I’m not a creature of habit, so signing up for a half marathon is my way of staying accountable.
Health and wellness have always interested me. I’ve always wanted to be more consistent, but it’s easy for me to lose discipline. I’d set goals at the beginning of the year, stay motivated for a few weeks, and then fall out of the routine. I think it’s because I didn’t have a bigger goal to work towards. For example, “work out more” isn’t specific enough to keep me motivated.
I’m learning that I need to restructure my goals and commit to future events to stay accountable. Since I want to be more consistent with working out, I signed up for a non-refundable half marathon. This way, I have no choice but to run it, or I lose $130. I don’t like to lose money, so of course I’m going to run that half marathon. I figured signing up would keep me accountable for my fitness goals. I can’t just wake up one day and run a half marathon—I need to train for it. I’m going to make the most of it and enjoy the journey. The best part is that through this process, I reap the benefits: I learn discipline, build a consistent workout routine, and improve my health and wellness.
I shall keep you updated on my fitness journey. I downloaded the Runna app, and my official half marathon training begins in June. In the meantime, I’ve been gradually increasing my workouts. Since my half marathon includes inclines, I definitely need to weight train to strengthen my legs. I’ve been on running TikTok and I heard that you also need upper body strength, so this is great. Running is a well-rounded sport. I can’t believe I was in cross country in high school, but I’m running my first half marathon this year.
Sharing some of my fave items at the moment:
- GoMacro MacroBar Organic Vegan Protein Bars: These bars are simple and healthy—you can easily understand all the ingredients listed. The flavor is subtle, unlike some other protein bars that can be overpowering. The texture is soft and chewy, which I enjoy. My fave flavor at the moment is the Coconut + Almond Butter + Chocolate Chips. I just bought 4 trays of variety packs and I’m super excited to try the Mint Chocolate Chip
- CLIF BLOKS – Energy Chews: I look forward to these during my runs. I heard that you need to train your body to take energy chews and drink water during your runs; otherwise, you won’t be used to it on race day, which could cause you to run to the bathroom multiple times. With this in mind, I have been taking a gel and drinking water every mile. I usually buy the variety pack, but Salted Watermelon is my fave.
- SHOKZ OpenFit – Open-Ear True Wireless Bluetooth Headphones: A must-have for situational awareness. It’s one of the best purchases I’ve made for running, especially as a woman—we need to be aware of our surroundings. Although you can hear your environment while wearing these, the audio and bass are still good. The design is comfortable, and the battery lasts.
- Swiftie Run Belt: A nice, simple running belt. I want to save up for a running vest that could hold water, but in the meantime, this belt has been good.
- lululemon Align™ V-Neck Bra: Lululemon never disappoints. This sports bra is soft and buttery–so comfy.
- Balega Hidden Comfort Performance No Show Athletic Running Socks: Running socks are super important to reduce the risk of blisters and these are thick and comfy.
- On Women’s Cloudrunner Running Shoes: A solid running shoe. Everyone’s running shoe will be different because we all have different feet. I highly suggest visiting one of your local running stores to get fitted. I went to Fleet Feet and they scanned my feet to help find my ideal running shoe.
- Running Ear Warmer: A lifesaver during cold runs.
- Oura Ring Gen3: I just bought this, and it has been great for learning about my sleeping habits. It also tracks my period through temperature. There’s a lot of other data that helps with your personal health journey, so I’m still exploring the app. Definitely size up. I didn’t do this, so now it doesn’t fit comfortably on my index finger, and I have to wear it on my middle finger, which isn’t the most comfortable.
Running Wishlist
All of the things I have my eyes on… and will probably buy.
