friends in the Hamptons and did just that. 

We did a stretching session on The Sculpt Society app, drove down to Southampton, and hopped on a bus to the start line. After braving the porta potty, it was time to leave my umbrella with our cheering squad and get started.

How long did you train for the half marathon? 

Before training for this race, I had only run a maximum of 4 miles at a time, though I knew I was in strong cardiovascular shape from my workout routine with The Sculpt Society. After a few friends signed up for the half marathon, it made me curious about whether I could complete the distance. I decided that if I could run 6 miles, I would train for it. I ran the 6 miles the following day, which was 4 months before the race, and started training from there.

What did a typical training week look like? 

I printed out a “beginner half marathon” calendar from Google and followed along, adapting the schedule to my habits and preferences – one of those being to avoid running in the rain, which ultimately may have been a mistake. Generally, there were 3-4 running days per week with one long run and 2-3 cross training days, along with 1-2 rest days each week. This frequency aligned nicely with my usual workout habits, as I love moving my body to start the day. 

On days when I did a shorter run, I would combine it with a quickie class from The Sculpt Society, working on strengthening the rest of my body with an extra focus on the Quickie Abs section to build up my core strength. On cross training days, I did my favorite TSS class type – 45 minute full body workouts.  

Was there any shift in your mindset surrounding fitness while training? 

When I think about fitness, it is important to me to be able to listen to my body and do the type of movement that feels good that day. I was nervous going into training for this race that I would feel “forced” to run at times that didn’t feel right or that I would lose the joy I previously felt from my workout routine. To combat this, I started training early to provide flexibility in my training schedule. On days when I felt like doing The Sculpt Society workouts instead of running, I made sure to incorporate dance cardio so I would still be getting in cardio training. On days when I felt capable of running a bit further, I adjusted my training plan to allow for a longer run that day. Giving myself this optionality throughout the process allowed me to keep my love of movement strong while reaching my fitness goals. 

Where did you find support? 

I could not have run the race without the support of my friends – those who were running the race and those who came to the race to cheer us on. Throughout training, our group of runners stayed close, encouraging each other to get through those long runs. On the day of the race, our cheering squad had personalized signs, with which they ran around the course. Seeing their smiles and hearing their cheers through the pouring rain and wind kept me going through the hardest parts of the race. 

How did you practice self care while training?

Pedicures have taken on a whole new meaning after putting my feet through this training and the race. I look forward to the monthly self care ritual in a completely new way since my first month of training. And of course, on days when I had a tough run or a great run or didn’t run at all, dark chocolate is my favorite form of self care. 

Any last takeaways after completing your first half marathon? 

I am proud of myself for setting a goal to do something athletically that I had never done before and wasn’t sure I would be capable of completing. It was amazing to see how much strength and endurance I had built up through moving consistently with The Sculpt Society over the past four years and to apply it to a new challenge. Ultimately, I would be excited to run another half marathon, as long as it doesn’t rain again!