First half marathon in 2025 done

Towards the end of 2024, I ran my first half marathon. It was brutal. Maybe, I am exaggerating a little but I almost died. It was brutal and I was very angry at myself. As I took on the street, I was questioning myself as to why though? Why I invited death voluntarily to visit me. When I reached the finish line, I wailed because my body was tortured. Every part of my body was aching and I just could not take it. 

To say, I almost faced a self inflicted running trauma is an understatement. I  then vowed to never again put myself in such a predicament. 

We take for granted the amount of training and nutrition needed for a successful marathon.  

You don’t just wake up one morning and decide to run a marathon. It takes sufficient training and the right diet to get you ready. You need to familiarize yourself with a strong training programme to physically get you strong. This training programme does not only include running. You build your strength through resistance and strength training. You better your runs with tempo runs, hill repeats and many more. 

Diet also plays a very crucial role when training for a marathon. Your protein intake, vegetables and hydration all matter. The right kind of fueling that will give you energy to train and become strong on the road. It is all an investment for a successful marathon and it is very difficult I tell you. I am no expert by the way, I am a runner in progress. I keep on learning as I hit the streets. 

Runners will tell you that the amount of time spent training is what determines your marathon performance. If you want to improve your PBs, training is an essential part for a better PB. To top it all, we still need to rest and get enough sleep. We also have family and friends that we attend to in the mix. 

The life of a runner is just not easy, yet we still keep on running. On the 08th March 2025 I took another voluntary burial and attempted a half marathon. The hills were not only hilly, it felt like a trail run. There was a moment where the marathon demanded we climb a hill for close to ten kilometers. I died and rose again. I guess this time around I was prepared for what the marathon was throwing my way. I improved my time by thirty minutes and this was a big deal for me.

Considering that last year, I almost gave up on the sport. Running will give you a strong mind and forced determination whether you like it or not. We keep on showing up because we love the sport and it makes us better people. Now, I ask you to be kind to the runners we are chasing PBs. We are recovering from voluntary deaths. We are doing the best that we can to stay focused. So, when we sleep during phone calls or chats on whatsapp forgive us. That is us listening to our tired bodies that are begging us to take it easy and sleep. 

What race are you running next? Runners, let’s meet in the next race or marathon?

Phiwe Mncwabe is storyteller, blogger and voice in Africa.

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