Finishing Reggae Marathon 2016

"I will finish this race....I must."

I decided to push myself a lot this year, finishing my website, traveling, crushing my 2016 resolutions. Speaking of which, make sure you check out my last post on making new years resolutions and achieving them. See post here : https://goo.gl/ySFl5r

I've done races before but never a 10k and to be honest I didn't do much preparation. I was excited but nervous. The numbers and the diverse internationals indicated that this event was known worldwide and definitely not one to miss.

One of the highlights of the experience were the outfits. Tutus, face paints, flags, team gears, wigs, you name it! They definitely were a site to see and a well-needed distraction :) 

Run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes...Pacing yourself is very important. My cousins taught me their pacing technique which made the race manageable considering the fact that I was nowhere near "in shape." 

Lord did I wish I had done more preparation. On the final stretch it became harder to breathe and my untrained legs started to ache. My toenails were tender because I had this bright idea of not wearing socks and the finish line seemed so far away.

The race taught me something. The words "don't give up" kept playing in my head. The race is sort of like life. You start out thinking I am going to achieve this and that. The beginning is often easy yet nerve-wracking (beginning of the race). Then when it seems like you're almost there life throws you curve balls and you just feel like quitting (aches and pains) but if you are persistent and focused (finish line) you will achieve your goal (medal).

Here are some things to consider if you're a 10k newbie:
1. Wear comfortable shoes
2. Pace yourself
3. Get the correct gears
4. Consider getting gel insoles
5.Get enough rest
6. Keep hydrated
7.Biofreeze, Icy hot and Voltaren are great pain relievers.
8.Don't do the race alone. It's always better if you have someone to do it with you.
Would I do Reggae Marathon again ? Yes! I would. 

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