On October 20, 2013 I will be running my first-ever half marathon during the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco. Half is not whole, but for me, it is enough. I am not a die-hard runner. In fact, I am not really that good at it. It is not easy for someone like me to admit that. I am pretty much better than average when it comes to sports. I enjoy being pushed, and pushing myself. I am motivated and committed. With running, however, I am still trying to find my stride.
My foray into running started when I got a call from the lovely Jacie Prieto, communications lead for Nike based out of the West Coast, almost two years ago. She asked me if I was interested in running the “She Runs LA – 10k” sponsored by Nike. I had never tried to run more than a mile before, so I was nervous. The competitive athlete in me said yes on the spot, and so my training began. I finished the 10k in a little over an hour with my running partner in crime DJ Lady Sha and I have been running casually ever since.
About three months ago I got another call from Jacie. This time, she was asking if I would run with Nike during the Women’s Marathon in SF. This marathon is very special because not only is it the 10th anniversary, but it is also the largest philanthropic race of it’s kind, having raised over $120 million dollars benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I just moved to the Bay Area, so I thought this would be a great way to meet some like-minded women and explore the city. My new home is still very foreign to me. It has hills, steep hills, and weather that I don’t really understand, so once again, I find myself training for a race. To be safe, I opted to run the half (13.1 miles) instead of trying to run the whole 26.2 miles. That might make me never want to run again, so instead of being overly ambitious, I am being realistic about my abilities. Fingers crossed that can I rise to the occasion.
The beauty of running is that once you start, you get better with each mile. The results are actually very concrete, and you can feel yourself getting faster and stronger every single time you put on your sneakers. Nike was kind enough to outfit us with some majorly serious gear to help us get in shape, and boy, they were not messing around. We each received a beautifully built gift box, broken in three categories–“To Run, To Train, To Live”. Inside each segment of the box was a selection of apparel, sneakers and technical helpers to help us prepare for the task at hand…running our asses off until October.
“To Run” I was given a pair of LunarGlide+ 5 sneakers, which are lighter than its predecessor and features updated Flywire technology and springy cushioning designed for stability and distance. There was also a seamless Dri-FIT knit top and some 2″ Epic Run Boyshorts, which boast a tight, supportive fit plus sweat-wicking fabric. The proverbial icing on the cake was the GPS enabled Nike+ SportWatch powered by TomTom ®. It tracks time, distance, pace, heart rate and calories burned, and also shows my mapped route, with pace data, and changes in elevation”. This piece of equipment has proven to be key component of my training, giving me the confidence and ability to run longer distances, in shorter times. It speaks directly to my iPhone thanks to Nike+ technology, so I can track my progress against the Nike Women’s Marathon Training App that I downloaded.
“To Train” I was given the Nike Pro Printed Women’s Sports Bra and Epic Run capris to compliment my Nike Free TR III 5.0 sneakers with leopard laces. One thing that I have learned over the years is that training and cardio are just as important as running, so I have been alternating between NTC and yoga every day of the week. I am strengthening my body and my focus. To support this leg of the journey on the tech front, there was a Nike+ FuelBand included. I have been wearing a FuelBand since they first launched, so I am totally on board for this kind of energy-harnessing accessory and having been crushing my “goals” on the regs.
“To Live” I was lucky enough to score some super cute Time Out Tiempo shorts in a heathered turquoise to work with my Burnout Camouflage tank. On the footwear tip, Jacie knows I am a huge camper, so she chose the camo Roshe Run’s specifically for me. She said they reminded her of the outdoors and I obviously she was right, because I am obsessed with them. At the end of the day the takeaway from this is that I am scared, but willing to push myself harder then ever before to complete my goal and finish my first half marathon.
Ironically, this morning as I was writing this post, I read a quote from the 64-year old swimmer, Diana Nyad, that just completed the first solo swim from Cuba to Key West without a shark cage (in her fifth attempt). She said “I have three messages. One is, we should never, ever give up. Two is, you’re never too old to chase your dream. Three is, it looks like a solitary sport, but it is a team.” I feel like all these rules also apply to running, and believe me, I will be repeating them to myself over and over on the 20th of October.
XX Jeanine
